Ink and Bone (The Great Library, #1) by Rachel Caine

Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Goodreads Synopsis:

In an exhilarating new series, New York Times bestselling author Rachel Caine rewrites history, creating a dangerous world where the Great Library of Alexandria has survived the test of time.…

Ruthless and supremely powerful, the Great Library is now a presence in every major city, governing the flow of knowledge to the masses. Alchemy allows the Library to deliver the content of the greatest works of history instantly—but the personal ownership of books is expressly forbidden.

Jess Brightwell believes in the value of the Library, but the majority of his knowledge comes from illegal books obtained by his family, who are involved in the thriving black market. Jess has been sent to be his family’s spy, but his loyalties are tested in the final months of his training to enter the Library’s service.

When his friend inadvertently commits heresy by creating a device that could change the world, Jess discovers that those who control the Great Library believe that knowledge is more valuable than any human life—and soon both heretics and books will burn…

My Review:

I thought long and hard about my rating. This was a roller coaster of a read, but not because there was an overwhelming amount of emotions. The story started out great, then got me confused with the mention of an actual date (I had to work on getting passed that concern before I could accept the setting and move on), then it got boring, then super intense, and then captured my attention at the end. Enough to care about the future of the characters, and enough to read on in the series.

I have to give credit to Rachel Caine for keeping me guessing as to who the real threat/villain of the story is. She created such a blurred line between right and wrong in many instances that I floundered on my opinions, much like Jess did. Granted, it was revealed towards the end and my suspicions were verified.

Jess, the main character, a smart, wiley, brave, and passionate soul wanted to do what was right but also wanted to follow his heart. Sometimes these two ideals aligned, most times they didn't. I enjoyed his character. He had growth, which I always enjoy. As for the remainder of the characters, I think they played their roles well. They were a diverse group, which rounded out the story.

As for the concept, it was quite interesting. Yes, I did get a little lost and bored towards the beginning, but it eventually built a solid foundation. I'm glad I stuck it out!

Favorite Quotes:

“You have ink in your blood, boy, and no help for it. Books will never be just a business to you.”

“I must acquire my own information, build my own knowledge, and, through experience, transform it to the treasured gold of wisdom.”

“We never wanted to conquer the world, only our fears.”

Read from January 07 to 13, 2016

Top 5 Genres*: Fantasy, Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Science Fiction/Dystopia, Fiction
*According to Goodreads
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★★★★★ - I absolutely loved it
★★★★ - Good book and would recommend
★★★ - Decent book, but wasn't spectacular
★★ - Not good, but was able to finish it
★ - Did not finish (DNF) and I don't usually rate a book I haven't finished (just to be fair to the author)

View all my reviews