"You have ink in your blood boy, and no help for it. Books will never be just a business to you." (Callum Brightwell)
Ink and Bone is set in an alternate future where the Great Library of Alexandria still exists and the world, its technology and its politics, are different. Books are freely available, but the Library controls what people are allowed to read and what knowledge they should have. Owning original and private book are a crime.
The main character, Jess Brightwell, comes from a family of book smugglers and is sent to the Library to compete for a position as a Scholar so that he can ultimately aid the family business. Jess is intelligent, practical, bold and streetsmart.
The secondary characters could be more developed, but I grew to care for them. The characters are also diverse. Thomas is friendly, naive and optimistic. Glain is blunt and loyal. Dario's unexplained hatred towards Jess and the situations that result from it are humourous. Morgan is an enigma and I couldn't really get a grip on her personality. The stand-out character is definitely Khalila, a hijabi and a practicing Muslim, who is smart and independent. My favourite character is Wolfe, the most complex character in Ink and Bone. He's a brutal and mean teacher with a no-nonsense attitude, but he genuinely cares for his students.
The world in Ink and Bone sets it apart from other books. There are interesting themes related to books and knowledge and the pros and cons that come with guarding knowledge and having power over it are explored. The magic system is also quite interesting and is rooted in science, alchemy and technology.
I also enjoyed the plot progression. The characters and their views towards the the Library and each other changes with the events that occur. The Library starts off as this amazing, larger-than-life institution, but slowly it's dark secrets come to light. I'm extremely excited to see where things go in Paper and Fire.
I'm not a fan of the main romance in Ink and Bone between Jess and Morgan. Their relationship is unnecessary and feels forced. There is, however, a relationship in Ink and Bone that I ship with my heart and soul. Santi and Wolfe.
I didn't really expect much when I started reading Ink and Bone, but somewhere along the line, it became extremely interesting and I got swept up in the world, the characters, the secrets, the mysteries, and the plot twists.
"All it will take is a spark, and everything's on fire." (Jess Brightwell)