Title: Clockwork Princess Author: Cassandra Clare Narrator: Daniel Sharman Series: The Infernal Devices, 3rd & final book Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio Publication Date: March 19, 2013 Source: purchased Purchase:Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible
THE INFERNAL DEVICES WILL NEVER STOP COMING
A net of shadows begins to tighten around the Shadowhunters of the London Institute. Mortmain plans to use his Infernal Devices, an army of pitiless automatons, to destroy the Shadowhunters. He needs only one last item to complete his plan: he needs Tessa Gray.
Charlotte Branwell, head of the London Institute, is desperate to find Mortmain before he strikes. But when Mortmain abducts Tessa, the boys who lay equal claim to her heart, Jem and Will, will do anything to save her. For though Tessa and Jem are now engaged, Will is as much in love with her as ever.
As those who love Tessa rally to rescue her from Mortmain’s clutches, Tessa realizes that the only person who can save her is herself. But can a single girl, even one who can command the power of angels, face down an entire army?
Danger and betrayal, secrets and enchantment, and the tangled threads of love and loss intertwine as the Shadowhunters are pushed to the very brink of destruction in the breathtaking conclusion to the Infernal Devices trilogy.
*** This is a completely spoiler free review. I promise. I wouldn't do you like that. =) ***
*Sigh* This is how you write a series finale. This is how you put an end to the dreaded love triangle without truly taking the choice away from everyone involved, without tastelessly casting someone aside. This was the most inherently beautiful yet exquisitely painful ending I've ever read, and I was nearly inconsolable when I finished. Not because of what happened, though there was cause for uncontrollable blubbering at times, but because it's over. It's over and I already want to go back and read all three books again...and again...and again.
I almost wish that this were the series Cassie had decided to turn into six books instead of the original three. Okay, that's not true. Not really. These characters deserved to have their story told in a reasonable amount of time and without dragging it out just because I couldn't let them go. But I already miss them so and it's so hard to say goodbye. The same is true of any series finale, I suppose, but I'm finding it more difficult than usual with this one. I didn't even expect to like this series when I started Clockwork Angel. Yet here I am, sobbing over fictional characters that stole my heart and made me feel like no others before them.
I laughed with these characters, cried with them, and fell in love with them as they loved each other. They each grow into who they were meant to be in this story, even those who seemed insignificant in the beginning. Everyone made sacrifices and they all had a role to play. And they played them so well, all the way up to that bittersweet ending. And then there's everything we learn about Tessa and what she is and where she came from...
I'm not going to discuss the love triangle. You know what you want to happen or what you expect to happen. But as I said, it was handled admirably, and I couldn't imagine a more fitting end. Admittedly, I could have done without the epilogue, though. Oh, the feels. I didn't tear up once during the book, not until that epilogue. I'm going to be honest, though. I'm not a huge fan of epilogues in general. They sort of seem like a cop-out, almost like an alternate ending on fast-forward. Still, this one should make at least a few fans happy. ;)
And I am happy, despite the intense feeling of loss I'm currently coping with. I just have to keep reminding myself that I can visit these characters again whenever I want. Tessa is still the darling of the Institute. Jem is still the soft-spoken violin-player. And Will is still incorrigible. This is how I'd like to remember them always. But this is how I want to remember Magnus:
“A very magnanimous statement, Gideon,” said Magnus.
“I’m Gabriel.”
Magnus waved a hand. “All Lightwoods look the same to me.”
Bahaha...someday, Magnus, you will be eating your words.
As far as the audiobook goes, I thought I'd miss Ed Westwick reading to me. But Daniel Sharman far surpassed my expectations for the audio. As in, why didn't he read the other two books? You'd assume a guy reading all of the book, including Tessa's parts, would make it hard to distinguish between speakers and perspectives, but you'd be wrong. And, oh, my, the accent he lent to Welsh-born Will. Ed Westwick, who? :P
I am unbelievably happy, both with the narration and with the story. When it comes time for a re-read of the series, I'm not even sure which way to go about it. The audiobooks and story alike were superbly done. I highly, highly recommend this series. I'm serious...I wasn't even that interested in the story when I picked up the first book, and now it's one of my favorite series ever.
Title: Clockwork Prince Author: Cassandra Clare Narrators: Heather Lind & Ed Westwick Series: 2nd book in The Infernal Devices series Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry (hardcover)/Simon & Schuster Audio (audiobook) Publication Date: December 6, 2011 Source: purchased hardcover & publisher provided audiobook
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.
I actually read Clockwork Prince last December when it was released because Cassie Clare is on my auto-buy/immediately read list. That, and I absolutely loved Clockwork Angel when I read it the previous year and was eager to transport myself back to the Shadowhunter world. However, I dwelled on it for a bit and never wrote a proper review of the book. Then, recently, I was provided the opportunity to review the audiobook, and I can honestly say this story was just as good the second time around. And now it's time I write a more appropriate review of the book I currently deem "my favorite Cassie Clare novel thus far". So, here goes...
I think it's fair to say that the common thread throughout Clare's work is that "to love is to destroy" and vice versa. (I think Jace even says as much in one of The Mortal Instruments books.) In Clockwork Prince, we finally find out why Will is so tortured and why he treats his closest companions the way he does, even when it's clear that he cares about them. But let me tell you, Will in love is kind of a stark-raving lunatic, though I love his character even more now that I know what he's suffered. Of course, Jem is still caring and attentive, as always, and it would be impossible not to like him. I think it speaks volumes that the author was able to make me fall for both boys. I would be hard-pressed to pick a favorite character in this series, though Tessa's strength and honor and courage definitely keep her in the running.
If all love triangles were written like this one and that of Cynthia Hand's Unearthly series, I might just have to reconsider my previous feelings concerning the over-use of this particular plot device. A lot of time is spent focused on the various relationships in this novel, but if you ask me, it's time well spent. The relationships -- and their consequences -- only serve to propel the story further and provide a background for the time period and how social interactions were handled at the time.
However, the great characterization and relationship-centric plot did lend an air of predictability to the novel. But even though this was my second time experiencing this story, and I already knew what was coming, that ending still felt like a punch in the gut. When the journey is as captivating as this one, though, sometimes you can overlook the obvious and just enjoy the ride. And I'm sure I'll be enjoying this one again and again.
As far as the audio goes, I couldn't have asked for more perfect narrators for this story. Heather Lind is phenomenal as the voice of Tessa, and although Ed Westwick's accent had me swooning long before I started this audiobook, he was even more perfect as the voice of tormented Will than I could have imagined. And to hear Chuck Bass providing the voice of a flamboyant werewolf was just priceless. Also, hilarious. I was wary of how this novel would be split into a dual narrative considering the story is told in third person and from several viewpoints throughout the novel, but it was handled beautifully. The transitions between narrators were always clean and consistent. I may have enjoyed the audio more than actually reading the novel myself, but I'll never tell. I hope that Heather and Ed return for the third book; I just don't think it would be the same without them.
In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. It's a weekly meme where we all get to brag about the books and swag we got in the mail, for review, won in contests, etc.
This was probably the best week I've had since I've been blogging. No joke. The proof:
All the things I found on the internet this week that made me swoon, giggle, or just wish I had a time machine so I could travel to the future. Enjoy!
First up, I continue my quest and love for all things Vampire Academy/Richelle Mead. Which is kinda strange considering I JUST stumbled upon VA when I bought an audiobook on sale from Audible. But, hey, it doesn't matter how or how long, just that you finally did, right? So, here's the latest trailer for Bloodlines, featuring Sydney Sage:
Jace Wayland was making his way up the ranks in the YA Crush Tourney, eventually coming out on top and taking the coveted title, and now Cassandra Clare's readers are reaping the benefits:
The novel will be released on September 1st. Check out my review now, though, to see why any fan of the dystopian genre should definitely pick this one up.
I work with numbers by day, and I'm a mommy and avid reader by night. I'm a self-proclaimed Spreadsheet Queen, and I'll read anything you put in front of me. I seriously love all the books! And I adore audiobooks, too!
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
{Audiobook} Review: Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare
Author: Cassandra Clare
Narrator: Daniel Sharman
Series: The Infernal Devices, 3rd & final book
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Publication Date: March 19, 2013
Source: purchased
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible
A net of shadows begins to tighten around the Shadowhunters of the London Institute. Mortmain plans to use his Infernal Devices, an army of pitiless automatons, to destroy the Shadowhunters. He needs only one last item to complete his plan: he needs Tessa Gray.
Charlotte Branwell, head of the London Institute, is desperate to find Mortmain before he strikes. But when Mortmain abducts Tessa, the boys who lay equal claim to her heart, Jem and Will, will do anything to save her. For though Tessa and Jem are now engaged, Will is as much in love with her as ever.
As those who love Tessa rally to rescue her from Mortmain’s clutches, Tessa realizes that the only person who can save her is herself. But can a single girl, even one who can command the power of angels, face down an entire army?
Danger and betrayal, secrets and enchantment, and the tangled threads of love and loss intertwine as the Shadowhunters are pushed to the very brink of destruction in the breathtaking conclusion to the Infernal Devices trilogy.
*Sigh* This is how you write a series finale. This is how you put an end to the dreaded love triangle without truly taking the choice away from everyone involved, without tastelessly casting someone aside. This was the most inherently beautiful yet exquisitely painful ending I've ever read, and I was nearly inconsolable when I finished. Not because of what happened, though there was cause for uncontrollable blubbering at times, but because it's over. It's over and I already want to go back and read all three books again...and again...and again.
I almost wish that this were the series Cassie had decided to turn into six books instead of the original three. Okay, that's not true. Not really. These characters deserved to have their story told in a reasonable amount of time and without dragging it out just because I couldn't let them go. But I already miss them so and it's so hard to say goodbye. The same is true of any series finale, I suppose, but I'm finding it more difficult than usual with this one. I didn't even expect to like this series when I started Clockwork Angel. Yet here I am, sobbing over fictional characters that stole my heart and made me feel like no others before them.
I laughed with these characters, cried with them, and fell in love with them as they loved each other. They each grow into who they were meant to be in this story, even those who seemed insignificant in the beginning. Everyone made sacrifices and they all had a role to play. And they played them so well, all the way up to that bittersweet ending. And then there's everything we learn about Tessa and what she is and where she came from...
I'm not going to discuss the love triangle. You know what you want to happen or what you expect to happen. But as I said, it was handled admirably, and I couldn't imagine a more fitting end. Admittedly, I could have done without the epilogue, though. Oh, the feels. I didn't tear up once during the book, not until that epilogue. I'm going to be honest, though. I'm not a huge fan of epilogues in general. They sort of seem like a cop-out, almost like an alternate ending on fast-forward. Still, this one should make at least a few fans happy. ;)
And I am happy, despite the intense feeling of loss I'm currently coping with. I just have to keep reminding myself that I can visit these characters again whenever I want. Tessa is still the darling of the Institute. Jem is still the soft-spoken violin-player. And Will is still incorrigible. This is how I'd like to remember them always. But this is how I want to remember Magnus:
Bahaha...someday, Magnus, you will be eating your words.
As far as the audiobook goes, I thought I'd miss Ed Westwick reading to me. But Daniel Sharman far surpassed my expectations for the audio. As in, why didn't he read the other two books? You'd assume a guy reading all of the book, including Tessa's parts, would make it hard to distinguish between speakers and perspectives, but you'd be wrong. And, oh, my, the accent he lent to Welsh-born Will. Ed Westwick, who? :P
I am unbelievably happy, both with the narration and with the story. When it comes time for a re-read of the series, I'm not even sure which way to go about it. The audiobooks and story alike were superbly done. I highly, highly recommend this series. I'm serious...I wasn't even that interested in the story when I picked up the first book, and now it's one of my favorite series ever.
Rating:
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Review: Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare
Author: Cassandra Clare
Narrators: Heather Lind & Ed Westwick
Series: 2nd book in The Infernal Devices series
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry (hardcover)/Simon & Schuster Audio (audiobook)
Publication Date: December 6, 2011
Source: purchased hardcover & publisher provided audiobook
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.
I actually read Clockwork Prince last December when it was released because Cassie Clare is on my auto-buy/immediately read list. That, and I absolutely loved Clockwork Angel when I read it the previous year and was eager to transport myself back to the Shadowhunter world. However, I dwelled on it for a bit and never wrote a proper review of the book. Then, recently, I was provided the opportunity to review the audiobook, and I can honestly say this story was just as good the second time around. And now it's time I write a more appropriate review of the book I currently deem "my favorite Cassie Clare novel thus far". So, here goes...
I think it's fair to say that the common thread throughout Clare's work is that "to love is to destroy" and vice versa. (I think Jace even says as much in one of The Mortal Instruments books.) In Clockwork Prince, we finally find out why Will is so tortured and why he treats his closest companions the way he does, even when it's clear that he cares about them. But let me tell you, Will in love is kind of a stark-raving lunatic, though I love his character even more now that I know what he's suffered. Of course, Jem is still caring and attentive, as always, and it would be impossible not to like him. I think it speaks volumes that the author was able to make me fall for both boys. I would be hard-pressed to pick a favorite character in this series, though Tessa's strength and honor and courage definitely keep her in the running.
If all love triangles were written like this one and that of Cynthia Hand's Unearthly series, I might just have to reconsider my previous feelings concerning the over-use of this particular plot device. A lot of time is spent focused on the various relationships in this novel, but if you ask me, it's time well spent. The relationships -- and their consequences -- only serve to propel the story further and provide a background for the time period and how social interactions were handled at the time.
However, the great characterization and relationship-centric plot did lend an air of predictability to the novel. But even though this was my second time experiencing this story, and I already knew what was coming, that ending still felt like a punch in the gut. When the journey is as captivating as this one, though, sometimes you can overlook the obvious and just enjoy the ride. And I'm sure I'll be enjoying this one again and again.
As far as the audio goes, I couldn't have asked for more perfect narrators for this story. Heather Lind is phenomenal as the voice of Tessa, and although Ed Westwick's accent had me swooning long before I started this audiobook, he was even more perfect as the voice of tormented Will than I could have imagined. And to hear Chuck Bass providing the voice of a flamboyant werewolf was just priceless. Also, hilarious. I was wary of how this novel would be split into a dual narrative considering the story is told in third person and from several viewpoints throughout the novel, but it was handled beautifully. The transitions between narrators were always clean and consistent. I may have enjoyed the audio more than actually reading the novel myself, but I'll never tell. I hope that Heather and Ed return for the third book; I just don't think it would be the same without them.
Rating:
Saturday, February 18, 2012
In My Mailbox #19
In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. It's a weekly meme where we all get to brag about the books and swag we got in the mail, for review, won in contests, etc.
This was probably the best week I've had since I've been blogging. No joke. The proof:
For Review:
Black Heart by Holly Black, via a Southern Book Bloggers ARC tour
Clockwork Prince audio, written by Cassandra Clare & narrated by Ed Westwick (swoon) & Heather Lind, thanks to Simon & Schuster
The Obsidian Blade by Pete Hautman, from Candlewick Press via Netgalley
Won:
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Teasers, Pleasers & Other Fun Stuffs...#4
Jace's POV on the Manor Scene in City of Glass
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starryeyedjen
- I work with numbers by day, and I'm a mommy and avid reader by night. I'm a self-proclaimed Spreadsheet Queen, and I'll read anything you put in front of me. I seriously love all the books! And I adore audiobooks, too!
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