My Rating- 5 STARS (though should be 10!)
Synopsis- Tessa Gray should be happy - aren't all brides happy? Yet as she prepares for her wedding, a net of shadows begins to tighten around the Shadowhunters of the London Institute. A new demon appears, one linked by blood and secrecy to Mortmain, the man who plans to use his army of pitiless automatons, the Infernal Devices, to destroy the Shadowhunters. Mortmain needs only one last item to complete his plan. He needs Tessa. And Jem and Will, the boys who lay equal claim to Tessa's heart, will do anything to save
My Review- This book does not deserve only 5 stars. If I could give it more it would surely get a 10/10. Never has a book sent me on such a whirlwind of emotions; happiness, sadness, grief, joy, despair and so many more. From the first page I knew this book would stay in my head forever. I
haven't been able to shake the characters from my mind, they are constantly there. The book was so beautiful its hard to review it and give it some kind of justice! Cassandra Clare is a fantastic wordsmith and knows how to render the reader speechless.
Tessa, Jem and Will will remain in my heart forever. Never before have I read such wonderfully developed characters to the point where I have learned how they will react and think in any situation. Through the series they have become my best friends, almost my family. I know Will as if he was my stubborn little brother and Jem my more level headed older brother. Tessa is my best friend, brave and strong and full of selflessness and beauty. She and Will are gorgeous characters. I don't think there could ever be others like them. I wish they were all real. Finishing this book makes me feel
like I have lost a portion of my family and I feel genuine grief that it is all over.
Mortmain is truly evil and back with a terrible army of demon automatons ready to take down all shadowhunters. He needs one last ingredient, and that is Tessa's shape changing power, her ability to become another person fully. This shape change will mean the end of all those she loves and yet she has no choice but to do it because of her love for Jem, who is dying from a terrible drug addiction. When Mortmain kidnaps Tessa, Jem and Will are torn. Jem is dying and it might be the end for him but Will is in love with Tessa so deeply he can't choose between staying at his friend's side or go after the woman he loves. To make it even more heartbreaking, Tessa is engaged to Jem and Jem would do anything to be strong enough to go after her, to be the one who saves her. Both boys love her so completely and she loves them equally back. Cassandra Clare writes a love triangle like no other. At no point do you feel that Tessa is selfish wanting both boys and Jem and Will are content to both
love her, knowing that, should anything happen to the other, there will always be someone to love and care for Tessa. Jealousy is not a factor ever, it seems only right they both love her as their souls have been joined in shadowhunter rituals and are connected in such a way that what one feels, the other
feels.
The epilogue seems to be the cause of a split decision amongst readers, some like it and some don't, some believe Cassandra Clare has just tried to please the readers, but for me it couldn't have been more perfect. I felt that the ending took the path that it should take. It made complete sense that love this strong could not be broken, forgotten or wasted despite the years that had passed. And I truly believe that one such as Tessa, with how beautiful her character is, should not have to face life alone. She is far too gentle and too loving to face a future without one who loves her. So for me, it ended
exactly as I hoped it would.
I am not too sure what to do now. This book is so great that for a while I can't possibly move on to another book and other characters. Not while this one is on my mind. Cassandra Clare you are my
favourite author, a fantastic writer and I look forward to your next series with hopes and fears that it moves me the same way as this series. Though the Mortal Instruments series is amazing, it never left me reeling as this one did.
Waiting in anticipation for the next emotional storm!