Japans underground? Drawings coming alive? I need to read this.

Publicado Originalmente en: El Extraño Gato del Cuento

Cuando vi la portada por primera vez supe que debía leer el libro, fueron meses de dura búsqueda y acoso a la editorial (la gringa). Cuando por fin lo tuve en mis manos (a través de mi eReader) hace un par de meses y también me llegó el Press-kit, la verdad recién ahí me enteré de lo que iba. Sumándole eso, estaba plenamente convencida que amaría el libro.

La verdad es que si bien me agradó la historia, los personajes y la narración, el desarrollo no me convenció del todo, y aunque me gustó la mayor parte de como Amanda Sun nos cuenta la historia es un poco inestable, hay partes donde se pone un poco aburrido y en otras un tanto exagerado.

[...]

Así como también un Otaku sabrá reconocer lo bien cuidado qué está el libro, nos regodeamos en nuestro conocimiento del japonés porque Amanda lo usa mucho (si no sabes ni papa de japonés, don't worry be happy, al final hay un precioso glosario).

[...]

Sinceramente esperaba mucho más de Ink, pero no me ha decepcionado tampoco. Mentiría por omisión si no dijera que espero ansiosa su continuación.

Reseña Completa: El Extraño Gato del Cuento ( )

I'll be straightforward with you and explain that the reason I picked Ink up in the first place was that it was set in Japan. I love Japanese mythology, and I definitely love Fantasy reads. Needless to say, I was really excited to read this book. I couldn't wait to see where Katie Greene's new life in Japan would take me.

It was so interesting to watch Katie as she settled into her new life. I can't imagine living in another country, much less one where the language is still new. I felt her reactions to everything were really spot on. In fact, I can't deny that I liked Katie immensely. She was kind, honest, and just sarcastic enough to create some lightheartedness for the story. When Tomo came into the picture, I knew things were headed in a fabulous direction. A boy with a dangerous side, who Katie just can't stop thinking about? Yes, please!

Japan was a gorgeous setting for this story. It's really obvious that Amanda Sun did her research on the culture and the mythology laid out between these pages. Katie's new home comes to life on the pages. I could see the cherry blossoms, feel the breeze, and fell in love with the descriptions of her surroundings. If I didn't already love everything about Japan, I know I'd be intrigued after reading this. It was a perfect backdrop for all the dark, menacing events that take place.

The absolute only thing that I had a problem with was the slow beginning. Some of Katie's reactions to Tomo were a little over the top, but I was willing to forgive them for the most part. Once everything took off, once I learned what Tomo's dark secret was, I was lost in the story. The story is wonderful, the setting is perfect, and I definitely enjoyed reading Ink. ( )

I loved the overall concept and story line of this book since I've been interested in and have been studying Japanese culture since I was in middle school. The author takes the art of calligraphy and infuses it with the legends and stories of the kami (gods) giving it a fantasy- like effect.

Katie, our main protagonist, is mourning the death of her mother and is sent to live with her aunt in Japan. She is thrust into a completely foreign culture and environment unlike what she's used to and has to learn to adapt quickly to her new surroundings as well as getting a grasp of the Japanese language (which is not easy, since I currently study the language myself).

The novel flows really well, and is full of interesting characters as well as being action packed. The ink drawings/sketches placed throughout the book to go along with the written descriptions are absolutely gorgeous. However, for people that are unfamiliar with the language and culture, there are translations, brief explanations, and a nice glossary included in the back of the book. ( )

kindle copy for review