"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.…" (Goodreads)
My Review
★★★★★
Actual rating: 4.5 stars. Very close to 5, but 4.5, if only for the slow start and the questions I still have/the rules that I still don't understand.
Thanks to the Penguin First To Read program for providing me with an e-galley in exchange for an honest review.
Ink and Bone follows Jess Brightwell, the son of a book smuggler in an alternate society where to own a book—an actualprinted book—is illegal. After watching a man eat a priceless book at the age of ten, Jess wants out of the life. But it's difficult for him to break free of his family business, especially when his family sends him away to become a postulant for the Library. "The Library" refers to the Library of Alexandria, which, in this society, was never burned down. What would have happened if it were never burned down?
A corrupt, all-powerful yet power-hungry political system is what developed, that's what.
Seriously. The extent that the Archivist and their disciples go to keep their power and control over world knowledge is insane. Their view is that books and knowledge should be valued more than human lives. I certainly have my own opinions about that.
There are many key players in Ink and Bone. Since I love characters and character development, I'll focus on them first. We've got a really diverse cast of characters here, each brilliant and sort-of endearing in their own ways.
Jess: Our protagonist, from London. It is so easy to identify with Jess. He's sympathetic and clever and hates being used. And I found I only wanted the best for him. He definitely has to make some tough decisions about who to trust and what to do. He's blunt and serious and is definitely loyal. You feel so bad for him when he makes wrong decisions; and he does make wrong decisions.
Khalila: Don't fuck with this chick. She's a brilliant mathematician, smart and quick-witted, and overall skilled. She's an Arab and wears a hijab. She is caring and sweet, but that doesn't make her any less dangerous.
Thomas: Oh man, Thomas. The German gentle giant. He's an engineer with visions for the future, and a great way of looking at the world. His automaton chess set is fantastic. **SPOILER**
Dario: The rich, spoiled Spaniard. He's Jess's roommate at Ptolemy House, and boy do they not hit it off at all. Dario is the kind of guy you love to hate, but then you can't help but like him as he becomes not-so-hateable. As much as he and Jess tell each other they're not friends, they become friends, and that makes me happy.
Guillaume: The American/Frenchman. He's clever and sweet, and that's pretty much all I have to say right now.
Glain: The strong Welsh girl who is always at odds with Jess (English/Welsh war going on, tensions are high). Her sour attitude gradually fades, but she's still rough around the edges. She does have a heart, though it doesn't come out until later.
Morgan: Morgan is another English person, from Oxford. She's a latecomer to the group, but she's definitely the most powerful. She's got her secrets, as do all of them.
Scholar Christopher Wolfe: The group's teacher, born in Alexandria. He's bitter and ill-tempered, overly professional, and yet... I grew to like him as Jess did. (Or as the excerpts from the Black Archives revealed things to me.) Many secrets were revealed about him, but none more surprising than... well... You shouldn't judge him for that secret before you get to know him first. **SPOILER**
Captain Niccolo Santi: A soldier with a surprising amount of heart and empathy. But, as a soldier, he has a hell of a lot of discipline.
So those are the main characters that stood out to me. I liked them a lot; I loved the diversity and the little language inserts here and there. I'm not so much a fan of the religion talk, but that stuff was minimal enough that it was alright.
Plotwise, there's not much wrong with it. There are certain things that don't make a lot of sense, like what is it exactly that Obscurists do? I'm not entirely sure. It's not well explained, but it seems like magic, although it says it's not magic. Also, what's going on with Brendan? Although, I'm sure that'll be explained in the second or third book. I think I understand how the Burners work, but I don't understand completely. Overall, I just want everything explained in more depth. I like learning everything there is to know about a book. I like gleaning everything.
Overall, this book was well-written with sympathetic characters. It took me a bit to get into it because it was a little slow going at first, but once it picked up, I was glad to finish it. I can't wait for the sequel... and the first book isn't even out yet. Oh, no. I've got a while to wait, haven't I.
