littlemiao 's review for:

Ink Blood Sister Scribe by Emma Törzs

4.5

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

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A beautifully written, well told story of magical books and family secrets. I think the power of the book was in creating an atmosphere of mystery and tension that slowly built up, giving each character the time to become fully fleshed out. The cast of point of view characters felt real and complex. And that complexity comes despite two of them leading such sheltered and circumscribed lives that they had little chance to interact with the world. At the end of the book I wanted more, not because the ending was lacking in any way, but because I enjoyed the dynamics between the characters and I want to see how they develop after the events of the story. Alas, it seems that the book is not meant to be part of a series. This is easily one of the novels I enjoyed most this year.

There were little glimpses of the Jewish background one of the families. Their Jewish connection was at the level of an afterthought, which perhaps is an accurate portrayal for many. It is meaningful to the story in its own way, but I wouldn’t look to this book for affirming Jewish representation.

The narrator was good but her British pronunciations seemed off. I think she mispronounced Berkshire. Still, it was overall a good listening experience.

I sincerely hope Emma Törzs publishes more, soon!