REVIEW: Clockwork Prince

CLOCKWORK PRINCE

by Cassandra Clare

Pages: 498

Publisher: Walker Books 

Publication Date: December 6th 2011

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, but 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.

**Spoilers for anyone who hasn't read Clockwork Angel**

After reading Clockwork Angel I moved straight onto Clockwork Prince, as in I literally put down one book and picked up the next like it was the next chapter. This book delves deeper into the history and reasoning behind the Magister’s vendetta against the Shadowhunters, leaving our three favourite demon slayers intertwined in a long and perilous story that will have you turning the page faster myself if I came face to face with a Shax Demon. 

After the events of the previous book there were more questions left unanswered than answered. For example why did Tessa's brother turn so easily to the Magister's side? Why does the Magister hate the shadowhunters so much? And most importantly what the hell is Will's problem? Like seriously... the scene in the attic with Tessa and himself made me see red! Clockwork Prince is set to answer all of these questions and more as we once again join Tessa, Jem and Will as they continue on their quest to keep the ones they love safe and the world they know from falling part. However, with the Clave fighting tooth and nail to demote Charlotte from the head of the institute and the unlikely alliance with the Lightwood brothers the journey these characters are about to find themselves on is going to be anything but easy. 

WARNING INNER FANGIRL ACTIVATED 

I cannot understand how someone can create such an in-depth and intricate world of well crafted characters and heart racing story arcs. Seriously! Cassandra Clare I tip my metaphorical hat to you and your sheer brilliance. I thought that after the fast paced nature of Clockwork Angel this installment of The Infernal Devices would struggle to keep up but I don't know why I doubted you. From start to finish the story wove itself into a maze of mystery, action and challenges that would push our these characters to their absolute limits. There were moments in this book that actually had me in tears and others that had me laughing so hard I looked like a crazy person but from start to finish I could not put this book down. 

Overall this is shaping up to be one of my favourite trilogies of all time. Whether you are team Will or team Jem this book gave you everything you could possibly want. With the introduction of new characters and the uncertainty of old ones we are pulled into the world of Shadowhunters and Downworld yet again and are left begging for more. Roll on book 3!!