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A review by davastewart
Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine
4.0
Fantasy with a hint of steampunk, this one was right up my alley. I read it quickly and love how long it is. I've put the second one on hold with my library and am afraid that I already know at least one of the plot lines. I hope I'm wrong.
This one is set in a world that is our own, but where things went much differently. The Library rules all. Original works are kept in Serapeaums, or daughter libraries, all over the world. The main library is in Alexandria. People only have access to books that the Library deems safe. Books are "mirrored" into "blanks." Each person is issued a personal journal at birth, which is preserved at their death -- so everyone essentially has an autobiography to be preserved forever.
But the Library is not all that it seems. There's a thriving black market for originals, many works are deemed seditious, there's a Black Archive. Potential new librarians go through a grueling process, with many of them competing for only a few spots each year. This is the story of one group of potential librarians, with Jess, the son of a book smuggling family, being the main character.
If you enjoy fantasy, coming of age stories, steampunk, or alternate realities you might like this one.
This one is set in a world that is our own, but where things went much differently. The Library rules all. Original works are kept in Serapeaums, or daughter libraries, all over the world. The main library is in Alexandria. People only have access to books that the Library deems safe. Books are "mirrored" into "blanks." Each person is issued a personal journal at birth, which is preserved at their death -- so everyone essentially has an autobiography to be preserved forever.
But the Library is not all that it seems. There's a thriving black market for originals, many works are deemed seditious, there's a Black Archive. Potential new librarians go through a grueling process, with many of them competing for only a few spots each year. This is the story of one group of potential librarians, with Jess, the son of a book smuggling family, being the main character.
If you enjoy fantasy, coming of age stories, steampunk, or alternate realities you might like this one.