Title: InkSeries: Paper Gods #1
Author: Amanda Sun
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Release Date: June 25th 2013
Pages: Paperback, 377 pages
Source: NetGalley
Summary from Goodreads:
I looked down at the paper, still touching the tip of my shoe. I reached for it, flipping the page over to look.
Scrawls of ink outlined a drawing of a girl lying on a bench.
A sick feeling started to twist in my stomach, like motion sickness.
And then the girl in the drawing turned her head, and her inky eyes glared straight into mine.
On the heels of a family tragedy, the last thing Katie Greene wants to do is move halfway across the world. Stuck with her aunt in Shizuoka, Japan, Katie feels lost. Alone. She doesn’t know the language, she can barely hold a pair of chopsticks, and she can’t seem to get the hang of taking her shoes off whenever she enters a building.
Then there’s gorgeous but aloof Tomohiro, star of the school’s kendo team. How did he really get the scar on his arm? Katie isn’t prepared for the answer. But when she sees the things he draws start moving, there’s no denying the truth: Tomo has a connection to the ancient gods of Japan, and being near Katie is causing his abilities to spiral out of control. If the wrong people notice, they'll both be targets.
Katie never wanted to move to Japan—now she may not make it out of the country alive.
The cover of Ink instantly grabbed my attention with its unique design and beautiful colors. If I had to describe Ink in two words, I would use unique and interesting. The plot focuses on the ancient Japanese mythology of the Kami, the Paper Gods - a lore I have never heard or read about - so the entire culture was new for me.
Because it was so foreign to me, I struggled at times with the book's language and Japanese culture references. Sun incorporates Japanese terms and uses their proper naming conventions as well. Not being familiar with the culture forced me to go back and make sure I was keeping track of the characters properly, having to know both last names and first. This unfortunately slowed down my reading and was emphasized when the plot slowed down.
The novel is equal parts love and myth story, with a few crazy action scenes thrown in at times. That being said, the pacing felt off at times. Even though there was a bit of insta-love, the relationship between Katie and Tomo felt authentic and cute.
Even though I struggled a bit with the new reading experience about Japanese culture, Ink’s story was interesting, and its setting and atmosphere was nothing like anything I have read before. Sun did an excellent job explaining the myth and how it ties into Japanese culture. As far-fetched as the idea of drawings coming to life is, it was easy to imagine with Sun’s description and the drawings within the book.
Ink is an intriguing start to a unique series, blending love and modern mythology with Japanese culture. While at times the story slows, the premise is new and interesting. The ending was not what I was expecting and I was pleasantly surprised by it.
About the Author
I’m a YA author and proud Nerdfighter. I was born in Deep River, Canada, a very small town without traffic lights or buses, and where stranger safety is comprised of what to do if you see a bear—or skunk. I started reading fantasy novels at 4 and writing as soon as I could hold a pencil. Hopefully my work’s improved since then.
In university I took English, Linguistics, and Asian History, before settling into Archaeology, because I loved learning about the cultures and stories of ancient people. Of course, I didn’t actually become an archaeologist—I have an intense fear of spiders. I prefer unearthing fascinating stories in the safety of my living room.
The Paper Gods is inspired by my time living in Osaka and travelling throughout Japan. That and watching far too many J-Dramas. I currently live in Toronto with my husband and daughter. When I’m not writing, I’m devouring YA books, knitting nerdy things like Companion Cubes and Triforce mitts, and making elaborate cosplays for anime cons.
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