Review: Ink, Iron, and Glass (Ink, Iron, and Glass #1) by Gwendolyn Clare

 

Ink, Iron, and Glass

(Ink, Iron, and Glass #1)

by Gwendolyn Clare

February 20, 2018
336 pages

Goodreads     Indigo

Goodreads Summary:

Can she write a world gone wrong?

A certain pen, a certain book, and a certain person can craft entirely new worlds through a branch of science called scriptology. Elsa comes from one such world that was written into creation by her mother—a noted scriptologist.

But when her home is attacked and her mother abducted, Elsa must cross into the real world and use her own scriptology gifts to find her. In an alternative 19th-century Italy, Elsa finds a secret society of pazzerellones—young people with a gift for mechanics, alchemy or scriptology—and meets Leo, a gorgeous mechanist with a smart mouth and a tragic past. She recruits the help of these fellow geniuses just as an assassin arrives on their doorstep.

In this thrilling debut, worlds collide as Elsa unveils a deep political conspiracy seeking to unlock the most dangerous weapon ever created—and only she can stop it.

Review

It's the best feeling when a book you knew sounded excellent proves you right! My excitement for Ink, Iron, and Glass is 100% justified. It's a fresh and fascinating read.

The worldbuilding is magnificent! The story thrived on the three sciences. Scriptology, mechanics and alchemy took us to so many different places. The unknown was scary yet thrilling. So inventive. I kn0w nothing about the time period but really loved the setting and the political climate. There was a bit of a special snowflake syndrome but I like how it was done. Though she was the first polymath to appear in a long time (not a spoiler, the book says so early on) Elsa wasn't the only one. It was an important point but not one that carried the plot.

Elsa wasn't what I expected. For a character born out of words I thought she'd be a dainty simple thing but she was the exact opposite. She had a fierce nature and a complicated mind. Her curiosity and intelligence led to many dangers but she braved each one with care and precision. Her emotions and (internal) struggles made her more than real.

The side characters stood out in Ink, Iron, and Glass. Leo, the love interest, was a lot more than meets the eye. His and Elsa's romantic relationship happened a little quick for my liking but I definitely wasn't against it. Porzia and Faranz were extremely helpful companions. They went above and beyond for Elsa. Even the nonliving Casa was a fun and naughty wonder while Skandar, Faranz's creation, proved its worth. I'm hoping the secret pazzerellones society will come more into play in the next book as they barely made an appearance in this first installment.

I was a little caught off guard by the ending because I thought Ink, Iron, and Glass was a standalone. My fault for not paying enough attention. While I wouldn't necessarily call it a cliffhanger ending it is an unfinished one leaving me with questions and an urge to ask Ms. Gwendolyn Clare to write faster. Please!

*I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinion are my own and not affected in any way.