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There are no secrets in Saintstone.
From the second you're born, every achievement, every failing, every significant moment are all immortalized on your skin. There are honorable marks that let people know you're trustworthy. And shameful tattoos that announce you as a traitor.
After her father dies, Leora finds solace in the fact that his skin tells a wonderful story. That is, until she glimpses a mark on the back of his neck...the symbol of the worst crime a person can commit in Saintstone. Leora knows it has to be a mistake, but before she can do anything about it, the horrifying secret gets out, jeopardizing her father's legacy...and Leora's life.
In her startlingly prescient debut, Alice Broadway shines a light on the dangerous lengths we go to make our world feel orderly--even when the truth refuses to stay within the lines. This rich, lyrical fantasy with echoes of Orwell is unlike anything you've ever read, a tale guaranteed to get under your skin...
From the second you're born, every achievement, every failing, every significant moment are all immortalized on your skin. There are honorable marks that let people know you're trustworthy. And shameful tattoos that announce you as a traitor.
After her father dies, Leora finds solace in the fact that his skin tells a wonderful story. That is, until she glimpses a mark on the back of his neck...the symbol of the worst crime a person can commit in Saintstone. Leora knows it has to be a mistake, but before she can do anything about it, the horrifying secret gets out, jeopardizing her father's legacy...and Leora's life.
In her startlingly prescient debut, Alice Broadway shines a light on the dangerous lengths we go to make our world feel orderly--even when the truth refuses to stay within the lines. This rich, lyrical fantasy with echoes of Orwell is unlike anything you've ever read, a tale guaranteed to get under your skin...
366 pages, Paperback
First published February 2, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,132 reviews
March 9, 2018
First off I want to share the beauty of this book with you guys. And when the light hits it, it shines so beautifully, which you will see in the pictures.
Even the inside pages are beautiful!
Sounds pretty morbid huh? I don't think I would want my families body skins made into books and put on my shelf, but I digress.
I loved this book very much. There were a few places here and there but overall it was freaking awesome and damn sure unique; at least to me.
This book is about Leora. Her father died and they are getting his book preserved, but it has to go through the government first to make sure there are no bad marks. If so then your body book is burned and you are damned. That's all I'm saying on that count.
There are other characters in the book that play parts. Leora's mom, Verity (Leora's best friend), Karl, Obel, and Oscar. I'm sure I left someone out but there you go.
Leora is training to become an inker and she gets to work with a great artist, Obel.
Leora finds out all kinds of freaking revelations in this book! It's awesome! She has all kinds of creepy dreams too.
Some people will love the book and some will hate it. It's your decision, no one else's. I just happen to love it and I can't wait until the next book!
Happy Reading!
Mel ♥
MY BLOG: Melissa Martin's Reading List
Even the inside pages are beautiful!
We are not afraid of death. When your marks are safe in your book, you live on after you die. This life story etched onto your body is kept forever-if you're worthy. When we preserve the words, pictures, and moments imprinted on our skin, our story survives for eternity. We are surrounded by the dead, and, for as long as their books are still read and their names are still spoken, they live.
Everyone has the skin books in their homes: Our shelves are full of my ancestors. I can breathe them in, touch them, and read their lives.
But it was only after my father died that I saw the book of someone I'd really known.
Sounds pretty morbid huh? I don't think I would want my families body skins made into books and put on my shelf, but I digress.
I loved this book very much. There were a few places here and there but overall it was freaking awesome and damn sure unique; at least to me.
This book is about Leora. Her father died and they are getting his book preserved, but it has to go through the government first to make sure there are no bad marks. If so then your body book is burned and you are damned. That's all I'm saying on that count.
There are other characters in the book that play parts. Leora's mom, Verity (Leora's best friend), Karl, Obel, and Oscar. I'm sure I left someone out but there you go.
Leora is training to become an inker and she gets to work with a great artist, Obel.
Leora finds out all kinds of freaking revelations in this book! It's awesome! She has all kinds of creepy dreams too.
That night I dream of being flayed.
My skin is being sliced. Only instead of my marks being preserved, each one is being divided by the knife in two or three or four. Every bit of my meaning and my memory is being shattered and scattered. I am a puzzle that will never be pieced together.
Some people will love the book and some will hate it. It's your decision, no one else's. I just happen to love it and I can't wait until the next book!
I walk outside. Snow falls like feathers. The whole town is blank.
Happy Reading!
Mel ♥
MY BLOG: Melissa Martin's Reading List
February 24, 2024
In Saintstone, the destiny of the soul is determined not by a deity, but by the government. From birth until demise, the body is marked to illustrate the life being lived. At death, the skin is flayed, then bound into a book. If the soul is worthy, the book goes home with the family. If not, it is obliterated by fire and the person is forgotten forever--as if everyone’s collective memories merge with the smoke, dissipate, then disappear.
Leora easily understands this definitive divide and especially embraces it when she loses a loved one. An absence so overwhelming can bring even the staunchest believers to rock bottom. Surfacing secrets shove the bottom away, resulting in a figurative free-fall of uncertainty and doubt.
Hearing something often, particularly from people most admired, certainly makes that thing seem true. Perhaps Leora has been purely parroting the comfort and confidence contrived by her firm trust in her faith. As Obel’s new intern, she is shaken when she attempts to answer his apparently innocuous questions, but finds herself floundering.
His queries feel bold, almost blasphemous. Leora has never had reason to doubt the separation of the despicable blank people from the marked, but when called to support her stance with facts and logic, she is speechless, then stunned. Seeing every single thing in a new light can be disconcerting. No longer knowing who to trust or what to believe, terrifying.
Looking at life through Leora’s eyes is humbling. As she adamantly, albeit ignorantly, explains why the evil White Witch, the first blank, does not deserve to be remembered; it begins to be easier to see what actually is, as opposed to what Leora has always been told. Accepting that real knowledge is indeed power, Leora learns, then she plans. The young girl’s tremendous growth, against all odds is enlightening and empowering.
This review was written for Buried Under Books by jv poore
Leora easily understands this definitive divide and especially embraces it when she loses a loved one. An absence so overwhelming can bring even the staunchest believers to rock bottom. Surfacing secrets shove the bottom away, resulting in a figurative free-fall of uncertainty and doubt.
Hearing something often, particularly from people most admired, certainly makes that thing seem true. Perhaps Leora has been purely parroting the comfort and confidence contrived by her firm trust in her faith. As Obel’s new intern, she is shaken when she attempts to answer his apparently innocuous questions, but finds herself floundering.
His queries feel bold, almost blasphemous. Leora has never had reason to doubt the separation of the despicable blank people from the marked, but when called to support her stance with facts and logic, she is speechless, then stunned. Seeing every single thing in a new light can be disconcerting. No longer knowing who to trust or what to believe, terrifying.
Looking at life through Leora’s eyes is humbling. As she adamantly, albeit ignorantly, explains why the evil White Witch, the first blank, does not deserve to be remembered; it begins to be easier to see what actually is, as opposed to what Leora has always been told. Accepting that real knowledge is indeed power, Leora learns, then she plans. The young girl’s tremendous growth, against all odds is enlightening and empowering.
This review was written for Buried Under Books by jv poore
October 5, 2019
Morbid. Imaginative but damn morbid.
Imagine having home books made of skin of one's ancestors with their tattoos. And being able to stare at their flayed backside at your will.
Q:
“Do you want to stick needles in the living or scalpels in the dead?” (c)
Q:
“May your ancestors go before you, may they make your path straight and light your way. May your descendants follow you, praising your name as they walk in your footsteps. May your feet not grow weary, may your heart not fear. May your name be remembered and your soul live eternally.” (c)
Q:
Walking down the dusty street I sneak looks into the windows of the terraced homes I pass. The higgledy buildings are each painted different colours and face right on to the pavement. When I was little I used to tell myself stories about the streets like this; I used to imagine a giant had squeezed the row of houses making each one skinny and creating wobbly roofs of different heights. Now, I tell myself different stories as I peep into the leaded windows and wonder about the lives within. When people don’t close their curtains I take it as an invitation to guess at who lives there and what their life is like. (c)
Q:
We are not afraid of death. When your marks are safe in your book, you live on after you die. The life story etched on to your body is kept for ever – if you’re worthy. When we preserve the words, pictures and moments imprinted on our skin, our story survives for eternity. We are surrounded by the dead, and, for as long as their books are still read and their names are still spoken, they live.
Everyone has the skin books in their homes: our shelves are full of my ancestors. I can breathe them in, touch them and read their lives.
But it was only after my father died that I saw the book of someone I’d really known. (c)
Q:
The weighing of the soul ceremony is where the leaders announce their final decision about the destiny of your soul. They will have studied Dad’s book and judged whether he has led a worthy enough life. The worthy go home with their family, are placed among their ancestors, and are read and remembered for ever. Their soul is safe in the afterlife. If you’re found unworthy your soul is destroyed in flames along with your book. I’ve never seen it happen, but they say you never forget the smell of a burning skin book. (c)
Q:
I have the gift too. I’ve been able to read people since I was a child. Mum says she worked it out when I got into trouble in my first week at school. I had asked a boy why he didn’t live with his real dad. When his angry mum showed up at the door demanding to know who had been gossiping about them, Mum knew I must have read between the lines on the boy’s skin. But just because I can do it, doesn’t mean I want to do it as my job. I love the glimpse it gives me into people’s marks and lives, but sometimes I get tired of ink shouting out the inner world of strangers as they pass by. (c)
Q:
… : his skin tells such a good tale. When someone reads your book, they should be able to read your life story; they can weigh the good against the bad and know if you’re worthy. Everything important goes on our skin, because otherwise it stays in our soul, and no one wants their soul weighed down, either by pride at their good deeds or by guilt at their transgressions. We mark our bodies to keep our souls unfettered. Only the worthy attain remembrance, and to do that your good must outweigh your bad and your soul must be free. (c)
Q:
Mum is a reader; it’s more of a calling than a job, I suppose, but it does pay. It’s hard to explain what makes someone a reader, but the best way is that some of us can read the meanings behind marks – we can see beyond the immediate message to what the ink expresses about that person’s heart. My mum can look at your family tree and tell who is the favourite child. She can look at the age marks on your hand and tell which year almost broke you. She can look at the marks that describe your qualifications and tell whether you cheated. People admire readers, but they also fear them. Mum once told me that everyone has secrets they want to keep.
We shouldn’t really have secrets though. That’s the whole point. (c)
Q:
I’ve always loved his story – the tale we tell to remind us of his faithfulness, the power of stories and of the soul-freeing necessity of flaying the dead. And, of course, he stands there as a warning to us about the despicable ways of the blanks. (c) For f’s sake!
Q:
The square is where you can really get a sense of what matters in Saintstone. And if things matter here, they matter everywhere. (c)
Q:
Seeing the government building makes me realize I’ve not been called for my truth-telling test in a while. I should expect it soon I suppose. We’re meant to have one every few years, to allow us to confess. (c)
Q:
It’s strange to see less skin – I feel a little cut off, walking past people when I can only see the marks on their faces and forearms. It feels good though; I feel less naked today and not simply because of the linen shawl wrapped around me and buttoned at my shoulder. Just sometimes – and I would never say this out loud – it feels nice to hide my marks. (c)
Q:
I remember the excitement we all felt at his inauguration when we recited the words that invested him with our hopes and trust: He is good, he is wise, he is the best of us. He is not cruel, he loves us, we will not fear. He does all things for our good. I believed those words so strongly my heart nearly beat out of my chest. (c)
Q:
His government wanted to bring us back to our roots – to a society where our marks matter, where their power is taken seriously and where we truly see they have the power to change our eternity. So, Mayor Longsight and his supporters wear as little as possible, to show that they have nothing to hide. Anyone can see their marks and know their lives. (c)
Q:
a man is brought on to the stage by two enormous guards. They’re obviously here to protect us from this criminal. Or protect him from us, perhaps? (c)
Q:
I can’t help but read people as I dodge past them:
Fourteen, loves music, hates her sister.
Loves his lover, has tricked his wife.
Her dog is more of a friend than any human she’s known.
Fifty-six but feels eighty – so many sicknesses have taken her joy. (c)
Q:
He wove tales more beautiful than any tapestry. He told stories that made men weep and women fall in love. He told stories that broke hearts and mended souls. People would come to the woodcutter’s home to see his beautiful daughter, but they would stay for the stories. (c)
Q:
Perhaps my skin is blank because my life is too… (c)
Q:
… her gift was the promise of early death, of misery and frantic worry, of fighting with fate and losing every time … (c)
Q:
But then people discovered the truth. That they had secrets so terrible they wouldn’t dare to wear them. It started off with little things; the seams of your clothes adjusted by the blank seamstress would burst open, revealing their shoddy workmanship and your marked flesh. Your post would arrive with the telltale marks of tampering and you knew not to trust the blank post-mistress any longer. The blank baker sold you stale bread, the blank teacher at school taught your children to lie, the blank doctor gave medicine that seemed to make your child sicker. They claimed not to need marks or skin books for their souls to be cleansed. They called themselves righteous. But their actions revealed the real state of their souls. (c)
Q:
Mum can’t resist reading people – she loves it. Her idea of a perfect afternoon is sitting outside watching people as they walk past and sneaking a peek into their secrets. (c)
Q:
I love making marks. I love the history behind each one and the way that each can be interpreted in more than one way. (c)
Q:
No one is truly gone and forgotten until their name is no longer spoken. That’s why we greet our ancestors each morning and that’s why we have the speaking of the names ritual. It happens every day: people in the community volunteer their time and are assigned a session. (c)
Q:
The walls hold the memories that the mind no longer sees. (c)
Q:
Without transparency, integrity is impossible. (c)
Q:
“Have you seen this mark on anyone before? What did it make you think of? Do any of your family’s books bear the mark you’re considering? Where would you like the mark placed? What size? Will this be part of a larger piece? What do you want people to feel when they see your mark? What do you like about your job? What do you hate?”
Q:
“You’ve heard of love at first sight? … “Well, that’s not our story.” (c)
Q:
… then I realize I am gazing at what was my granddad’s backside, and I turn the page in a hurry. (c) Okaaay.
Q:
And then a treacherous thought comes into my mind. Perhaps you can’t know someone by reading their book. Not really know them. (c)
Q:
The shocked and sleep-deprived King thanked the guest and secretly felt that one hundred years of sleep was the best gift anyone had given that night.
…
When you’re asleep it’s hard to know how much time has passed. But it was clear to the princess that this had been no ordinary nap. She woke to see a stranger looming over her and she ran away, out to the throne room to find her parents. She saw everyone easing themselves back into wakefulness and wondered what strangeness had occurred. Before long, her parents told her the full story. The princess was enraged. How could they have kept such a secret from her? If she had known, she would never have been so foolish as to prick her finger on a spinning wheel. Wondering if she could ever trust them again she rode away with the prince. She told him that he shouldn’t kiss sleeping girls, and that she would think about his marriage proposal in a few years. (c)
Q:
But if there’s no going back, maybe I can knit these events into something new and beautiful. (c)
Imagine having home books made of skin of one's ancestors with their tattoos. And being able to stare at their flayed backside at your will.
Q:
“Do you want to stick needles in the living or scalpels in the dead?” (c)
Q:
“May your ancestors go before you, may they make your path straight and light your way. May your descendants follow you, praising your name as they walk in your footsteps. May your feet not grow weary, may your heart not fear. May your name be remembered and your soul live eternally.” (c)
Q:
Walking down the dusty street I sneak looks into the windows of the terraced homes I pass. The higgledy buildings are each painted different colours and face right on to the pavement. When I was little I used to tell myself stories about the streets like this; I used to imagine a giant had squeezed the row of houses making each one skinny and creating wobbly roofs of different heights. Now, I tell myself different stories as I peep into the leaded windows and wonder about the lives within. When people don’t close their curtains I take it as an invitation to guess at who lives there and what their life is like. (c)
Q:
We are not afraid of death. When your marks are safe in your book, you live on after you die. The life story etched on to your body is kept for ever – if you’re worthy. When we preserve the words, pictures and moments imprinted on our skin, our story survives for eternity. We are surrounded by the dead, and, for as long as their books are still read and their names are still spoken, they live.
Everyone has the skin books in their homes: our shelves are full of my ancestors. I can breathe them in, touch them and read their lives.
But it was only after my father died that I saw the book of someone I’d really known. (c)
Q:
The weighing of the soul ceremony is where the leaders announce their final decision about the destiny of your soul. They will have studied Dad’s book and judged whether he has led a worthy enough life. The worthy go home with their family, are placed among their ancestors, and are read and remembered for ever. Their soul is safe in the afterlife. If you’re found unworthy your soul is destroyed in flames along with your book. I’ve never seen it happen, but they say you never forget the smell of a burning skin book. (c)
Q:
I have the gift too. I’ve been able to read people since I was a child. Mum says she worked it out when I got into trouble in my first week at school. I had asked a boy why he didn’t live with his real dad. When his angry mum showed up at the door demanding to know who had been gossiping about them, Mum knew I must have read between the lines on the boy’s skin. But just because I can do it, doesn’t mean I want to do it as my job. I love the glimpse it gives me into people’s marks and lives, but sometimes I get tired of ink shouting out the inner world of strangers as they pass by. (c)
Q:
… : his skin tells such a good tale. When someone reads your book, they should be able to read your life story; they can weigh the good against the bad and know if you’re worthy. Everything important goes on our skin, because otherwise it stays in our soul, and no one wants their soul weighed down, either by pride at their good deeds or by guilt at their transgressions. We mark our bodies to keep our souls unfettered. Only the worthy attain remembrance, and to do that your good must outweigh your bad and your soul must be free. (c)
Q:
Mum is a reader; it’s more of a calling than a job, I suppose, but it does pay. It’s hard to explain what makes someone a reader, but the best way is that some of us can read the meanings behind marks – we can see beyond the immediate message to what the ink expresses about that person’s heart. My mum can look at your family tree and tell who is the favourite child. She can look at the age marks on your hand and tell which year almost broke you. She can look at the marks that describe your qualifications and tell whether you cheated. People admire readers, but they also fear them. Mum once told me that everyone has secrets they want to keep.
We shouldn’t really have secrets though. That’s the whole point. (c)
Q:
I’ve always loved his story – the tale we tell to remind us of his faithfulness, the power of stories and of the soul-freeing necessity of flaying the dead. And, of course, he stands there as a warning to us about the despicable ways of the blanks. (c) For f’s sake!
Q:
The square is where you can really get a sense of what matters in Saintstone. And if things matter here, they matter everywhere. (c)
Q:
Seeing the government building makes me realize I’ve not been called for my truth-telling test in a while. I should expect it soon I suppose. We’re meant to have one every few years, to allow us to confess. (c)
Q:
It’s strange to see less skin – I feel a little cut off, walking past people when I can only see the marks on their faces and forearms. It feels good though; I feel less naked today and not simply because of the linen shawl wrapped around me and buttoned at my shoulder. Just sometimes – and I would never say this out loud – it feels nice to hide my marks. (c)
Q:
I remember the excitement we all felt at his inauguration when we recited the words that invested him with our hopes and trust: He is good, he is wise, he is the best of us. He is not cruel, he loves us, we will not fear. He does all things for our good. I believed those words so strongly my heart nearly beat out of my chest. (c)
Q:
His government wanted to bring us back to our roots – to a society where our marks matter, where their power is taken seriously and where we truly see they have the power to change our eternity. So, Mayor Longsight and his supporters wear as little as possible, to show that they have nothing to hide. Anyone can see their marks and know their lives. (c)
Q:
a man is brought on to the stage by two enormous guards. They’re obviously here to protect us from this criminal. Or protect him from us, perhaps? (c)
Q:
I can’t help but read people as I dodge past them:
Fourteen, loves music, hates her sister.
Loves his lover, has tricked his wife.
Her dog is more of a friend than any human she’s known.
Fifty-six but feels eighty – so many sicknesses have taken her joy. (c)
Q:
He wove tales more beautiful than any tapestry. He told stories that made men weep and women fall in love. He told stories that broke hearts and mended souls. People would come to the woodcutter’s home to see his beautiful daughter, but they would stay for the stories. (c)
Q:
Perhaps my skin is blank because my life is too… (c)
Q:
… her gift was the promise of early death, of misery and frantic worry, of fighting with fate and losing every time … (c)
Q:
But then people discovered the truth. That they had secrets so terrible they wouldn’t dare to wear them. It started off with little things; the seams of your clothes adjusted by the blank seamstress would burst open, revealing their shoddy workmanship and your marked flesh. Your post would arrive with the telltale marks of tampering and you knew not to trust the blank post-mistress any longer. The blank baker sold you stale bread, the blank teacher at school taught your children to lie, the blank doctor gave medicine that seemed to make your child sicker. They claimed not to need marks or skin books for their souls to be cleansed. They called themselves righteous. But their actions revealed the real state of their souls. (c)
Q:
Mum can’t resist reading people – she loves it. Her idea of a perfect afternoon is sitting outside watching people as they walk past and sneaking a peek into their secrets. (c)
Q:
I love making marks. I love the history behind each one and the way that each can be interpreted in more than one way. (c)
Q:
No one is truly gone and forgotten until their name is no longer spoken. That’s why we greet our ancestors each morning and that’s why we have the speaking of the names ritual. It happens every day: people in the community volunteer their time and are assigned a session. (c)
Q:
The walls hold the memories that the mind no longer sees. (c)
Q:
Without transparency, integrity is impossible. (c)
Q:
“Have you seen this mark on anyone before? What did it make you think of? Do any of your family’s books bear the mark you’re considering? Where would you like the mark placed? What size? Will this be part of a larger piece? What do you want people to feel when they see your mark? What do you like about your job? What do you hate?”
Q:
“You’ve heard of love at first sight? … “Well, that’s not our story.” (c)
Q:
… then I realize I am gazing at what was my granddad’s backside, and I turn the page in a hurry. (c) Okaaay.
Q:
And then a treacherous thought comes into my mind. Perhaps you can’t know someone by reading their book. Not really know them. (c)
Q:
The shocked and sleep-deprived King thanked the guest and secretly felt that one hundred years of sleep was the best gift anyone had given that night.
…
When you’re asleep it’s hard to know how much time has passed. But it was clear to the princess that this had been no ordinary nap. She woke to see a stranger looming over her and she ran away, out to the throne room to find her parents. She saw everyone easing themselves back into wakefulness and wondered what strangeness had occurred. Before long, her parents told her the full story. The princess was enraged. How could they have kept such a secret from her? If she had known, she would never have been so foolish as to prick her finger on a spinning wheel. Wondering if she could ever trust them again she rode away with the prince. She told him that he shouldn’t kiss sleeping girls, and that she would think about his marriage proposal in a few years. (c)
Q:
But if there’s no going back, maybe I can knit these events into something new and beautiful. (c)
March 31, 2018
✨2 stars✨
Have I just wasted my time reading this book? Absolutely. Do I regret it? Abso-freaking-lutely.
I remember being SO excited for this book when it came out, and I never got round to it but when I picked it up the other day I had high expectations. Like, WAY too high. The idea of this book is brilliant, the concept of the tattoos marking everyone’s lives is so intriguing, but the book fell so flat for me.
Firstly, I absolutely hated Leora. She had zero personality other than gullible and childish, and I couldn’t get past how superior she felt she was even though she was ridiculously stupid at times. I understand what was trying to be done in her adamant disgust towards the blanks, but it just came across as so irritating and so unnecessarily hate filled. I think the problem was that whilst the stories and fables were discussed so often, the actual world building and backstory was so undeveloped that I couldn’t understand WHY the problems with the blanks occurred, and it just felt confusing and annoying to keep reading about it with no real explanation.
I found the characters so bland, and their motivations were all so unclear?? There were no clear reasons as to why people did things, other than to keep the plot moving, and it just felt disjointed and didn’t make much sense. Had Leora’s character been delved into a bit more then maybe I would have been able to follow it along a bit better, but I found that her actions didn’t make sense to me at times, especially when she condemned her father at the weighing, it just felt like she did things to further the story rather than to actually fit her character.
The actual plot also felt a bit lacking to me, it felt more like it was setting up a sequel than actually being it’s own book. Which is unfortunate, because I definitely won’t be reading the next one after how frustratingly disappointing this one was. I just wanted it to be so much better and it was such a let down. I didn’t see the point of Oscar, he didn’t have any personality other than being the forgotten man’s son, and their ‘romance’ (if you could call it that, which I really wouldn’t) didn’t exist aside from them touching foreheads once. When Obel told Leora that he knew she loved Oscar a bit I had to read the line again because it was so bizarre, there was literally no sign of anything she could fall in love with in the few times they met each other, and it was such a pointless thing to include.
This is becoming a rant so I’ll stop here but UGH it was just such a let down. I’ve given it an extra star than I would like to simply because it had so much potential and I did really want to like it, although I’ll probably end up knocking it back down to 1 star again after I’ve had time to think about it and get even more annoyed at it😂
Have I just wasted my time reading this book? Absolutely. Do I regret it? Abso-freaking-lutely.
I remember being SO excited for this book when it came out, and I never got round to it but when I picked it up the other day I had high expectations. Like, WAY too high. The idea of this book is brilliant, the concept of the tattoos marking everyone’s lives is so intriguing, but the book fell so flat for me.
Firstly, I absolutely hated Leora. She had zero personality other than gullible and childish, and I couldn’t get past how superior she felt she was even though she was ridiculously stupid at times. I understand what was trying to be done in her adamant disgust towards the blanks, but it just came across as so irritating and so unnecessarily hate filled. I think the problem was that whilst the stories and fables were discussed so often, the actual world building and backstory was so undeveloped that I couldn’t understand WHY the problems with the blanks occurred, and it just felt confusing and annoying to keep reading about it with no real explanation.
I found the characters so bland, and their motivations were all so unclear?? There were no clear reasons as to why people did things, other than to keep the plot moving, and it just felt disjointed and didn’t make much sense. Had Leora’s character been delved into a bit more then maybe I would have been able to follow it along a bit better, but I found that her actions didn’t make sense to me at times, especially when she condemned her father at the weighing, it just felt like she did things to further the story rather than to actually fit her character.
The actual plot also felt a bit lacking to me, it felt more like it was setting up a sequel than actually being it’s own book. Which is unfortunate, because I definitely won’t be reading the next one after how frustratingly disappointing this one was. I just wanted it to be so much better and it was such a let down. I didn’t see the point of Oscar, he didn’t have any personality other than being the forgotten man’s son, and their ‘romance’ (if you could call it that, which I really wouldn’t) didn’t exist aside from them touching foreheads once. When Obel told Leora that he knew she loved Oscar a bit I had to read the line again because it was so bizarre, there was literally no sign of anything she could fall in love with in the few times they met each other, and it was such a pointless thing to include.
This is becoming a rant so I’ll stop here but UGH it was just such a let down. I’ve given it an extra star than I would like to simply because it had so much potential and I did really want to like it, although I’ll probably end up knocking it back down to 1 star again after I’ve had time to think about it and get even more annoyed at it😂
July 3, 2022
Ink is a book that is made up of various concepts taken from other stories. No way to sugar coat that. From the endless and annoying versions of fairytales with the meanings and stories changed slightly (there's basically two versions of sleeping beauty in this book), the "main character is mentored for her job by person who's entire purpose is to keep the stories and memories of that society known" concept that seems to be taken directly from "The Giver", to the concept of the story itself which seems to be based entirely off an image that makes its way around various social media sites.
The writing is, to put it bluntly, horrendous. You know that bit in the emperors new groove where that guy goes on about the poison? Yeah imagine that for an entire novel. Things are repeated over and over again with nearly entire pages describing something that was clear within the first sentence. Concepts are drilled into your mind and by the fifth mention of how Leora (the main character) is anxious about her fathers weighing ceremony because if he is found to be not worthy his book (when the people die their skin is removed and made into a book. Bit odd but whatever) will be burned and he will be forgotten, you kinda just want to tell the author that yeah, we get it, but you'll still have to sit through it another few times.
There is an entire page devoted to the character describing how much she hates her body and how ugly it is and then this is brought up several times throughout the book despite her appearance having absolutely nothing to do with anything and it never been mentioned by anyone else (except to say she looks exactly like someone who may or may not be her great great great great great great great great etc grandmother. Which is not how genetics work). It's almost like the author was like "do you know what 16 year old girls find relatable? Self loathing and zero body confidence! Let's make the main character like that and not question or challenge it at any point in the novel!!"
The world building is awful and it's like the author couldn't decide whether it was magical or not. A story that is apparently historically accurate involves marks appearing on a (obviously beautiful because she's good TM) woman's skin by magic (something that apparently happened to the main character? That's not very clear though) while her sister (who is Ugly and Bad) is a witch who curses people but the characters have to get tattoos (which are called marks and not tattoos except for that time the author forgot) with machines. And then apparently someone's tattooed status has something to do with genetics?? Yeah that does not make sense.
The characters are ridiculous and have no consistent personalities (except that leora has absolutely no understanding of anything), completely changing in the way they think and behave in a matter of pages and Leoras mother expresses her love by repeatedly calling her a stupid girl and shouting at her. I'm not kidding this is presented as a loving thing.
There is pretty much no plot. All that happens is her dad dies and she's worried about what is basically his funeral. Things happen around that but nothing that could be considered a plot. It seems like a short story stretched out until there's nothing really happening. And it's easy to predict what happens next by thinking of what makes the least sense and choosing that.
The writing is, to put it bluntly, horrendous. You know that bit in the emperors new groove where that guy goes on about the poison? Yeah imagine that for an entire novel. Things are repeated over and over again with nearly entire pages describing something that was clear within the first sentence. Concepts are drilled into your mind and by the fifth mention of how Leora (the main character) is anxious about her fathers weighing ceremony because if he is found to be not worthy his book (when the people die their skin is removed and made into a book. Bit odd but whatever) will be burned and he will be forgotten, you kinda just want to tell the author that yeah, we get it, but you'll still have to sit through it another few times.
There is an entire page devoted to the character describing how much she hates her body and how ugly it is and then this is brought up several times throughout the book despite her appearance having absolutely nothing to do with anything and it never been mentioned by anyone else (except to say she looks exactly like someone who may or may not be her great great great great great great great great etc grandmother. Which is not how genetics work). It's almost like the author was like "do you know what 16 year old girls find relatable? Self loathing and zero body confidence! Let's make the main character like that and not question or challenge it at any point in the novel!!"
The world building is awful and it's like the author couldn't decide whether it was magical or not. A story that is apparently historically accurate involves marks appearing on a (obviously beautiful because she's good TM) woman's skin by magic (something that apparently happened to the main character? That's not very clear though) while her sister (who is Ugly and Bad) is a witch who curses people but the characters have to get tattoos (which are called marks and not tattoos except for that time the author forgot) with machines. And then apparently someone's tattooed status has something to do with genetics?? Yeah that does not make sense.
The characters are ridiculous and have no consistent personalities (except that leora has absolutely no understanding of anything), completely changing in the way they think and behave in a matter of pages and Leoras mother expresses her love by repeatedly calling her a stupid girl and shouting at her. I'm not kidding this is presented as a loving thing.
There is pretty much no plot. All that happens is her dad dies and she's worried about what is basically his funeral. Things happen around that but nothing that could be considered a plot. It seems like a short story stretched out until there's nothing really happening. And it's easy to predict what happens next by thinking of what makes the least sense and choosing that.
November 26, 2018
5 Words: Family, secrets, stories, identity, truth.
Why did I leave this so long?
I was being recommended it left, right, and centre, and yet I still didn't pick it up. Someone gave me their copy, and I still didn't pick it up.
I think I was a little bit intimidated by the beautiful cover for this book. It's absolutely stunning, and it gave me Expectations.
It was January's Northern Book Blogger book so I picked it up. And wow.
Thankfully, Ink lived up to the cover. It was fantastic.
I loved the stories within the story, how some of them were instantly recognisable as tales we know, and some were unique to the world of Ink.
I loved the mystery of the story, the twists and turns as I read. I did find it a little easy to guess the big twist, but I didn't enjoy the story any less for it.
The concept of the story is unique, and it really got me thinking. I liked the exploration of religion and prejudice, the visibility of everyone's lives on their skin.
Why did I leave this so long?
I was being recommended it left, right, and centre, and yet I still didn't pick it up. Someone gave me their copy, and I still didn't pick it up.
I think I was a little bit intimidated by the beautiful cover for this book. It's absolutely stunning, and it gave me Expectations.
It was January's Northern Book Blogger book so I picked it up. And wow.
Thankfully, Ink lived up to the cover. It was fantastic.
I loved the stories within the story, how some of them were instantly recognisable as tales we know, and some were unique to the world of Ink.
I loved the mystery of the story, the twists and turns as I read. I did find it a little easy to guess the big twist, but I didn't enjoy the story any less for it.
The concept of the story is unique, and it really got me thinking. I liked the exploration of religion and prejudice, the visibility of everyone's lives on their skin.
July 26, 2017
Finally finished my first book for Booktubeathon! This book had such an intriguing premise and I really enjoyed it.
June 26, 2018
DNFed around the halfway point.
(I read this book as part of our YALMC book club.)
I don't think this is a bad book; however, I had some major problems with it. The main issue I had was the voice. I could easily picture an adult trying to 'think' like a teenager. The author voice definitely overpowered character voice, which made almost all the characters sound the same. I found it really hard to get into the story because of that, and I kept putting the book down.
I also felt like the writing style attracted too much attention to itself. I'm not a huge fan of purple prose so this made it even harder for me to connect with the story.
A lot of people really enjoyed this book and I can totally see why. The premise is really cool and some of the themes it dealt with such as grief, religion, and identity resonated with a lot of readers. I would still recommend this book, even though I did not enjoy it myself, I feel like other people might.
Thank you for reading, please share your thoughts!
(I read this book as part of our YALMC book club.)
I don't think this is a bad book; however, I had some major problems with it. The main issue I had was the voice. I could easily picture an adult trying to 'think' like a teenager. The author voice definitely overpowered character voice, which made almost all the characters sound the same. I found it really hard to get into the story because of that, and I kept putting the book down.
I also felt like the writing style attracted too much attention to itself. I'm not a huge fan of purple prose so this made it even harder for me to connect with the story.
A lot of people really enjoyed this book and I can totally see why. The premise is really cool and some of the themes it dealt with such as grief, religion, and identity resonated with a lot of readers. I would still recommend this book, even though I did not enjoy it myself, I feel like other people might.
Thank you for reading, please share your thoughts!
February 15, 2022
DNF. This was not for me. 👎🏻 Filet of skin 🤮
February 13, 2017
Yes you can judge a book by its cover! This book’s cover actually tells you the whole story and if you were a skin reader like Leora and her Mother you wouldn’t have to look inside to the pages, all would be told by the beautiful markings.
In this Dystopian World, that Alice Broadway has so carefully created, your life story with all it’s achievements and failures is tattooed on your skin. Thus, you let people know who you are (so there is trust), your soul is unburdened onto your skin (so there is hope) and when you die your family can remember who you are from your skin book (so you live on). People who don’t have tattoos known as the Blanks are to be feared.
In the beginning Leora’s father has just died and she begins to suspect that something has been omitted from his skin book. What that secret is will change her life forever…..
This book is well written and it’s one of those stories that you find yourself so engrossed in that it’s a hard shock when you look up from the book and have to engage again in the real world (like having to actually get off at your Bus stop). Some of the plot devises are obvious, some not so. I won’t say which I am not a spoiler. Let’s just say two things. I am going to stop saying I don’t like YA (this and recent reads have proven this to be untrue) and I am already looking forward to the sequel after that ending!
In this Dystopian World, that Alice Broadway has so carefully created, your life story with all it’s achievements and failures is tattooed on your skin. Thus, you let people know who you are (so there is trust), your soul is unburdened onto your skin (so there is hope) and when you die your family can remember who you are from your skin book (so you live on). People who don’t have tattoos known as the Blanks are to be feared.
In the beginning Leora’s father has just died and she begins to suspect that something has been omitted from his skin book. What that secret is will change her life forever…..
This book is well written and it’s one of those stories that you find yourself so engrossed in that it’s a hard shock when you look up from the book and have to engage again in the real world (like having to actually get off at your Bus stop). Some of the plot devises are obvious, some not so. I won’t say which I am not a spoiler. Let’s just say two things. I am going to stop saying I don’t like YA (this and recent reads have proven this to be untrue) and I am already looking forward to the sequel after that ending!
July 24, 2018
I won't finish the books since i feel like it's a huge waste of time from my point of view.
Brilliant idea, poorly developed.
The whole concept of people getting inked their whole life is interesting but it's full of flaws. How come people never challenge the system when they don't want to get tattoed because they made something wrong? No one asks questions, no one doubts, they just feel so brainless.
Plus, it's the kind of books that tells a lot but NEVER shows and i personally can't stand this kind of narration because it feels empty.
Sorry. not my cup of tea!
Brilliant idea, poorly developed.
The whole concept of people getting inked their whole life is interesting but it's full of flaws. How come people never challenge the system when they don't want to get tattoed because they made something wrong? No one asks questions, no one doubts, they just feel so brainless.
Plus, it's the kind of books that tells a lot but NEVER shows and i personally can't stand this kind of narration because it feels empty.
Sorry. not my cup of tea!
November 17, 2017
Here’s me thinking stuff appears on your skin as you talk 🙄
The concept of this book is so awesome! But it dragged! The last bit of the book was SO underwhelming..
I won’t be reading a sequel..
The concept of this book is so awesome! But it dragged! The last bit of the book was SO underwhelming..
I won’t be reading a sequel..
May 31, 2022
This book is for you if… you would like to be freaked out and fascinated by a fantasy narrative about people getting tattoos at the same time.
⤐ Additionally.
Ink is a very strange book, indeed. Maybe I should have reminded myself of the synopsis before starting this book. Either way I was not prepared for it. It's a dark, frightening book that should only be read if in the right state of mind.
In Ink, we follow the story of Leora, a girl that lives in some kind of religious fundamentalist community. The religion/faith/yadda yadda yadda they follow reminds me a lot of Christianity. The doctrine is that people must adhere to the rules of the community in order to be remembered after they die (kind of like following weird rules from the Bible in order to go to heaven). The way they are remembered is that a book is made out of their skin and this book tells the story of the deceased. Almost as creepy as actual organised religion in the real world.
In the beginning, Leora does not seem to realise the dangerous extremism she is exposed to. Her community pretty much breathes othering, a practice whereby those who defer from the standard of the community are demonised. In the case of Ink, members of Leora's community wear marks - tattoos - on their body that tell the story of the individual's life wearing them. Every good and bad thing can be written on one's skin. Everybody is defined by these marks. Those who do not have them, so-called 'blanks' (atheists in real life, I guess) are evil. They are actively hunted and killed, children not excluded. Of course, this is only evident to the reader.
I absolutely love the concept and think it's a very interesting thing to write about. Alice does quite a good job painting this world of the marked and also showing how it could seem gentle and morally sound to those who are unquestioning of their 'faith'. I am somewhat unsatisfied with the amount (lack) of active criticism exercised towards the dangerous religious fundamentalism depicted in Ink but I am hopeful this is something to be addressed in the rest of the series.
⤐ What’s happening.
‘The princess was enraged. How could they have kept such a secret from her? If she had known, she would never have been so foolish as to prick her finger on a spinning wheel. Wondering if she could ever trust them again she rode away with the prince. She told him that he shouldn’t kiss sleeping girls, and that she would think about his marriage proposal in a few years.’
spoiler alert : Oh if only parents were more honest with their children ... it would be better for society as a whole. This book is a great example of that.
_____________________
3 STARS. Decent read that I have neither strongly positive nor negative feelings about. Some things irked me and thus it does not qualify as exceptional.
June 6, 2018
Leora Flint has just finished school. She and her best friend, Verity, are excited to be starting work in their first-choice fields, and to be considering their very first chosen marks -- the tattoos everyone in their society gets regularly to record life-events and reflect their personalities. Leora is mourning her father’s recent death, but finds comfort in how his skin, like everyone else’s, will be turned into a book that she and her mother will keep at home and “read” when they want to feel close to him. Then some irregularities in the usual official procedures occur, and Leora struggles to discover the truth about her father, her society, and herself.I’m having a bit of a love/hate relationship with this book.
I really loved the mythology. People choose themes for their personal art--oceans, forests, flowers, birds, etc.--and the story of their lives is drawn through this imagery. Information that’s public knowledge, such as one’s age or profession, is marked on visible areas like the arms. More intimate history is kept under wraps--people’s marriages are commemorated on their buttocks, for instance. The marks aren’t just silent, either, as people like Leora and her mother can read their depths, details and secrets that even the person wearing the mark may not be aware of. (Leora’s mother is paid to read people as if they were walking Tarot cards looking for insights into themselves.) The belief in these marks, and what they reveal about people, is the local religion: When people die, their skins are flayed from their bodies and turned into books, which also determines their entry to the afterlife and permanent remembrance--unless the person’s story shown in their marks is deemed to be unworthy, in which case their book is burned, their soul is erased, and they are forgotten. Pretty powerful stuff! There is also an entire museum dedicated to the history and meaning of all the marks, and fairy tale-like myths about the origins of the tradition. The author describes herself as a “former theology student” and that really shines through in the marking mythology.
I really wish the whole book had been this strong. But the rest of the book was just a bit meh for me. The pacing dragged, so I’m left feeling positive that this and its sequel would have been much tighter and more exciting as a standalone rather than two books. Partly because of the draggy pacing, the plot twists are pretty obvious by the time the story gets to them. I didn’t guess all the details, but I sure sensed the gist of how things turned out. If this were a standalone, all those reveals could have been made 100 pages earlier and might have been surprising then. The reveals also poke huge holes in the plot premise, or at least left me scratching my head. I was left with far too many questions at the end of this story, and I don’t mean about what’s going to happen next.
The tension in the story is based on the Marked versus the Blanks, each group descended from one of two sisters, one “chosen” to be the original Mark (her tattoos appeared supernaturally), and the other apparently not chosen, as her skin remained untouched. Naturally the Sneetches with stars on thars--oops, I mean the Marked-- think they’re superior, force the Blanks to live in their own isolated enclave, and spread rumors about how the Blanks are infiltrating wholesome society and harming the goodness and purity of the Marked. Even Blanks who decide to be Marked never seem to make the grade. I ended up confused about just what the Marked/Blank dichotomy is supposed to be standing in for: religious differences, racism, immigration, just any and every form of xenophobia? It all felt very muddled by the end.
Since the sequel was released yesterday and may show up at my library while I still remember this first installment, I may read the second book just to try to figure out where the author is going and what the story is trying to say, despite my frustration with the story so far. I do really like the personal marking mythology and Leora’s feelings about her own skin and how to express herself through it. And I say that as a person who has zero tattoos and zero intention of ever getting any!
This was a very mixed bag as far as I’m concerned. Do keep in mind that this book is very much a YA dystopian novel, and I never get on very well with those (I'd thought it was going to be more of a high fantasy). So your mileage may vary if dystopians are more to your tastes.
February 12, 2017
As a disclaimer; this is my first review! I've only been on goodreads a short while and have only started to read more religiously this past year and I don't really have a clue what I'm doing.
(Can't decide between 2 or 3 so I'll be that guy who goes for 2.5 but rounds down because that's a thing here apparently)
I loved the concept of this book - the culture and the inclusion of fables was what really interested me and I adored the almost creepy/gory aspect of it. It was so descriptive as well and it's for these reasons alone that I will be enticed into reading the second book once it's available.
Unfortunately I just really struggled with the romance side of it... I understood why it was written in this way, but it's just not my cup of tea.
I can't read through the type of blossoming romance that you'd see in a teenage girl's diary without rolling my eyes so much that they detach from their retinas. It's the one thing in YA books that can absolutely put me off but that's pretty much just my issue maybe I don't know I guess.
Nope - doesn't do it for me.
It was this and the predictability in places that would have ruined the book for me were it not for the intriguing concept.
All this being said, I'll be reading the next book in the hope that Lor will have made the decision to douse herself in cold water and focus more on being a badass.
YOU BURN IT, GIRL.
(Can't decide between 2 or 3 so I'll be that guy who goes for 2.5 but rounds down because that's a thing here apparently)
"Do you want to stick needles in the living or scalpels in the dead?"
I loved the concept of this book - the culture and the inclusion of fables was what really interested me and I adored the almost creepy/gory aspect of it. It was so descriptive as well and it's for these reasons alone that I will be enticed into reading the second book once it's available.
Unfortunately I just really struggled with the romance side of it... I understood why it was written in this way, but it's just not my cup of tea.
I can't read through the type of blossoming romance that you'd see in a teenage girl's diary without rolling my eyes so much that they detach from their retinas. It's the one thing in YA books that can absolutely put me off but that's pretty much just my issue maybe I don't know I guess.
"Oh no. He's seen me looking. He's going to think I was looking and I wasn't. Well, maybe I was looking a bit, but I don't want him to know that."
Nope - doesn't do it for me.
It was this and the predictability in places that would have ruined the book for me were it not for the intriguing concept.
All this being said, I'll be reading the next book in the hope that Lor will have made the decision to douse herself in cold water and focus more on being a badass.
YOU BURN IT, GIRL.
July 19, 2022
Pomysł jest ciekawy, z jednej strony oryginalny, a z drugiej całkiem „oczywisty”. Mam na myśli to, że wiele ludzi robi sobie tatuaże, aby coś uwiecznić.
Mam bardzo mieszane uczucia co do tej książki. Z jednej strony była fajna i przyjemna, ale z drugiej nie do końca załapałem ten klimat. Tworzenie książek ze skóry zmarłych? Ciekawe, ale nie wiem jak sobie to wyobrazić.
Mam wrażenie, że fabuła bardzo szybko ucieka mi z głowy…
Końcowy element zaskakujący był… nie do końca zaskakujący? Motyw dość oklepany i znany.
Ocena: 2,0.
Mam bardzo mieszane uczucia co do tej książki. Z jednej strony była fajna i przyjemna, ale z drugiej nie do końca załapałem ten klimat. Tworzenie książek ze skóry zmarłych? Ciekawe, ale nie wiem jak sobie to wyobrazić.
Mam wrażenie, że fabuła bardzo szybko ucieka mi z głowy…
Końcowy element zaskakujący był… nie do końca zaskakujący? Motyw dość oklepany i znany.
Ocena: 2,0.
Read
May 13, 2018A great series starter with fairy tales as a world building technique - felt like a dream!
March 31, 2021
OCENA: 3,5 ⭐️
May 19, 2018
DNF'd at 248 pages.
I have to be particularly disconnected from a story to give up on it and I've learnt over time that the more books I read, the less is my desire to force myself to finish something I'm not enjoying. It's a shame because this looked and sounded really special.
I've got to stop cover-buying, but it's such a pretty cover. Unfortunately, I didn't feel anything for this book. I wouldn't say I disliked it, but I certainly didn't like it either. I found it rather bland and have very little emotions for it altogether.
Characters
I didn't connect to any of the characters and found them lacking in personal development and personality. They felt incredibly flimsy and I didn't care for their stories and often didn't understand their motives. Quite often, when names were mentioned, I didn't know who was being spoken of because none of them had made a big enough impression for me to remember them.
Leora was alright but I didn't know enough about her or even care most of the time. I felt like her reactions to certain things were forced and any distressing situation seemed to be perfectly placated and forgotten by the appearance of a handsome boy. Like, no, Leora. Just no.
I literally can't think of anything to write about these characters because I felt no emotion for them. I mean, even hate is an emotion, but I didn't even feel that for anybody.
Plot
The idea is interesting and original but it's poorly executed. The prospect of tattoos being mandatory is sort of explained, but not really. To be honest, I was more confused and by a certain point in the book, I accepted the fact that I wasn't getting answers.
Instead of describing the plot and what I didn't like about it, I'll instead describe what I thought this book was going to be about.
In my head I pictured a community segregated by prejudice, those with Marks and those without, outcast, Blanks. When Leora's dad dies he doesn't just leave his family with memories, he leaves them secrets too. Intriguing right? Learning this, possibilities played out in my head. Her dad was a Blank sympathiser, or spy or perhaps even (gasp) the leader of the Blank community or something cool. A random Blank boy (he'd have to be beautiful of course, this is a YA book after all) would find Leora and explain everything to her; who her dad was, what he meant to the Blank community, and the truth behind the fanatical government, which would have to be a really grim truth, one that has to be stopped. From here, Leora would work as an insider for the Blanks, meeting secretly with the pretty boy Blank to feed him information. Shit would inevitably go wrong and she would get caught, or better yet, he would and she would have to rescue him from the government. Now a wanted fugitive, but also a clear outsider of the Blank community, she would have to go on the run, presumably with pretty boy Blank while they try and figure out a way of bringing down the government. If a plot twist was necessary, maybe he couldn't have been lying all along and the Blanks are actually the bad guys, and now Leora doesn't belong anywhere and has to plot to bring down the Blanks single-handedly in order to win her place back in society. Either way, that would be a book that would sufficiently interest me. And squeezing all that into 366 pages would have offered an action-packed, no-room-to-breath kind of book.
But this wasn't the plot, unfortunately.
. . . moving on.
Something that didn't make sense to me: if all tattoos have to be physically inked on the skin instead of randomly appearing every time someone does something good or bad, why in hell would anyone get a bad tattoo and thus condemn their own soul? It would make more sense for the tattoos to be entirely out of a person's control and just appear. Say you commit a crime and it's a secret; why do you have to get that tattooed? Who would know? Why would you? It doesn't make any bloody sense.
And another thing, I don't understand why Leora's mentor would be Mel? Surely that should be Obel, y'know, the one who's actually teaching her to Ink. WTF has Mel got to do with it? Mel should be mentoring Isolda, not Leora.
The problem with this book is there are too many plot holes.
Setting
Again, I can't say much about the setting because I don't know enough about it to form any kind of opinion.
This strange world is never explained or explored. Where is it even set? I'm assuming some kind of weird Britain by the way Leora speaks, ('Mum' and not 'Mom'), or is it a completely fictional fantasy world? In which case, why is their way of life so similar to ours?
This is obviously a dystopian novel but this dystopian world is never explained.
The setting is the most important character of any novel, I truly believe that. If the setting is badly developed, what chance do the characters have of thriving in it? There are too many questions attached to this story and very few are answered, most completely overlooked.
Writing Style
This is very clearly a YA novel, and just the type of YA writing style I'm not keen on. It's not that the writing is bad, it's just juvenile, too simple, as if the readers won't understand big words or complex plot twists, and while we're on the topic of plot twists, I saw that twist about the stolen skin guy a mile off, as soon as the guys crime was mentioned I immediately knew it was her dad's skin, it was so obvious and I was so frustrated that it took Leora until halfway through the book to figure that out. I'm like, girl, you need to catch up, that little revelation is so 18 chapters ago.
But let's talk about the pacing. This book is very slow. Sometimes a slow-burning plot can be very effective to a story, but in this case, I needed quick and snappy, diving straight in the action, headlong into crazy, life-threatening situations. This book really dragged, to be honest. 207 pages in and I still felt like I was waiting for the main plot to start. The book only has 366 pages.
And pointless things were described in the utmost detail whilst important things like characterisation and world-building was completely neglected. I don't understand why the author spent a whole page describing Leora's process of making hot chocolate and yet the characters felt so under-developed. Oh well, at least the hot chocolate was well developed, right?
Final Impression
I don't want to slate this book cause it was by no means the worst book I've ever read and I appreciate that authors put their heart and soul into their writing, but bugger me it was just so insipid, so bland, so meh.
I neither liked nor disliked it. It had no impact on me whatsoever and I'm not even sure I'll remember it in a years time, which is a shame because it's a worthy idea with great potential, but so utterly not my flavour of fantasy, of YA, of literature in general. I don't read books to feel nothing, and unfortunately, while reading this book, I felt that in abundance.
I have to be particularly disconnected from a story to give up on it and I've learnt over time that the more books I read, the less is my desire to force myself to finish something I'm not enjoying. It's a shame because this looked and sounded really special.
I've got to stop cover-buying, but it's such a pretty cover. Unfortunately, I didn't feel anything for this book. I wouldn't say I disliked it, but I certainly didn't like it either. I found it rather bland and have very little emotions for it altogether.
Characters
I didn't connect to any of the characters and found them lacking in personal development and personality. They felt incredibly flimsy and I didn't care for their stories and often didn't understand their motives. Quite often, when names were mentioned, I didn't know who was being spoken of because none of them had made a big enough impression for me to remember them.
Leora was alright but I didn't know enough about her or even care most of the time. I felt like her reactions to certain things were forced and any distressing situation seemed to be perfectly placated and forgotten by the appearance of a handsome boy. Like, no, Leora. Just no.
I literally can't think of anything to write about these characters because I felt no emotion for them. I mean, even hate is an emotion, but I didn't even feel that for anybody.
Plot
The idea is interesting and original but it's poorly executed. The prospect of tattoos being mandatory is sort of explained, but not really. To be honest, I was more confused and by a certain point in the book, I accepted the fact that I wasn't getting answers.
Instead of describing the plot and what I didn't like about it, I'll instead describe what I thought this book was going to be about.
In my head I pictured a community segregated by prejudice, those with Marks and those without, outcast, Blanks. When Leora's dad dies he doesn't just leave his family with memories, he leaves them secrets too. Intriguing right? Learning this, possibilities played out in my head. Her dad was a Blank sympathiser, or spy or perhaps even (gasp) the leader of the Blank community or something cool. A random Blank boy (he'd have to be beautiful of course, this is a YA book after all) would find Leora and explain everything to her; who her dad was, what he meant to the Blank community, and the truth behind the fanatical government, which would have to be a really grim truth, one that has to be stopped. From here, Leora would work as an insider for the Blanks, meeting secretly with the pretty boy Blank to feed him information. Shit would inevitably go wrong and she would get caught, or better yet, he would and she would have to rescue him from the government. Now a wanted fugitive, but also a clear outsider of the Blank community, she would have to go on the run, presumably with pretty boy Blank while they try and figure out a way of bringing down the government. If a plot twist was necessary, maybe he couldn't have been lying all along and the Blanks are actually the bad guys, and now Leora doesn't belong anywhere and has to plot to bring down the Blanks single-handedly in order to win her place back in society. Either way, that would be a book that would sufficiently interest me. And squeezing all that into 366 pages would have offered an action-packed, no-room-to-breath kind of book.
But this wasn't the plot, unfortunately.
. . . moving on.
Something that didn't make sense to me: if all tattoos have to be physically inked on the skin instead of randomly appearing every time someone does something good or bad, why in hell would anyone get a bad tattoo and thus condemn their own soul? It would make more sense for the tattoos to be entirely out of a person's control and just appear. Say you commit a crime and it's a secret; why do you have to get that tattooed? Who would know? Why would you? It doesn't make any bloody sense.
And another thing, I don't understand why Leora's mentor would be Mel? Surely that should be Obel, y'know, the one who's actually teaching her to Ink. WTF has Mel got to do with it? Mel should be mentoring Isolda, not Leora.
The problem with this book is there are too many plot holes.
Setting
Again, I can't say much about the setting because I don't know enough about it to form any kind of opinion.
This strange world is never explained or explored. Where is it even set? I'm assuming some kind of weird Britain by the way Leora speaks, ('Mum' and not 'Mom'), or is it a completely fictional fantasy world? In which case, why is their way of life so similar to ours?
This is obviously a dystopian novel but this dystopian world is never explained.
The setting is the most important character of any novel, I truly believe that. If the setting is badly developed, what chance do the characters have of thriving in it? There are too many questions attached to this story and very few are answered, most completely overlooked.
Writing Style
This is very clearly a YA novel, and just the type of YA writing style I'm not keen on. It's not that the writing is bad, it's just juvenile, too simple, as if the readers won't understand big words or complex plot twists, and while we're on the topic of plot twists, I saw that twist about the stolen skin guy a mile off, as soon as the guys crime was mentioned I immediately knew it was her dad's skin, it was so obvious and I was so frustrated that it took Leora until halfway through the book to figure that out. I'm like, girl, you need to catch up, that little revelation is so 18 chapters ago.
But let's talk about the pacing. This book is very slow. Sometimes a slow-burning plot can be very effective to a story, but in this case, I needed quick and snappy, diving straight in the action, headlong into crazy, life-threatening situations. This book really dragged, to be honest. 207 pages in and I still felt like I was waiting for the main plot to start. The book only has 366 pages.
And pointless things were described in the utmost detail whilst important things like characterisation and world-building was completely neglected. I don't understand why the author spent a whole page describing Leora's process of making hot chocolate and yet the characters felt so under-developed. Oh well, at least the hot chocolate was well developed, right?
Final Impression
I don't want to slate this book cause it was by no means the worst book I've ever read and I appreciate that authors put their heart and soul into their writing, but bugger me it was just so insipid, so bland, so meh.
I neither liked nor disliked it. It had no impact on me whatsoever and I'm not even sure I'll remember it in a years time, which is a shame because it's a worthy idea with great potential, but so utterly not my flavour of fantasy, of YA, of literature in general. I don't read books to feel nothing, and unfortunately, while reading this book, I felt that in abundance.
January 14, 2019
Nu am cuvinte să descriu cât este de slabă. De fapt, cel mai bine ar fi să recunosc că nu eu sunt publicul țintă al unei povești cu o adolescentă de șaisprezece ani care suspină cale de trei sute de pagini că nu o place nimeni, că, în chip nedrept, are vergeturi pe sânii minusculi și pe șolduri și că, din această cauză, umblă înfofolită în zece straturi de haine, că toată lumea e împotriva ei și că toți îi ascund taine cu ajutorul cărora ar afla... nu știu exact ce. Din puținul pe care Alice Broadway s-a deranjat să-l dezvăluie, am ghicit că acțiunea se petrece într-o lume să-i zicem opresivă (de unde și referința la „1984” al lui Orwell), în care principala preocupare a oamenilor nu este grija zilei de mâine, ci să urmeze fidel instrucțiunile „guvernului” și să-și tatueze pe propria piele toate întâmplărie prin care trec de-a lungul vieții. După moartea unei persoane, meșteșugarii jupuitori se pun pe treabă și-i dau pielea jos, iar din această piele fac o carte cu povești. Apoi, un juriu decide dacă persoana respectivă merită să rămână în amintirea colectivă sau cartea alcătuită din pielea jupuită de pe trupul persoanei respective trebuie arsă, condamnându-i astfel sufletul la uitare. Destul de poetic, aș putea spune. Numai că trebuie să orbecăi de unul singur, mai mult închipuindu-ți ce vrea să zică autoarea, care-i sunt intențiile și ce s-a petrecut în trecut și ce se petrece dincolo de zidurile de care s-au înconjurat personajele acestei povești.
Nu, „Frumoasa din pădurea adormită”, „Legenda Vrăjitoarei Albe” și „Cutia Pandorei” nu sunt suficiente ca să ne ajute să ne dăm seama ce s-a petrecut înainte. Chiar deloc. M-a dus cu gândul la „The Village” a lui M. Night Shyamalan, dar cam atât. Mai multe, probabil în episodul următor.
Mă abțin să spun mai multe. Păcat doar de copertă, cea care m-a și impulsionat să citesc această carte.
Mai multe, pe Bookblog: http://www.bookblog.ro/recenzie/sa-ne....
Nu, „Frumoasa din pădurea adormită”, „Legenda Vrăjitoarei Albe” și „Cutia Pandorei” nu sunt suficiente ca să ne ajute să ne dăm seama ce s-a petrecut înainte. Chiar deloc. M-a dus cu gândul la „The Village” a lui M. Night Shyamalan, dar cam atât. Mai multe, probabil în episodul următor.
Mă abțin să spun mai multe. Păcat doar de copertă, cea care m-a și impulsionat să citesc această carte.
Mai multe, pe Bookblog: http://www.bookblog.ro/recenzie/sa-ne....
April 22, 2018
Nežinojau, ko iš šios knygos tikėtis, bet aprašymas ir įdomus viršelis tikrai patraukė akį. Ar gailiuosi perskaičiusi? Tikrai ne.
Knygos veiksmas vyksta kitokiame pasaulyje. Čia žmonės savo gyvenimo istorijas tatuiruojasi ant odos. Tai reiškia, jog kiekvienas tavo svarbus žingsnis, tiek didelis pasiekimas, tiek blogas nusižengimas bus užfiksuotas ant odos ir žmonės visuomet matys, kokį gyvenimą gyveni ar gyvenai. Pagal šias žymes vėliau sprendžiama, ar žmogų po jo mirties reikia prisiminti, ar pamiršti amžiams.
Paauglė Leorą ką tik prarado labai svarbų žmogų - mirė jos tėtis. Nors pastarasis merginos akyse buvo nuostabus žmogus, ji įsitikinusi, kad tėčio atminimas bus išlaikytas, po jo mirties paaiškėja, jog tėtis buvo didžiausias nusikaltėlis. Jis ant kūno turi juodvarnio žymę, kuria žymimi tik didžiausi nusikaltėliai. Leora negali tuo patikėti, bet žino, kad padarys viską, kad tik išsaugotų tėčio atminimą.
Visa istorija yra apie tai, kaip Leora kapstosi po savo šeimos praeitį ir išsiaiškina, kas iš tiesų yra jos artimieji, kas yra ji pati. Iš tiesų buvau pasiilgusi distopinių knygų, tad skaityti apie kitokią pasaulio tvarką buvo įdomu - juolab, kad apie tokį pasaulį dar nebuvau girdėjusi. Knyga pagrindinės herojės atžvilgiu primena tiek "Divergentę", tiek "Bado žaidynes" - esu tikra, jog antroje dalyje šie panašumai dar labiau išryškės. Knygą tikrai lengva skaityti, žavi autorės pavaizduotos gražios draugystės, begalinės meilės ir skaudžios išdavystės. Kai kuriems veikėjams ar veiksmams mano atžvilgiu pritrūko išbaigtumo, bet tikiu, kad kitose dalyse viskas dar labiau atsiskleis.
Knyga nėra kažkuo labai labai ypatinga - ją skaityti malonu, įdomu, paprasta, bet didesnės kulminacijos ar įvykių posūkių man pritrūko. Visgi tikrai rekomenduoju tiems, kas nori pamatyti šiek tiek kitokį pasaulį - Alice Broadway tikrai sukūrė įdomią visuomenę.
Knygos veiksmas vyksta kitokiame pasaulyje. Čia žmonės savo gyvenimo istorijas tatuiruojasi ant odos. Tai reiškia, jog kiekvienas tavo svarbus žingsnis, tiek didelis pasiekimas, tiek blogas nusižengimas bus užfiksuotas ant odos ir žmonės visuomet matys, kokį gyvenimą gyveni ar gyvenai. Pagal šias žymes vėliau sprendžiama, ar žmogų po jo mirties reikia prisiminti, ar pamiršti amžiams.
Paauglė Leorą ką tik prarado labai svarbų žmogų - mirė jos tėtis. Nors pastarasis merginos akyse buvo nuostabus žmogus, ji įsitikinusi, kad tėčio atminimas bus išlaikytas, po jo mirties paaiškėja, jog tėtis buvo didžiausias nusikaltėlis. Jis ant kūno turi juodvarnio žymę, kuria žymimi tik didžiausi nusikaltėliai. Leora negali tuo patikėti, bet žino, kad padarys viską, kad tik išsaugotų tėčio atminimą.
Visa istorija yra apie tai, kaip Leora kapstosi po savo šeimos praeitį ir išsiaiškina, kas iš tiesų yra jos artimieji, kas yra ji pati. Iš tiesų buvau pasiilgusi distopinių knygų, tad skaityti apie kitokią pasaulio tvarką buvo įdomu - juolab, kad apie tokį pasaulį dar nebuvau girdėjusi. Knyga pagrindinės herojės atžvilgiu primena tiek "Divergentę", tiek "Bado žaidynes" - esu tikra, jog antroje dalyje šie panašumai dar labiau išryškės. Knygą tikrai lengva skaityti, žavi autorės pavaizduotos gražios draugystės, begalinės meilės ir skaudžios išdavystės. Kai kuriems veikėjams ar veiksmams mano atžvilgiu pritrūko išbaigtumo, bet tikiu, kad kitose dalyse viskas dar labiau atsiskleis.
Knyga nėra kažkuo labai labai ypatinga - ją skaityti malonu, įdomu, paprasta, bet didesnės kulminacijos ar įvykių posūkių man pritrūko. Visgi tikrai rekomenduoju tiems, kas nori pamatyti šiek tiek kitokį pasaulį - Alice Broadway tikrai sukūrė įdomią visuomenę.
February 12, 2022
RE-READ (12.02.22): Lowered this a tiny bit to a 4.5 star. I agree with all my comments below, and I loved re-reading this book. I feel like the actual trial was a little rushed and that there could've been more detail at points (some parts felt a little brief).
ORIGINAL REVIEW:
Absolutely bloody loved this book. Stormed through it, reading it all in one night. I loved the writing style of this book was great, and the set-up of the world was perfect. We got quite a lot of information but it wasn't dumped on us, and it all seemed very "real", even though it was potentially one of the weirdest ideas I've read in a while.
ORIGINAL REVIEW:
Absolutely bloody loved this book. Stormed through it, reading it all in one night. I loved the writing style of this book was great, and the set-up of the world was perfect. We got quite a lot of information but it wasn't dumped on us, and it all seemed very "real", even though it was potentially one of the weirdest ideas I've read in a while.
July 13, 2020
Nie zliczę ile razy w czasie lektury wyobrażałam sobie spotkanie przykładnego przedstawiciela społeczności Saintstone z człowiekiem, którego tatuaże przedstawiają rzeczy raczej dziwne i niespotykane, jak np. kot z laserami w oczach :D Ciekawe, co by powiedzieli o takich tatuażach!
Książka ogólnie ok, ale główna bohateka okropnie naiwna i niedomyślna. Nie wiem czy sięgnę po kolejne tomy.
Książka ogólnie ok, ale główna bohateka okropnie naiwna i niedomyślna. Nie wiem czy sięgnę po kolejne tomy.
June 16, 2022
“even if every inch of you was covered and every word you have ever spoken was written on your skin, would it be enough? would it be all anyone needed to truly know you?”
August 14, 2019
Много увлекателна и нестандартна история. Книгата е 400 стр, но така леко и бързо върви, че я прочетох за ден без изобщо да усетя. Светът, в който ни пренася е свят, в който всеки детайл от живота на човек се татуира на кожата му. А след смъртта кожата се одира и се прави на книга, която се съхранява от семейството, почита се и докато се отгръща мъртвият се помни. Така душата му остава вечна. Но преди книгата да се прибере от семейството има съд за претегляне на живота и присъдата може да бъде "Забравен!", а книгата да се изгори. Когато бащата на Леора умира, тя и майка й чакат с нетърпение да си приберат книгата у дома при предците им, но в хода на действието се оказва, че баща й може би не е бил този, за когото го е мислила и може да бъде заклеймен да бъде забравен. В същото време и самата Леора може да се окаже не тази, за която се е мислила и животът й коренно може да се промени. Въпросите, които си задава за този и отвъдния свят, за легендите и преданията, с които е закърмена, за опасните Бледи, които живеят без татуировки и изобщо за всичко, в което е вярвала може да получат съвсем неочаквани отговори, които ще променят светогледа й завинаги.
October 4, 2019
Идеята за прозрачно общество, в което личния живот почти не съществува и всички наши тайни са обществено достояние е изследвана в най-различни книги, но все пак продължава да бъде интересна и интригуваща. И все пак, идеята за татуировките като визуална хронология на всичко, което си преживял – точно с това не се бях сблъсквала. Картините, които изплува в съзнанието ми са доста запомнящи се и си мисля, че от романа би излязъл страхотен сериал с ярки, въздействащи образи. Прочетете ревюто на "Книжни Криле": https://knijnikrile.wordpress.com/201...
March 21, 2017
Maybe more like a 3.75 rating.
This book was pretty good.
The world it was set in was pretty fucked up but so very well painted.
The main character had many layers and I truly enjoyed being in her head even when I couldn't agree with her, or even when I didn't like her.
However, I felt like most relationships lacked depth, like the side characters and the MC's connection with them weren't as important as the world. I don't know how to explain it right...
Still a great story. I can't wait to read more from this author.
This book was pretty good.
The world it was set in was pretty fucked up but so very well painted.
The main character had many layers and I truly enjoyed being in her head even when I couldn't agree with her, or even when I didn't like her.
However, I felt like most relationships lacked depth, like the side characters and the MC's connection with them weren't as important as the world. I don't know how to explain it right...
Still a great story. I can't wait to read more from this author.
July 27, 2017
7/10. Dit boek las ik in een avondje uit en ik vond de hele wereld van Inkt ontzettend gaaf, maar het verhaal was te kort (of er gebeurde niet genoeg) om volledig indruk op mij te maken. Wel kijk ik ontzettend uit naar het vervolg! Lees hier mijn recensie:
http://nerdygeekyfanboy.com/recensie/...
http://nerdygeekyfanboy.com/recensie/...
August 4, 2017
This is one of those books I pushed to finish reading at the end - not because 'it was that good' but because 'it was that bad I can't stand to read it for another day'.
Ink had potential, had something new and the author completely blew it. It started interesting with a half disgusting, half intriguing concept of how to keep the dead "alive". It felt like the author had an idea of a community dedicated to tattoos and where that would lead them in the future. Sadly, the idea fell flat and felt forced. Though it really shows that this is a debut novel and a first in a series.
I have read quite a few debut novels and I have noticed a pattern in the recently published books. Nowadays the first book in a series is like a long prologue. There is no complete story. We get to know the characters, we get to know the setting, but the story, or the beginning of the story that will evolve in upcoming books, is given a slow start.
Major plot-points were being very obvious early in the book and the end came as no surprise. There was a clear 'good vs evil' going on, just not in a way that made sense. People with tattoos feared the blanks, the ones who chose to live without tattoos. That kind of decision felt unrealistic and though the whole book clearly is based in another dimension, it does not make sense for a community to act in such an irrational way.
Even though you as an author write a fantasy story, there needs to be a logical system, and that logic needs to have structure. Ink fails in that. There are rules, fair enough, but there is no perceivable sense as to why those rules exist. This book is a great example of someone who had a 'great' idea for a book and built everything around that one thought.
The short stories inside the book are strange as well. They are supposed to explain why and how the "tattoo people" live as they do, but instead only made me confused with their moral. I assume they were all original ideas - apart from the story about The Sleeping Beauty - and at least they were just as bewildering as the main story.
Every book needs a point in the end where the protagonist 'wins a battle' of some sort. The build up in this one was long and when it came I was not sure if that was it. The information given, that shocked the main character, had been obvious to me as a reader from many chapters earlier, and also the character as well. At one point she tells herself who she is and though not spelled out in it fullness, she should have been clever enough to guess and understand. It was confusing to read that it had completely gone over her head.
Overall this book is slow, strange, disturbing and illogical.
Ink had potential, had something new and the author completely blew it. It started interesting with a half disgusting, half intriguing concept of how to keep the dead "alive". It felt like the author had an idea of a community dedicated to tattoos and where that would lead them in the future. Sadly, the idea fell flat and felt forced. Though it really shows that this is a debut novel and a first in a series.
I have read quite a few debut novels and I have noticed a pattern in the recently published books. Nowadays the first book in a series is like a long prologue. There is no complete story. We get to know the characters, we get to know the setting, but the story, or the beginning of the story that will evolve in upcoming books, is given a slow start.
Major plot-points were being very obvious early in the book and the end came as no surprise. There was a clear 'good vs evil' going on, just not in a way that made sense. People with tattoos feared the blanks, the ones who chose to live without tattoos. That kind of decision felt unrealistic and though the whole book clearly is based in another dimension, it does not make sense for a community to act in such an irrational way.
Even though you as an author write a fantasy story, there needs to be a logical system, and that logic needs to have structure. Ink fails in that. There are rules, fair enough, but there is no perceivable sense as to why those rules exist. This book is a great example of someone who had a 'great' idea for a book and built everything around that one thought.
The short stories inside the book are strange as well. They are supposed to explain why and how the "tattoo people" live as they do, but instead only made me confused with their moral. I assume they were all original ideas - apart from the story about The Sleeping Beauty - and at least they were just as bewildering as the main story.
Every book needs a point in the end where the protagonist 'wins a battle' of some sort. The build up in this one was long and when it came I was not sure if that was it. The information given, that shocked the main character, had been obvious to me as a reader from many chapters earlier, and also the character as well. At one point she tells herself who she is and though not spelled out in it fullness, she should have been clever enough to guess and understand. It was confusing to read that it had completely gone over her head.
Overall this book is slow, strange, disturbing and illogical.
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