Review: Clockwork Prince (The Infernal Devices #2)

Title: Clockwork Prince (The Infernal Devices #2)
Author: Cassandra Clare
Genre: Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Fantasy
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Source: Purchased
Format: Paperback
Release Date: December 6, 2011
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

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.

Review:

The Shadowhunters of London still are not safe as the Clave wants to remove Charlotte as the head of the London Institute. To save her position, they must hunt down the Magister. Will, Jem, and Tessa have to visit the homes of other Shadowhunters to find the secrets to bring down the Magister. Tessa now knows she can’t trust her brother, but she may not be able to trust some of the other Shadowhunters either.

This series has quickly become one of my favourites. The characters are well developed and have many layers. I like that there are hints of a plot line given early, which ends up developing into an important part later in the book or the series.

There were some shocking twists, but I didn’t find the ending to be as much of a cliffhanger as the first one. There were some secrets that began in the first book and were unraveled in this one. Even though some parts of the story were solved by the end, there are plenty of questions I need answered in another book.

I also love the Victorian literature included in the book. Each chapter opens with a short passage of poetry. Tessa and Will communicate through sharing books. Books are an important part of my life, so I can relate to a character who loves books.

This is such a great series!

What to read next:

Other books in the series:

• Clockwork Angel
• Clockwork Princess

Have you read Clockwork Prince? What did you think of it?