Scan barcode
A review by elliereads97
Inkmistress by Audrey Coulthurst
3.0
seeing as [b:Of Fire and Stars|25164304|Of Fire and Stars (Of Fire and Stars, #1)|Audrey Coulthurst|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1457102645s/25164304.jpg|44868262] was one of my top favorite reads last year, i miiiiiiiight have gone into this with unreasonably high expectations. which is 100% my own fault.
one main criticism i remember seeing a lot of for of fire and stars was the plot's predictability, which i agree with, to an extent. but i connected so deeply with denna and mare and loved them both so much that honestly? i didn't even care. however, in inkmistress, i don't really care very much about any of the characters other than, and the plot is even more predictable.
my main disappointment with this book was (and i hope this isn't too spoiler-y) that i went in expecting a lesbian romance and was REALLY jonesing for some lady love, whereas most of the romance in this is between asra and a dude. he's a great dude, sure, and of course i love that asra is bisexual. i don't think she shouldn't be bisexual. she's fabulous in terms of bisexual representation. personally, i was just really looking forward to an f/f romance (which is how the book is marketed), and i felt kinda disappointed. i feel like that might have colored my opinion of this overall.
regardless, coulthurst's prose is absolutely beautiful and has gotten even better since her first novel. all of the nature scenes made my actual life, and also gave me the irresistible urge to go play skyrim?? i will be a reader of coulthurst's for the rest of my life and i urge other fantasy writers to take tips from her on writing diverse and unique fantasy.
one main criticism i remember seeing a lot of for of fire and stars was the plot's predictability, which i agree with, to an extent. but i connected so deeply with denna and mare and loved them both so much that honestly? i didn't even care. however, in inkmistress, i don't really care very much about any of the characters other than
Spoiler
ina, the literal villain, who is my manipulative bloodthirsty evil dragon queenmy main disappointment with this book was (and i hope this isn't too spoiler-y) that i went in expecting a lesbian romance and was REALLY jonesing for some lady love, whereas most of the romance in this is between asra and a dude. he's a great dude, sure, and of course i love that asra is bisexual. i don't think she shouldn't be bisexual. she's fabulous in terms of bisexual representation. personally, i was just really looking forward to an f/f romance (which is how the book is marketed), and i felt kinda disappointed. i feel like that might have colored my opinion of this overall.
regardless, coulthurst's prose is absolutely beautiful and has gotten even better since her first novel. all of the nature scenes made my actual life, and also gave me the irresistible urge to go play skyrim?? i will be a reader of coulthurst's for the rest of my life and i urge other fantasy writers to take tips from her on writing diverse and unique fantasy.