This is why it pays to have your mom read your blog, folks.
I also finished this like a week ago but got backlogged with other books to review, so sorry if this is a little shoddy on the plot points.
So in this final installment of the Infernal Devices series, everyone and their brother has or will literally come live in the Institute. Cecily Herondale, Will's little sister, showed up at the end of book two, and so far, he hasn't been able to send her back home. Why?
Cecily thinks the Shadowhunters are actually the bad guys who have "stolen" her brother from her and her family, especially after her mother's less than pleased reaction after Will left. She's hoping to convince him to come back to Wales with her, or at least write their parents and tell them why he left.
Before she can get too far into that plan, though, Gabriel Lightwood shows up at the Institute saying that his father's gone into the final stages of demon pox and turned into a large worm. Since Gideon lives there now (and since killing demons is kind of what Shadowhunters do), Gabriel came to get some assistance. The 'Hunters at the Institute all end up going with Gabriel to try to restrain or kill the demon (minus Charlotte, who's pregnant), and in the end, Gabriel is the one to kill his dad. He comes back to the Institute to live, too, thus fulfilling my "literally everyone's there now" statement in the intro.
Now the Shadowhunters are in a pickle. Benedict Lightwood's final, mad ravings imply that the Magister is about to attack London with his clockwork drones, but when Jessie returns from the Silent City, she's still adamant that the Magister is in Idris, even though mundanes can't get in the sacred Shadowhunter country. The Consul, the head of the Shadowhunters, is also trying to keep Charlotte from getting appointed to replace him when his term ends, since she's not subservient enough to him for his own power-hungry ways.
Making matters worse? Jem's out of the drug that keeps him alive, because he's been taking more of it than usual to make him appear healthier, and there's none left in the country for him to resupply his stores with. The Magister makes a deal - send Tessa to him, and he'll give Jem all of the stores of the drug that he had originally bought up. The Shadowhunters refuse, but they can't stop her from being taken when the Magister's automatons attack the Institute.
Cecily helps Will understand where the Magister is - Cadair Idris, in their homeland of Wales. He sneaks out one night to go after Tessa, partly because he himself is in love with her, partly because she's Jem's fiance, and partly so Charlotte can get information that might prod the Enclave into giving her some assistance.
The Magister has also launched an attack on the Enclave, though, making them a little preoccupied. In the end, Charlotte, Henry, Sophie, Gideon, Gabriel, Cecily, Magnus, and three Silent Brothers are all the fighters available to go to the Magister's stronghold. Will they be enough? And what secrets exactly has Tessa's clockwork angel pendant been hiding? The last battle will be a big surprise in more ways than one.
Personal thoughts: I think I'm a fan of all the "endgame" couples, not gonna lie. Sophie finally got to become a Shadowhunter and Gabriel became less of a douchebag, which I would like to credit partially to their respective other halves (as well as their own determination and growth, of course). Will and Tessa also became a thing, which I honestly wasn't expecting, but was pleasantly surprised by - I always liked their chemistry.
Jem's not dead, either! Now that I know that, I understand the ending of City of Heavenly Fire a lot better, too. The epilogue made me wonder whether he and Tessa are going to renew their relationship, though. I can't say I'd be too upset by that, although it also smells vaguely of deus ex machina.
I was also super excited to see the invention of Portals in this book! It felt like another cool tie-in to the Mortal Instruments books, especially since Magnus played a big role in their conception. I kind of want to go reread all those novels now just to see how much the backstory has changed in my mind, honestly.
Overall, Clockwork Princess was just as much of a thrill as the first two novels in this series, and an incredibly satisfying end to Tessa's story. I wasn't disappointed in the least. Five stars.
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