Author: Kim Smejkal
Publication Date: 11 February 2020
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Page Count: 448
Reading Method: Physical ARC
Synopsis:
Celia Sand and her best friend, Anya Burtoni, are inklings for the esteemed religion of Profeta. Using magic, they tattoo followers with beautiful images that represent the Divine’s will and guide the actions of the recipients. It’s considered a noble calling, but ten years into their servitude Celia and Anya know the truth: Profeta is built on lies, the tattooed orders strip away freedom, and the revered temple is actually a brutal, torturous prison.
Their opportunity to escape arrives with the Rabble Mob, a traveling theater troupe. Using their inkling abilities for performance instead of propaganda, Celia and Anya are content for the first time . . . until they realize who followed them. The Divine they never believed in is very real, very angry, and determined to use Celia, Anya, and the Rabble Mob’s now-infamous stage to spread her deceitful influence even further.
To protect their new family from the wrath of a malicious deity and the zealots who work in her name, Celia and Anya must unmask the biggest lie of all—Profeta itself.
Review:
What’s this? My favorite read of the year so far? YAAS! This story is dark, mysterious, and exciting! The magic is fascinating, the characters so diverse.
Any time an author includes magic, it is vital that it is explained well. You’re building something completely new and we need to be able to understand it. A lot of stories tend to be lacking in this department, but Ink in the Blood delivers! Celia and Anya are Inklings. That means they use the ink of the Divine to send messages to citizens through tattooing. But Celia and Anya question the orders they receive and decide to slip away to join the Rabble Mob.
The Rabble Mob is a fantastical group of performers with an insane cast of characters! I loved every single one of the performers. They were each so unique!
Celia is a badass, the Plague Doctor is my new favorite character, and the friendship between Anya and Celia is so precious. The twists and turns of this story are never ending and often unexpected. I was unable to put this book down! The ending? I can see where some people are going to maybe not love it, but I certainly did. It completely surprised me… and then surprised me again! I cannot wait to see what happens in the next book and am super bummed that we have to wait so long!
You can purchase a copy of Ink in the Blood here
