Clockwork Princess, by Cassandra Clare

Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I am erring on the generous side with four stars. My better judgment says three stars, or somewhere in between. However, math says that if it's three and a half, you round up because it will result in an even number. Therefore, I went with four.

I stayed up far too late to finish this book. It was fast paced, engaging, somewhat (quite?) predictable, with glimmers of gratification that push you toward the next. The details were substantial and even occasionally included how things smelled. I always like it when a writer remembers that there are more senses than sight and hearing.  However, there were a good many times when it felt like Clare was on a fan-girl binge, lifting text from other novels, rearranging the particulars in a way that reminded me of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, so it would fit the narrative. A sentence here or there of para-quoting makes me smile. Lengthy paragraphs invokes groaning, and also meters my esteem for this work.

Another problem with this particular text is that too often, I feel, characters behave in accordance with the needs of the plot rather than the idiosyncrasies of their characters established in the two previous books. The Clockwork Prince raised my expectations, and these moments didn't meet those expectations. These moments are not horribly glaring, but at times, words and actions and character didn't meld as well as I had expected. Any of my other grouses would be spoilers, but suffice it to say that while I wanted the ending and the fan girl in me was overjoyed, the literary critic in me was disappointed.

Don't mistake my reservations for condemnation. I enjoyed Clockwork Princess, and if you read and liked Clockwork Prince, as I recommended, you'll enjoy this too. Just read it for what it is and have fun with it.