2025 Reading Challenge discussion

This thread is to discuss Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare, the second book of the The Infernal Devices series.


Pages: 498 pages


Length: 1 Month (March)


Participants: Alison, Jannene, oshizu, Jaida, Dominique, Manni, Irma.


Everyone reads at their own pace during a Buddy Read. Because participants can be at different parts of the book at different times, it is extremely important to mark spoilers so that the book is not ruined for someone who is not as far along as others!!!

Mark spoilers by placing {spoiler} before the text and {/spoiler} after the text but use the < and > instead of the { and }.

I'm really excited to start Book 2!!!
But depending on how the readathon goes, I might not start this book until the 2nd week of April...

Meee too!! I will probably be starting the second week in April also :)

Alison, please use this book or The Trespasser for one of the "Celebrating 25k Members" quarterly prompts.
I'm selfishly hoping to use either book for the prompt "Read a book read by another member for this challenge." 😃

oshizu, I am using it for the Quarterly prompt: “a book with silver in the title or silver on the cover” and I am counting on you to use “The Trespasser” 😉🤣

Alison wrote: "oshizu, I am using it for the Quarterly prompt: “a book with silver in the title or silver on the cover” and I am counting on you to use “The Trespasser” 😉🤣"

LOL! Let me go see which prompt I can use The Trespasser for. Which one did you use?

Edited to add: I just checked my 25k quarterly challenge. I didn't use The Trespasser in the 17 prompts I've finished so far.
Though I completed the 25k+ GR rating prompt last month using Nine Perfect Strangers, I'll replace it with The Trespasser just for you, haha.

LOL, I actually came here to say that I'm starting this book today as soon as I'm done updating the 3 challenges I'm leading. :D

oshizu wrote: "Alison wrote: "oshizu, I am using it for the Quarterly prompt: “a book with silver in the title or silver on the cover” and I am counting on you to use “The Trespasser” 😉🤣"

LOL! Let me go see whic..."

I think I used this book for the prompt "the 12th or 25th book on your TBR" ;)

I started this book yesterday and am making progress on it today :) Will post my thoughts tomorrow on what I think so far...

I have read the first 8 chapters so far which is apparently one-third of the novel.
Though I plan to continue reading tonight, I'm going to stop here and make a few comments before I reach the book's halfway point.

Chapters 1-8
(view spoiler)[*Clave: I managed to forget what "Clave" is, but did some Google-fu which took me to a Shadowhunters Wiki, so all good now.
*Starkweather: Why was he so shocked to see Tessa. Is that why he immediately changed his mind about offering Tessa, Will, and Jem his hospitality?
Will's family: so much suspense being built around why his family lives in Mortmain's former house and how they're involved in Mortmain's machinations. I'm so eager to find out!
*Love triangle: I'm not a fan of shmarmy love triangles and I'm not enjoying the way Tessa's budding romantic feelings toward Jem are being revealed. "Oh wow, what is this I'm feeling? Whaaaa!?"
*Will's curse: And now we know why Will runs hot and cold with Tessa. Honestly, I think there's enough narrative tension with Tessa and Will's complicated relationship. No need to throw Jem into the mix. Just sayin'
*Tessa's clockwork angel: We're still waiting to hear about Tessa's "true origins." Is she some kind of warlock? Is she the biological child of her parents? Where did the clockwork angel come from?

So much going on in the first 8 chapters already! I can't wait to find out where the story is going! (hide spoiler)]

My thoughts up to Chapter 10:

(view spoiler)[ oshizu, I agree with you...what is up with Starkweather's reaction to Tessa?? It must be something to do with his past, perhaps a former Love?? Yes, I believe that is why he decided to "help" Jem/Will/Tessa...
But Starkweather isn't a very nice man...the room with all the trophies that he showed Jem/Will/Tessa gave me the creeps :0

I agree with the budding romance not being necessary between Tessa/Jem but I have a feeling that this romance will end tragically :( James/Jem is dying so perhaps he and Tessa become a couple and then he dies while Will is figuring himself out?!
I liked the whole backstory being revealed about Will's curse and his search for the demon that cursed him!

I think that I had my initial assessment wrong about the title of this book. I thought "Clockwork Prince" referred to Will but now I think it refers to Mortmain (there was a remembrance in Chapter 9, I think, where Tessa transforms into Starkweather and sees Mortmain's green father come out the their house with Mortmain on his shoulders...he was calling his son the "Clockwork Prince" in this passage)! Therefore...Could the next book, "Clockwork Princess", be about Tessa's necklace??? This is the necklace she got from her mother (I think I am remembering this correctly) and now she wears it. I think in the next book we will solve Tessa's origins...

What is up with Jessamine sneaking out dressed as a Boy?? Hmmmm....

I have to say that I think there will be some spying/reporting back to Benedict Lightwood by his sons, Gideon and Gabriel, while they train Tessa and Sophie! But...could Gabriel turn against his father because he ends up liking Sophie?? I don't know how this storyline is going to play out.

I am enjoying this so far! (hide spoiler)]

In response to Alison's comments
(view spoiler)[Tessa/Jem/Will: Thanks to that stupid Chain of Gold book preview at the end of my Kindle edition of Clockwork Angel, I already know what happens to Jem and the outcome of the triangle. I'm still really angry about that. I was tempted to go complain on the author's Goodreads page, haha. But I won't, even though that preview thoroughly spoiled the series for me.

*The title: I also assumed that the titular Prince referred to Will because the boy on the cover seems to portray an attractive young man (despite concealing his face). And yes, I remember Mortmain Jr being referred to as the clockwork prince, too. (hide spoiler)]

I finished this book today. I hadn't planned on it but I kept wanting to learn "all the secrets," haha.

Here are my thoughts on The Clockwork Prince upon finishing it
(view spoiler)[Chapter 16: As Nate lies dying, he insists that Tessa must always wear the clockwork angel. Why? He also says he's done such terrible things--will they be revealed in Book 3?

Chapter 17:
Aunt Harriet, who shockingly turned out to be Nate's biological mother, says to Tessa in what Tessa considers a dream: You have more family than you think."
Who is she referring to? Aloysius Starkweather (who gruffly asks Tessa if she's all right after the Council meeting)? Is Tessa somehow based on his deceased granddaughter? Please let Tessa's family not be Mortmain.

Chapter 17: Magnus Bane's scene with Camille made me lol. Indignant after their break-up, he pretends to Camille that Will is his new lover, while Will himself is clueless.
I am more intrigued, though, by what Magnus (who I like very much as a character) says about Will to Woolsey Scott: "He did me a favor once. One he doesn't even remember."
Please tell me that Magnus is not referring to an incident from TMI series.

The rest of my comments are not in sequence.
*Sophie: She really came into her own in Book 2. I laughed that knocked Jessamine out and tied her up. I hope her relationship with Gideon has a happy ending. I wonder if Benedict Lightwood becomes Forsaken and his sons become mundanes.

*Charlotte & Henry: I love that they were able to clear their marital understanding from when they got married. How wonderful that they will have a son!

*Biggest peeve: Tessa's relations with Will and Jem. Her senseless dithering wastes so much ink in Book 2. She knows Will/Jem are parabatai, the three of them live in the same building, and then she wonders how she got into such a mess? Spare me, please!
I realize I'm not the target audience for this series and am reminded why I don't read YA books as a rule.
Tessa: "Oh, Will needs me so much and I so care about him and he's so freaking handsome, but Jem needs me too and he's dying and I could never hurt him because I'm so kind-hearted and good."
Yuck. I don't mean to offend anyone who enjoys this kind of book--it is just not for me. If not for Tessa's stupidity (seriously, the author expects me to identify with Tessa?), I would have really enjoyed Clockwork Prince.

*Cecily Herondale: I wonder if she becomes a permanent addition to the Institute. You know she will eventually hook up with one of Shadowhunters. I hope it's not Gabriel. (hide spoiler)]

I finished this yesterday and here are my thoughts:

(view spoiler)[ I really liked getting more into the background of the characters...especially Will. Learning about the fact that he "thought" he was cursed was an insight as to why he was so sarcastic and pushed people away. I do like his humor, however, dry/sarcastic is always funny to read for me! I didn't see coming reveal that the demon actually didn't curse him!

I loved the development of Sophie in this book and that she came into her own! I do hope that she and Gideon end up happy together! And Goooo, Gideon...good for your for standing up for your father! :)

Benedict Lightwood...UGH! I do have to say that I cracked up at the term "demon pox"...is this some kind of syphillus for demons?? I guess Benedict Lightwood likes the ladies....

Jessamine...what a "mean girl" she is!! To sneak behind the Institute's/Charlotte's/Tessa's back and secretly marry Nate?! To try to frame Tessa and do Nate's dirty work?? What was she thinking?? So glad Sophie knocked her out and tied her up...

I do love Charlotte and Henry together and am happy they actually talked as grown ups do and became more close/solved the doubts in their relationship!
In reference to the above statement, I really dislike all the hand-wringing/"dithering about" (as you put it, oshizu) with regards to relationships...here is looking at you, Tessa!! This is a trend in YA books and I have to remember that the characters are young but please...just talk about your feelings/problems, etc and work things out!! That way you don't end up in a 3 way love triangle (Tessa/Jem/Will)! I guess that is for drama in the book but the handwringing tends to put me off...:)

I love Magnus!! He is in The Mortal Instruments and I loved him in that series too. So glad he ditched Camille...
@oshizu, as for your reference to what Magnus said to Woolsey Scott about Will: I don't remember anything of this reference in TMI! I do remember Will was a thorn in the side of Alec, Magnus' BF in TMI but that was because Magnus remembers Will with fondness and Alec is jealous. I do think maybe we will find out more about this in Clockwork Princess?? I think Magnus really likes Will and feels protective of him...he also helped save him so that stirs the feelings too! I think with all the visits with Magnus to try to break his curse, Will has become special to Magnus! But that is my interpretation and I would love to hear all your opinions on this! :)

I think the next book has to do with the Clockwork necklace Tessa wears but maybe I am wrong. I also think we will find out more of Tessa's origins and why the Clockwork Necklace is to be worn by her at all times!

All in All, I enjoyed this book and look forward to Clockwork Princess! :) (hide spoiler)]

About my previous comment about Tessa/Mortmain
(view spoiler)[Duh, obviously, Tessa and Mortmain could not be family or he would not want to marry her.
I'm thinking Mortmain wants to have a baby with Tessa "for science"? (hide spoiler)]

In response to Alison
(view spoiler)[Magnus Bane: Thanks so much for letting me/us know that MB's comment about Will unknowingly having done him a favor is something that we can look forward to learning about in Book 3. (hide spoiler)]

Random question about Silent Brothers
(view spoiler)[Why are their mouths literally sewn shut with thread if they're going to communicate by telepathy anyway?
I looked through the Fandom/Shadowhunters Wiki and found a page on them (https://shadowhunters.fandom.com/wiki...) but it doesn't explain their sewn-shut mouths.
Is it something explained in an earlier book?

I learned from the wiki page that Silent Brothers form a brotherhood of male-only Shadowhunters. I didn't know that or, if it was mentioned in Book 1, I totally missed it.) (hide spoiler)]

Looking forward to Book 3!

About the Silent Brothers (no spoilers, promise):

(view spoiler)[
in googling "why are the silent brothers mouths sewn shut", a wiki/fandom page states:

"To strengthen their minds, the Silent Brothers possess unique runes, some of which mutilate their appearance, such as the Quietude Rune, and the several lines of Marks that stitch or shut their eyes and mouth." (hide spoiler)]

I’m doing a few buddy reads this month. Working on The Trespasser now.

I liked this one more than Clockwork Angel. Glad y'all enjoyed it too. That ending tho whew heavy

excited and nervous for CP next month

I’m throwing in the towel and quitting. This book is not my cup of tea. I got to about 25% and just can’t do it. There are a lot of similarities to The Inventors Secret for those who have read that series. I wasn’t all that fond of that series either. Anyway, I will remove myself from the next book in this series too.

L'm with jannene. We pretty much have the same tastes and both came to the conckusion that it wasn't our cup of tea.

Happy reading to you guys!