Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

Title: Clockwork Prince
Series: The Infernal Devices #2
Author: Cassandra Clare
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
December 6, 2011

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Synopsis:
In the magical underworld of Victorian London, Tessa Gray has at last found safety with the Shadowhunters. But that safety proves fleeting when rogue forces in the Clave plot to see her protector, Charlotte, replaced as head of the Institute. If Charlotte loses her position, Tessa will be out on the street and easy prey for the mysterious Magister, who wants to use Tessa's powers for his own dark ends. 


With the help of the handsome, self-destructive Will and the fiercely devoted Jem, Tessa discovers that the Magister's war on the Shadowhunters is deeply personal. He blames them for a long-ago tragedy that shattered his life. To unravel the secrets of the past, the trio journeys from mist-shrouded Yorkshire to a manor house that holds untold horrors, from the slums of London to an enchanted ballroom where Tessa discovers that the truth of her parentage is more sinister than she had imagined. When they encounter a clockwork demon bearing a warning for Will, they realize that the Magister himself knows their every move and that one of their own has betrayed them.

Tessa finds her heart drawn more and more to Jem, though her longing for Will, despite his dark moods, continues to unsettle her. But something is changing in Will; the wall he has built around himself is crumbling. Could finding the Magister free Will from his secrets and give Tessa the answers about who she is and what she was born to do?

As their dangerous search for the Magister and the truth leads the friends into peril, Tessa learns that when love and lies are mixed, they can corrupt even the purest heart.

Cassandra Clare creates worlds well beyond anyone's imaginations. She is an artist with words, bringing complexity, heart-ache, and true emotions to her characters and their surroundings. She knows exactly when to throw a major kink into the plot that leaves you screaming...WTH? Clockwork Prince is no exception. Tessa, Will, Jem, and Magnus remain some of my favorite characters of all time. Cassandra doesn't mess around with whiny, unself-assured heroins. She brings it all to the table every time with every single book she pens.

When we last left Tessa in Clockwork Angel, she was broken-hearted at the betrayal of her brother and hurt because of the infamous Will Herondale and his complete lack of civility toward much of anyone besides Jem. I am happy to say you will find out exactly why this is in Clockwork Prince. Will is and always has been my man...I only hope that Clockwork Princess will bring him more happiness. He remains sharp-tongued and immeasurably sexy in this second installment of The Infernal Devices. There is much we learn about his past that will leave you weeping. And...like the Will we all know and love, you will want to rip him to shreds from time-to-time, but hey, it's Will after all.

Tessa is on a mission to help Charlotte and Henry remain in charge of the London Institute. They must find Mortmain and punish him for his crimes against the Clave. They must prove to the Council, or Benedict Lightwood as the case may be, that they are capable of holding down the fort in light of the complete...well, cluster-eff that took place in Clockwork Angel. Tessa will Change into someone you will never imagine in order to save the Institute.

We know Gabriel Lightwood, but we now get to meet his older brother, Gideon, who I love, by the way. He is nothing like his dad or brother...perhaps, though, I am not giving Gabriel a chance. We will just have to see what happens in the sequel. Gideon is a good, honest, and caring man. He has been absent from home for the last several months and, upon his return, becomes thoroughly disgusted with the things he learns about his father...although, come to think of it...this could just be one huge disaster waiting to happen.

The illusive and ever-loving Magnus Bane plays a much larger part in this book. He is so easy to love. I am super-excited that Cassandra decided to place him in this series. He will forever be in my memory. He is much more than I could have ever imagined in The Mortal Instruments. Snarky, snide, and outright hilarious with feelings...every woman's (guy's) dream.

Now, I finished this book a couple of days ago, but I had to let it set, ruminate in my mind. I was shocked and, quite honestly, horrified at the events surrounding Tessa, Will, and Jem. I still can't get a grip on what happened. I want to throw things, yell, scream, jump into the book and kick some butt. I want to cry. I can't even begin to explain without spoiling the entire story...so you will have to read it. This is perhaps the best and worst book I have read this year. It left my heart in pieces and, yet, elated all at the same time. When I said you would be asking...WTH?, well that's no lie. A tale riddled with heart-ache, passion, deceit, death, and pure bliss, you won't be able to put it down.