‘Clockwork Prince’ is the second book in Cassandra Clare’s ‘The Infernal Devices’ series which is a series prequel to her ‘The Mortal Instruments’ franchise (‘City of Bones’ is currently being made into a movie). At this conjuncture I find I like the ‘The Infernal Devices’ books better than their more established chain of cousin novels.
‘Clockwork Angel’ the first book starts the series off in Victorian England where teen and New York newcomer Tessa Gray unwittingly finds herself in the middle of an evil supernatural plot where she is being served up to be the bride of a notorious villain referred to as the ‘Magister’. You see, Tessa soon learns from her horrible captors that she has the power to change into other humans and beyond simply transforming into them she also has access to their memories. As fate intervenes she ends up in an institute and therefore company of shadowhunters which are Nephilim warriors who keep peace in this world from demons and other critters from both this reality and other dimensions.
In ‘Clockwork Prince’ Tessa finds herself torn between two suitors – both of whom she loves, but one is destined to die (Jem who is also the comely gent on the cover) while the other is young, healthy, and handsome but has such a surly disposition Tessa is convinced he loves and admires no one except himself. If you are wondering if there is a good reason for Will’s demeanor, there is, and it becomes a plot element that is explained and resolved in the book. Of course young love being what it is there is a lot of yearning, groping, and in the end quick decisions made that cannot be undone just because someone has finally revealed their true feelings.
Also thrown into the mix is the search for the escaped Magister, along with questions as to Tessa’s origins (is she really a warlock without any outwardly sign such as a tail or horns?) and the debate and fate of just who is going to run the London Institute for shadowhunters.
For my taste ‘Clockwork Prince’ started out slow, but it gained momentum at the half way point and continued to build. I believe the universe that Clare has built for her two franchises is one of the most interesting in the fantasy/young adult genre. In comparison to the two series, I think ‘The Infernal Devices’ has a better romantic angle AND it definitely has better book covers (seriously, part of the fun of the hardback is looking at how light at different angles places on the image of Jem). However, part of the fun of reading both franchises is the overlapping of some of the secondary characters along with subtle referencing of bridging in terms of plot points.
As for a series of novels that can both entertain adults and is appropriate for younger readers, I think ‘The Infernal Devices’ is one of the better ones. Unlike ‘The Mortal Instruments’ the main plotline hasn’t gotten so dark that one may consider it too depressing to read, which is the opposite of what people want if they delve into this sort of fiction – flirt with death and destruction but don’t become death and destruction (basically the sort of behavior one should demonstrate at a Super Bowl party).
I recommend ‘Clockwork Prince’ for anyone already engaged in these books. Clare doesn’t clarify too many elements from the previous novel so Wikipedia in this case can be your friend (and in my case, a nice refresher). Overall it is a fast fun read that is perfect for the weather in Kansas City (now turned gloomy as if Halloween is just a few days away). The book will keep you interested without insulting your intelligence or keeping you up at night.
