Review Detail

HOLY FRAGGLEZNIPF. Why am I so surprised that Cassandra Clare has completely wowed me once again? But, uh, WOW! Three dimensional characters, stunning prose, and a swoon-worthy love triangle--Clare brings it BIG in the newest installment of The Infernal Devices.

So much happens in this book. A LOT. The Shadowhunters are trying to save the Institute, find the Magister and unveil why exactly he wants Tessa, and Will deals with some issues of his own. Seriously, guys, there are so many twists in this book. I could never figure out who to trust. The one little tiny quibble I have about the plot is that this book does not contain as much action as the predecessor. Instead, it focuses more on the romance. Not that the romance isn't fabulous, but I would have loved more of Clare's famous heart-pounding action.

Speaking of the romance, OH MY OH MY OH MY OH MY. Clare pulled my heart in, like, ten trillion and two different directions. My mental tug-of-war went a little something like this:

AHHH WILLLL!!!
OH MY GOD, JEM!
HOLY DAMN WILL!
AWH JEM.
AWWWHHHHH WILL.
OH MY GOD THEY ARE BOTH SO GREAT.

This is not your typical love triangle. Okay, it kind of is. I mean, you got the bad boy and the tender boy. BUT IT IS SO MUCH MORE THAN THAT. There is legit depth in the character's feelings for one another.

AND MY GOD, THE CHARACTERS. They are what make this book for me.

You can tell that Tessa has really changed since the first book. Her skin has grown thicker. I liked how it wasn't as much about her powers and accepting the world around her as it was about helping the world she has come to love, and those in it. Then there is Will and Jem, and well, I can't even get into them. I love them both and I hate how there is an expiration date on Jem. I could feel his time ticking away, but this book also wasn't about Tessa coming to terms with his illness, it was about her realizing that there was ten times more to Jem than his illness. Will deals with a lot in this book, and we learn a lot about him and I have a feeling your opinion about him will be irrevocably altered. I always loved him, but now I see him in a whole new light.

I was so so so so so so happy for Henry and Charlotte. I love them and I am so happy to see that their relationship is more than everyone thought. I love that we get to see the Lightwoods, and we learn what their problem is. Some things happen with Jessamine that really surprise me, and as horrible as he is, I loved Nate.

This book was simply made of win. It's amazeballs to see the characters from the ID start to relate to the MI series. If you love the Mortal Instruments but aren't sure about starting this series, do it. I promise you, you won't regret it. My excessive capitalized words should indicate just how mind-blowing this book is!