Trilogies rarely end well, or in a fulfilling manner, but the exact opposite is true of Clockwork Princess, the thrilling conclusion to the Infernal Devices trilogy. A story full of finally finding oneself, learning to love, and changing the world you live in, readers of all backgrounds will find a reason to fall in love with the conclusion to Tessa's, Will's, and Jem's story.Cassandra Clare is an American author with an adventurous childhood, advantageously applied to her fantasy collection The Shadowhunter Chronicles. She began her writing career in 2004, with City of Bones, the first book in the six-book series The Mortal Instruments. Since then, the Shadowhunter world has exploded, with spinoff trilogies The Infernal Devices, The Dark Artifices, and The Last Hours. With such a vast world of fantasy, it's easy to get lost. Here, I will be reviewing Clockwork Princess, the final book in The Infernal Devices trilogy. If you find yourself interested in learning more about the Shadow World, click here for more information on where to begin. If you're interested in more of my reviews of Cassandra Clare's work, you can find them all here.
Readers open the story with a prologue full of two young and dying Shadowhunters: Adele Starkweather in 1847 and James Carstairs in 1873. Both of these events shape the context of the book, as we begin to figure out the true depth of Jem's, Will's, and Tessa's relationships, and Tessa's identity. After hearing nothing from Mortmain for weeks, the Shadowhunters of the Institute are on edge, hoping maybe he has moved on. But that is far from the case. When Jem falls fatally ill and Tessa is captured, Will must choose who to go to. And, of course, it all ties back to those two short stories in the prologue: Jem, or Tessa?
For the first two books of the series, the Shadowhunters have applied blanket labels to what Tessa is: a warlock, unnatural, not deserving of the Institute's hospitality. Finally, readers and the Shadow World find closure as to what Tessa is, and the nature of her existence. But it is fascinating to watch Tessa come to terms with these things herself, as a mix of something angelic and demonic. Does it speak to her character, she wonders. Should she reject half of herself? Only she can answers these questions for herself, and when she arrives at those answers, she becomes a role model for young adult readers everywhere, all struggling to come to terms with what and who they are (although, in a probably less supernatural way).
Tessa, Jem, and Will have been the greatest subject of this trilogy: who will Tessa choose? Now that readers understand (and continue to figure out) the full depth of Jem's and Will's parabatai bond, it starts to look like the choice will come down to Tessa herself, as to which boy to choose. The relationship between these three is so rooted in selflessness, it seems quite possible that a selfish choice by any of them could ruin the whole thing. The conclusion is heartbreaking, overwhelming, and fulfilling all at once. It all comes to a head within the last 200-100 pages of the novel, and tears will spring to the eyes of readers who truly felt like they understood the magic between these three protagonists.
One of my favorite parts of this novel is how it differs from the previous two in the trilogy. There is an important emphasis on the government of the Shadowhunters this time, and the role of women in it. Charlotte Branwell, the head of the London Institute, is being considered for Consul, one of the highest positions in the Clave. This is all going on without her knowledge, though readers know because chapters begin or end with letters between the present Consul and the Inquisitor and the Council (two other governmental figureheads/bodies). These letters and what they contain add a whole other level of tension to the book, as readers know the implications of the choices that Charlotte and the London Shadowhunters can make, even if they don't. The inclusion of this tension reflects directly to the tension of women in the government in the twenty-first century, so that all readers can find some way to relate the Shadow World to the world they live in.
All of these things combined make Clockwork Princess one of the most satisfying conclusions to a trilogy, the kind of conclusion all readers hope for. Clare is especially good at satisfying endings, but fans of the Shadow World are especially excited to welcome a new beginning from her. Chain of Gold is flashing a few years forward from the conclusion of The Infernal Devices: that is, with the Shadowhunters of 1903 London, with the descendants of our favorite trio. And we are all quite excited to see what kind of new troubles these Shadowhunters are up against.
If you're interested in more of my reviews on the books from the Shadowhunter Chronicles, you can find them all here.
*This review is also published on my Goodreads account*
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