Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine

TL;DR libraries are actually evil

TBR #1100, added Nov 4, 2014

library hold placed 10/1/16, #18 in queue; received 10/10/16, #13

finished 10/20/16

I was completely amazed by Ink and Bone. Like, jaw-dropping amazed. This was such a good read for me.

I think what sold it the most for me was the characters -- it was so easy to sympathize and connect with them. I ended up rooting for them so much, even for the ones I initially thought I wouldn't like. All of the characters had many facets and it was so easy to feel for them.

The world was interesting, definitely in concept, and also in how it diverges from our world. Obviously the Great Library's restrictions altered how their history conspired compared to ours -- and yet they still had a lot of technological innovations. I mean, I guess it's possible that all of them came from librarians (capital Librarians?). There were some times that I doubted they really would've had innovations like steampunk bullet trains and yet not planes. Maybe there was a purpose in that. I know very little about steampunk, so I don't think I could've identified any influences or aesthetics of it if they were present.

The plot felt very high-stakes, and yet not overdone. I felt that the danger was totally believable, based on how their world had been set up through the narration, and it did keep me intrigued and coming back to read more.

I probably had more to say, but yet again I didn't write my review fast enough to remember those points. Sorry. One day I'm gonna get better at this.

TL;DR I really enjoyed this and I'm definitely going to continue with the series.