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A review by rallythereaders
Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare
5.0
Also posted on Rally the Readers.
From the moment that I read the last sentence in Clockwork Prince, I knew with one hundred percent certainty that Clockwork Princess, the final book in a series that I love beyond measure, would leave me shattered. And yet, here I sit, two days after some marathon reading sessions that commenced on a late Thursday night and concluded late Friday/early Saturday morning at 2:30, still at a complete, total, and utter loss for words. Even if I wait a few days to try and write this review, it’s not going to get any more coherent. What follows, then, isn’t so much a review as it is an outpouring of the myriad emotions that I continue to feel despite having had some time to process my thoughts about this book. That’s precisely the problem—I can’t process my thoughts about this book!
While my initial reactions upon finishing Clockwork Princess ran the gamut from shock to euphoria to sadness, the overriding emotion was astonishment. I am in absolute awe of how Cassandra Clare plotted this novel and how she tied the entire series together. My God. Although not everything that happened in Clockwork Princess came as a surprise, the path that led to an outcome wasn’t always what I’d expected. And then there were the twists that completely blindsided me and sent my head into a spin so frenzied, I had to put the book down so I could collect my scattered senses. I don’t think a book as ever sparked such intense feelings in me before. Just about every line of dialogue uttered by Will, Jem, and Tessa cut right through me. Oddly, though, I’d thought that I’d cry my way through this book, but for the most part, I managed to stay dry-eyed. I think I was just too stunned and in quite a bit of denial while I was reading. I finished this book at 2:30 in the morning, caught a few hours sleep, and proceeded to begin sobbing as soon as I woke up. It seems that everything that I’d read hit me all at once.
Obviously, every aspect of Clockwork Princess was outstanding to me, but I’d like to make special mention of how exquisitely Clare described Jem’s violin playing. I’ve always found it difficult to discuss music with words; I wish that I had Clare’s gift for bringing it to life with prose. There’s one scene in particular that is so beautifully written and incredibly moving; it became an instant favorite the moment I read it.
What I will always remember about this book and the series as a whole is its theme of the transcendence of love, whether it’s romantic love or the fraternal love that Will and Jem have for each other. How love, in the truest sense of its definition, transcends even time. How love means accepting another person’s flaws and putting that person before oneself at all times and without a second thought, like a reflex. How love is unconditional. In this case, there are three people who understand what it truly means to love: Will, Jem, and Tessa. They are tied so inextricably to one another that it’s impossible to imagine one without the other two. And that’s what I think makes this love triangle superior to all the others I’ve read about in YA. I do not doubt that these three characters would do anything, including die, for each other. I’ve seen too many love triangles in which a female protagonist thinks she’s in love with two guys at the same time. To me, qualifying “I love so-and-so” by putting “I think” in front of that statement signifies you’re not sure. I believe that it’s possible to care deeply for another person, but when it comes to using the actual word “love,” I don’t like seeing it thrown around casually. I believe that saying “I love you” to someone is equivalent to telling that person you love him/her with every single subatomic part of your heart and nothing less. And whenever Will, Jem, and Tessa use the word “love,” I believe they mean it with all of their hearts.
The Infernal Devices has also always emphasized a love of books that has resonated with me since Clockwork Angel. When I read this series, I immerse myself completely in this world. I can’t view these books from a reviewer’s perspective at all; as I’m reading, the last things on my mind are plot, setting, tone, etc. I love these books for the pure happiness they bring me, even when they make me cry. They remind me why I love reading so much in the first place. For a while, I’m lost in another time where good must find a way to triumph over evil and angels, demons, vampires, werewolves, and warlocks exist and a young man’s fear of ducks makes me laugh. Seeing this series end breaks my heart; saying farewell to it is like watching your best friend walk away for the last time. The luxury of having books for best friends, though, is that they’re always only a read away; all you have to do is go to your bookshelf for an immediate reunion.
From the moment that I read the last sentence in Clockwork Prince, I knew with one hundred percent certainty that Clockwork Princess, the final book in a series that I love beyond measure, would leave me shattered. And yet, here I sit, two days after some marathon reading sessions that commenced on a late Thursday night and concluded late Friday/early Saturday morning at 2:30, still at a complete, total, and utter loss for words. Even if I wait a few days to try and write this review, it’s not going to get any more coherent. What follows, then, isn’t so much a review as it is an outpouring of the myriad emotions that I continue to feel despite having had some time to process my thoughts about this book. That’s precisely the problem—I can’t process my thoughts about this book!
While my initial reactions upon finishing Clockwork Princess ran the gamut from shock to euphoria to sadness, the overriding emotion was astonishment. I am in absolute awe of how Cassandra Clare plotted this novel and how she tied the entire series together. My God. Although not everything that happened in Clockwork Princess came as a surprise, the path that led to an outcome wasn’t always what I’d expected. And then there were the twists that completely blindsided me and sent my head into a spin so frenzied, I had to put the book down so I could collect my scattered senses. I don’t think a book as ever sparked such intense feelings in me before. Just about every line of dialogue uttered by Will, Jem, and Tessa cut right through me. Oddly, though, I’d thought that I’d cry my way through this book, but for the most part, I managed to stay dry-eyed. I think I was just too stunned and in quite a bit of denial while I was reading. I finished this book at 2:30 in the morning, caught a few hours sleep, and proceeded to begin sobbing as soon as I woke up. It seems that everything that I’d read hit me all at once.
Obviously, every aspect of Clockwork Princess was outstanding to me, but I’d like to make special mention of how exquisitely Clare described Jem’s violin playing. I’ve always found it difficult to discuss music with words; I wish that I had Clare’s gift for bringing it to life with prose. There’s one scene in particular that is so beautifully written and incredibly moving; it became an instant favorite the moment I read it.
What I will always remember about this book and the series as a whole is its theme of the transcendence of love, whether it’s romantic love or the fraternal love that Will and Jem have for each other. How love, in the truest sense of its definition, transcends even time. How love means accepting another person’s flaws and putting that person before oneself at all times and without a second thought, like a reflex. How love is unconditional. In this case, there are three people who understand what it truly means to love: Will, Jem, and Tessa. They are tied so inextricably to one another that it’s impossible to imagine one without the other two. And that’s what I think makes this love triangle superior to all the others I’ve read about in YA. I do not doubt that these three characters would do anything, including die, for each other. I’ve seen too many love triangles in which a female protagonist thinks she’s in love with two guys at the same time. To me, qualifying “I love so-and-so” by putting “I think” in front of that statement signifies you’re not sure. I believe that it’s possible to care deeply for another person, but when it comes to using the actual word “love,” I don’t like seeing it thrown around casually. I believe that saying “I love you” to someone is equivalent to telling that person you love him/her with every single subatomic part of your heart and nothing less. And whenever Will, Jem, and Tessa use the word “love,” I believe they mean it with all of their hearts.
The Infernal Devices has also always emphasized a love of books that has resonated with me since Clockwork Angel. When I read this series, I immerse myself completely in this world. I can’t view these books from a reviewer’s perspective at all; as I’m reading, the last things on my mind are plot, setting, tone, etc. I love these books for the pure happiness they bring me, even when they make me cry. They remind me why I love reading so much in the first place. For a while, I’m lost in another time where good must find a way to triumph over evil and angels, demons, vampires, werewolves, and warlocks exist and a young man’s fear of ducks makes me laugh. Seeing this series end breaks my heart; saying farewell to it is like watching your best friend walk away for the last time. The luxury of having books for best friends, though, is that they’re always only a read away; all you have to do is go to your bookshelf for an immediate reunion.