Review: Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

Release Date: December 6, 2011

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Pages: 359

Received: Purchased

Rating: 4 out of 5 Books

GOODREADS BLURB:

The situation at the London Institute has never been more precarious. With Mortmain and his clockwork army still threatening, the Council wants to strip Charlotte of her power and hand the running of the Enclave over to the unscrupulous and power-hungry Benedict Lightwood.

In the hope of saving Charlotte and the Institute, Will, Jem, and Tessa set out to unravel the secrets of Mortmain’s past—and discover unsettling Shadowhunter connections that hold the key not only to the enemy’s motivations, but also to the secret of Tessa’s identity. Tessa, already caught between the affections of Will and Jem, finds herself with another choice to make when she learns how the Shadowhunters helped make her a “monster.” Will she turn from them to her brother, Nate, who has been begging her to join him at Mortmain’s side? Where will her loyalties—and love—lie? Tessa alone can choose to save the Shadowhunters of London…or end them forever.

Oh, Cassandra Clare, how you tease me!!! Gosh! Once again Clare delivers an astounding book, pulling me full-force into Victorian London and refusing to let me up for air. While I wasn't as completely enamored with this book like its predecessor, it's still a great book, and a great lead-in to the upcoming book in the trilogy.

THE GOOD:

Again, Clare manages to make everything feel as though you're standing on the cobbled streets with Tessa, Jem, and Will. You want to reach out and touch the dresses and wipe the soot from your shoulders as it rains down from the factories. I love that! The emotions she makes you feel for the characters, and the fact that you invest in them is evidence to her ability to paint with words. Everyone was in their element, and I loved getting to know Magnus Bane more. I enjoyed seeing more Downworlders, and I'm sure there are even more amazing characters to come in the third book.

THE BAD:

While it may just be me, I just didn't enjoy the love triangle as much as I did in other books. I felt like Tessa should have known better, I don't know. Plus, she was alternating between kissing the guys on every other page. It just didn't seem like she would do that if she truly cared about either one of them. I also felt like there wasn't as much action in this one as the first, and while it doesn't have to be a constant demon-slaying fest, I felt like there should have been a better culmination of good and evil, if you will.

OVERALL:

Clare is a genius. You can tell the dedication and care she puts into the books before she even puts a letter down by the research and thought she puts into the plot line. I can appreciate that immensely, because it makes her settings that much believable. I LOVE that she gives me so much to see and I know that the remainder of her books will not let me down. The only problem now is that I have to wait so long for the third book in this series! Now I'm going to have to go to the Mortal Instruments series to keep me from going crazy. :)

RATING: 4 of 5 Books