Review: Clockwork Princess (The Infernal Devices, #3) by Cassandra Clare

I don’t really even know what to write for this review. I finished the book last night and I tried to give myself some time to process it and get a handle on how I felt before I wrote my review...here goes nothing...

A net of shadows begins to tighten around the Shadowhunters of the London Institute. Mortmain plans to use his Infernal Devices, an army of pitiless automatons, to destroy the Shadowhunters. He needs only one last item to complete his plan: he needs Tessa Gray.

Charlotte Branwell, head of the London Institute, is desperate to find Mortmain before he strikes. But when Mortmain abducts Tessa, the boys who lay equal claim to her heart, Jem and Will, will do anything to save her. For though Tessa and Jem are now engaged, Will is as much in love with her as ever.

As those who love Tessa rally to rescue her from Mortmain’s clutches, Tessa realizes that the only person who can save her is herself. But can a single girl, even one who can command the power of angels, face down an entire army?

Danger and betrayal, secrets and enchantment, and the tangled threads of love and loss intertwine as the Shadowhunters are pushed to the very brink of destruction in the breathtaking conclusion to the Infernal Devices trilogy.
 

Whew. And it’s finished. The Infernal Devices trilogy has come to a close. It took me awhile to actually start reading CP. I would start and then stop and Ih ad a hard time getting sucked into the story as I did with all of Clare’s other books. I think the reason for that is because I just didn’t want it to end. I love the romanticism and poetry in this historical fiction and so it was hard to think that the series would be over. I’m hoping Clare will dive back into the past of the Shadowhunter histories to bring us stories from different eras.

Now down to the story. I promise you this will be a completely spoiler free review so don’t worry about shielding your eyes. If you’re a fan of Clare’s other works, you’ll definitely love this one. It’s got romance, tragedy, comedy and of course demon fighting action.

While I did like the story, this wasn’t my favorite book of hers. I felt like she did a lot to fit an ending into one book and I was finding myself skimming the romantic, tedious language used at times. I felt like some of the internal dialog could have been cut and the story could have been a bit more concise. Towards the end, the story shifted perspectives so much I found myself getting frustrated (but I think that was the point). Just when we’d be about to find something massive, she’d switch to the meeting of two forbidden lovers. I got frustrated, but it served it’s purpose of making you want to read more.

Now for the ending (again, spoiler free! I promise!). I’m not sure how I felt about it. I was with Clare all the way up to the Epilogue and that’s where I’m not sure how I feel about things. We end the story in 2008, presumably right after things go down with our favorite shadowhunters in NYC. There is reference to an “adventure” ending with Herondales, Lightwoods and Fairchilds. It was a bittersweet ending and I’d love to hear what those who have read the book thought.

Overall, I’m sad to be leaving the world of 1800’s London behind but I know that I’ve got a lot to look forward to with the Mortal Instruments finale looming and a new series on the horizon. What did you guys think of the ending?

** A word to the wise: If you don't’ want the ending spoiled for you, don’t peek at the map on the inside of the slip cover... it’s a character map and ruins a lot of surprised**

8 out of 10

Happy Reading :)