“We live and breathe words. ....
It was books that made me feel that perhaps I was not completely alone.
They could be honest with me, and I with them.
Reading your words, what you wrote,
how you were lonely sometimes and afraid,
but always brave;
the way you saw the world, its colors and textures and sounds,
I felt--I felt the way you thought, hoped, felt, dreamt.
I felt I was dreaming and thinking and feeling with you.
I dreamed what you dreamed,
wanted what you wanted
--and then I realized that truly I just wanted you.”
--Cassandra Clare, Clockwork Prince
It was books that made me feel that perhaps I was not completely alone.
They could be honest with me, and I with them.
Reading your words, what you wrote,
how you were lonely sometimes and afraid,
but always brave;
the way you saw the world, its colors and textures and sounds,
I felt--I felt the way you thought, hoped, felt, dreamt.
I felt I was dreaming and thinking and feeling with you.
I dreamed what you dreamed,
wanted what you wanted
--and then I realized that truly I just wanted you.”
--Cassandra Clare, Clockwork Prince
Genre: YA Historical Fiction, Paranormal
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books, 498 pages
Publication Date: December 6th, 2011
Goodreads Description
In the magical underworld of Victorian London, Tessa Gray has at last found safety with the Shadowhunters. But that safety proves fleeting when rogue forces in the Clave plot to see her protector, Charlotte, replaced as head of the Institute. If Charlotte loses her position, Tessa will be out on the street—and easy prey for the mysterious Magister, who wants to use Tessa’s powers for his own dark ends.
With the help of the handsome, self-destructive Will and the fiercely devoted Jem, Tessa discovers that the Magister’s war on the Shadowhunters is deeply personal. He blames them for a long-ago tragedy that shattered his life. To unravel the secrets of the past, the trio journeys from mist-shrouded Yorkshire to a manor house that holds untold horrors, from the slums of London to an enchanted ballroom where Tessa discovers that the truth of her parentage is more sinister than she had imagined. When they encounter a clockwork demon bearing a warning for Will, they realize that the Magister himself knows their every move—and that one of their own has betrayed them.
Tessa finds her heart drawn more and more to Jem, though her longing for Will, despite his dark moods, continues to unsettle her. But something is changing in Will—the wall he has built around himself is crumbling. Could finding the Magister free Will from his secrets and give Tessa the answers about who she is and what she was born to do?
As their dangerous search for the Magister and the truth leads the friends into peril, Tessa learns that when love and lies are mixed, they can corrupt even the purest heart.
In the magical underworld of Victorian London, Tessa Gray has at last found safety with the Shadowhunters. But that safety proves fleeting when rogue forces in the Clave plot to see her protector, Charlotte, replaced as head of the Institute. If Charlotte loses her position, Tessa will be out on the street—and easy prey for the mysterious Magister, who wants to use Tessa’s powers for his own dark ends.
With the help of the handsome, self-destructive Will and the fiercely devoted Jem, Tessa discovers that the Magister’s war on the Shadowhunters is deeply personal. He blames them for a long-ago tragedy that shattered his life. To unravel the secrets of the past, the trio journeys from mist-shrouded Yorkshire to a manor house that holds untold horrors, from the slums of London to an enchanted ballroom where Tessa discovers that the truth of her parentage is more sinister than she had imagined. When they encounter a clockwork demon bearing a warning for Will, they realize that the Magister himself knows their every move—and that one of their own has betrayed them.
Tessa finds her heart drawn more and more to Jem, though her longing for Will, despite his dark moods, continues to unsettle her. But something is changing in Will—the wall he has built around himself is crumbling. Could finding the Magister free Will from his secrets and give Tessa the answers about who she is and what she was born to do?
As their dangerous search for the Magister and the truth leads the friends into peril, Tessa learns that when love and lies are mixed, they can corrupt even the purest heart.
My Thoughts
I cannot lie. I feel slightly nauseous. Little weak in the knees...but definitely nauseous. I've read this book before. I knew exactly what would happen in the end. And actually it was quite fun because there were some details that I did forget about BUT for the most part I knew exactly what I was getting into...but I still found myself racing to read the end and hoping it turned out a bit differently...and it still hurt all the same. AND THAT QUOTE AT THE TOP?!?! Dying...dying.dying.dying. I was bawling while reading this because it is ever so close to my own thoughts and feelings that a piece of my heart recognized it. *sigh*
IF YOU HAVE NOT READ CLOCKWORK PRINCE STOP READING HERE. MAJOR SPOILERS. I MUST TALK ABOUT EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENS TO GET OUT ALL MY FEELS...YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. THE BOOK WILL BE RUINED IF YOU HAVE NOT READ IT.
Ok. Sorry. Had to get that out of the way because I MUST talk about spoilers because I MUST be able to get out all my feelings. It is going to be a rambling mess because I just want to talk, talk, talk about all the feels!! FIRST, this book overall BLEW ME AWAY! I really liked Clockwork Angel (review here <3) but Clockwork Prince...holy crap. This book is so good. Like ridiculously good. Couldn't put it down. Had me in tears. Had my chest pounding good. The plot twists in SO many amazing ways! We learn so much more about our Shadowhunter crew and I just LOVE where the story went. I cannot WAIT to binge read the shit out of Clockwork Princess. Although honestly, a little part of me may die if she doesn't end up with Will. I mean seriously. A part of me will shrivel up and die. I just...I can't. They are...ok I'm gonna move on to that now.
WILL AND TESSA! OH THE ANGST! Oh my heart! I just could NOT get enough of these two! The passion. The back and forth. The absolute certainty that these two belong together and they can't stay away from each other. The way Will protected Tessa in the end. *TEARS* AND how vulnerable he was in the opium den and how broken down his poor soul was at that point just broke my heart...but not as much as the end. I felt like I was watching Romeo and Juliet replay on a continuous loop in slow motion because of how the ending played out. Will....WILL, you just weren't fast enough DAMN YOU!! He belongs with Tessa. He needs to be with Tessa. I am not lying when I say a part of me will blacken if things are not righted between them. It just would not be right. There is no denying that these two are perfect for each other...Jem is just second best. Sorry not sorry.
On to Jem. I like Jem. I liked him more the first time reading him...the second time...meh? He is a little too philosophical for me. A little too melodramatic. Do I still love his character? YES! Do I want him to die? NO! Do I want him to be with Tessa? HELL FUCKING NO. Will is perfection to me. Top Ten Book Boyfriend...actually Number 1. For realz ya'll. Anyways. There is a part of me that thinks Jem just kind of bullied Tessa into a relationship. He is so kind and trusting and sweet that how could you not be his friend back? BUT dammit, WHY did she kiss him in his room?! I get it...I GET IT. She thought Will was bad news and would never be hers...but it doesn't mean you settle. There is also a part of me that feels Tessa is more just convincing herself she loves Jem. She had to repeat it to herself over and over at the end to make herself believe it. She's settling. And she and Will are both too stubborn and selfless to hurt him...and I get that. It is SUCH a beautifully tragic love triangle that you really do root for both guys because you want neither of them hurt...but still. Will has my heart. And he is first in my heart :)
The plot continues to twist and it NEVER stops. The heart pounding adrenaline. The urgency. SO much more is revealed about all our characters. The scene at the ball is one of my FAVORITES! I also can't get enough of how much more of Sophie we get. She is badass, man. I love her. She comes into her own a lot more and I think this is just fantastic. I love that Casssandra Clare will take what appears to be a "minor" character and weave their own story seamlessly into the plot without it feeling like an add-on. She pays such tribute to each and every character that you really feel like you are IN the story and involved in these character's lives.
LOVING the characterization of the Lightwood family. A lot more clicks into place about Magnus' initial attitude about Alec from TMI. Eesh, that father? Yikes. Bad news bears. Speaking of Magnus Bane, he is still acting like a boss...because he totally is. Love. Charlotte and Henry...oh how sweet are they? Their moments together toward the end of the book are just the cutest.
I love love LOVED this book. I cannot wait to read Clockwork Princess to see what happens...OH MY GOSH WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN?!? I have no idea. But I honestly hope beyond hope and cannot imagine a world or ending that doesn't Will and Tessa loving each other. It has to happen...right?...RIGHT?!? And one final thought: I would fictionally marry Will Herondale in a heartbeat...he will always come first in my heart...<3
This was my favorite of the three books, and also the saddest in my opinion. I totally cried over this one for sure!
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