{Review} Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare

Title: Clockwork Princess
Author: Cassandra Clare
Format: Hardcover
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Release date: March 19, 2013
Date Read: March 19, 2013 - April 13, 2013
Rating: ✭✭✭✭✭

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 Shadowhunters 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.

I can dislike Cassandra Clare, her MORTAL INSTRUMENTS series, and what she's done for however long I'd like, but that doesn't mean I don't absolutely adore this series. I won't feel ashamed for loving THE INFERNAL DEVICES. I refuse. 

This is one of my favorite series, and nothing will change that.

I read CLOCKWORK PRINCESS very slowly. I don't know why; perhaps it was because I didn't want to finish it, maybe it was because I was in a reading slump, or more likely: I just wasn't interested.

It took over a month of staring at the book, picking it up, and putting it back down before I forced myself to open it up, for realthis time, and start over.

And once I was sucked in, that was the end. I stayed up late at night reading; I skipped the first few minutes of class to hide in corner of the bathroom and finish the chapter; I stopped watching GAME OF THRONES for a few days just so I could reach the end.

The day I finished was one of the most miserable days in my existence. It wasn't just the book, though that contributed for sure. I pushed a chair against my door, and curling up in my bed, threw the covers over my head and began to cry. I sobbed and sniffled pathetically for at least an hour, and then I took a shower and went to bed at nine. I had a horrible nightmare and woke up sweating.

CLOCKWORK ANGEL has a special place in my heart, because it was one of the first books I ever 'reviewed' when I joined the blogosphere. I fell in love with the characters, and the story, and the writing when it wasn't riddled with hundreds of similes and metaphors.

I was fearful that CLOCKWORK PRINCESS would disappoint me and cause me unnecessary stress and sadness. 

It didn't disappoint me, not at all, but it sure devastated me.

CLOCKWORK PRINCESS wraps up the whole series lovingly and grievingly, sparing none of your emotions and crushing your heart. The conclusion will leave some thrilled and others crying uncontrollably. I, unfortunately, was in the latter group. 

Every character was so carefully detailed and crafted. It was hard for me not to love them all I failed at not adoring them, sorryharder for me not to scream and pull my hair out when bad things happened to them. They were so real, and that will always be Clare's strongest point in writing. They're so realistic; they act like assholes and they make mistakes and they go through the same pain that real people do.

I'd always enjoyed reading about Tessa; she was likable if a little dull, and she developed so much in this book. Looking back at the first book, the difference between past Tessa and current Tessa is unbelievable. 

Same with Will: I hated him with a burning passion at first. You, Will, were hysterical...



By CLOCKWORK PRINCESS, he was nearly unrecognizable. His horrible, prickly exterior had been stripped off, and beneath was a stunningly insecure soul who just needed love. He was still hilariously snarky at times, but it wasn't meant to degrade anyone.

Jem Carstairs has been my favorite literary character of all time since I read CLOCKWORK ANGEL a few years back. His undying sweetness, kindness, and loyalty to Will melted my heart the very first page he was introduced. CLOCKWORK PRINCESS revolves around Jem's illness and the countdown to his death, and that was probably the main reason CLOCKWORK PRINCESS hit me so hard. 

Jem and Will have this love for each other that even Tessa will never be able to interfere with. It's so beautiful and strong and unbreakable. I honestly spent most of my time holding back tears every time they were together.

There was so much angst in CLOCKWORK PRINCESS, and the love triangle was so damn... well, angsty. I was shipping Jill (Jem and Will) by page thirty, and all I wanted them to do was to say FUCK TESSA and elope and adopt beautiful children. Who cares if parabati can't have relationships? Besides being a Jill shipper, I'm also a Wessa shipper but a bigger Jessa shipper, so I was really quite hoping they'd have a threesome and just end it there.

Obviously, it didn't happen in that exact order that didn't happen.

Jem and Tessa have such a beautiful, lasting, strong bond. It's impossible to sever and only gets stronger with time. But Will and Tessa's love is bright and explosive omg I want to say TACO BELL but that's not appropriate and passionate. Tessa is in love with them both, and yes, I think it's possible.

It's like someone asking, "what's your favorite book?" I'm betting over seventy percent of bloggers and readers can't answer that, because they love so many. Tessa has two favorites, because she's a lucky bitch and lucky bitches get what they want.

The love triangle ended in a way that I was half pleased with and half distressed over. 

If you're a Jill shipper, you'll cry.
If you're a Jessa shipper, you'll cry. 
If you're a Wessa shipper, you'll cry. 
If you're a Wemssa shipper, you will definitely cry. 

Either way, you're fucked.

I've always admired Clare for the way she manages to intertwine THE MORTAL INSTRUMENTS with THE INFERNAL DEVICES. All the family trees are kept straight and correct unlike the Warriors series, where Rowanclaw apparently undergoes an operation to turn into a male, and various questions that have appeared in her MORTAL INSTRUMENTS series are answered here. Though, I would love to see her try to manage the family tree with four possible Shadowhunter series. *snorts*

I feel as if Clare saw all the angry status updates a lot of bloggersincluding me were posting up about the SHEER AMOUNT OF SIMILES AND METAPHORS IN THESE GODDAMN BOOKS. Pages and pages of her MORTAL INSTRUMENTS series could've been cut if she had calmed the fuck down with the purple writing. CLOCKWORK PRINCESS shows a growth and maturity in the writing style that I never thought Clare could handle. 

Now, CLOCKWORK PRINCESS is not without its faults. Several parts of it annoyed and frustrated me beyond understanding.

And, of course, that ending. Tears.

CLOCKWORK PRINCESS was an appropriately heart-breaking ending to a beautiful series, and though I'm sad to see it end, I don't think it will be the last time we hear of the trio.

Oceana is a French-blooded teenager who enjoys stalking British boys and asking them to marry her. She was diagnosed with severe fangirl disorder in 2011. Able to curse like a sailor with an angelic voice.