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Worlds of Ink and Shadow
by
Charlotte, Branwell, Emily, and Anne. The Brontë siblings have always been close. After all, nothing can unite four siblings quite like life in an isolated parsonage on the moors. Their vivid imaginations lend them escape from their strict, spartan upbringing, actually transporting them into their created worlds: the glittering Verdopolis and the romantic and melancholy Go
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Showing 1-30
This started off really strong but in the end, it definitely just kind of petered out. I liked the characters and watching the sibling relationship, but I wasn't entirely captured by the characters. More thoughts will be included in my mini review/wrap up!
I am a huge Bronte fan. I generally consider Wuthering Heights to be my favourite book of all time, and I grew up not far from the little village of Haworth, where the Brontes lived. I've visited their house several times and walked the same streets they once walked. I have an interest in them that goes beyond their books and their characters.
How did these three young women write some of the best novels of all time between them? Especially in a time where women were not encouraged to write. What ...more
How did these three young women write some of the best novels of all time between them? Especially in a time where women were not encouraged to write. What ...more
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to ABRAMS Kids and NetGalley.)
This book was just… bizarre.
Basically this book was about the Bronte siblings, who were able to write about and enter a magical world of their own creation. This was all a bit weird though when two siblings would disappear, and the other two would find their pens writing all on their own. And then we got parts of the book that took place in this make-believe world – Verdopolis ...more
This book was just… bizarre.
Basically this book was about the Bronte siblings, who were able to write about and enter a magical world of their own creation. This was all a bit weird though when two siblings would disappear, and the other two would find their pens writing all on their own. And then we got parts of the book that took place in this make-believe world – Verdopolis ...more
I loved this book! I'm not someone who is normally drawn to historical fiction so when I was sent the ARC for this tale about the Bronte sisters, I wasn't sure it would be my cup of tea. But I loved it! I was drawn in right away and found it to be an addictive read. I enjoyed reading about their day to day lives, as well as the lives they lived in their fictional stories they wrote. I thought the idea that their imaginations began to take over quite interesting. I loved that this was a perfect m
...more
Jun 28, 2015
A.G. Howard
marked it as to-read
This book sounds AH-MAZING! Emily and Charlotte Brontë were two of my first literary crushes. Hurry up January 2016!
DNF at 33%
This book is a work of fiction based on historical people - the Brontë siblings, from which some of the most widely praised novels, Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights, have come from. I thought the idea of four siblings living secluded in England sounded completely intriguing. Combine that with the gorgeous cover and I was sold. But I couldn't have ended up more disappointed.
From the first page I was totally confused by the writing - it was disorganized, jumping from Charlotte, Emily, Bra ...more
This book is a work of fiction based on historical people - the Brontë siblings, from which some of the most widely praised novels, Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights, have come from. I thought the idea of four siblings living secluded in England sounded completely intriguing. Combine that with the gorgeous cover and I was sold. But I couldn't have ended up more disappointed.
From the first page I was totally confused by the writing - it was disorganized, jumping from Charlotte, Emily, Bra ...more
If you had the power to make a world, wouldn't you make yourself the hero of every story?
**SPOILERS BELOW**
What a weird, wild, wonderful book. For a story grounded the true family history of the Brontës, this has to be one of the most outrageously awesome premises I’ve encountered.
There were six Brontë children total. The two oldest girls, Maria and Elizabeth, died very young, so we are left with the famous sisters Charlotte (Jane Eyre), Emily (Wuthering Heights), and Anne (Agnes Grey), and the ...more
**SPOILERS BELOW**
What a weird, wild, wonderful book. For a story grounded the true family history of the Brontës, this has to be one of the most outrageously awesome premises I’ve encountered.
There were six Brontë children total. The two oldest girls, Maria and Elizabeth, died very young, so we are left with the famous sisters Charlotte (Jane Eyre), Emily (Wuthering Heights), and Anne (Agnes Grey), and the ...more
Nov 07, 2015
Becca Ritchie
marked it as to-read
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
re-telling,
historical
OMG! LENA COAKLEY WROTE A NOVEL ABOUT THE BRONTE SISTERS!! I AM IN. SIGN ME UP. WITCHLANDERS IS STILL IN MY TOP 5 ALL-TIME FAV HIGH FANTASIES AND I'M JUST SO HAPPY RIGHT NOW. ANOTHER COAKLEY BOOK. ABOUT BRONTE SISTERS.
Jan 22, 2016
Kathrine Pachniuk
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
owlcrate
I have never read anything by the Bronte sisters (yet) but to me this will be the true story about their childhoods <3
** 3,5 stars **
Ah, this was such a unique book! I don't want to say too much about the plot because it was so much fun to go into it not knowing much. But I'll write a quick review:
I absolutely enjoyed reading this book - everything about it was unexpected and different! It certainly was darker than I thought. And I love it when books turn out different from what i expect. When you read a lot of YA books it hard to find something this original.
"Worlds of Ink and Shadow" is a book I'll recommend ...more
Ah, this was such a unique book! I don't want to say too much about the plot because it was so much fun to go into it not knowing much. But I'll write a quick review:
I absolutely enjoyed reading this book - everything about it was unexpected and different! It certainly was darker than I thought. And I love it when books turn out different from what i expect. When you read a lot of YA books it hard to find something this original.
"Worlds of Ink and Shadow" is a book I'll recommend ...more
This was in the January Owlcrate box. It took a little bit for this book to get going, but once it did I couldn't put it down!
Jul 05, 2015
Rebecca Petruck
added it
This book is lovely, not only in the writing but also in the sibling relationships and the power (and responsibility) of creation itself. I was...charmed isn't the right word--COMPELLED by the sisters' characters and intrigued to learn more about the girls and their brother. But in the end this is a fantasy and it delivers on all fronts. I love the way Coakley confused "fact" and "fiction" in the narrative, and how the creations revealed more about the creators than they knew or wanted. WORLDS O
...more
I really really wanted to love this book. I did enjoy it and I think the plot of the story is very clever, I mean...being able to write stories like that and actually cross over into them is basically my dream! But as I read on I found myself slowly starting to lose interest, then things would pick up and get SO GOOD, then they would die down again and it was a bit inconsistent. Overall, a fun and interesting read but I can only give it 3.5 stars.
Worlds of Ink and Shadow is so original and has a concept unlike any other. There are fictionalized descriptions based on the Brontë family that seem very accurate. This book does have a really slow plot at some points, however, that makes reading hard. I did enjoy the story, though, and consider it a must-read for fans of the Brontës.
Worlds of Ink and Shadow has a one-of-a-kind concept that blew my mind! This book is based on the Brontë siblings’ childhoods, though it is all imagined. I have ne ...more
Worlds of Ink and Shadow has a one-of-a-kind concept that blew my mind! This book is based on the Brontë siblings’ childhoods, though it is all imagined. I have ne ...more
(I received a copy from Netgalley, In exchange for an honest review.)
I didn't enjoy this one at all unfortunately.
I just couldn't get into this, so I felt bored very early on. It was hard to follow, confusing and strange. It really dragged for me because of it. I was pretty relieved to get to the end.
Overall, Not an enjoyable read for me.
I didn't enjoy this one at all unfortunately.
I just couldn't get into this, so I felt bored very early on. It was hard to follow, confusing and strange. It really dragged for me because of it. I was pretty relieved to get to the end.
Overall, Not an enjoyable read for me.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is a fictionalised account of the Bronte siblings - Branwell, Charlotte, Emily and Anne - and how their words have shaped their entire lives. They've always been able to pop in and out between our world and the worlds they've written. But soon, their characters begin to develop arcs of their own and the siblings begin to lose control over them, and their own lives in the process.
Rating - 6.5/10. A really cool con ...more
This is a fictionalised account of the Bronte siblings - Branwell, Charlotte, Emily and Anne - and how their words have shaped their entire lives. They've always been able to pop in and out between our world and the worlds they've written. But soon, their characters begin to develop arcs of their own and the siblings begin to lose control over them, and their own lives in the process.
Rating - 6.5/10. A really cool con ...more
If you ever read and loved Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, or The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, you should probably read Lena Coakley’s forthcoming novel, Worlds of Ink and Shadow.
I didn’t entirely love Worlds of Ink and Shadow – which posits that the Brontë siblings could all construct fantastical imaginary worlds and enter them at will – but at what cost? ::cue ominous music:: What I did really love was being reminded of how much I love the Brontës, and the obvious affection that Coakley has for her ...more
I didn’t entirely love Worlds of Ink and Shadow – which posits that the Brontë siblings could all construct fantastical imaginary worlds and enter them at will – but at what cost? ::cue ominous music:: What I did really love was being reminded of how much I love the Brontës, and the obvious affection that Coakley has for her ...more
Aug 09, 2015
Melissa (YA Book Shelf)
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
canadian-ya
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
I received an eARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book just wasn't for me. As much as I love Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre, I haven't read anything else by the Brontes. The parts with Charlotte and Branwell disappearing into Verdopolis just felt strange to me. It was sometimes hard to tell when they were back in the real world. I didn't connect to any of the characters. Everything just fell flat.
This book just wasn't for me. As much as I love Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre, I haven't read anything else by the Brontes. The parts with Charlotte and Branwell disappearing into Verdopolis just felt strange to me. It was sometimes hard to tell when they were back in the real world. I didn't connect to any of the characters. Everything just fell flat.
Originally Posted On The Sassy Book Geek
I don't really have a bunch of reasons for this rating. It's just the FEEL of the book deserves 3 and not a full 4 or above.
**** I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review****
First off, let me say this: Who doesn’t wish they could enter their own imagined worlds? To interact with characters of your very own making?
Sounds great doesn’t it? But what would it cost you?
That is the set up for “Worlds of Ink and Shadow” ...more
I don't really have a bunch of reasons for this rating. It's just the FEEL of the book deserves 3 and not a full 4 or above.
**** I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review****
First off, let me say this: Who doesn’t wish they could enter their own imagined worlds? To interact with characters of your very own making?
Sounds great doesn’t it? But what would it cost you?
That is the set up for “Worlds of Ink and Shadow” ...more
Originally reviewed on One More Page...
Warning: This review contains a lot of fangirling.
Once in a while a book will come along and check off all of your readerly boxes and if you’re lucky, you’ll get to read an advanced copy of it. Lena Coakley’s Worlds of Ink and Shadow was such a book for me. Like, (please excuse the casual tone – I love this book too much to be formal about it) I feel like this book was tailor-made for me: it’s a little magical, it’s about sibling relationships, and it’s abo ...more
Warning: This review contains a lot of fangirling.
Once in a while a book will come along and check off all of your readerly boxes and if you’re lucky, you’ll get to read an advanced copy of it. Lena Coakley’s Worlds of Ink and Shadow was such a book for me. Like, (please excuse the casual tone – I love this book too much to be formal about it) I feel like this book was tailor-made for me: it’s a little magical, it’s about sibling relationships, and it’s abo ...more
"Old Tom. Old Tom. Take me to Paris. Take me to Rome."
I was really hesitant about reading this book. It sounded almost too awesome to be real, so when I tell you that I REALLY wanted to like this book, please believe me. This review comes with a heavy heart because of how much I feel let down with this book. The premise was there. The characters were there. The story/writing was almost there. You could clearly see where the author wanted to go, but it felt so far away. Like when Banny was tryi ...more
I was really hesitant about reading this book. It sounded almost too awesome to be real, so when I tell you that I REALLY wanted to like this book, please believe me. This review comes with a heavy heart because of how much I feel let down with this book. The premise was there. The characters were there. The story/writing was almost there. You could clearly see where the author wanted to go, but it felt so far away. Like when Banny was tryi ...more
Es como una mini biografía ficcionada de la literatura de los cuatro Brontë. Me hubiera gustado un poco más de morbo en cuanto al internado, pero entiendo que por el público al que está dirigido no daba. Also, tiene unas partes que son re mil mehhh y dos o tres cosillas predecibles, pero en líneas generales it was ok, como dice Goodreads.
Excellent! I devoured this.
*** 4.75 stars ***
This historical fantasy fiction is inspired by the true characters of the Brontë siblings, Charlotte, Branwell, Emily & Anne. The siblings lived on an isolated parsonage on the moors. Determined to escape their mundane & strict upbringing, they found a way to crossover to other worlds & later on to Verdopolis, the invented world of Charlotte and Branwell. Their ability to physically step into these worlds, interact with the characters & orchestrate the story in ...more
This historical fantasy fiction is inspired by the true characters of the Brontë siblings, Charlotte, Branwell, Emily & Anne. The siblings lived on an isolated parsonage on the moors. Determined to escape their mundane & strict upbringing, they found a way to crossover to other worlds & later on to Verdopolis, the invented world of Charlotte and Branwell. Their ability to physically step into these worlds, interact with the characters & orchestrate the story in ...more
May 31, 2018
Dianna
added it
I have a small obsession with Angria and Gondal- to the extent that I’ve read whatever I could find of the Bronte juvenalia and have always hoped that someday someone would write the fanfic.
So I was really excited when I heard about this book. And really disappointed when, in the way of most things, it didn’t turn out the way I wanted.
So this is a tricky review to write because I can’t assess the book cleanly. I didn’t enjoy the book and thought it didn’t ground itself well in either world, and ...more
So I was really excited when I heard about this book. And really disappointed when, in the way of most things, it didn’t turn out the way I wanted.
So this is a tricky review to write because I can’t assess the book cleanly. I didn’t enjoy the book and thought it didn’t ground itself well in either world, and ...more
Worlds of Ink & Shadow was utterly superb. Being my first foray into Lena Coakley’s writing (I’ve wanted to read Witchlanders for the longest time) I was incredibly impressed with the quality of writing, character development and uniqueness! A perfect blend of historical fantasy, gothic horror and based on ‘real’ figures in history to boot!
I must admit that I haven’t read any of the Bronte’s novels. I have heard, however, all about Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights. Before going into Worlds ...more
Mar 03, 2017
Cassandra
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
historical-fiction
*3.5/5 stars*
I really enjoyed this one, though at times I was confused especially with the slow start. The ending was also kind of over the top for me. Other than that, I loved the concept of this book :)
I really enjoyed this one, though at times I was confused especially with the slow start. The ending was also kind of over the top for me. Other than that, I loved the concept of this book :)
FULL REVIEW TO FOLLOW (probably on my blog, and probably closer to the book's publication date). I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for a review, so yup. I will review it properly at some point I promise.
In the meantime:
THINGS I LIKE IN LIFE
- Books that mix writers' real lives with fantasy (such as The Stress Of Her Regard).
- Books where people can go into stories (such as Inkheart or The Eyre Affair).
- Books about demon deals, regret, and giving one's life to fiction (such as Tell ...more
In the meantime:
THINGS I LIKE IN LIFE
- Books that mix writers' real lives with fantasy (such as The Stress Of Her Regard).
- Books where people can go into stories (such as Inkheart or The Eyre Affair).
- Books about demon deals, regret, and giving one's life to fiction (such as Tell ...more
This was a very exciting story for me. I love the Bronte sisters but I was intrigued on the dynamic of writing stories and bringing them to life by living them. Walking through a portal or a crossing to see what you have written and see the characters unfold. I have always wondered what it would be like to write something and to enter that world.
I first heard of this book through an Owl Crate unboxing video, I was really excited to read it because I did hear good reviews about it. I loved how e ...more
I first heard of this book through an Owl Crate unboxing video, I was really excited to read it because I did hear good reviews about it. I loved how e ...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| YA Buddy Readers'...: Worlds of Ink and Shadow By Lena Coakley - Restarting March 20th 2016 | 10 | 19 | Feb 20, 2016 03:48AM | |
| Crazy for Young A...: Worlds of Ink and Shadow by Lena Coakley → Start Date: February 9th, 2016 | 14 | 12 | Feb 18, 2016 08:31AM | |
| Sinopsis en Español // Synopsis in Spanish | 1 | 3 | Nov 11, 2015 06:44AM |
Lena Coakley is the Toronto Star and Globe & Mail bestselling author of Worlds of Ink and Shadow, a YA portal fantasy about the young Brontë siblings and the imaginary countries they wrote about in childhood. It made both the CBC and Quill & Quire’s Best Books of the Year lists.
Her previous novel, Witchlanders, was called “one stunning teen debut” by Kirkus Reviews, won the SCBWI Crystal ...more
Her previous novel, Witchlanders, was called “one stunning teen debut” by Kirkus Reviews, won the SCBWI Crystal ...more
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“If I am to have a life of sorrows, I will not let them conquer me.”
—
4 likes
“I wonder. If I had you wear that mask today, Anne, would you find the courage to tell me what is troubling you?"
Anne would very much have liked to confide in her father, but where in the world would she begin?
He leaned over and whispered in her ear. "I will tell you a secret, my dear. All of my children are shy. They have simply learned the art of wearing masks.”
—
2 likes
More quotes…
Anne would very much have liked to confide in her father, but where in the world would she begin?
He leaned over and whispered in her ear. "I will tell you a secret, my dear. All of my children are shy. They have simply learned the art of wearing masks.”
