Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare

So, it's hard to keep writing these little review thingies for multiple books in the same series. I mean, awesome though I may be, even I struggle with pithy turn of phrase and brilliant observations from time to time. Also, it's not like I'm in a significantly different mindset or found the book in some interesting way. I think sometimes, that's why I run out of steam for blog posts when I'm working my way through a long series.

However, that doesn't mean that the book isn't worthy of a post. Clockwork Princess, the last book in the Infernal Devices series, is an excellent finale. I'm not a terribly sentimental person but some books just really jab me in the tear box. I spent the last 50 pages snuffling and tearing up. It really just did me in.

So! Excellent third book that ties up all the major plot lines and resolves all the romantic sub-plots. I actually really like how Clare resolved the two boys for one girl thing. It's not the kind of thing that would work in other worlds and was a neat solution.

Tessa starts the book planning her wedding to Jem while the Institute as a whole still searches for Mortmain. Will, is taking the high road and supporting the relationship between his parabatai and the woman he loves. Everyone seems to be be struggling and the Shadowhunter Consul wants Charlotte out.

Excellent read.

Clockwork Prince

A continuation in Infernal Devices series. Actually, once I started the series, I really just had to keep going which speaks well of it.

Will inadvertently revealed that he had feelings for Tessa and he runs to Magnus Bane which starts a sort sub-plot that explains Will's spiky behavior. In the meantime, it becomes clear that not every shadowhunter believes a woman can run an institute and Charlotte's position as head is challenged by Benedict Lightwood. The institute has two weeks to find the Magister, Mortmain, or loose the institute.

Jem and Tessa get closer as Will works to find a solution to his problem. Gabriel and Gideon Lightwood are frequent visitors to the institute to train both Tessa and Sophie. Of course no one really believes that's all they are up to.

This is a fairly typical middle book in a series. The plot moves forward. What Clare has done well though, is weave in new levels of intrigue and new characters.

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

Sometimes authors write multiple series of books within the same world. When writing genre fiction, the most time consuming task is creating the world. It's hard to build a back drop that provides depth to the narrative. So, it makes sense to reuse it. However, multiple series means fresh characters and new plots. Some of my favorite series growing up are like this and I felt like I could imagining myself living in those worlds.

Clockwork Angel is the first in a trio of books sent in the same world as the "Mortal Instruments" series but set back in victorian England. Tessa is a young American girl who travelled to England to join her brother after her Aunt's death. However, she's met at the dock by two quite sinister figures and imprisoned. This is how Tessa, a mundane, comes to find out that there is more to world she's known.

What's worse, Tessa discovers that she has some mysterious ability to change her shape and become the thing/person she changes into complete with memories and mannerisms. She's soon discovered by accident and rescued by Will Herondale, a young Shadowhunter, and the rest of the London Institute.

This is one of those classic set ups where a young woman, Tessa, must choose between two suitors, Will Herondale and James Carstairs (Jem). Additionally, the villain known as the Magister intends to marry her as well. Will holds her at arms length with a sour disposition and tendency towards sarcasm. Jem is deathly ill but kind and marvelously patient.

Clare's depiction of victorian England is nicely detailed and she includes mainly of the typical plotlines of a gothic romance. That, combined with gritty industrial age London and creepy clockwork monsters gives this a steam punk kind of feel.