Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare (The Infernal Devices #2)

Ever since May, when Tessa became involved with the demon-hunting Shadowhunters and their arcane Downworld of magic and supernatural creatures, her life has taken a turn for the strange and dangerous. Mortmain is trying to raise an army of clockwork people, and the Shadowhunters are digging into his past for answers about his current whereabouts. Charlotte is under fire from the Lightwood family, which claims she is unfit to run the London Institute and is pushing for her to be replaced. Charlotte is given a deadline. She and the younger Shadowhunters in her care have two weeks to find Mortmain. The Magister is a willy foe, however, and it will take everything the Shadowhunters have to catch him before their time is up.

Tessa is settling in nicely at the Institute. Will is giving some frustrating mixed signals, being cruel to her and distancing himself from the others more than possible, and yet he will always jump in to help or comfort Tessa. She's hurt and frustrated by his strange moods. Tessa also is searching for answers about what exactly she is, and it's a constant, nagging worry that she's either something awful or, maybe worse for her since knowledge is so important, she'll never find out the truth about what she is. I greatly admire Tessa's capacity to love others, something that I see in her unconscious wish to forgive her brother for all the terrible things he's done and the way she pities Jessamine even when she does something unspeakable. She's such an openhearted, kind girl that I envy for her compassion. Tessa would rival even America Singer of The Selection.

The Infernal Devices have no shortage of lovable characters, and I could go on for hours about Charlotte's gentleness or Henry's adorable cluelessness. However, it would be a crime not to give Jem any words. In Clockwork Prince, he has some development that is frankly a little sobering. Jem's mortality and illness seems to be a delicate, touchy subject with him. He resents that some people treat him like he's breakable, even if they mean well. Jem is usually a very mild and calm boy, so I was understandably shocked when he punched someone in the face over the subject of the yin fen he has to take. Sometimes I forget that Jem can be angry, because he's so unshakable. I like it - it makes him feel so much more human.

I sort of have mixed feelings about Will right now. He developed a lot, and his actions explained quite a bit. (Sadly, I can't disclose exactly what happened for the sake of avoiding spoilers. xD.) However, he's been such a jerk to Tessa and even a little bit of one to Jem, of all people. Will has walls he's built around himself to keep others out, and I'm starting to see these walls come down. He wants to have a chance to be happy without being afraid of the people close to him getting hurt. I feel very sorry him being so tortured, but I'm still peeved about his arse-y behavior. Of course, it's impossible to stay angry with any of the characters in this book. They're too real. I'll forgive him in the end.

Once again, Cassie Clare destroyed my little black ( like my coffee) soul with her book. The characters are so relatable and vivid that they really do feel like real people, and their struggles allow me to sympathize with everyone, even those that I'm not particularly fond of. Clockwork Prince has a divine blend of action, mystery, and romance and is packed with feels to smash your heart and then put it back together again. At this point, I'm simultaneously terrified/thrilled to finish the series. I'm petrified that things are going to end badly, but I know that I'm going to be in for a thrill ride of a finale! 5/5 stars for Clockwork Prince.

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