Clockwork Prince Discussion [Summer Reading Challenge]

Hey, y'all! I'm here with another summer reading challenge post! This time, I decided not to update as I was reading. I began doing it, but got so engrossed in the story that I just didn't want to put it down to write notes. I also realized that I was doing it more for my benefit than anything, so I decided to try it without, just to see how it works.

Book Summary

If you haven't read Clockwork Angel, don't read this! I have to spoil the events of Clockwork Angel to talk about what happens in Clockwork Prince! 

OK, so Clockwork Prince picks up not too long after Clockwork Angel. Mortmain has escaped, but is still trying to get Tessa to use her powers, while Tessa is trying to figure out what she really is. In the meantime, Benedict Lightwood challenges Charlotte for the running of the Institute, and if the Shadowhunters living in the Institute can't find Mortmain in time, Benedict will take over. It's up to Tessa and the Shadowhunters to uncover the secrets of Mortmain's past and to find him before it's too late. 

Overall Thoughts

I really loved this book. I really enjoyed learning a lot of the big secrets surrounding the series, as well as seeing the relationships between the characters develop. There was one big secret- with two separate revelations attached to it- that I just couldn't keep my mind off of throughout the entirety of the book. The things we did and didn't figure out were just so intriguing and once I got about 200 pages in, I just couldn't put it down. 

One aspect of the book that I really enjoyed was how believable the love triangle was. Typically, the love triangles in YA books are completely unbelievable, and it's overtly clear who the main character will end up with (c'mon, did anyone really think that Bella was going to choose Jacob over Edward? Really?). And while I feel like I have a pretty good grasp on who Tessa will eventually end up with, it could just as easily end up going the other way, and I really like that. Kudos to Cassandra Clare for creating an actually believable love triangle! I do think that this book was focused a little too much on the relationships, but it seems like that was a little necessary, given how vague and unresolved it was in Clockwork Angel.

I also think that the similarities between the characters in the Infernal Devices and The Mortal Instruments became just a bit less pronounced, specifically in the comparison between Jessamine from the ID and Isabelle in TMI. I also think that the difference between Alec from TMI and Jem from the ID is more pronounced than I originally thought. I still think that Will and Jace are fairly similar and that Tessa and Clary are pretty similar, but the comparisons between them are also slightly less pronounced than it seemed in the beginning, especially with some of the discoveries in Clockwork Prince.

So, before I get into the spoilery discussion, I'll give my rating of the book. I really, really loved Clockwork Prince. I'd say that with all of the character and relationship developments, as well as all of the secrets that were uncovered, I'd say that Clockwork Prince would have to be at least a 4.5 out of 5. I may end up giving it a higher rating (and if so, I'll say it in the series wrap-up), but I'll leave it there for now. 

Spoilery Discussion!

Ok, so William Herondale. I was really surprised when I found out about how he believed that he had a curse on him. It explained so much of his erratic behavior. At this point, I'm really interested in seeing Will in his natural state rather than forcing himself to push people away like he had been for so many years. We've only gotten a small snippet of his normal self, so I'm excited to see what he's really like. Maybe he'll be less like Jace once his cold exterior has been torn away.

I thought that Jessamine couldn't get any more unpleasant, and then... she betrays the Shadowhunters. It's not completely surprising, just because of how desperate she was to find a husband and to get away from the Institute, but I didn't expect her to betray everyone in the Institute just to get away from being a Shadowhunter. As much as she and Isabelle seemed similar in the beginning, Izzy loves being a Shadowhunter, and would never do that. I'm interested to see how this plays out in the end and if Jessie will come back to the right side, end up finding someone, or maybe even choosing to be a Shadowhunter.

The love triangle was also really interesting in the book. We can really tell that Tessa is really conflicted with whether she's in love with Jem or Will. However, it does seem to me like she's going to eventually end up with Will. As much as she seems to really care about Jem, it's obvious that she wants to be with Will more than she does with Jem. Even though Cassandra Clare has made it believable for her to end up with either, I think that she will end up with Will, and I think that she should end up with Will (As much as I personally might choose Jem). Also, what's going to happen with Jem? If Jem gets killed off, I swear I will be murderous. And it's very likely, considering the fact that he's really sick. I'm just worried for him.

Aside from Will and Jem, the best character in the book is of course, Magnus Bane. I just love that Magnus is in both the Infernal Devices and The Mortal Instruments. He's one of the most hilarious and interesting characters in the entire series, and I just love how he manages to turn up out of the blue with some hilarious comment. Plus the scene where he kisses Will is just absolutely hilarious. Magnus is just great.

Plot-wise, I like that we're still in the dark about what Tessa really is. I'm really intrigued with the claim that Tessa's mom was a Shadowhunter and her dad was a demon. Is it possible? Is it not? If it's true/possible, and Shadowhunter blood is dominant, then does that mean that Tessa is technically a Shadowhunter, just with a special ability? Cassandra has created a lot of suspense leading up into the last book, especially after that intriguing ending with Cecily Herondale showing up at the Institute. What brought it on? And that last battle with the huge automaton was really exciting. What's going to happen now that Nate, the Magister's only confidant that we know about, is dead? I have to hand it to Cassandra, she's done a great job getting me excited about Clockwork Princess!

Favorite Quotes

Not all of the places marked in the book are below- I picked only my absolute favorites for this post- because as you can see, I have several marks in here. Like with Clockwork Angel, the blue tabs are Will moments, the purple tabs are Jem moments, and the green tabs are everything else. I think that a couple are Magnus moments, and another is the Henry/Charlotte adorableness.

Page 33: "Reparations," said Jem very suddenly, setting down the pen he was holding.
Will looked at him in puzzlement. "Is this a game? We just blurt out whatever word comes next to mind? In that case mine's 'genuphobia.' It means an unreasonable fear of knees."
Oh, William. Always the logophile.

Page 86: Tessa snorted. "And what color do you suppose the inner depths of your soul are, Will Herondale?" "Mauve," Will said.
Yes, Will Herondale, the first color I think of when I think of you is mauve.

Page 255: "Sophie did this?" he [Will] said, not for the first time...
"Yes," Tessa said, "and do stop repeating it."
"I think I may be in love with you, Sophie," said Will. "Marriage could be on the cards."

Page 318:"I am brave," Will said. ...
"Yes, you are," Magnus said, and kissed him. It wasn't the most dramatic kiss, but Will flailed his free arm as if a bee had landed on him; Magnus had to hope Camille would assume this was passion. When they broke apart, Will looked stunned. So did Camille, for that matter.
Magnus Bane, always one with a flair for the dramatic. Gotta love him...

Page 319: "Did you just kiss me?" Will inquired. 
Magnus made a split-second decision. "No."  
"I thought-"
"On occasion the aftereffects of the painkilling spells can result in hallucinations of the most bizarre sort."
Oh, Magnus...

Page 438: Meanwhile, Will appeared to be singing a song about how he had been right about demon pox all along.
"Demon pox, oh, demon pox,/ Just how is it acquired?/ One must go down to the bad part of town/ Until one is very tired./ Demon pox, oh, demon pox/ I had it all along-/ No, not the pox, you foolish blocks,/ I mean this very song-/ For I was right and you were wrong!"
"Will!" Charlotte shouted over the noise. "Have you LOST YOUR MIND? CEASE THAT INFERNAL RACKET!..."


So, there you go, that's all for this summer reading post! I plan to have a One Day Tumblr Challenge post up tomorrow. Hopefully, if I read quickly enough, my Clockwork Princess post should be up either Monday or Tuesday, and my series overview post should be up the following day. The rest of my plans are a bit up in the air, but I do plan on having another chapter of The Secret Lightning Scar up on Saturday. That might change, but that's the plan for now.

Thanks for reading this! If you like my posts, don't forget to subscribe/follow, since it lets me know that you're enjoying what I'm doing. See y'all tomorrow!