Clockwork Prince: REVIEW

*****FINAL RATING: 5.00 STARS*****

CATCHALL
Only the second 5.00 star book I've read this year, but utterly and completely deserving. I can honestly say that I have no real complaints. Everything was beautiful, from start to finish, and I was unable to put it down even once. The cover is absolutely marvelous and made me fall in stand love, and I was not disappointed.

THE HEROINE
THERESA GRAY
Tessa grows and changes much in this book as compared to Clockwork Angel. She expands and becomes, in my opinion, much more likable. She is heartbreakingly real and absolutely wonderful. She's courageous, beautiful, and undeniably relatable. She has an aura of power but also of innocence. Tessa is strong but acts very human. She is a wonderfully written heroine and I cannot wait to read more about her.

THE LOVE INTERESTS
JAMES CARSTAIRS
I am absolutely Team Jem, a fact I have never tried to hide. There's something about him that's heartbreaking and beautiful and very, very attractive. I was immediately drawn to him in Angel and have been continued to be drawn to him in Prince. I love reading about him almost more than anything. I actually read pages 201-205 probably like 941,526,234,146,134,455,245,274,982 times. I think the scene is that beautiful. I enjoy nothing more than daydreaming about him. He's kind, and even-tempered, but somehow still not boring. I think he's amazing, and definitely one of my all-time favorite characters. He's like my ideal of a perfect man. (He actually reminds me of my boyfriend rather a lot. They both act similar and they're both-well, I may as well say it-dying. Still, I hope something can be done so that he'll live. Both of them. But I digress-this is getting rather personal.)
WILLIAM HERONDALE
I'm going to be brutally honest here: I did not like Will at all in Angel. But in this book, he grew on me immensely. I found myself actually attracted to him and by the end of the book, I had fallen in love with him. It would have been difficult not to-he's so beautiful and determined. As I learned more about him, the less I began to dislike him. He grows stronger and much nicer in this installment until I had a hard time remembering why I disliked him so much in the first place. Will took his place as one of my favorite book characters easily.

THE OTHER SECONDARY CHARACTERS
CHARLOTTE AND HENRY BRANWELL
Charlotte and Henry are developed beautifully in this book. Their relationship grows as well, and a certain scene that took place between the two of them actually moved me to tears, it was so sweet. I adored them and I certainly want to hear more about them. They each grow individually as well, becoming stronger.
GIDEON LIGHTWOOD
He surprised me. I expected a much different kind of character than I was presented with, and I believe I'm a little in love with him too. He was unexpectedly beautiful. I hope to see much more of him in the upcoming Princess. He seems quite kind and sympathetic, as well as all-around good.
BENEDICT AND GABRIEL LIGHTWOOD
Father and son, each is a very intriguing and deep character. We don't get to see a whole lot of them, which is a shame, but perhaps we'll see more of them later on. They played significant roles that I would love to see expanded.
JESSAMINE LOVELACE
First, I feel compelled to point out that this is what jessamine looks like:

That aside, she had an interesting plot twist as well. She intrigued me from the very beginning of the book but I never saw anything coming until it was revealed. It was an unpleasant but well-done surprise that was significant and not at all dull.
NATHANIEL GRAY
I love how Clare deals with family drama and hatred. In TMI it was Clary and Valentine; in TID it's Tessa and Nate. I have my own family issues so it's interesting for me to read about these things. But again, I digress. Nate is a very well developed character. He plays no small role, which didn't completely shock me but there were some aspects I did not see coming. We see more of his real character in this book, as opposed to the mask we were given in Angel.
MAGNUS BANE
I love. But then again, who doesn't? We only get little teasing glimpses of him in this book, but each is exquisite and I adored each one. I hope we have more of him in Princess.
SOPHIE
Not just a maid anymore, Sophie contributes to the plot of Prince significantly. Also, I liked her much better in this book than in the last.

THE PLOT
The plot must have had 473 twists, which kept me constantly guessing. It was quickly paced but not so fast that I couldn't breathe. I constantly felt like I had to absolute know what came next, leaving me unable to put the book down, even for a single aching moment. It is beautifully original and historically correct as well. Enough questions and conflicts are resolved that I didn't get totally frustrated, but I was still left absolutely aching for the next book. The plot was wonderful and made this book completely un-put-down-able! Clare has created such a marvelous world and seamlessly incorporated it into what was real. Instead of feeling false, it feels undeniably and absolutely real.

THE ROMANCE
JEM AND TESSA
Jem and Tessa's romance develops far more in this book than it did in the last. It is subtle and sweet, but is most assuredly there. There is undeniably chemistry between them that heats up very quickly in this book. It's most certainly not clichéd or overdramatized, but feels realistic. It sizzles but is not overdone. It feels like a real, genuine love that grows and changes throughout. It is slow, but steady, the kind of feeling that lasts.
WILL AND TESSA
I love both Will and Tessa, but I will never love their romance. It reminds me too much of Jace and Clary. Don't get me wrong-I love Jace and Clary's romance-but I don't want to read about the same couples again. And again and again and again. But it's also less-I feel chemistry, but not love. More like heavy, heavy lust, which, let's face it, is wonderful, but fades.

THE WRITING
I will probably continue to be blown away by Clare's writing until I die. It is absolutely beautiful. It is descriptive, it is pretty, it is lovely. It describes everything in immaculate detail and doesn't leave the feeling of holes or confusion. The book is mostly told from Tessa's point of view, and Clare gives her an achingly read and beautiful voice, which was impossible for me not to admire. There was no way that with such beautiful writing I could not have loved this. It is incredibly well-written.

THE ENDING
Hello, surprise. While it wasn't completely unexpected, it wasn't the number one outcome I had predicted in my head. It was fantastic and desperate and beautiful. I really, really liked it. But as I do not want to give anything away I will say no more!

WRAPUP
Oh, yes, I will be reading Clockwork Princess. As soon as I possibly can, and desperately. I need to get my hands on it.

FINE.