YA Friday: Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

Title: Clockwork Prince
Author: Cassandra Clare
Series: The Infernal Devices #2
Genre: YA, fantasy, paranormal, steampunk
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2011
Source: Library
Read for: fun

***SPOILERS FOR CLOCKWORK ANGEL ARE FAIR GAME***

Tessa and the London Institute survived Mortmain's attack, but now, they must deal with the aftermath. Tessa deals with the pain of Will's rejection, while Jem seems to grow more and more affectionate. She also attempts to uncover the secret of her past, and what exactly she is. Meanwhile, Will is finding that old wounds haven't healed nearly as well as he likes to pretend, so he goes about finding a way to heal them once and for all. At the Institute, Charlotte's role as leader is threatened, and the Enclave gives the Shadowhunters an ultimatum that seems almost impossible. And, of course, Mortmain is lurking around the edges, disrupting life in myriad ways. 

I have very mixed experiences with second books. The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien? Not favorite. Crossed by Ally Condie? All right, but way less enjoyable to me than Matched. In fact, the only second book I can think of off the top of my head is New Moon by Stephenie Meyer, and that is because I am Team Jacob all the way. Even before he got abs. But let's not talk about Twilight here. 

Clockwork Prince, while unable to escape completely from second book syndrome, was stellar, in my opinion. Not a literary masterpiece, not going to change the world, perhaps, but for what it was -- a chunky, thrilling, entertainer of an adventure -- it was great. While many questions from the first book are left unresolved, we do get closure on some questions, giving some satisfaction. And while it does leave with a cliffhanger, I've come to expect that. It doesn't even bother me anymore (thank you, YA literature, for always coming in threes and teaching me a lesson that I never heed -- don't read the trilogy until all books are available). I think I can comfortably say Clockwork Prince was certainly one of the more satisfying second novels I've read in a long time. 

Shall we delve? Let's talk about the plot first, because I have an anecdote. And we all know that is what professional reviewers include in their reviews (if you are here looking for a professional review, you should already know that you've come to the wrong place). The plot was exciting, feeding me just enough information to keep me from throwing the book down in frustration, but not much more. The day after I began this book, my nursing class was practicing IVs on each other (you thought I was kidding when I said nursing school is sadistic?) and for whatever reason, I was not having it. I'm usually okay about needle sticks, but I was literally about to throw up from nervousness. I think I must not have gotten enough sleep. I asked if I could read my book while they poked me, and I hardly felt a thing. Thus, the power of entertainment. But I digress. I have heard many say that this book is too wordy, and at 528 pages, they certainly have evidence to support that. I didn't find all the verbage too heavy, however -- I still moved through at a fast pace and didn't find myself too bogged down. There are certainly some passages that could have been clipped down, but I think Cassandra Clare was trying to have her characters speak in a more old-fashioned, ornate style. And I think it worked just fine. 

Next, the romance. Love triangle haters, steer clear -- but I think if we all are honest, there is a reason they seem to be present in every novel these days. While the device may be overused these days, I still enjoy the drama it presents. In Clockwork Angel, we see the beginnings of a love triangle with Tessa, Will, and Jem, but Will pretty obviously takes center stage in Tessa's affections. However, in Clockwork Prince, Jem starts to edge more firmly into the picture, and I loved it. Jem is the perfect man, (other than the frustrating fact that he is dying and stays alive by taking an addictive drug) with his silver hair, musical ability, sensitivity, and mad-fighting ability, and I felt that I became much better acquainted with him in Clockwork Prince. Although, we also get much better acquainted with Will, and he continues to be frustratingly attractive in this book. And the drama builds... and builds... and builds. While in Clockwork Angel, the situation was basically angst, angst, angst, kissing, and then infinite angst, in Clockwork Prince, the situation is angst, angst, angst, plot, revelation, kissing, pondering, kissing, plot, angst. There is a bit more depth smattered amongst all of the angst. 

I had a slightly difficult time believing in their absolute passion for Tessa, considering that she may or may not be a warlock, and doesn't actually do that much other than almost die a few times. However, Cassandra Clare does try to fit her into another stereotype by having her learn some bad-a heroine fighting skills, along with Sophie. I like Tessa, don't get me wrong, but I do think her suitors are slightly  above her caliber. But maybe I'm just jealous. 

We also get to know Magnus Bane much, much better. I have heard that he is a prominent figure in the series following this one. I have not read that one yet, because the idea reading both at once while both are unfinished is too much for me to fathom. 

I also adore the juxtaposition of Sidney Carton with Will. Little known fact: when I read Clockwork Angel, I had started A Tale of Two Cities and didn't know how it ended. I was reading them simultaneously, but finished Clockwork Angel first. Going into Clockwork Prince with a better understanding of the character of Sidney made Will a much more intriguing and powerful character to me. I thought it was well done and fascinating.

One final gushing comment. The steampunk atmosphere of Clockwork Angel continues to deliver in Clockwork Prince, and, if you can believe it, may be my favorite part of the whole novel. If you enjoy steampunk, I think you will find something to love in Clockwork Prince. The series was the introduction to the genre for me, and I am very happy to have found it. If you are looking for an emotional, entertaining adventure, you should love Clockwork Prince.

4.25 stars

Warnings: Violence, some heavy making out

Why I Read... Paranormal

No, wait! Don't stop reading yet! I have a confession to make. In my baby-book-blogging days (aka about a year ago), I was a little bit of a book snob. In general, in high school and college I read classics, with perhaps a smattering of literary fiction and the occasional fluff read. I read YA in middle school. When I first realized that I had not in fact invented the concept of a book blog and that there were hundreds, maybe thousands, out in the blogosphere, I was excited - but also a little disappointed that so many were dedicated to YA lit and especially paranormal YA lit. It took a bit of searching to find books that were "my" kind of book.

I quickly expanded my horizons to include YA lit - many of the literary books I was already reading could be classified as YA, although I didn't know it at the time - but I still avoided paranormal. I think it was the Twilight phenomenon - which is silly, to be honest, because I heartily enjoyed Twilight. I was never obsessed, but I genuinely enjoyed it. I was a little turned off by the covers, and the concepts. It all just sounded a little... weird.

However, this summer I picked up Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare and that all changed. While at first I was a little turned off by all the paranormal "weirdness," I found myself genuinely enjoying the story once I got past my initial uncertainty. And while I will never consider paranormal lit to be my favorite genre, I'm glad I chose to give it a chance.

Because it is that Halloween time of year, I thought this would be an appropriate genre to cover. While paranormal romance and I are more on acquaintance/coworker terms (as opposed to soul mates with modern classics or BFFs with contemporary YA), I'm enjoying the development of our relationship. Here are a few reasons why.

Why I Read Paranormal

* Because sometimes, I like to read about scary things. I don't like reading things that feel evil or gross from how scary they are, but it is fun to get the little thrill of scaredness with creepy creatures.

* Because they are exciting. While escapism is by no means the main reason that I read, sometimes it is nice to forget about the fact that there is a thick layer of grime on my bathroom sink, that I have a test next week, that it is hard to lose weight. It is nice to go into a little fantasy world for a few hundred pages and forget about real life. 

Recommendations

* Twilight by Stephenie Meyer. Oh, you know it. I'm sure there were great paranormal reads before this series came out, but this was the beginning for me. I know that Bella is annoying, and that Edward is kind of a stalker, and that Stephenie Meyer makes things way too easy for her characters. But the atmosphere of the story rocks, in my opinion. I loved discovering that Edward was a vampire, and I loved when Bella and Edward went to the meadow and discovered they were falling in love. And I want to go visit Forks, because it sounds beautiful to me. Anyway, I'm not ashamed to admit that I enjoyed it. I also liked New Moon. After that, things went downhill for me. But we won't talk about that.

* A Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare. Steampunk. 

* The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan. I loved this story, despite the fact that it took itself excessively seriously. I think zombies are my favorite paranormal creepy thing to read about. 

For more recommendations, visit...

A Makeshift Bookmark. An exuberant YA blog with a love for paranormal romance. 

YA Friday: Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

Title: Clockwork Angel

Author: Cassandra Clare

Genre: YA, steampunk, fantasy

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry, 2010

Source: Library

Tessa never thought she had magic powers - not until, upon leaving her home in America to go to London, she is kidnapped by two twisted women who force her to change shape. Confused about why she is there and from whence her power stems, Tessa becomes caught up in a complicated underworld of vampires, warlocks, werewolves, and, more than anything, the Nephilim - mysterious demon-hunters with angelic lineage who fight to rid the world of demons.

I have to be honest - I read this book a month ago. I am grievously behind in my YA reviews, as I post them only once a week but occasionally read them more frequently than that. Hopefully I will still be able to do this book justice.

To be honest, when I started out, I was concerned about where this would go. Yes, I read Twilight, and I enjoy the occasional medieval fantasy, but this dark, demon-infested world is territory I don't usually traverse. However, I stuck with it and soon became completely swept up in Ms. Clare's fascinating world. I think one of the unwritten rules for writing a good fantasy is to create the whole world, complete with rules, geography, and customs. While all of this may not find its way into the story, it has to be there for it to be believable and consistent. Clockwork Angel had this world, fully realized. Ms. Clare held secrets about the world tantalizingly over my head, making my eager to read more and find out what would happen next.

I also thought the characters were excellent, which is usually the deciding factor for me. If I were to pick a favorite, it would have to be Jessamine, the spoiled, prissy girl that hates violence and wants nothing more than a life of beautiful dresses and adoration. She is obnoxious and patronizing but beneath it all, the girl has a backbone, and I enjoyed her reluctant fighting scenes. I also thought Ms. Clare did an excellent job with the requisite paranormal romance love triangle - the boys were very different, and each compelling in their own way. Will is handsome, angry, and passionate - the perfect "bad boy." Jem is sensitive, understanding, and tragic - the "good guy" that we can't help but hope will get the girl (although we don't find out who will win out in this installment). They both have secrets of their own, some which are revealed and others which are held off until the next book.

I do have a complaint with the relationships in the book - they were predictable. Even the minor characters' inclinations were very obvious, leaving little room for suspense. Other aspects of the plot, such as the characters' secrets and certain plot twists, were surprising to me, but I did wish that the romances had a little more suspense.

Clockwork Angel also had the "bookish factor" - characters that were in love with books. Tessa was a bookworm, and Will also revealed bookish tendencies, saying that his favorite character is Sidney Carton, a statement I'm only now beginning to understand as I slowly work my way through A Tale of Two Cities. Each chapter was prefaced with some poetry, giving a feel for the Victorian era.

Overall, this was an exciting read. It is definitely not my usual fare, but I am looking forward to the next book in the series. Cassandra Clare is also writing a companion series to "The Infernal Devices," "The Mortal Instruments," which has four books already published. At this point, I am thinking of waiting to read it until I've finished "The Infernal Devices," just because when I have too many series up in the air I start to feel stressed out. Fans of fantasy and the paranormal should definitely check out this dark fantasy. This will also appeal to steampunk fans.

4 stars

Warnings for the sensitive reader: Gory fantasy violence.