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It isn’t always easy to read people—to understand their motives and intentions. But that’s not the case in the town of Saintstone. Everyone in author Alice Broadway’s Ink is an open book—because every achievement, every mistake, is written on their skin.
The story introduces Leora Flint at a challenging time in her young life. Not only is she about to take the tests that will determine whether she’ll be allowed to be one of the city’s few female inkers—the artists who tattoo memories and accomplishments on people’s skin. But she’s also awaiting the weighing of her late father—the ceremony where his life will be judged to determine whether he’ll be remembered or forced to be forgotten, his name never spoken again. And as she waits, Leora discovers some worrying things about her father and his past.
This gritty young adult novel is loaded with secrets and deception and surprises. The town of Saintstone is supposed to be one that’s entirely black and white—so much so that residents have their entire life stories tattooed in their skin. But Leora soon discovers that the marks don’t tell the whole story. Leora’s father wasn’t really the man she thought he was, and his death brings all kinds of revelations that force Leora to make some critical decisions.
But, of course, there’s so much more to this story than just a girl coming to terms with her father’s—and her own—true identity. And as Leora learns more about Saintstone’s battle against the blanks—the rebellious outsiders who refused to be marked—the story will make readers think about their own identity, as well as about the value of fresh starts and second chances.
Admittedly, Ink features many of the standard elements of today’s female-focused dystopian young adult adventures, but it’s still a thought-provoking and suspenseful novel. It uses legends and fables to tell a powerful story, but it’s also clear that this is just the beginning for this young woman who’s starting to see the world around her in a whole new light. And as a new, stronger Leora emerges in the end, you’ll be eager to see what comes next.
Tense and gripping yet beautifully, lyrically written, Ink is more than just another coming-of-age novel. This introduction to Leora’s story will also teach readers a valuable lesson about seeing others for more than just what’s on the surface.
Listen to the review on Shelf Discovery:
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