Tota est scientia. Knowledge is all.
We all know ....
The world of Ink and Bone was ruled by the Great Library. They controlled what knowledge one could or could not acquire, and the book was more important than a life.
The Library was never wrong.
I can say, I throughly enjoyed the trip into this alternate future. I found Cain's world quite interesting, as it was a mix of elements from the past, as well as, magical elements. She filled this world with fascinating characters and a social structure, which piqued my interest.
There is no place in the world for librarians who lack the will to defend books against wars, rebels, and Burners. Books cannot fight for themselves
There are several characters who are central to the story: Jess, Wolff, Morgan, Kalila, Galin, Thomas, Dario, and Santi, but my favorites were Jess, Wolff, and Thomas.
* Jess - The MC came from a long line of English book smugglers, however, he never really bought into that life. He bided his time by following family orders, while he acquired huge stores of knowledge by means of illegal books. I really liked Jess. He was clever and caring, whip-smart with a keen survival instinct, but he was not wholly controlled this instinct. There were many times in the story, where he was conflicted between doing what was right and doing what would preserve his life. I like that Caine wrote those struggles into his character, as it made me care for him more. But, Jess really wormed his way into my heart with his need to be needed just for who he was. Throughout his life, he was a pawn, always being used by someone for some purpose. The fact that he felt more like property or an object, rather than a person, really broke my heart.
* Wolff - I can totally see why he was a fan favorite. This mentor did not pull any punches, but he had quite a backstory (which I cannot reveal, as I think it is important to learn on your own as the story unfolds.). He appeared to be callous and uncaring, but he was anything but that. The love for Wolff was slow to grow, but once it did, it bloomed to be the biggest and brightest love I had.
*Thomas - I loved him immediately. He was a nerdy engineer! I loved his affable nature, his amazing gadgets, and his big, beautiful heart.
And it will satisfy the Burners - what do they want? Books they can own. The Library not watching what they read. Freedom. This is freedom, in this ink. This page.
Back to the world, I thought it was quite interesting the way Caine mixed in so many elements of the past. In the book, there is talk about how the Library had not evolved in any way for over 200 years, thus, the Library and the people it governs are stuck. One reviewer also asserted that by controlling the flow of information, the Library limits innovation and advancement. I wholly agree with this assessment, and greatly appreciate the thoughtful way Caine conveyed this idea in the book.
I thought this story was well paced, as it was quite action packed. It started out with bang, and maintained that energy though most of the story. The ending was an ending, with some closure, but also many openings to continue the story (FYI: these are my favorite kind of endings in book series).
Overall: A fantastic adventure in an alternate future starring books! which was entertaining and thought provoking.
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