A review by lazygal
Ink, Iron, and Glass by Gwendolyn Clare
3.0
Oh, if only "ink" weren't in the title: the creation of a world by writing it can only draw comparison to Funke's Inkheart. And this doesn't deserve that comparison because it's not close to being the same thing. But then, there are bits of Narnia (the World Between the Worlds) and other novels inside.
The world that Clare has created here is a great mix of European steampunk and what might be called pre-industrial, with call outs to writers and events that teens may (I hope) be interested in seeking more information about. Example? Garibaldi's unification of Italy. Which was an interesting choice of focal point, IMVHO, because Italy and that history is not a common setting for us (France and Amsterdam also play fleeting roles).
How this plays out, and what happens in the "real" world that Elsa comes from (although I suspect a love triangle in the next book, which... really hoping not) I can't wait to read.
ARC provided by publisher.
The world that Clare has created here is a great mix of European steampunk and what might be called pre-industrial, with call outs to writers and events that teens may (I hope) be interested in seeking more information about. Example? Garibaldi's unification of Italy. Which was an interesting choice of focal point, IMVHO, because Italy and that history is not a common setting for us (France and Amsterdam also play fleeting roles).
How this plays out, and what happens in the "real" world that Elsa comes from (although I suspect a love triangle in the next book, which... really hoping not) I can't wait to read.
ARC provided by publisher.