The Infernal Devices: Clockwork Prince Book Review & Discussion (Reread)

I started off reading Clockwork Prince with my hardcover copy, but I ended up switching to my Kindle version halfway…

Personally, I found Clockwork Prince to be less engaging and action-packed than Clockwork Angel, BUT it’s still a great read. If Clockwork Angel were a 10/10, I’d rate Clockwork Prince as 8/10. This book felt like a filler where I was learning more information about each character than the plot actually moving forward. The beginning was just toooo long. There’s nothing going on. I’m just simply gathering information on my journey before I reach my final destination of Clockwork Princess. Still, I loved learning more about Will’s past and why he’s so closed off, getting to meet the Lightwood brothers, and all the little bits and pieces in between.

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD

The story begins with Will wandering around the Shadowhunter’s equivalent of a black market looking for a love potion, or rather a potion that will make him stop loving Tessa. It just breaks my heart to see him so closed off. When we learn about his curse, we’re able to better understand his choices and empathize with his inner turmoil.

When he was 12, he opened his father’s Pyxis which is basically a box that seals in a demon. (Side note: what kind of parent just leaves this box lying around in the midst of nosy preteens.) The demon curses him, saying that anyone who loves him will die. As a result, he spends the next 5 years of his life pushing away anyone that tries to get close to him. His only exception is Jem who is already dying from his yin fen addiction.

“All who love you will die. Their love will be their destruction. It may take moments, it may take years, but any who look upon you with love will die of it, unless you remove yourself from them forever.”

As Will acts all mopey to Magnus Bane, he says this one quote: “If no one cares for you at all, do you even really exist?” Sound familiar? That’s because Tessa said something along the same lines in Clockwork Angel…“If no one in the entire world cared about you, did you really exist at all?” I literally paused while reading because it was such a deja vu. Then, we learn that it wasn’t a coincidence at all–it’s because Will had read Tessa’s letters to Nate! Will hid those letters in his copy of A Tale of Two Cities. This angsty, heart-broken boy truly identifies with Syndey Carton. 😢

While I truly despise Benedict Lightwood, he did one good thing which is sending his sons, Gideon and Gabriel to the London Institute to train Tessa and Sophie. This leads to sparks flying between Gideon and Sophie. I love how he slips into Spanish when he’s around her because he’s just so happy. I love how Sophie feels relaxed around him rather than tense and nervous which is how she feels to all other males. I don’t just ship it. I cruise ship it. Gideon is such a gentleman, and he’s got a good head on his shoulders. He recognizes his father’s wrongdoings and ends up joining the gang in the end. Hopefully, Gabriel will see the light soon.

I felt so bad for Charlotte throughout this book. First, she has to deal with proving her ability to lead the Institute. Then, Jessamine who she basically treats as a daughter betrays her (We’ll get more into this later). I was so happy her and Henry finally reconciled and cleared up all misunderstandings at the end. They’re honestly too cute. 😍Charlotte always thought Henry married her for the sake of forgiving his father’s debt, but Henry always thought Charlotte only married him to run the institute. In truth, Henry has always loved her because she was the only one who truly understood his love for inventions. And now Charlotte is preggers! Of course, this is going to lead to Charlotte and the baby needing to be protected in the next book.

Now, Jessamine. I never liked her in the first book, and I still don’t like her now. She betrays the only family she’s ever known for this boy who is very obviously using her. She’s so blinded by this fake love that I can’t help but scream in frustration. At the same time, I do feel some pity for her when she realizes that everything about her relationship with Nate was a lie even her precious diamond ring and that it cost her sacrificing her real friends. I wonder what’s going to happen to her, and if she’s going to stay imprisoned as a traitor in Clockwork Princess.

Nate is the worst person ever. E V E R. He betrays Tessa. He kills Aunt Harriet in Clockwork Angel. Then we learn that he knew that Aunt Harriet was his mother, and yet he still kills her! WHAT?! Who does that?! He reminds me Caleb from the Divergent series…

Now, the love triangle. I feel so bad for Jem because he’s dying, and he truly does deserve a shot at happiness. Yet, it’s at the expense of Will and Tessa who are very, obviously in love with each other. I was so happy for Will when he learned that his curse wasn’t real, and he was skipping along and singing about demon pox and just being happy for the first time in his life. Then, everything comes crashing down as he learns that Tessa and Jem are engaged–the love of his life and his other half.

“I love you, Tessa, and I have loved you, almost since the moment I met you.” – Will

“I can offer you my life, but it is a short life; I can offer you my heart, though I have no idea how many more beats it shall sustain” – Jem

HOW WILL SHE EVEN CHOOSE?! 😭😣💔

For Clockwork Princess, I can’t wait to learn more about Cecily. Maybe some awesome Will and Cecily, Herondale sibling bonding. I really hope we get to see Sophie become a Shadowhunter. I want to see this entire Mortmain dilemma resolved. And sorry not sorry Jem, but I want to see Will and Tessa end game. 💕

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