Common Sense Media Review
By Karen Wirsing
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Enthralling trilogy conclusion tugs at the heartstrings.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 4 parent reviews
Based on 31 kid reviews
Kids say the book is an emotional and heart-wrenching conclusion to the series, praised for its complex characters and rich storytelling. Though it includes themes of romance, violence, and some mature content, many feel it’s a powerful, beautifully written read that resonates deeply, especially with the impactful epilogue.
- emotional impact
- mature themes
- complex characters
- captivating storytelling
- strong female lead
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
CLOCKWORK PRINCESS is the final installment in the Infernal Devices trilogy. Tessa Gray, now 17 years old, is living in London with her adopted family of Shadowhunters. Not only is she continuing her path of self-discovery, but she is also engaged to the selfless and compassionate Jem. Regrettably, Jem is living with a fatal disease and his days are numbered. The couple decides to rush their wedding date so they can enjoy whatever time they have left together in wedlock. Plans go terribly awry when a carriage full of automatons pulls into the institute and kidnaps Tessa. The evil Magister will stop at nothing to use Tessa's shape-shifting powers for his own benefit. His objective: to eliminate all of the Shadowhunters in the world. Questions are finally answered in this concluding installment, along with the truth about why it's better to be mere mortal than to experience life everlasting.
Is It Any Good?
CLOCKWORK PRINCESS is a fantastic book that will pull at your heartstrings from beginning to end. The love triangle between Tessa, Jem, and Will becomes so painful at times that readers may want to send the book flying across the room. This just shows that Cassandra Clare is an enthralling storyteller whose readers will become emotionally invested in her plot and characters.
Clockwork Princess is wildly imaginative as it examines themes of marriage, family, dictatorship, and democracy. Characters grow to learn that true love is blind, sometimes your strongest family is the one you choose for yourself, and what happens to a society when citizens do not question their leader.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the Infernal Devices trilogy. Are you satisfied by the conclusion? Why do you think fantasy series are so popular?
Discuss the type of government that the Nephilim are. Which countries do you think they're modeled after? Does the Magister remind you of any existing or previous world leaders? If so, who?
What makes the main characters' love triangle so compelling yet so difficult to read about?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Fantasy
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Adventures
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Margaret K. McElderry
- Publication date : March 19, 2013
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 14 - 17
- Number of pages : 592
- Available on : Paperback, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Kindle
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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