Book Review: CLOCKWORK PRINCE (The Infernal Devices #2) by Cassandra Clare

*SPOILER-FREE* (There may be spoilers for the first book, Clockwork Angel, though.)

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I nearly had a heart attack when I got the email that I won an ARC of Clockwork Prince, because Cassandra Clare is one of my favorite authors and I was so excited to read this book!! (It comes out December 6th, and it you haven't read Clockwork Angel, you should, then get CP when it comes out!)

This review might be a little vague,  but I won't risk spoiling it for anyone because this is one of those books that has you yelling at it or laughing obnoxiously loud or crying at regular intervals and deserves to be read un-spoiled!

Tessa is a great heroine and my understanding of her and all the characters really grew with this book, which is something a great sequel should do. As my love of the characters grew and the plot unfolded I became more and more concerned as it become abundantly clear that this story CAN NOT end happily for everyone.Dun dun dun.

After reading the first book I was a little unsure on the Will/Jem issue. I was probably 60% Will and 40% Jem. The farther I got in CP, the more certain I was of my choice... and by the time I was done reading I had made my decision...

I've read other reviews and I've heard it described as "Jem's book" and to a point this is quite true. A lot of Will's story is revealed and he is certainly in the book, but Jem really shines. I liked Jem more in this book than I did the last . . . but not for Tessa. My personal opinion is that Tessa should end up with Will. Anyone else who's read it, I'm curious to know if your team changed while reading CP?

Something else I must say: I honestly was not aware that I could love Magnus Bane any more than I already did. I WAS WRONG. Every scene he is in, every line he says (*thinks of one line in particular and laughs out loud*) was funny and wonderful. And Magnus and Will's relationship? Priceless. Literally, it belongs in a MasterCard commercial.

I liked finding out more about the Lightwood family and their storyline. And I was also pleased with what happened with Sophie and with Jessamine. And Charlotte and Henry too. The way the relationships continue to unfold was very well done all around.

I also thought that the book was much more romance-centric than it was concerned with their continued quest to find Mortmain. At least, it appeared that way. There was action and other stuff; maybe it's just that the romance aspect was so WHOA that nothing else compared haha. So, yeah, I absolutely loved it. It has to be one of my favorite sequels ever, and I'm not even sure what to do with my life until Clockwork Princess comes out.

And that leads me to the last thing I wanted to mention . . . the ending. *Sighs*

I read the book in one night, but I put it down for an hour when I had about a 100 pages left because that was the point where I thought "one of these characters whom I love so much is literally going to get there soul squished into a puddle of broken-hearted goo, aren't they? Oh dear. I don't think I can face reading that." And I was right . . . The last few chapters I read with tears and oh-so attractive globs, GLOBS, of mascara streaming down my face. THE PAIN, I TELL YOU! It was . . . not an ending I expected. I kind of loved it. And hated it. And wanted to kill Tessa. And Cassie. But not really. I don't even know. All I know is that I am SO NERVOUS about what Ms. Clare is going to do to these poor characters in the last book. So, so nervous. However, I trust her and believe that she will do what is right for the characters and story.

There is a pretty big cliffhanger as well, however it didn't really bother me/excite me. Too many other WTF things had just happened for the actual cliffhanger to have much affect, to be honest.

In conclusion: it rocked. It was an emotional roller coaster and unpredictable and gorgeous and a truly spectacular sequel. That stomped on my heart.

- Nicole