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3.39 AVERAGE
3.39 AVERAGE
I know Megs (my co-blogger) doesn't do DNF reviews, but I do, when I feel like I need (and can) explain why I didn't finish a book.
On the surface, Ink is the perfect book for me. It's in Japan, a place I love and dream to visit. It's anime-ish, and I love anime. And to top it all, it's fantasy. A fantasy, anime-ish story set in Japan? Sign me up!
Or maybe not. Because I just couldn't finish this book. At page 97, after 97 pages of pure frustration, I decided to call it quits, which I don't normally do. But from page one, more or less, I was considering putting this book down.
From the start, I saw I didn't like how Japan was portrayed in this book. It just... didn't feel authentic, you know? It felt like what someone like me, who loves Japan and anime but doesn't really understand it might write. It didn't feel real. It felt like it was trying too hard to grasp Japan.
The writing itself wasn't a favorite, either. I felt like there were over descriptions, like that delicate balance between too much and too little hasn't yet been mastered (but it is hard). Then there was the trying to intricate Japanese words into the story. It just wasn't well done. A Japanese person doesn't say Ketai Phone. It's like saying Cell Phone Phone. Ketai is, on itself, "cell phone". There were other examples where I felt the usage was wrong, even if slightly.
Or maybe not. Because I just couldn't finish this book. At page 97, after 97 pages of pure frustration, I decided to call it quits, which I don't normally do. But from page one, more or less, I was considering putting this book down.
From the start, I saw I didn't like how Japan was portrayed in this book. It just... didn't feel authentic, you know? It felt like what someone like me, who loves Japan and anime but doesn't really understand it might write. It didn't feel real. It felt like it was trying too hard to grasp Japan.
The writing itself wasn't a favorite, either. I felt like there were over descriptions, like that delicate balance between too much and too little hasn't yet been mastered (but it is hard). Then there was the trying to intricate Japanese words into the story. It just wasn't well done. A Japanese person doesn't say Ketai Phone. It's like saying Cell Phone Phone. Ketai is, on itself, "cell phone". There were other examples where I felt the usage was wrong, even if slightly.
(And I'd just like to point out I may be the one in the wrong, as my knowledge comes from watching and listening to anime, but it still ended up bothering me, the individual)
Now, I will backtrack a bit. This writing may be intentional. The main character is an outsider. She may make these mistakes, be slightly off. And if that was all that bothered me with this book, I would've overlooked it, but it wasn't.
First, there was Katie herself. Even 100 pages into the story, I couldn't pin her down. I didn't know her. And when you don't have the slightest idea about a character even 100 pages later, it means something.
Then there was the "romance". Pfft. More like "worst case of insta love eveeeer". She's thinking of Tomohiro, and how pretty he is, and "understanding" him, when she's had maybe one decent conversation with the guy, and the other encounters were mostly compiled of grunts and looks (which, by the way, I don't believe you can glean that much from a look when you don't know the person...) and him being mostly a jerk.
In fact, it was Katie thinking "The wildness of it drove fear into my heart, as if I didn't really know him at all--and maybe I didn't" that convinced me to drop this book. No shit, Sherlock? You might not know him? what DO you know about the guy? I could sum it in three sentences, and most of it ain't good. Did you think you know him? The guy you truly spoke withtwice, who spends his time trying to intimidate you and--according to you--blowing up you pens?!
Give. Me. A Break.
I'm so done with insta love it ain't even funny, and I'm not suffering through yet another book with it for anything, especially one that hasn't impressed me in any other way either. Sign me out.
Now, I will backtrack a bit. This writing may be intentional. The main character is an outsider. She may make these mistakes, be slightly off. And if that was all that bothered me with this book, I would've overlooked it, but it wasn't.
First, there was Katie herself. Even 100 pages into the story, I couldn't pin her down. I didn't know her. And when you don't have the slightest idea about a character even 100 pages later, it means something.
Then there was the "romance". Pfft. More like "worst case of insta love eveeeer". She's thinking of Tomohiro, and how pretty he is, and "understanding" him, when she's had maybe one decent conversation with the guy, and the other encounters were mostly compiled of grunts and looks (which, by the way, I don't believe you can glean that much from a look when you don't know the person...) and him being mostly a jerk.
In fact, it was Katie thinking "The wildness of it drove fear into my heart, as if I didn't really know him at all--and maybe I didn't" that convinced me to drop this book. No shit, Sherlock? You might not know him? what DO you know about the guy? I could sum it in three sentences, and most of it ain't good. Did you think you know him? The guy you truly spoke withtwice, who spends his time trying to intimidate you and--according to you--blowing up you pens?!
Give. Me. A Break.
I'm so done with insta love it ain't even funny, and I'm not suffering through yet another book with it for anything, especially one that hasn't impressed me in any other way either. Sign me out.
*Copy provided by NetGalley*
This is probably a 2.5 for me. It’s a book I really wanted to love because of the concept but just couldn’t because of the execution. I mean who doesn’t love a book about old Japanese gods and drawings coming to life and love, true love. Apparently me.
I was not in love with the characters. Katie was just meh. She wasn’t spineless or useless she just kind of was. Nothing really bad but nothing that made her a really good character either. She just was. Then there was Tomohiro, he is kind of a butthead. He is the super-hot, brooding, moody, and dangerous so I’m going to push you away but I really love you, male lead character that seems so prevalent in YA today. This makes me even more annoyed with Katie for putting up with it.
I wanted the story line to be so much more. I wanted magic and amazing things but I mostly got sleight of hand and kind of neat things.
Overall I see this book being popular with fans of Twilight and the Fallen series. If romance is big in your high school library you might want to check it out. If I recall there is a little bit of pressure to have sex but I can’t remember if it actually happens. I’d say safe for upper middle school as well.
This is probably a 2.5 for me. It’s a book I really wanted to love because of the concept but just couldn’t because of the execution. I mean who doesn’t love a book about old Japanese gods and drawings coming to life and love, true love. Apparently me.
I was not in love with the characters. Katie was just meh. She wasn’t spineless or useless she just kind of was. Nothing really bad but nothing that made her a really good character either. She just was. Then there was Tomohiro, he is kind of a butthead. He is the super-hot, brooding, moody, and dangerous so I’m going to push you away but I really love you, male lead character that seems so prevalent in YA today. This makes me even more annoyed with Katie for putting up with it.
I wanted the story line to be so much more. I wanted magic and amazing things but I mostly got sleight of hand and kind of neat things.
Overall I see this book being popular with fans of Twilight and the Fallen series. If romance is big in your high school library you might want to check it out. If I recall there is a little bit of pressure to have sex but I can’t remember if it actually happens. I’d say safe for upper middle school as well.
I just couldn't get into it. It wasn't bad, just a little boring and surrealistic. Just not my cup of tea.
**3.5 stars**
I have had my eye on Ink since I first heard about it when it came up on netgalley I knew I had to give it a try. I have never read a book that has the main focus of living in Japan so I was unsure about how much I would like Ink. When I began reading Ink it initially took a while for me to enjoy this book, it felt like there wasn't much progress made in the first quarter of the book and then things slowly start to get interesting when Tomohiro makes his presence known and when Katie sees his pictures moving, but pictures don't move right???
I like how Amanda has portrayed the struggle to fit into a new home, a new school and a whole new country. I felt sorry for Katie on numerous occasions, the different way of life, the loss of her Mum and the world she knows and understands, and then the struggle with the language barrier, although I didn't understand everything that was said or what words meant, the handy dandy glossary of Japanese words and phrases at the end of the book helped out a bit.
Katie occasionally acts a bit stalkerish, if a bad boy that scares you, tells you to go away and leave them alone, you do just that, but Katie doesn't and soon finds herself tangled up on things she never dreamed of. While everyone loves the designated bad boy Katie takes it to the extreme sometimes. As the story progresses however, we soon realise that stalkerish or not, she would have eventually been involved one way or another with Tomohiro.
Although Ink was a great read I expected so much from this book, and while I didn't get that from the beginning of it, by the time I had reached the last page of the book I realised I was hooked, and very disappointed in the ending. Luckily we get a sneak peak at the next book which helped out and left me feeling better, knowing what would happen next.
Ink has a way of sneaking it claws in and grabbing hold without you realising, and it's not until you reach the end you actually realise how hooked you are. With not having any other book to compare Ink too I went into it without knowing what to expect, and after finishing I know I will be comparing similar books to what I have read in Ink.
I have had my eye on Ink since I first heard about it when it came up on netgalley I knew I had to give it a try. I have never read a book that has the main focus of living in Japan so I was unsure about how much I would like Ink. When I began reading Ink it initially took a while for me to enjoy this book, it felt like there wasn't much progress made in the first quarter of the book and then things slowly start to get interesting when Tomohiro makes his presence known and when Katie sees his pictures moving, but pictures don't move right???
I like how Amanda has portrayed the struggle to fit into a new home, a new school and a whole new country. I felt sorry for Katie on numerous occasions, the different way of life, the loss of her Mum and the world she knows and understands, and then the struggle with the language barrier, although I didn't understand everything that was said or what words meant, the handy dandy glossary of Japanese words and phrases at the end of the book helped out a bit.
Katie occasionally acts a bit stalkerish, if a bad boy that scares you, tells you to go away and leave them alone, you do just that, but Katie doesn't and soon finds herself tangled up on things she never dreamed of. While everyone loves the designated bad boy Katie takes it to the extreme sometimes. As the story progresses however, we soon realise that stalkerish or not, she would have eventually been involved one way or another with Tomohiro.
Although Ink was a great read I expected so much from this book, and while I didn't get that from the beginning of it, by the time I had reached the last page of the book I realised I was hooked, and very disappointed in the ending. Luckily we get a sneak peak at the next book which helped out and left me feeling better, knowing what would happen next.
Ink has a way of sneaking it claws in and grabbing hold without you realising, and it's not until you reach the end you actually realise how hooked you are. With not having any other book to compare Ink too I went into it without knowing what to expect, and after finishing I know I will be comparing similar books to what I have read in Ink.
A solid start with likable characters. I look forward to more: 3.7 out of 5 stars.
Following the death of her mother, Katie Greene moves to Japan to live with her aunt. Trying to make friends in a new school is hard enough without struggling to learn a new language. And then she overhears a fight between bad boy Tomohiro and his girlfriend. Knowing it’s none of her business, she tries to hide but when he drops his notebook, Katie can’t believe her eyes. His drawings are moving. Has the stress of the move driven her completely crazy?
I loved the idea behind Ink; it’s a bit like a grown up version of Penny Crayon. Inspired by kami, a word which is used both for gods and paper, Amanda Sun weaves the two together. Tomohiro is part of a lineage that has power over ink. His drawings comes alive and Katie seems to have an effect on his control. It’s also illustrated with drawings from Tomo’s notebook; there are even a couple of flick book animations at the bottom of the page.
The addition of Japanese culture makes a refreshing change from some many young adult books set in America or the UK. Having Katie as a gaijin (foreigner) gives her the excuse to explain certain words and customs. If you’re familiar with Japan, you may find it a bit too over-explanatory but for the audience, it’s probably at the right level. There are trips to view the cherry blossoms and their extra-curricular activities include kendo, calligraphy and karaoke.
What let the book down for me was the central relationship. I can completely understand fancying the bad boy, and she even seems to acknowledge that she shouldn’t really be interested. But they seem overly familiar far too soon. It isn’t even explained away with instalove; her internal monologue clearly knows he’s a stranger but they have these gushy moments that make them seem like they’re known each other forever. The plot with the Yakuza was on the weak side although it did get more exciting when the volume was ramped up on their activities.
It’s an easy read with some good ideas, so definitely worth a read but I felt it just needed a bit more work to pull the plot together.
I loved the idea behind Ink; it’s a bit like a grown up version of Penny Crayon. Inspired by kami, a word which is used both for gods and paper, Amanda Sun weaves the two together. Tomohiro is part of a lineage that has power over ink. His drawings comes alive and Katie seems to have an effect on his control. It’s also illustrated with drawings from Tomo’s notebook; there are even a couple of flick book animations at the bottom of the page.
The addition of Japanese culture makes a refreshing change from some many young adult books set in America or the UK. Having Katie as a gaijin (foreigner) gives her the excuse to explain certain words and customs. If you’re familiar with Japan, you may find it a bit too over-explanatory but for the audience, it’s probably at the right level. There are trips to view the cherry blossoms and their extra-curricular activities include kendo, calligraphy and karaoke.
What let the book down for me was the central relationship. I can completely understand fancying the bad boy, and she even seems to acknowledge that she shouldn’t really be interested. But they seem overly familiar far too soon. It isn’t even explained away with instalove; her internal monologue clearly knows he’s a stranger but they have these gushy moments that make them seem like they’re known each other forever. The plot with the Yakuza was on the weak side although it did get more exciting when the volume was ramped up on their activities.
It’s an easy read with some good ideas, so definitely worth a read but I felt it just needed a bit more work to pull the plot together.
An older teen's Percy Jackson set in Japan from the point of view of an acculturating Canadian with hints of Twilight but much less annoying!