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A review by quirkykayleetam
Ink Blood Sister Scribe by Emma Törzs
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.0
In this contemporary fantasy, some books are magic. That magic can be beautiful, but it is also dangerous. Because magic is power and there are those who seek to control it.
The book focuses on half-sisters Joanna and Esther as well as a surprise third narrator who appears a fourth of the way through the book. The complicated family dynamics surrounding these characters, especially Joanna and Esther are the strongest part of the book.
But then the novel becomes less of a fantasy and more of a thriller, chasing the characters around the globe until they all end up together and the plot is tied together perfectly by a one-dimensional villain, a side romance, and a family surprise. While this gave the book a emotionally satisfying ending with found family and a focus on the next generation, I felt like it did a disservice to the complex people, schemes, and magic in the book up to that point. It made things feel like a story when it never did before. That jarred me and left me feeling off when I am normally head-over-heels for books about magic.
Are there dragons? No. I love the little pomeranian named Sir Kiwi (she's a girl btw), but am disappointed by the lack of dragons.
The book focuses on half-sisters Joanna and Esther as well as a surprise third narrator who appears a fourth of the way through the book. The complicated family dynamics surrounding these characters, especially Joanna and Esther are the strongest part of the book.
But then the novel becomes less of a fantasy and more of a thriller, chasing the characters around the globe until they all end up together and the plot is tied together perfectly by a one-dimensional villain, a side romance, and a family surprise. While this gave the book a emotionally satisfying ending with found family and a focus on the next generation, I felt like it did a disservice to the complex people, schemes, and magic in the book up to that point. It made things feel like a story when it never did before. That jarred me and left me feeling off when I am normally head-over-heels for books about magic.
Are there dragons? No. I love the little pomeranian named Sir Kiwi (she's a girl btw), but am disappointed by the lack of dragons.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Death of parent
Moderate: Abandonment, Body horror, and Gun violence