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theknightswhosaybook 's review for:
Inkmistress
by Audrey Coulthurst
(4.5 stars) Blood! Tears! Bisexuality! No, seriously, so much blood.
This was definitely the logical follow up to [b:Of Fire and Stars|25164304|Of Fire and Stars (Of Fire and Stars, #1)|Audrey Coulthurst|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1457102645s/25164304.jpg|44868262]. Like the original book, this book has enough dull spots that I'll understand when people don't love it as much, but in the end it made me feel so many things I couldn't possibly not love it.
Also worth noting that despite being labeled "book 0.5", this book can definitely be a standalone, read before, after, or without Of Fire and Stars.
So let's get the book's flaws out of the way so I can end with why I love it. The book starts out a bit clunky. It didn't immediately draw me in, and the writing felt a bit contrived (or at least the utter peacefulness of Asra's setting did). It took a little while for the writing to hit its stride, but it did eventually amp up with the plot. I think the main problem was the book doing more telling than showing. In order to quickly establish Asra's goals and what's at stake, we keep being told that she wants to join a community and have a family — which is a cool motivation, but it would have come across better if we were shown it more at the beginning.
In terms of worldbuilding, I would have liked it to be more fleshed out. I want to know more about how the animal forms work, just because it's cool, and I want the "magical rituals" Asra can do to be less vague so it would be more unique.
But I still really liked this book! And I know that's because the ending always sticks with me more than whatever problems the beginning had, but that's just how it is. The book is filled with betrayal, plot twists, and a slow burn romance. I wasn't sure if I would fall for Audrey Coulthurst's romance when the main ship wasn't wlw (our bi mc meets a guy after her ex-girlfriend goes all murder-y), but I did end up happy with it.
The villains are so complex, and some of them so fleshed out they make me feel so many things. I would totally read more about them, actually? And Audrey Coulthurst has this way of writing scenes with such deep injustice that make you actually fill up with anger and emotion and it's so good. It's a torrent of emotions and then the ending is so satisfying. Plus it's so casually full of queer characters (bi main character and side character, other wlw background characters, even a genderfluid god casually mentioned once or twice)!
This was definitely the logical follow up to [b:Of Fire and Stars|25164304|Of Fire and Stars (Of Fire and Stars, #1)|Audrey Coulthurst|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1457102645s/25164304.jpg|44868262]. Like the original book, this book has enough dull spots that I'll understand when people don't love it as much, but in the end it made me feel so many things I couldn't possibly not love it.
Also worth noting that despite being labeled "book 0.5", this book can definitely be a standalone, read before, after, or without Of Fire and Stars.
So let's get the book's flaws out of the way so I can end with why I love it. The book starts out a bit clunky. It didn't immediately draw me in, and the writing felt a bit contrived (or at least the utter peacefulness of Asra's setting did). It took a little while for the writing to hit its stride, but it did eventually amp up with the plot. I think the main problem was the book doing more telling than showing. In order to quickly establish Asra's goals and what's at stake, we keep being told that she wants to join a community and have a family — which is a cool motivation, but it would have come across better if we were shown it more at the beginning.
In terms of worldbuilding, I would have liked it to be more fleshed out. I want to know more about how the animal forms work, just because it's cool, and I want the "magical rituals" Asra can do to be less vague so it would be more unique.
But I still really liked this book! And I know that's because the ending always sticks with me more than whatever problems the beginning had, but that's just how it is. The book is filled with betrayal, plot twists, and a slow burn romance. I wasn't sure if I would fall for Audrey Coulthurst's romance when the main ship wasn't wlw (our bi mc meets a guy after her ex-girlfriend goes all murder-y), but I did end up happy with it.
The villains are so complex, and some of them so fleshed out they make me feel so many things. I would totally read more about them, actually? And Audrey Coulthurst has this way of writing scenes with such deep injustice that make you actually fill up with anger and emotion and it's so good. It's a torrent of emotions and then the ending is so satisfying. Plus it's so casually full of queer characters (bi main character and side character, other wlw background characters, even a genderfluid god casually mentioned once or twice)!