Book Title: Clockwork Prince
Author: Cassandra Clare
Series: The Infernal Devices #2
Series: The Infernal Devices #2
Date Started: August 22nd 2013
Date Completed: August 26th 2013
Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Mystery, Adventure
Rating: Four stars
Review:
I really like Cassandra Clare. I think she thinks up amazing stories, and she writes them very well too. But for some reason I just can't seem to connect with the Infernal Devices. I don't know why, but the characters just don't seem to work as well as they should for me, and so the story becomes less interesting for me. I did enjoy Clockwork Prince, and I do think it was better than Clockwork Angel, but they're not as epic at the Mortal Instruments.
Clockwork Prince follows on from Clockwork Angel. Set in Victorian England, Tessa is living with the Shadowhunters of London, safe from the Magister inside the walls of the Institute. But her enemy is still out there, and he's closing in everyday. When the Clave question Charlotte, the head of the Institute's effectiveness as its caretaker, Tessa and the other Nephilim must prove her worth by locating the Magister within a fortnight, or risk forfeiting the Institute and being thrown on the streets. But it isn't as easy as tracking a mundane, and it seems he has ties even from within the Clave itself...
I love Cassie's writing. Not much else to say about it. She's very good at handling a great deal of characters at the same time, and she is always aware of what's going on and how she's going to map everything out. Her action is flawless (although there wasn't much featured in this book), and her description is perfectly good. She actually had me laughing out loud at parts in this novel, and she always finds a way to create the fitting atmosphere and build-up for each event.
One thing I keep noticing about The Infernal Devices is that there are only really two plot lines: the main Magister mystery; and Will's job for Magnus. Nothing else is really important or paid much attention. This surprises me a little, after experiencing Cassie's collection of so many different stories and points-of-view in the Mortal Instruments. There isn't necessarily anything wrong with this fact, but I do feel it takes a little bit away from the story and brilliance of the book.
The story is alright. I have to say, it hasn't grabbed me as much as Cassie's other creations. I think the main reason for that is there doesn't seem to be any real threat in my mind - I know the Magister is dangerous, and they are in trouble if the characters don't do anything, but I don't feel particularly threatened by him. I'm also not as close and connected with these characters, so I don't care as much about what happens to them.
The mystery element is really good, and I'm glad it was carried through into this second book in the trilogy. I think it's engaging and it does keep the audience guessing and trying to piece together the clues. It also progressed a lot during this book, but did not get resolved, which spans questions onto the last book.
The negative here was that I felt Clockwork Prince got a little over-taken by the romance. Luckily, it was a conflicted, but interesting storyline with the romance, so it didn't annoy me too much - but I'm not a huge fan of love-based stories.
The end was great, and there were quite a few parts to it. First of all the twist - it was hilarious, and I definitely like this new Will more than the old one. I have to admit I have rolling my eyes a little bit at the idiotic simplicity, but it was very good. Second of all, the awkwardness was so real I felt it myself just reading the book, and I truly felt sorry for Will at the end. And then the political side with the Clave could go any which way in the next book, which I have to admit I really am looking forward to.
Right, the characters. I've said this many times before; I haven't connected with the characters of the Infernal Devices as much as I'd have liked. I don't even have a reason why, since they're all interesting enough, and none of them are particularly unbelievable. But I'm afraid I just don't.
Tessa is a good protagonist. She really annoys me sometimes, I'll be honest. She's like Clary in the way that she's made out to be really talented and thoughtful, but she rarely shows it. Unlike Clary, however, her skills of defending herself are not improving, despite the vigorous training she's been receiving (something I'm still puzzled about since she isn't even Nephilim). She's amazingly ignorant half the time as well, and she can't be that clever if she isn't aware she's leading on two men at the same time. But, at the end of the day, she does have a special gift, and she does her part as being the main heroine and source of the story.
Jem is obviously the main male focus for this book. I remember really not liking Will in Clockwork Angel, because he was the male lead, and I thought he was too full of himself. I was unhappy to find these feelings shifting to Jem at the start of this book. Luckily, they did disappear not too far in, and I still find myself liking him very much now. But I don't find anything particularly amazing about him, I have to be honest.
I find myself liking Will a lot more now that he isn't the centre of attention. I also was very relieved when we learnt a lot more about his backstory now. I don't think we really had to be told all of it, as we were, but it was good to finally start to understand him and therefore be able to get closer to his character. I really started to care about him during Clockwork Prince, and my heart did break a little for him at the end.
Thank god we got to learn a bit more about Jessamine in this book. I love her character so much, and I loved the changes in her story this time! I didn't see them coming, and they helped the story so much. The great thing was, even though I hadn't predicted it, it was something that I could imagine Jessamine doing. I admit, I would have liked more detail into why she did it, and I would have like a little foreshadowing for what I hope to happen in the next book, but I can't complain with the inclusion I got of her in this book.
Nate was great. I can't actually remember what happened to him in the last book to make him how he is now, so it would have been good if there was a little reminder since it clearly wasn't that memorable. But he's a really great character, and he played a vital and interesting part in this book.
Henry and Charlotte are adorable. I absolutely love Henry, and his little outburst three quarters (or something) of the way in was just perfect. I love his and Charlotte's relationship, and I love the fact that they're still made out to be extremely important, despite their older age - which is something you don't see in very many Young Adult books these days.
Magnus is my favourite character in this series. I really liked him in the Mortal Instruments, but for some reason there's a lot more mystery around him in this book, and I just find him fascinating. He's definitely my favourite (and then Alec is my favourite in City of Bones - strange how that works out). He works very well with Will, and I like the way he's kind of isolated from the rest of the Shadowhunters, because it doesn't only stick to his backstory, but also starts to explain some things about his personality when we meet him further down the line.
And Cecily - dun dun DUNNNNNNN! (I had to, sorry.)
The Infernal Devices is different to the Mortal Instruments in the way that it isn't as complex, doesn't have as much action and isn't as character-based. This means that, in theory, the pace is quicker (apart from the action, obviously). We're not having to handle various sub-plots at the same time as the main storyline, and it's less about the people, and more about the story, so it moves on quicker.
But, while the plot of the book might move on more, I don't feel like much progress is actually being made in the development of the characters and story in the series, as a whole. It's almost as if it's being rushed slightly, and so details and development is missed. As a singular story, I'd say the pacing is perfect. But because Clockwork Prince is in a trilogy, I feel like there just needs to be a little more attention to the long-running details and plots - since they aren't really being changed and grown to my immediate attention.
I would recommend Clockwork Prince to anyone who likes Cassie's stories, though in my opinion it isn't her best. There's fantasy and mystery and romance, but it's lacking a little bit in the more adventurous, action side. Definitely read Clockwork Angel first - but I would recommend reading the whole Mortal Instruments series before even that.
Image Source: http://m5.paperblog.com/i/35/350798/
my-heroes-from-books-and-movies-L-zMYIwn.jpeg
I really like Cassandra Clare. I think she thinks up amazing stories, and she writes them very well too. But for some reason I just can't seem to connect with the Infernal Devices. I don't know why, but the characters just don't seem to work as well as they should for me, and so the story becomes less interesting for me. I did enjoy Clockwork Prince, and I do think it was better than Clockwork Angel, but they're not as epic at the Mortal Instruments.
Clockwork Prince follows on from Clockwork Angel. Set in Victorian England, Tessa is living with the Shadowhunters of London, safe from the Magister inside the walls of the Institute. But her enemy is still out there, and he's closing in everyday. When the Clave question Charlotte, the head of the Institute's effectiveness as its caretaker, Tessa and the other Nephilim must prove her worth by locating the Magister within a fortnight, or risk forfeiting the Institute and being thrown on the streets. But it isn't as easy as tracking a mundane, and it seems he has ties even from within the Clave itself...
I love Cassie's writing. Not much else to say about it. She's very good at handling a great deal of characters at the same time, and she is always aware of what's going on and how she's going to map everything out. Her action is flawless (although there wasn't much featured in this book), and her description is perfectly good. She actually had me laughing out loud at parts in this novel, and she always finds a way to create the fitting atmosphere and build-up for each event.
One thing I keep noticing about The Infernal Devices is that there are only really two plot lines: the main Magister mystery; and Will's job for Magnus. Nothing else is really important or paid much attention. This surprises me a little, after experiencing Cassie's collection of so many different stories and points-of-view in the Mortal Instruments. There isn't necessarily anything wrong with this fact, but I do feel it takes a little bit away from the story and brilliance of the book.
The story is alright. I have to say, it hasn't grabbed me as much as Cassie's other creations. I think the main reason for that is there doesn't seem to be any real threat in my mind - I know the Magister is dangerous, and they are in trouble if the characters don't do anything, but I don't feel particularly threatened by him. I'm also not as close and connected with these characters, so I don't care as much about what happens to them.
The mystery element is really good, and I'm glad it was carried through into this second book in the trilogy. I think it's engaging and it does keep the audience guessing and trying to piece together the clues. It also progressed a lot during this book, but did not get resolved, which spans questions onto the last book.
The negative here was that I felt Clockwork Prince got a little over-taken by the romance. Luckily, it was a conflicted, but interesting storyline with the romance, so it didn't annoy me too much - but I'm not a huge fan of love-based stories.
The end was great, and there were quite a few parts to it. First of all the twist - it was hilarious, and I definitely like this new Will more than the old one. I have to admit I have rolling my eyes a little bit at the idiotic simplicity, but it was very good. Second of all, the awkwardness was so real I felt it myself just reading the book, and I truly felt sorry for Will at the end. And then the political side with the Clave could go any which way in the next book, which I have to admit I really am looking forward to.
Right, the characters. I've said this many times before; I haven't connected with the characters of the Infernal Devices as much as I'd have liked. I don't even have a reason why, since they're all interesting enough, and none of them are particularly unbelievable. But I'm afraid I just don't.
Tessa is a good protagonist. She really annoys me sometimes, I'll be honest. She's like Clary in the way that she's made out to be really talented and thoughtful, but she rarely shows it. Unlike Clary, however, her skills of defending herself are not improving, despite the vigorous training she's been receiving (something I'm still puzzled about since she isn't even Nephilim). She's amazingly ignorant half the time as well, and she can't be that clever if she isn't aware she's leading on two men at the same time. But, at the end of the day, she does have a special gift, and she does her part as being the main heroine and source of the story.
Jem is obviously the main male focus for this book. I remember really not liking Will in Clockwork Angel, because he was the male lead, and I thought he was too full of himself. I was unhappy to find these feelings shifting to Jem at the start of this book. Luckily, they did disappear not too far in, and I still find myself liking him very much now. But I don't find anything particularly amazing about him, I have to be honest.
I find myself liking Will a lot more now that he isn't the centre of attention. I also was very relieved when we learnt a lot more about his backstory now. I don't think we really had to be told all of it, as we were, but it was good to finally start to understand him and therefore be able to get closer to his character. I really started to care about him during Clockwork Prince, and my heart did break a little for him at the end.
Thank god we got to learn a bit more about Jessamine in this book. I love her character so much, and I loved the changes in her story this time! I didn't see them coming, and they helped the story so much. The great thing was, even though I hadn't predicted it, it was something that I could imagine Jessamine doing. I admit, I would have liked more detail into why she did it, and I would have like a little foreshadowing for what I hope to happen in the next book, but I can't complain with the inclusion I got of her in this book.
Nate was great. I can't actually remember what happened to him in the last book to make him how he is now, so it would have been good if there was a little reminder since it clearly wasn't that memorable. But he's a really great character, and he played a vital and interesting part in this book.
Henry and Charlotte are adorable. I absolutely love Henry, and his little outburst three quarters (or something) of the way in was just perfect. I love his and Charlotte's relationship, and I love the fact that they're still made out to be extremely important, despite their older age - which is something you don't see in very many Young Adult books these days.
Magnus is my favourite character in this series. I really liked him in the Mortal Instruments, but for some reason there's a lot more mystery around him in this book, and I just find him fascinating. He's definitely my favourite (and then Alec is my favourite in City of Bones - strange how that works out). He works very well with Will, and I like the way he's kind of isolated from the rest of the Shadowhunters, because it doesn't only stick to his backstory, but also starts to explain some things about his personality when we meet him further down the line.
And Cecily - dun dun DUNNNNNNN! (I had to, sorry.)
The Infernal Devices is different to the Mortal Instruments in the way that it isn't as complex, doesn't have as much action and isn't as character-based. This means that, in theory, the pace is quicker (apart from the action, obviously). We're not having to handle various sub-plots at the same time as the main storyline, and it's less about the people, and more about the story, so it moves on quicker.
But, while the plot of the book might move on more, I don't feel like much progress is actually being made in the development of the characters and story in the series, as a whole. It's almost as if it's being rushed slightly, and so details and development is missed. As a singular story, I'd say the pacing is perfect. But because Clockwork Prince is in a trilogy, I feel like there just needs to be a little more attention to the long-running details and plots - since they aren't really being changed and grown to my immediate attention.
I would recommend Clockwork Prince to anyone who likes Cassie's stories, though in my opinion it isn't her best. There's fantasy and mystery and romance, but it's lacking a little bit in the more adventurous, action side. Definitely read Clockwork Angel first - but I would recommend reading the whole Mortal Instruments series before even that.
Image Source: http://m5.paperblog.com/i/35/350798/
my-heroes-from-books-and-movies-L-zMYIwn.jpeg
I loved this series! Have you read The Clockwork Princess? Neat blog by the way :)
ReplyDeleteI haven't got around to reading Clockwork Princess yet, but I do have it waiting on my shelf. It is a really great series, isn't it! Thank you so much for the comment and your lovely words x - TheDaisyDeer
Delete