“We live and breathe words.”
Despite the mockery poked at Cassandra Clare, despite the way her books are scorned, this is possibly one of my favorite books I’ve read – and certainly the best book I feel Clare has written. What sets The Infernal Devices apart from The Mortal Instruments is a number of factors, but most notably how the writing seems so different. It’s not something I can quite pinpoint, but simply to note she has an eloquence. Certainly, one can credit the Victorian London era for this, as her writing certainly fits in the era in which she writes. And it’s something I absolutely love. This simple trick immerses me into this world, set so many years before me.
I’m serious. I LOVED this book.
From the get-go, readers are thrown into the plot. In the beginning, we learn the overall push of the story. The end of Clockwork Angel was a storm of disaster, with the death of De Quincey, the escape of Mortmain, and the revelation that the Institute housed Nate the traitorous and lead to the betrayal and the deaths of Agatha and Thomas. Because of this, Charlotte has only two weeks to locate Mortmain and prove to the Clave she can successfully run the Institute – or else Bennedict Arnold Lightwood will take control of it. And it is with this daunting task we meet again with Tessa and her makeshift family.
Two new characters are introduced, as replacements to the late Agatha and Thomas, though we unfortunately learn very little of them. Knowing Clare, I have a feeling we’ll learn more about them in our final book.
Something I feel Clare really did well in this book was the way the everyone had their own subplot, in contribution to the overall arc of the book. Poor Tessa, alone in this world and abandoned by her brother, has forged a family with the members of the London. But she still doesn’t know who – or what – she is. Mortmain wants her for something and she has no idea what that something is. It’s incredibly disconcerting to her and she continues her search to learn what she is.
The ending of Clockwork Angel makes more sense as we follow Will around the book. Far more likable in this book than the last, readers learn of the burden he’s carried on his shoulders for five years, and we even get a glimpse into his past. Anyone who disliked Will or felt apathetic towards him before now will surely thaw as they get to know him better. I’m standing proof! As someone who liked Will enough, I find myself incredibly drawn to him.
Even Sophie has a storyline! A very well deserved one, too, at that.
“Trains are great dirty smoky things," said Will. "You won't like it."
Tessa was unmoved. "I won't know if I like it until I try it, will I?
One of my favorite parts of the book, though, is where the storyline takes us. Finally, we travel outside of the London Institute. We take a train to Yorkshire, so perfectly described, you really are there. Clare’s craft for descriptions creates the world around you. In desperation, we travel to the slums of London. We visit an elaborate, dangerous masquerade. Readers are taken on a ride, and oh, it’s a beautiful ride at that. Through our travels, readers finally start to learn more about Mortmain. While little plot seems to take place, a lot of the book is discovery and information, which is important in finding Mortmain in the first place.
And in uncovering Mortmain’s motives and past is the most painful discovery for the London Institute: that someone of their group has betrayed them.
Of course, the main storyline of which everyone speaks is the love triangle. Recall that I’m not a fan of triangles, as I find them overused, sloppily-done, and unnecessary. However, Clare seems to have done the nearly impossible in the creation of this love triangle. It is, to say the very least, the perfect triangle. We don’t have two boys fighting over one girl, but a triangle with an important relationship at every point, and it makes me anxious to see how everything will pan out because someone will be hurt. Maybe multiple someones.
From the beginning of Clockwork Angel, we have been entertained by the reckless passion of Tessa and Will, and this certainly continues in the second installment. Tessa, to my immense pleasure, deviates from the typical YA heroine, though, and while readers may be upset in her self-preservation, it is something that only makes me love her more. The more we’re in Will’s head, though, the more we come to understand his actions, and the terrible things he has said and done in the previous book.
Less notable to many, but unmissed by this self-professed Jem fangirl, in Clockwork Angel was his subtly growing affections for Tessa, and of course this continues as well. For all who found Jem boring, they’ll find a rather entertaining side to him that proves nice boys aren’t always droll. In Will’s distance to Tessa, Jem keeps her company and helps alleviate her homesickness by showing her around London.
“Will has always been the brighter burning star, the one to catch attention — but Jem is a steady flame, unwavering and honest. He could make you happy.”
When you think of it that way, I can’t blame Tessa for being torn. Two beautiful boys whom each appeal to you in a different way? How does anyone make a choice?
“Our souls are knit. We are one person, James.”
For me, though, the heart of the relationship is the one centered around Jem and Will. Nevermind the parabataisattraction to the same girl. What I love dearly about this story and this triangle, is the way these two love each other. For so long, the only person Will has ever loved is Jem, and despite his moods, despite his “habits”, Jem loves Will dearly. They are fiercely dedicated to each other, and their worlds don’t just center around the other, but overlap.
It’s a beautiful relationship, but a rather scary one.
As we recall, Jem is dying. He is sustained only by a drug that as well as keeps him alive, kills him. The impending death of Will’s parabatai is further explored, in a heart breaking manner. More than I enjoy Will or Jem’s affections for Tessa, I love the relationship between these boys, and the beautiful relationship they share. I do, in this moment, declare them my brOTP. It is Jem’s practical acceptance of his impending death that really makes me feel for the parabatais relationship, and it makes me fear, for the way Will depends upon him.
“Someday, Will, I will go where none can follow me, and I think it will be sooner rather than later. Have you ever asked yourself why I agreed to be your parabatai?”
Of course, the triangle is the culmination of these points. It is the web of affections and relationships which threaten to drive the three apart. Beautiful is the three together, and how effectively they work together and with what ease the three of them have struck friendship. The banter is playful, if not competitive at times, and often lends to a laugh. Even better is how they look out for each other and how obvious all three care deeply for the others.
"I've never swum naked in the Thames before, but I know I wouldn't like it."
"But think how entertaining for sightseers," said Tessa, and she saw Jem duck his head to hide the quick flash of his grin.”
With this relationship in place, it is easy to love everyone, and it is easy to just want everyone happy – because we all know that in a love triangle, someone will be hurt.
Everything about this book is beautiful and so well done. Clare has perfectly created Victorian London around me, in a most vivid way. The dialogue remains witty and delightful, with most of the funniest lines belonging to Will, whose sense of humor seems to shine even more this time around. So much of this book is composed of great character development. Already, Clare had had a cast of fantastic characters, but with this book, we further explore them and learn more about them. More complex layers are revealed, and for me, by the end of the book, it was nearly impossible not to love the cast. I was converted. I went from preferring Jem to Will to loving them dearly in their own way (even if my bias remains with Jem.)
Do I even dare warn you of the impending emotional crisis? I'll just warn you - some of you may need tissues. Clare plays with your heart like a puppeteer and her puppets and numerous passages broke my heart in some kind of way. Even Clare herSELF cried and SHE wrote this!
Clare has absolutely outdone herself with this book. I find it far superior to TMI and encourage anyone who was not entirely sold on Clare’s other series to try the prologue, if only for the fantastic setting and the brilliantly complex characters. Though it seems little plot is really accomplished in this book, it feels like so much has happened (and trust that quite a bit of action ensues) by the end of the book. And with the sheer amount of character development accrued on all parts, it more than exceeds the middle book syndrome. Sequels are rarely better than the first, but I am in love with Clockwork Prince. It is, by far, my favorite of Clare’s work, and deserves its place amongst my favorite books.
All fans of Clare will enjoy this book, and I encourage anyone to try this one. The writing is beautiful, the characters are all so likable and complicated, and despite the romantic tensions, the book fortunately lacks the severe amounts of dramatic angst I’m so wary of from TMI.
Go. Go read this!
