Cassandra Clare - Clockwork Princess.

Cassandra Clare – Clockwork Princess.

Rating: 10 out of 10.

Hi everyone! This is the last of my reviews for The Infernal Devices trilogy looking at the last book. Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare. I loved these books and I have loved sharing my thoughts on them with you all. I hope you enjoyed hearing them. Here is the spoilerless review of the last book for you all.

As Tessa Gray prepares for her wedding, a net of shadows begins to tighten around the Shadowhunters of the London Institute. Mortmain needs one last item to complete his plan. He needs Tessa. Jem and Will, the boys who lay equal claim to Tessa’s heart, will do anything to save her.

A little about the author:

Cassandra Clare is an American writer who publishes mostly YA novels. She is most known for The Mortal Instruments series and has published a number of books based around the Shadowhunter world. Her most recent works being Chain of Gold and The Lost Book of the White.

A little about the story:

The final installment of The Infernal Devices follows the matters of Tessa’s heart, and the group’s final fight with Mortmain and his army. The main characters remain the same as they did in the first two books; Tessa, Will and Jem.

In this portion of the trilogy there are many issues that arise. A number of which are; whether or not the scheduled wedding will go ahead, Mortmain, the clave threatening to tear the institute apart, the partial demise of the Lightwood family, Will’s feelings for Tessa. This book is jam packed with action, heartache and a beautiful conclusion to a complicated story.

The main problem throughout the story was always Mortmain. The other issues were more background problems to aid the story. So this book brings a conclusion to that storyline. It doesn’t all end with sunshine and roses though. As we can imagine a big battle has injuries, and the gang doesn’t emerge unscathed. They do all emerge as a group though. Stronger and better than they were before.

Will throughout this book is fighting the fact he can’t have Tessa. He fell for her, and his actions damaged the chances of them being together. We get to watch him and his inner struggle to accept the fact she is happy without him. Alongside the emotional turmoil Will is also facing the inevitable fact that his best friend and parabatai is dying. Something we have known since the first book but were secretly hoping wouldn’t happen. This is thrown in front of us at the start of this book and throughout we see Will and how he copes. Which is as can be expected.

The adventures in this book aren’t the ones of fairy tales, but the ones of heartache and struggle. Or is that just what it seems from a first glance. The conclusion to The Infernal Devices shows us the extreme ups and downs of life. The biggest adventure there is. And whilst their lives may be a lot different to regular people, with the whole fighting demons of it all, the emotions are all still there and present.

My favourite character for this book was Tessa. It was her time to shine. She showed every emotion on the spectrum during this book whilst still being strong and a hero in a time where it wasn’t the norm for women to be this. She accepted who she was and what her life had turned into. She was everything I could ever want to be and more. When I first read this book I was only young. And Tessa was the perfect role model for any young teenage girl trying to navigate the scary reality of life.

Honourable mentions go to Cecily Herondale though. She is equally as good a role model. For someone so new to the Shadow world she is willing to throw herself into everything and not let herself be a damsel in distress. Clare writes her female characters as everything I could ever wish for.

My opinion hasn’t changed at all when looking at the entire trilogy. I loved this book as much as the last two. Maybe even more. When I read the last book in a series, more often than not I am left disappointed. This is not one of those times. Everything was tied into such a neat little bow and it was phenomenal. All of the action, the romance, the trials, and the strength of the family at the institute. I couldn’t have asked for anything more.

My favourite part of the book was probably the big show down at the end of the book. I don’t want to share spoilers so I won’t, so if you haven’t read the book yet, read it and you’ll know what I mean. The strength and unity shown by the characters is beautiful. How well written the scene was had me feeling every kind of emotion, and I even cried.

I honestly had nothing else I wanted out of this story. Everything was there, every element perfectly built and had its place. Every character had its story and own life, no one felt like a two dimensional side character, I felt I knew them all.

I recommend Clare’s books to everyone who will listen to me ramble about them if I’m being honest. They hold a little something for everyone in them. But if I was to give something more specific it would be anyone who loves adventure, fantasy and a little bit of love.

And that wraps up my reviews for the entire Infernal Devices story. If you have read them too I’d love to see how much our different perspectives differ (if they do), and if you haven’t read them, I hope my words encourage you to pick up the books. You won’t regret it.

Stay Curious!

J x