Worlds of Ink and Shadow
Lena Coakley
Published: January 5, 2016
Publisher: Amulet Books
Pages: 352
Age Demographic: Young Adult
Charlotte, Branwell, Emily, and Anne. The Brontë siblings have always been inseparable. After all, nothing can bond four siblings quite like life in an isolated parsonage out on the moors. Their vivid imaginations lend them escape from their strict upbringing, actually transporting them into their created worlds: the glittering Verdopolis and the romantic and melancholy Gondal. But at what price? As Branwell begins to slip into madness and the sisters feel their real lives slipping away, they must weigh the cost of their powerful imaginations, even as their characters—the brooding Rogue and dashing Duke of Zamorna—refuse to let them go.
Gorgeously written and based on the Brontës’ juvenilia, Worlds of Ink & Shadow brings to life one of history’s most celebrated literary families.
Book Review
Worlds of Ink and Shadow, is one of the most originally gripping and compelling historical fantasy novels that I've read in a while. I was absolutely floored at how beautifully crafted the fantasy world was created, it was so incredibly stunning that it left me almost breathless. Lena Coakely never ceases to amaze me with her brilliant imaginative storytelling narrations and the sheer beauty of life that she breathes into her characters. My love for the Bronte sister's knows no bounds and to see how well she wove this story together, was such a wonderful note to end the year on. There's such a genuinely magical feel to this book, that I found the moments passing during the time I was reading it will likely not be forgotten any time soon. It will always have a special place in not only my heart, but on my bookshelf as well.
I feel very lucky and fortunate to have been able to read an advanced copy of this book, as it's just one of those books that becomes so meaningful and somehow starts to shape the way you feel about literature in general and the way you view the world and the people in it around you. I can't recall where I've read this before, but I almost feel certain that I've heard stories told about the Bronte siblings writing to escape the darkness of their own harsh realities they each had to face either together or on their own. Whispers of escaping into their own rich, dark, and intriguing fantasy worlds like Verdopolis (the very one that Lena Coakely explores in Worlds of Ink and Shadow) and other's such as, Gondal, Angria, etc. The depth of inspiration drawn from such dark realties and experiences from the lives of the Bronte siblings, is wonderfully compelling and such a magical part of why I love this book so much. Even though, it's still considered fiction, the way Coakley wove this gorgeous and breathtaking tale together, pulled at my heartstrings in such a way that it will probably be one of my most memorable reads for a long time to come.
It was so amazing to see how Charlotte, Emily, Branwell, and Anne so easily crossed over between the worlds of reality and fantasy and immersed themselves into their own creations becoming different and sometimes better versions of themselves. It was just a richly beautiful and vastly different and unique world that was so creatively brought to life by Coakely in such a memorable and enjoyable way. She masterfully weaves the realities of their real world and creative fantasy lands together in such a way that it comes to life so big and so gorgeously on the pages. Dark and beguiling, Worlds of Ink and Shadow, encompasses a dark and deep outlook on their lives and illustrates their adventures and passion for writing in such a way that it ignites and comes to life so beautifully.
If you are looking for a book that possesses magic and creativity and you are fascinated by the Bronte siblings juvenilia then this is the book that will have you transfixed until the last page. I was absolutely transfixed from start to finish, captivated by this gorgeous book of fantasy tales and reality bent to desire.
And now for the giveaway...
About the Author
Lena Coakley was born in Milford, Connecticut and grew up on Long Island.
In High School, Creative Writing was the only course she ever failed (nothing was ever good enough to hand in!), but, undeterred, she went on to study writing at Sarah Lawrence College.
She lives in Toronto, Canada. Witchlanders is her debut novel.
After reading the premise of the book, it's definitely intriguing and one I'm putting on my To Read shelf. :)
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