Review: Ink and Bone (THISTHISTHIS)

Ink and Bone
Author: Rachel Caine
Publication Date: July 7th 2015
Publisher: Allison and Busby
~A copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review~

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 he 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.…

Excuse me, blabbering review that might not be coherent and might not make much sense because holy damn, Ink and Bone. And well, you too, Rachel Caine. 

Ever wondered what would have happened if the Great Library of Alexandria had survived? Rachel Caine has, and has rewritten history in the form of Ink and Born, and can I just say how freaking brilliant it is? The world-building, to the characters, to the slow plot and slow romance and that ending.  I think I mentioned in my review for Prince of Shadows (if you haven't read it, it's a retelling of Romeo and Juliet from Benvolio's perspective) that it was unlike anything I've read from Rachel Caine before, and once again, Ink and Bone is unlike anything I've read from Rachel Caine. 

Completely unique, original and she continues to write a book that's multifaceted in so many ways.

Here's a question for you, ever wondered what it would be like to not own a book? Let's do this together, go to your bookshelf/shelves, it's hard to just pick one favourite, right? Imagine not having any books there. Imagine that it's illegal to own a book. Horrific.

 This is the world of Ink and Bone, and while it is written in third person, we focus on Jess, whose family smuggle books and sell them through the black market, which he doesn't agree with, which is pretty evident to his family, so his father gives him two choices. Join the family business. Or go and try to work for the Library. The world of Ink and Bone is dangerous to pretty much every person alive in there, and the tone is desolate in many ways. It's now 2025 The Library controls knowledge and therefore everyone. We have "terrorists" in the form of Burners, who are against The Library and what it's standing for, and like to, well, burn books. And themselves. A war  between the English and Welsh (let's leave me out of this.) is raging on and then there's the Library itself, which you know is anything but right.

Fans of a more slow plot that don't mind the slower pace because once you get there it'll blow your mind? Ink and Bone is for you. I'm not too fond of that myself, it's all depending on the characters themselves (which, I'll get to those in a minute) and even I loved and appreciated the build-up and it was so worth it and made it all that much richer, along with the writing, which is what I've come to expect from Rachel Caine, It's atmospheric, flows well and is just vividly gorgeous.

Besides everything else, the characters are what make Ink and Bone, it took me a while to get into Jess's head, because he's closed off a little, which you can't blame him, but he really comes out of his shell and his character comes to life once he's with the other cast of characters, Speaking of which, they are diverse, have their own personalities and hilarious when they're all together and they are all dark horses. Take that as you like because I'm zipping my mouth shut at that. 

Ink and Bone is so much more than what it seems, with a dark atmosphere always teetering on the dangerous, a slow well thought out plot that isn't boring, atmospheric writing and dynamic character, The Great Library series is off to an impressive start.

Rating: 5/5