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Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine
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I have started reading/listening to the audiobook yesterday and the story completely sucked me in from page one. It is an amazing plot and the experience is enhanced by the narrator Ben Allen, who does an amazing job of giving different voices (and accents) to all the different characters. I have reached chapter 4 now.
I would say I picked up a few Harry Potter vibes (view spoiler), but they are faint and the story holds its own and it is definitely for YA / adult audience.
An amazing and intriguing read so far.
I finished this book over the weekend and immediately put a hold on the next book from my library which I plan to read later this week. I will admit that I was not sucked from page 1, I found it a bit confusing and no real likeable characters, but after Jess began his training and I realized what was going on, I could not put it down. (view spoiler) The only thing that continuesto throw me off are the dates, referring to Gutenberg and that period in history, when obviously this is way in the future,(?) but still dating correspondence 1750 (for example) messes with my head LOL. But I love the book and the story line and can't wait to see what happens next.
I absolutely loved this book. Jess passes the test to be accepted to the Great Library in Alexandria. I have to say I love Jess and what he does to get his revenge on Dario who goes out of their way to make life difficult for him. As the story progresses it is apparent that the idea of the Great Library is much different from the reality is has become. Anyone who enjoys dystopian should really this book. As far as comparing it to anything I have read, I can’t. This is a unique storyline. I have only read the first two books in this series from RC and look forward to starting her other series. She did such a wonderful job bringing the world she create to life that I can’t wait to see what else she has written.
I am only into 25% of the book, but I find the world-building excellent.The Library very much reminds me of the "Spanish Inquisition" and NOT in the Monty Python-way. :)
The burners appear to be anarchists-cum-eco-terrorists. I also like the MC Jesse. He is talented and resourceful, but not a special-snowflake or a golden boy. I also love the diversity of characters around him. My narrator to the audiobook, Ben Allen does credit to all the different nationalities speaking English with their different, but well-recognizable accents.
Perfect timing, my library books just came in....
The story started off slow and I didn't find it all that engaging right away, but I did find the world-building interesting and the characters intriguing enough to continue on. I'm glad I did because I found that this series is pretty fun! The whole idea of the Library having all the control and power over the people is a pretty unique concept, and one that I'm sure none of us would prefer :)
All in all an enjoyable and fun start to a fascinating series!
It is the first time in my reading-history that a library does not represent something positive, but it is menacing and oppressive. Very interesting.
I liked it fairly well. Really good premise, pretty good plot/action. I had a few problems with the plot mechanics (view spoiler), but overall it was pretty good. The one thing that did bug me though...a lot of people have said they liked the diversity in the book, but I had a problem with it. The Library is this world-wide, global-reaching entity, but of named students only 2 are from non-Western-European countries. In a reimagined world in which the same reading materials are equally available to everyone, I would have expected some equal representation from Africa, Pacific Islanders, South America, something. Instead, we have 2 English, 1 Welsh, 1 German, 1 Spanish, 1 Portuguese, 1 French, 1 Saudi, and 1 Japanese student. This really grated at me for the rest of the book and I couldn't stop thinking about it.
I still enjoyed it, but this just seemed a little thoughtless.
This was a re-read for me, and I rarely enjoy reading things as much the second time through, so that this one *almost* got to that level is pretty impressive.Someone mentioned to me once that they didn't like this book because they found the characters too one-dimensional, basically being characterized by a nationality and a personality trait. And upon a re-read, remembering that evaluation made me notice some instances where this may have been correct. But I don't think I would have noticed had someone not brought it up.
I still thoroughly enjoyed the world and the conflicts Jess encounters in being torn between his new occupation, his old occupation, his family, and his new friends. It's fast-paced and has a bunch of elements I tend to enjoy: library/book oriented (heck yes), specialized school, competition, dogmatic big-brothery overseers who are mysterious and not to be trusted. It's just all my jam.
I did like this book...not my usually thing to read YA or Fantasy. The characters were well developed and the book written extremely well. Wolfe was probably my favorite character...influenced somewhat by the short story Stormcrow I read just prior...I'm so glad I read both of the shorts prior to diving in...it really helped.
I'm definitely going to continue the series...(view spoiler)
The culture was probably the most disturbing to me...the lack of a traditional family only touched on by a few and the overwhelming socialism control 'the library' has on everything and everyone...I was confused until the end by the knowledge everyone did have with the emphasis on not having original works to touch...it just didn't make sense...I think I figured it out in the end (view spoiler)...we'll see if my interpretation is correct.
This book feels like it is written for young readers. It reminds me strongly of Harry Potter, but then in a library setting. Everyone told me this book would be amazing, maybe my expectations were too high because of this? I liked the premises, but felt there were no likeable characters. I'm not going to continue the series. I rated this book 3 stars.
Tammie wrote: "I did like this book...not my usually thing to read YA or Fantasy. The characters were well developed and the book written extremely well. Wolfe was probably my favorite character...influenced som..."
I didn't realize there was a prequel! THANK YOU!
I read this last summer but wanted to reread when I picked up the newest instalment and the tower teams bonus made me bump them up my list. I really enjoyed my original read through and I was beyond glad to see that this holds up to re-reading well. The storyline is clever and knowing what happens in the next book meant I was looking for little clues for twists and storylines that would be coming up.I love the characters in this series and especially how diverse they are. It would have been really easy to have the characters come from one place or one religion but they are from all over. I really like Jess and Khaliha but I think my favourite character is Thomas (he's such a sweetie). I'm hoping in the future books they talk about how religion works in the world of the Library - particularly with Islam, the Koran and how that works in terms of mirroring it into a blank. Given their timeline Islam would have developed alongside the Library so the rules may be different, but Muslims in our world are very careful and diligent with how they treat their Koran so I'm not sure how that would work with a blank (dedicated blanks maybe?).
As a Londoner, I was really impressed by how Rachel Caine presented London and the way Jess talked felt right - there's nothing more jarring than having something that is normal end up slightly off or worse still having any Brit sound like Giles.
I also didn't know about the prequel (thank you Tammie!) so I'm off to read that.
Just finished the book. Here is my short review also posted on GR.WOW. Just WOW.
This book had me at "Hello" / page 1. Honestly speaking, I don't know whether the effect would have been the same had I just read it instead of listening to the audiobook, but the narrator, Ben Allen was simply superb in making all the different characters comes to life.
As for the story in general, I think it was very well-written. It was tight-paced, tense, grim, inventive and exciting from beginning to end with some powerful, intriguing characters (Christopher Wolfe, Nicolo Santi, the horrible Artifects Magnus).
The world-building was jaw-dropping, the characters likeable, the romance convincing, but understated. It all came together in an amazingly strong start to a new series. I have fallen hook, line and sinker for it.
I may try and add some thoughts later on, right now I am still reeling from it all.
I've had this on my list for a while to read, so I was glad to have an excuse to grab it from the library finally!The beginning...third....ish...was a bit slow and hard for me to get into (partly this is my own life busy-ness, but partly was the book). The world building is a bit intricate and different enough from our own that it takes a while to feel at 'home' in it. Once I got settled in, though, I very much enjoyed this book and the second half or more definitely makes up for any patience needed at the beginning!
Jess was a wonderful MC. I loved living in his head. It's so unusual to find a fantasy YA that has a male main character. At least in the books I read... But anyway, I found it a refreshing change of pace! Also, Jess is a wonderful anti-hero. Someone who is flawed enough to be real, and earnest enough despite those flaws to be likable. Very well done.
I think my favorite thing about the book was that there is an adult leader that the kids can turn to. So often we see these teens try to take on the world (in some cases literally) and they're expected to go up against older, wiser, more experienced adults and come out victorious all on their own. Not so in this book, and I feel like having the older "mentors" there helps give this story some realism.
All in all, four stars and I'll be starting the next one soon!
Here is my review, also posted on GR. It took me a while to get into the book, mainly because i was in a reading slum. But after (view spoiler) i was hooked and couldn't stop reading.
Some parts of Ink and Bone reminded me a bit of Harry Potter, although it's darker and more grownup. It has an amazing story build, great characters that evolve throughout the book and it's very well written. It's a must read for fantasy fans.
This book was a great journey if different events had occurred throughout history. My favorite fantasy novels involve great secondary characters that want to make me, the reader, part of the story line. I found myself imagining what would I do if I was training to be a librarian alongside Jess. Upon reaching the second half of the book, be prepared to read it to the end right away.I spend a lot of my time in libraries. The refreshing air and the smell of old books make me instantly feel better. Imagine my surprise to find out the library is not what it seems.
Ink and Bone was one of my favorite books read in 2016. And this year, after my second read of it, my feelings have not changed. I liked it just as much. I love the plot, I love the characters and I love the settings. It is the kind of books that makes you think. The subject itself should touch any bibliophile. The only idea that I would not be able to have my own books makes me cringe. But on the other hand, some of the argument used by the librarians makes sense. Especially when you are confronted with people like the one described in the prologue. If you have read the book, you know who I mean. I still feel deep disgust at the thought of what he did.
The book is also very action packed. You have a journey, a war, thieving, explosions etc. In other words, this book will not bore you. Not for one page.
It is a full five stars rating for me!
This is a re-read for me and it was still great. The story is so different/unique, it is very hard to describe what is happening. It is a great telling - and a picture of what might have happened with the Great Library of Alexandria. Although, the Library becomes the controller of all knowledge/books....which is very different than the picture of what the Library was meant to be.Rachel Caine does an excellent job with this series! I can't wait to see where the journey leads!
Ink and Bone presents a different world to us. The world where the Great Library in Alexandria didn't burn. Tempting premise for any bookworm.Likes:
+ Intriguing world.
+ Diverse group of characters.
+ I'm a succer for training or school settings.
+ Friendship.
+ Chaeacters evolve constantly because we always learn something more about them.
Dislikes;
- The novel is set in 2025. And I could not believe how this one fact influenced how the society evolved. It seemed to unbelievable and not backed up with enough explanations.
- Slow start. I didnt connect to the characters until half the book.
Although I had some personal issues with believability of the plot, this was a nice book. Can be read not only by ya readers but anyone. I will definitely continue with this series.
(Sorry for the spelling errors. I am writting from mobile. Will fix them later.)
Like several others, I found a strong parallel to the Harry Potter books. While this is not my usual reading choice (YA fantasy), I did find myself engaged with the story and the world created. There was much more violence than I expected for a novel targeted at young adults. I am looking forward to seeing how the library story line continues. Will tradition win out or is it time for a change?
I loved this book! I always enjoy steampunk that moves into the future, rather than the traditional Victorian setting. The premise that rather than changing the world for the better in 1455, the printing press is something to be avoided at all costs is fascinating. I was afraid for a time that there would a love triangle, but thankfully that never materialized. I will say that I find it a bit gritty for YA. Lately I've noticed a blurring of the lines between YA & NA. This one, while having a younger MC, read more like a NA book in the themes.
I enjoyed Ink & Bone, and expect to continue reading the series. Many of my recently read books have an over-arching theme on the power of words (Traitor's Blade, Just One Damned Thing After Another, et al,) and I enjoyed the premise of "What if Gutenberg's press never made it to the public?" I liked getting to know the characters - none were perfect, no love triangle, and a good set up for the next book.
Hello everyone,I'm really happy to be part of this group. I’ve recently published my first book on Kindle, titled “The Return of My Protector: A Heartbreaking Story of a Little Brother’s Love.”
This story is very personal to me. It’s about pain, misunderstanding, and the deep love between siblings. The younger brother is misunderstood and ends up in jail, but everything he does is out of love and sacrifice for his sister.
I made this book completely free because I wanted to share it with readers like you.
I don’t know how good it is, but I would be very grateful if you gave it a try and let me know what you think.
If you like emotional, family-based stories with deep relationships, I hope you’ll enjoy it.
Also, if I write more stories like this in the future, would you be interested? Please do share your thoughts.
Thank you so much for your time and support!
– Iqbal
Nothing But Reading Challenges
Books mentioned in this topic
Ink and Bone (other topics)Stormcrow (other topics)
Ink and Bone (other topics)
This topic is to read & review Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine. Keep Spoilers under a Spoiler Tag
Synopsis:
In an exhilarating new series, New York Times bestselling author Rachel Caine rewrites history, creating a dangerous world where the Great Library of Alexandria has survived the test of time.…
Ruthless and supremely powerful, the Great Library is now a presence in every major city, governing the flow of knowledge to the masses. Alchemy allows the Library to deliver the content of the greatest works of history instantly—but the personal ownership of books is expressly forbidden.
Jess Brightwell believes in the value of the Library, but the majority of his knowledge comes from illegal books obtained by his family, who are involved in the thriving black market. Jess has been sent to be his family’s spy, but his loyalties are tested in the final months of his training to enter the Library’s service.
When his friend inadvertently commits heresy by creating a device that could change the world, Jess discovers that those who control the Great Library believe that knowledge is more valuable than any human life—and soon both heretics and books will burn…