Entertainment Weekly reviews CLOCKWORK PRINCESS (spoiler-free)
We are now six days away from the epic conclusion to Cassandra Clare’s international bestselling The Infernal Devices, Clockwork Princess, on March 19 and the anticipation is as high as ever.
Entertainment Weekly was one of two media outlets that received an early copy of the heavily-embargoed Clockwork Princess and have posted their spoiler-free review.
Clockwork Princess (2013)
Reviewed by Breia Brissey
EW’s Grade: A-
It’s unsurprising that Cassandra Clare’s name has become synonymous with the YA fantasy genre. Her first series, The Mortal Instruments, is wildly popular, and a movie based on its first book, City of Bones, hits theaters this August.The Infernal Devices, a prequel series, hasn’t had the same buzz, but it’s as addictive as — and dare we say better than? — Clare’s original franchise. Set in Victorian England, Devices centers on Tessa Gray, a teenager who gets sucked into the world of Shadowhunters, a secret society of demon chasers, at their safe house, the London Institute.
In Clockwork Princess, the third and final installment, Tessa leads the fight against Mortmain (a.k.a. the Magister) and his army of clockwork automatons that threaten to wipe out the Shadowhunter race. Oh, and the automatons are fully functional because they’ve been reanimated with demon souls. We’ll pause so you can roll your eyes at the admittedly far-fetched premise. But if you’re willing to suspend disbelief, you can focus on the real heart of the story: Tessa’s tangled relationships with her fiancé, Jem Carstairs, who has a terminal demon-related illness, and Jem’s blood brother, Will Herondale, who’s also in love with her. No part of their triangle can be split without heartbreak.
Princess is laced with nods to The Mortal Instruments, providing answers to questions you didn’t even know you had (as well as fodder for endless message-board arguments). Fans will appreciate Clare’s attention to detail, for it’s the details that make Princess so compelling and believable, clockwork automatons and all. And it won’t matter whether you’re Team Will or Team Jem. Princess offers a payoff so satisfying that, by the Angel, it may be Clare’s best undertaking to date. A-
Memorable Line:
”The Infernal Devices are without pity. The Infernal Devices are without regret. The Infernal Devices are without number. The Infernal Devices will never stop coming.”
Be sure to pick up this week’s issue of Entertainment Weekly (on newsstands Friday) to see the review in print form.
How are you feeling with Clockwork Princess‘ release fast approaching? Sound off in the comments!



Ahhhh..,, I can’t wait for this to be released, I am about to re-read clockwork angel and clockwork prince again 🙂 xxx
i can’t wait to read this book i’ really hope tessa ends up with will, though I may be happy if she ends up with jem too as along as she’s actually in love with him
‘princess offers a payoff so satisfying that, by the Angel, it may be Clare’s best undertaking to date’…. this gives me some hope, fingers crossed im going to love the ending! I hope everyone gets a happy ending in some way!
I am so excited right now! Its hard to believe how wrapped up we are with this series. I dont want it to end!!!! I can’t wait to have all our questions answered and knowing Cassie another few raised