Series Review: The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare

Clockwork Angel
Author: Cassandra Clare
Series: The Infernal Devices #1
Publication Date: August 31, 2010
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Genre: YA Paranormal Fantasy
Page Length: 479 pages
Goodreads

In a time when Shadowhunters are barely winning the fight against the forces of darkness, one battle will change the course of history forever.  Welcome to the Infernal Devices trilogy, a stunning and dangerous prequel to the New York Times bestselling Mortal Instruments series.

The year is 1878.  Tessa Gray descends into London's dark supernatural underworld in search of her missing brother.  She soon discovers that her only allies are the demon-slaying Shadowhunters --- including Will and Jem, the mysterious boys she is attracted to.  Soon they find themselves up against the Pandemonium Club, a secret organization of vampires, demons, warlocks, and humans.  Equipped with a magical army of unstoppable clockwork creatures, the Club is out to rule the British Empire, and only Tessa and her allies can stop them . . . 

Just last year, I decided to give Cassandra Clare's The Mortal Instruments series a chance, and the series definitely started off on a high note for me.  However, I fell out of interest around the third or fourth book and never finished the series.

For this reason, I wasn't sure whether or not I would try Clare's prequel series, The Infernal Devices, but the high praise from her fans eventually persuaded me.

Quite unfortunately, I remain rather unimpressed and uninterested with the Shadowhunter world, but overall, I did enjoy Clockwork Angel.

I know that The Infernal Devices and The Mortal Instruments series take place in the same world and should therefore draw parallels.  However, the likeness between the two were too similar for my taste.  It felt as if Clare recycled her old characters, slapped on new names, changed the time period, slightly tweaked the storyline, and called her product something new.  I felt as if I was reading the exact same story a second time.  And since I eventually became disinterested with The Mortal Instruments series, well . . . that didn't help Clockwork Angel's case.

I simply do not understand the fawning over certain characters (cough, William Herondale, cough), but I realize Clockwork Angel is only the first book in the series.  And for that reason, I will give the series time before drawing further judgement.  I am excited to see how Clare's characters and their interwoven relationships will develop in the next two books.

The storyline itself didn't captivate me.  I don't know why because the events were definitely exciting and action-packed, but none of Clare's plot points took me by surprise.

Still, I am intrigued enough to continue on with Clockwork Prince.

Clockwork Prince
Author: Cassandra Clare
Series: The Infernal Devices #2
Publication Date: December 6, 2011
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Genre: YA Paranormal Fantasy
Page Length: 502 pages
Goodreads

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.  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.

Clockwork Prince was without a doubt, my favorite book of the trilogy.  I said I wasn't hooked with Clockwork Angel, but Clockwork Prince forced me to retract that statement.  I read this entire book over the span of one or two days.

In this second installment we get all of that action, drama, and romance readers love.  The love triangle brewing in book one takes the on the front role in Clockwork Prince.  And thankfully, it's not one of those annoying, overdone, sickening love triangles.  I think all readers will agree -- it's considerably well executed.

We get to know Clare's characters so much better!  I loved reading their humorous banter.  And yes, I said I didn't get the hype over Will Herondale, but . . . I do understand him a little better now.

All in all, Clockwork Prince was a complete improvement from Clockwork Angel.  The plot captivated me way more than the first book did, I came to know the characters a lot better, and I actually needed the next book.  (I hunted it down at all of my community libraries.)

Now onto book three . . .

Clockwork Princess
Author: Cassandra Clare
Series: The Infernal Devices #3
Publication Date: March 19, 2013
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Genre: YA Paranormal Fantasy
Page Length: 570 pages
Goodreads

Danger and betrayal, secrets and enchantment in the breathtaking conclusion to the Infernal Devices trilogy.

Tessa Gray should be happy -- aren't all brides happy?  Yet as she prepares for her wedding, a net of shadows begins to tighten around the Shadowhunters of the London Institute.  A new demon appears, one linked by blood and secrecy to mortmain, the man who plans to use his army of pitiless automatons, the Infernal Devices, to destroy the Shadowhunters.  Mortmain needs only one last item to complete his plan.  He needs Tessa.  And Jem and Will, the boys who lay equal claim to Tessa's heart, will do anything to save her.

I wanted to LOVE this series, but I just . . . didn't.  I liked the Infernal Devices, but after reading the final book, I can't say I'm attached or invested with the series.

Clockwork Princess was another okay book for me.  It was better than the first, but not better than the second.  After a while, I found the drama to be very trivial.  To me, Clockwork Princess turned into a soap opera.  I liked the love triangle in Clockwork Prince, but I found it a bit ridiculous in the final book . . .

I wasn't emotionally affected.  There were a number of scenes that could call for tears, but I read everything with a pokerface.  (I promise I don't have a heart of stone!)

However, I can say the ending was full of action and a number of plot twists and surprises.  Clare was able to bring the series to a close in an admirable way.  My only problem was everything worked out a bit too well.  All characters seemed to have a relatively happy ending, and at times the plot twists became rather absurd.

I definitely understand why Clare has such a big following, but unfortunately, the Shadowhunter world just isn't for me.