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A review by aimeesbookishlife
The Girl of Ink and Stars by Kiran Millwood Hargrave
4.0
A classic adventure tale of a girl on a fantasy island trying to find her missing best friend, served with a generous helping of mythical beasts and magic maps.
Isabella, the eponymous 'Girl of Ink and Stars', is a reluctant hero who is easy to warm to. She's no Katniss Everdeen, taking everything in her stride and suppressing her emotions; Isa has known the loss of her mother and twin brother already and she doesn't want to lose anyone else. She has a real sense of adventure too, and although the primary 'push' factor is Lupe's disappearance, she is also excited to be exploring and making maps just like she had always dreamt of.
However I liked Lupe more, even though she was a spoilt brat. There was something about the way she wanted to come down off her pedestal and attend school with the other children that made me feel she had potential early on, and I kept rooting for her all the way through.
That ending though - MAJOR SPOILERS HERE:
I would say this book is primarily suitable for 8-12 year olds. Older young people, and even adults like myself, can enjoy it but it might seem a little simplistic and lacking in depth. I kept forgetting that Isa and Lupe were meant to be teenagers - to me, they both felt more like eleven year olds than thirteen year olds. I don't think it's necessarily a bad thing, but if you're planning to buy this for a teenager then be aware that they may find it a bit babyish.
Isabella, the eponymous 'Girl of Ink and Stars', is a reluctant hero who is easy to warm to. She's no Katniss Everdeen, taking everything in her stride and suppressing her emotions; Isa has known the loss of her mother and twin brother already and she doesn't want to lose anyone else. She has a real sense of adventure too, and although the primary 'push' factor is Lupe's disappearance, she is also excited to be exploring and making maps just like she had always dreamt of.
However I liked Lupe more, even though she was a spoilt brat. There was something about the way she wanted to come down off her pedestal and attend school with the other children that made me feel she had potential early on, and I kept rooting for her all the way through.
That ending though - MAJOR SPOILERS HERE:
Spoiler
I never expected Lupe to die, and it floored me. I really thought we were aiming for a happily-ever-after, especially when it turned out that Pablo and Isa's dad were both okay. Right up to the end, I thought someone would swim down and get Lupe out. But I get why the author chose that ending for Lupe, both for her own personal journey ("I'll prove I'm not rotten") and because of the Arinta myth, so it makes sense.I would say this book is primarily suitable for 8-12 year olds. Older young people, and even adults like myself, can enjoy it but it might seem a little simplistic and lacking in depth. I kept forgetting that Isa and Lupe were meant to be teenagers - to me, they both felt more like eleven year olds than thirteen year olds. I don't think it's necessarily a bad thing, but if you're planning to buy this for a teenager then be aware that they may find it a bit babyish.