Tag: tessa
Book Review – 'Clockwork Princess' (#3 The Infernal Devices) by Cassandra Clare
August 26, 2021 August 8, 2021 Leave a comment
Steampunk magical zombies and so many men who just want to get married.
Genre: YA, Historical Fiction, Fantasy
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?
This concluding novel of the Infernal Devices trilogy brought everything to a dramatic climax and Tessa, Will, and Jem are all tested to the extreme.
We start to see more of the Shadowhunter lore and lifestyle instead of that of the 1800's London society. It's full on magic and paranormal. And it was such a fun adventure, though, to be honest, with did feel like a weak ending to the trilogy… maybe because it's continued on in other series in the Shadowhunter universe in some form or other, or that I was a little over the too-frequently used tropes that Cassandra Clare loves to employ in her writing.
The secondary cast members get to play a greater role in the narrative in 'Clockwork Princess' you can get the sense of a strong team forming when facing the treat of the clockwork zombies that are immune to the defences of the Cleve's magic protecting the hub and home of the London faction of Shadowhunters. I really enjoyed following their individual stories, their character development to have a break from the angsty love triangle of Tessa, Will, and Jem.
The concluding chapters dealt some twists that I did not see coming – but some that I did not altogether appreciate. While these plot reveals can sometimes be masterful, I found a few to be all too convenient and a bit of a cop out. But that's just my opinion. I think because I was craving a bit more personal tension and drama for our trio at the centre of the series.
I'm not sure if it's all the propriety of 1700's society, or the way the relationships were written, but I wasn't as sold on the Tessa love story; not as much as I was in Clary's from the Mortal Instruments series – maybe because if felt a little copy and paste tropes of the bad boy with a heart of gold, and an everyday girl with a one-of-a-kind special talent that can save the world. I was craving something a bit different, more original. But the rest of the story, and the Shadowhunter universe I was really enjoying.
Mortmain was a weird antagonist – always in the periphery, out of reach. Not quite in the Shadowhunter, or Downworlder world. And as a consequence not someone as I thought of as all that scary. He came across as more annoying than maleficent. Though I appreciated the whole circumventing magic and wards with the invention of his clockwork army. That was true genius.
Now I've tucked this trilogy under my belt, I'm eager to finish off the Mortal Instruments series (the second trilogy) to see what happens with this background now established. I'd still recommend this collection, even though the ending didn't quite stick for me. The concept and element of The Infernal Devices was truly entrancing. But maybe for those who love the Shadowhunter world – it's not something that can be enjoyed in isolation… each of these trilogies sets up groundwork for the following trilogy.
Cassandra Clare's writing style is light and manages to draw out period details expertly, I was never pulled from the narrative apart from moments when I was eye-rolling from the overused tropes. 'Clockwork Princess' was mostly predictable, a few surprised, but on the whole a solid read.
Overall feeling: Lukewarm
Book Review – 'Clockwork Prince' (#2 The Infernal Devices) by Cassandra Clare
August 12, 2021 July 26, 2021 Leave a comment
Beautiful Victorian London, steampunk villains and paranormal creatures.
In the magical underworld of Victorian London, Tessa Gray has found safety with the Shadowhunters. But that safety proves fleeting when it becomes clear that the mysterious Magister will stop at nothing to use Tessa's powers for his own dark ends.
With the help of the handsome, tortured Will and the devoted Jem, Tessa discovers that the Magister's war on the Shadowhunters is deeply personal and fueled by revenge. To unravel the secrets of the past, the trio journeys from mist-shrouded Yorkshire to a manor house that holds untold horrors. When they encounter a clockwork demon bearing a warning for Will, they realize that the Magister knows their every move—and that one of their own has betrayed them.
Tessa is drawn more and more to Jem, though her longing for Will continues to unsettle her. But something is changing in Will. Could finding the Magister free Will from his secrets and give Tessa answers about who she really is? As their search leads to deadly peril, Tessa learns that secrets and lies can corrupt even the purest heart.
A steampunk Shadowhunter tale with the bad boy, his well-behaved best friend, and a girl who may or may not be a warlock.
While I really enjoyed this story, the pacing suffered at times. There were also many reveals, but none that fully rocked me to the core – so as a consequence, 'Clockwork Prince' did not engage and wow me as much as pervious titles in this series. Plus the character trope of male characters being a rude pig for the good of a potential love interest is tiresome and not a trope I particularly enjoy.
Though we see Tessa becoming more ingratiated into her Shadowhunter family, and joining the fray as they police the Downworld and uncover mysteries, there did not feel like her character got much development. Plus all this priority of the 1800's society and etiquette vs the Shadowhunters culture seem to clash, and the English customs felt to serve only as a plot device to set up a situation between Tessa, Jem, and Will.
As mentioned above, I was beginning to become tired of the bad boy image hiding a genuine gentle soul that Will embodies. I just don't understand the need to be obnoxious to keep people at an arm's length. There are other ways to do this without falling into this trope. But I guess it is a favoured character trait in YA. Though where the story ends in 'Clockwork Prince,' I am interested to see how Will develops in the final instalment in this trilogy as he has no excuses to be the way he has been anymore.
Jem felt as if he was more in the background and a bit of a plot device for 'Clockwork Prince.' Apart from the growing relationship between him and Tessa, there was little else to his story.
This love triangle – and its developing story – felt a little off in this middle novel. It seems like Cassandra Clare quickly moved the chess pieces where she needed them to be for the finale and then treaded water. I think that's why I felt the pacing suffered in parts. There was no character driving the story forward, it was more about positioning plot points for 'Clockwork Princess.'
We do get resolution to a major plot point which was very satisfactory, and a few minor ones which all went the way of sensibility and practicality instead of some elaborate backstory.
Overall I really enjoyed 'Clockwork Prince,' but it did lack a certain something. But that is the way of many middle books in trilogies… I'm excited for 'Clockwork Princess' knowing what is left to be resolved, and how it will ultimately tie back into The Mortal Instruments series; and in true Cassandra Clare style, will no doubt be epic with many twist and turns.
Overall feeling: Pretty great fare!
Book Review – 'Clockwork Angel' (#1 The Infernal Devices) by Cassandra Clare
Getting back into the Shadowhunter universe.
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…
This review comes from a re-read for me. I had read this initially about 7 years ago when it was first released but never wrote a review… and then abandoned the series when we moved states as the books were hidden away in moving boxes for an extended period of time. I think I initially had awarded it 5 stars. Now that I'm completing the series as a part of #BeatTheBacklist, I needed to re-read 'Clockwork Angel' to refresh and catch up to where I last left The Infernal Devices collection.
'Clockwork Angel' is a steampunk historical fantasy in the Shadowhunters universe, set as a sequel to the Mortal Instruments. I found this an easily engrossed read. I slipped into the past seamlessly and powered through this novel despite its 480 page length. It reminded me of all the things I enjoyed about The Mortal Instruments series all those years ago. I'm definitely excited to catch up on all the published novels in the Shadowhunter universe.
We follow Tessa Gray after her Aunt passes away and she is sent a ticket to travel to London to live with her last living relative, her brother Nathaniel. Upon arriving in England, she is secreted away by the Dark Sisters and forced into strange rituals that bring out her latent shape changing abilities Tessa did not know she had.
We meet Shadowhunters Will and Jem (James) who rescue Tessa from the Dark Sisters when they are investigating a murder involving Downworlders. From there Tessa is slowly introduced to all the elements of the Downworld and Shadowhunter alike, discovering that she is a part of this world too.
Tessa starts as a typical society lady, but soon notices that her deportment means little in the new magical world she has found herself in, and after having no-one to rely on but herself and her intuition, she has to find the strength to stand up for herself and carve her own path. I found Tessa endearing, if a little waifish at times – but that is a result of the society of the times, not of her character. And we see Tessa shed the older version of herself and become a strong and intelligent entity in her own right.
Will is a rakish teen, who's good-looking and knows it. He's rude and appears as being self-absorbed. I'm not a fan of intentionally rude love interests, so I'm not all that taken with Will. But we have only scratched the surface and I'm sure a tragic and involved backstory is going to be revealed in the next two sequels.
As too with Jem, a POC infected with demon poison which is slowly killing him. He's all sorts of gentile, caring, and empathetic and I love the way both he and Tessa interact. Again, there is a backstory we've yet to uncover, which has me keen to jump into the sequel 'Clockwork Prince' as soon as possible.
We meet an early version of sorcerer Magnus Bane, and ancestors of the main characters from The Mortal Instruments. It had all the elements of magic that I loved about from the debut series, though I have to admit, I was hoping for more of this… and more action. But it's just the introductory novel in this trilogy, so I'm confident that I'll get my fix in the sequels.
Cassandra Clare's writing style is eloquent and she painted the cold, damp, and drab atmosphere with aplomb. I was easily transported to 1870's London. The pacing is what I've come to expect from her writing, she drops clues to keep us enticed every few pages, and does not neglect character development. If I was being really picky, I would say this was the tiniest bit waffly, but because I enjoy this universe so much, it did not bother me much.
I can't say anything about the plot, because I had read this before, so there were no surprises… but I think on the initial reading the ending really got me. There's a few twists and red herrings that make this an enjoyable read.
Happily recommend 'Clockwork Angel' to lovers of historical fiction, steampunk, fantasy, magic, and fans of the Shadowhunter universe.
Overall feeling: Felt like coming home after a long day.
Film vs Novel – Now is Good
Novel also published as "Before I Die"
You never decide to die – but you must decide to live!
I was recommended this book and film from fellow blogger belleofthelibrary when I happened across her book review. At first I really didn't want to read another sad and depressing book, considering The Fault in Our Stars sent me into a funk for nearly a week. But, Now is Good is slightly different. It's gritty and sarcastic. Both film and novel make no apologies for Tessa, our protagonist's actions. Yes it's sad, but it's the most realistic reaction to getting sick with a terminal disease I've read so far.
You do go a bit mental. You do feel bipolar and swing to extremes. And you live the time you have left without abandon.
The film suffered as many screen adaptations do – sanitised to fit into a ratings category. The more risqué scenes cut or buffed over. I can't say I didn't mind it though, cancer is quite confronting. And so are some or the situations in the novel. The film succeeded with excellent pacing – all of the omissions from the written version, and the reveal of Tessa's bucket list was much more poignant. The book, I found to be a little long in parts, and I nearly put it down – but believe me the last quarter of the novel is well worth the struggle. It's raw, graphic, and a true representation what Tessa goes through (believe me, I've experienced most of it).
The ending of the film lacked the punch that the novel did – I'd say the film is almost melodic, where the novel is like a car horn – alarming and something you read with wide eyes.
I liked Adam (Tessa's love interest) in the big screen version the most, he felt substantial and worthy of Tessa given the suffering she bears on strong shoulders. His written counterpart reflected a more realistic picture of teen males: slightly aloof and misunderstood and totally redeems himself towards the end.
With Tessa, however, I preferred the novel version. You really get into her head and experience her life. The movie felt a little choppy in comparison, and at times, I had trouble understanding her motivations. There is also so many more one-liners and witty observations in the book.
Dakota Fanning did a brilliant job depicting Tessa, especially given the script. I lost faith towards the end though; but due to production and make-up than Fanning's performance. After reading the book and comparing, you'll get what I mean. They opted for 'pretty' rather than the realism that plays through the novel. On a side note I kept listening for her British accent to falter… an added dimension to the film. J
The discovery of Jeremy Irvine playing Adam nearly flipped my wig! Talk about delicious! He has serious acting chops too. Irvine added a dreamy quality to Adam, where in the book he's described as average and goofy (even though Tessa sees him as a love god). I also found out he's playing Daniel Grigori in the screen adaptation of Lauren Kate's Fallen, and am really interested to see how that film turns out when it is released later this year.
A bonus is the casting of Kaya Scodelario as Zoey… I don't think they could have chosen anybody more perfect for the role.
I'd say both film and novel are on a fairly even par, but definitely prefer the book for its dark comedy and balls-to-the-wall narrative.
And yes, bring your tissues.
Bahahaha! This reminds me of some pot luck meals I've been to.
A gif I created from this weeks Suburgatory that had me laughing so hard.