My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Series: The Infernal Devices #3
Reading Level: Young Adult
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books March 19, 2013
Pages: 570
Synopsis:
Danger and betrayal, secrets and enchantment in the breathtaking conclusion to the Infernal Devices trilogy.
Tessa Gray should be happy – aren't all brides happy? Yet as she prepares for her wedding, a net of shadows begins to tighten around the Shaodwhunters of the London Institute.
A new demon appears, one linked by blood and secrecy to Mortmain, the man who plans to use his army of pitiless automatons, the Infernal Devices, to destroy the Shadowhunters. Mortmain needs only one last item to complete his plan. He needs Tessa. And Jem and Will, the boys who lay equal claim to Tessa's heart, will do anything to save her.
My thoughts:
**Spoiler Alert**
“And maybe you should stop pitying yourself,” he said. “Most people are lucky to have even one great love in their life. You have found two.”
Holy moly. What an emotional read. Just to warn you all, there will be spoilers in this review. I don’t know how to write a review for this book without dropping a few (a lot) of spoilers. In Clockwork Princess, so much happens. There’s a giant worm, evil Mortmain, the Infernal Devices, Cecily coming to the Institute, Sophie and Gideon, Charlotte’s position at the Institute in jeopardy, Charlotte becoming Consul, and a whole lot more. But, wait, you guys don’t care for that. You care for Jem, Will, and Tessa. Well, there was a ton of the trio and their angst in Clockwork Princess.
I predicted the part where Jem would be on the brink of death and become a Silent Brother. Heck, I predicted that while reading City of Lost Souls with the appearance of Brother Zachariah. But, what I didn’t predict was the ending. I thought Tessa would end up with Will and be happy and stuff and then live her immortal life. What I didn’t expect was that Jem would become un-Silent-Brothered-defied and be, well, Jem again and have a happily ever after with Tessa. That was really unexpected.
I have both feelings of satisfaction, happiness, sadness, frustration, and not being satisfied about the ending of Clockwork Princess. Suffice it to say, after reading I have very mixed feelings. I feel happy for Will and Tessa that they got to have a life together and be happy. But, I also feel sad for Tessa that she had to watch him die and their children and grandchildren, not to mention all her friends die while still living. Then, I felt happy for Jem that he could be with Tessa. And I felt happy and sad for Tessa in this instance because Jem is going to die just like Will and she will live again. Man, that has got to hurt.
I liked how Cassandra Clare wrote the whole plot with the Infernal Devices and how it was resolved with Tessa’s clockwork angel having an actual angel inside it and her Changing into said angel. I also liked all the other characters in Clockwork Princess. I already liked Sophie before from the first two books but I found Cecily a very good character as well. The book wouldn’t have been the same without Charlotte, Henry, Gideon, Gabriel, and of course Magnus too.
I found out that their was a family tree on the back of the cover so I tried to read it but as my book was a library copy I wasn't able to see it. So, I was struggling with a flashlight trying to read it. Then, I was like this is ridiculous. So, I went on the internet and found a picture of it. Here it is:
Jeez, my thoughts were everywhere on this review. For those of you that read it, I hope I didn’t scare you away. :) What are your thoughts, feelings, and emotions on Clockwork Princess?
Gah, now I can’t wait for the City of Bones movie! And for City of Heavenly Fire!!
Favorite Quotes:
“Unfortunately, you may have to delay your plans for sororicide a bit longer. Gabriel Lightwood is downstairs, and I have two words for you. Two of your favorite words, at least when you put them together.”--Jem and Will
“‘Utter simpleton’?” inquired Will. “‘Worthless upstart’?”
Jem grinned. “‘Demon pox,’” he said.
“Woolsey quirked an eyebrow. “You are a funny thing,” he said. “I would say I could see what those boys see in you, but…” he shrugged. His yellow dressing gown had a long, bloody tear in it now. “Women are not something I have ever understood.”--Woolsey and Tessa
“What about them do you find mysterious, sir?”
“The point of them, mainly.”
“Well, you must have had a mother,” said Tessa.
“Someone whelped me, yes,” said Woolsey without much enthusiasm. “I remember her little.”
“Perhaps, but you would not exist without a woman, would you? However little use you may find us, we are cleverer and more determined and more patient than men. Men may be stronger, but it is women who endure.”
“Is that what you are doing? Enduring? Surely an engaged woman should be happier.” His light eyes raked her. “A heart divided against itself cannot stand, as they say. You love them both, and it tears you apart.”
“House,” said Tessa.
He raised an eyebrow. “What was that?”
“A house divided against itself cannot stand. Not a heart. Perhaps you should not attempt quotations if you cannot get them correct.”
“Badly?” she said, attempting a teasing tone.--Gabriel, Cecily, and Will
“With passion. There are those who fight because it is their duty and those who fight because they love it. You love it.”
“I don’t—,” Cecily began, but she was interrupted as the training room door flew open with a loud bang.
It was Will, filling the doorway with his lanky, broad-shouldered frame. His blue eyes were thunderous. “What are you doing here?” he demanded.
So much for the brief peace they had achieved the night before. “I am practicing,” Cecily said. “You told me I would get no better without practice.”
“Not you. Gabriel Lightworm over here.” Will jerked his chin toward the other boy. “Sorry. Lightwood.”
“Magnus stood looking down at Jem. There was sadness etched on his face, that face that was usually so merry or sardonic or uncaring, a sadness that surprised Will. “‘For whence had that former sorrow so easily penetrated to the quick, but that I had poured out my soul upon the dust, in loving one who must die?’”Magnus said.--Magnus and Will
Will looked up at him. “What was that?”
“Confessions of Saint Augustine,” said Magnus. “You asked me how I, being immortal, survive so many deaths. There is no great secret. You endure what is unbearable, and you bear it. That is all.” He drew away from the bed. “I will give you a moment alone with him, to say good-bye as you need. You can find me in the library.”
Will nodded, speechless, as Magnus went to retrieve his gloves, then turned and left the room. Will’s mind was spinning.
He looked again at Jem, motionless in the bed. I must accept that this is the end, he thought, and even his thoughts felt hollow and distant. I must accept that Jem will never look at me, never speak to me again. You endure what is unbearable, and you bear it. That is all.
And yet it still did not seem real to him, as if it were a dream. He stood up and leaned over Jem’s still form. He touched his parabatai’s cheek lightly. It was cold.
“Atque in pepetuum, frater, ave atque vale,” he whispered. The words of the poem had never seemed so fitting: Forever and ever, my brother, hail and farewell.”
“Jem knows—“ Cecily began indignantly, but she was interrupted, to her surprise, by Gabriel.--Cecily, Gideon, Gabriel, and Magnus
“Of course he knows,” he said. “Will is only doing his duty as a parabatai. He is doing what Jem would be doing if he could. He has gone in Jem’s place. It is only what a parabatai should do.”
“You are defending Will?” Gideon said. “After the way you’ve always treated him? After telling Jem on dozens of occasions that he had dismal taste in parabatai?
“Will may be a reprehensible person, but at least this demonstrates that he is not a reprehensible Shadowhunter,” said Gabriel, and then, catching Cecily’s look, he added, “He might not be that reprehensible a person, either. In entirety.”
“A very magnanimous statement, Gideon,” said Magnus.
“I’m Gabriel.”
Magnus waved a hand. “All Lightwoods look the same to me—”
“He has gone after Tessa,” Sophie said.--Sophie and Jem
“Good.” Jem’s long hands plucked at the blanket, contracted once into fists—and then relaxed. “I—am glad.”
“You miss him,” Sophie said.
Jem nodded slowly. “I can feel it—his distance, like a cord inside me pulled very, very tightly. I did not expect that. We have not been apart since we became parabatai.”
“Cecily said you sent him away.”
“Yes,” said Jem. “He was difficult to persuade. I think if he were not in love with Tessa himself, I would not have been able to make him go.”
Sophie’s mouth fell open. “You knew?”
“Not for long,” Jem said. “No, I would not be that cruel. If I had known, I would have never proposed. I would have stood back. I did not know. And yet, now, as everything is going away from me, all things appear in such a clear light that I think I would have come to know it, even if he had not told me. At the end of things, I would have known.” He smiled a little at Sophie’s stricken expression. “I am glad I did not have to wait until the end.”
“You’re not angry?”
“I am glad,” he said. “They will be able to take care of each other when I am gone, or at least I can hope for it. He says she does not love him, but—surely she will come to love him in time. Will is easy to love, and he has given her his whole heart. I can see it. I hope she will not break it.”
Sophie could not think of a word to say. She did not know what anyone could say in the face of love like this—so much forbearance, so much endurance, so much hope.”
“She touched it now, hoping for guidance but it was as still and mute as ever. As she took her hand away from her throat, though she heard Will’s voice in her head: Sometimes, when I have to do something I don’t want to do, I pretend I’m a character from a book. It’s easier to know what they would do.”--Tessa
“Tessa’s legs gave out. She slumped to the floor, her dressing gown pooling around her like black water. “You—you want to use me to breed your children?”--Tessa and Mortmain
Now he did grin. “I am not a man without honor,” he said. “I offer you marriage. I always planned that.” He gestured at the pitiful pile of ragged metal and flesh that had been Mrs. Black. “If I can have your willing participation, I would prefer it. And I can promise I shall deal thus with all your enemies.”
My enemies. She thought of Nate, his hand closing on hers as he died, bloody, in her lap. She thought of Jem again, the way he never railed against his fate but face it down bravely; she thought of Charlotte, who wept over Jessamine’s death, though, Jessie had betrayed her; and she thought of Will, who had laid down his heart for her and Jem to walk upon because he loved them more than he loved himself.
There was human goodness in the world, she thought—all caught up with desire and dreams, regret and bitterness, resentments and powers, but it was there, and Mortmain would never see it.”
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