Worlds Of Ink And Shadow by Lena Coakley

Worlds Of Ink And Shadow by Lena Coakley
Release Date - January 5, 2016
Publisher Website - Harper Collins
Publisher Social Media - Twitter/Facebook/SavvyReader/Frenzy
Pages - 352 pages
My Rating - 4.5/5
**received for an honest review from publisher**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

Charlotte, Branwell, Emily, and Anne. The Brontë siblings have always been inseparable. After all, nothing can bond four siblings quite like life in an isolated parsonage out on the moors. Their vivid imaginations lend them escape from their strict upbringing, actually transporting them into their created worlds: the glittering Verdopolis and the romantic and melancholy Gondal. But at what price? As Branwell begins to slip into madness and the sisters feel their real lives slipping away, they must weigh the cost of their powerful imaginations, even as their characters—the brooding Rogue and dashing Duke of Zamorna—refuse to let them go.

Gorgeously written and based on the Brontës’ juvenilia, Worlds of Ink & Shadow brings to life one of history’s most celebrated literary families.

There are some books that should be read by everyone. Worlds of Ink and Shadow is one of those books. It has a little something for everyone regardless of what you're looking for. If you're a fan of classic literature, fantasy, mystery, forbidden romance or well crafted worlds this is a book you should read. You'll find all of this, and much more, within it's pages.

This novel is a celebration of the Brontës in a very fitting fashion. There is the ethereal, mystical quality to the writing that a lot of their novels had. It's atmospheric and vivid. The settings of the Brontë's novels inspired the settings in this story. From the moors that would becomes the setting for Wuthering Heights, to the beautiful city of Verdopolis, they can be found within these pages. The Brontës themselves had short lives that are often viewed as tragic. It's that same ethereal quality that hovers around the Brontës that lends itself naturally to this blending of fantasy elements with real life inspiration from their lives. This is what grounds the novel and cements the reader within it's pages. There is an attention to detail, and research, that allows the more fantastical elements to blend seamlessly into the narrative.

The mysteries of the fantasy elements of the story are what pulls you into this world. The hows and whys of the Brontë's ability to cross over into their created worlds is something that not only is explored, but is the central focus of the story. It may not be a mystery in the truest sense of the word but it is a captivating part of the story and the one I felt was the most well developed.

The most striking part of the story is how it'll speak to all readers. Who hasn't fantasized about stepping into a created world? Who hasn't gotten lost within the pages of a book, captivated by a world so life like that it implausible for it not to really exist? This novel embraces that notion and offers up wish fulfillment reading for those of us who have ever wondered what if. In so many ways this is a story of not just the Brontës but reading itself, and the power words have to transport people into different, breathtaking, magical worlds. Words really are magic, and Lena Coakley reminds us of that within these pages.

This novel gives a love story fit for the Brontës. Tragic with it's longing, heartache, and doomed ending. The kind that a hopeless romantic like me could not help but swoon over. Plenty of readers have been captivated by characters and put themselves into the story. This element again offers a sort of delicious wish fulfillment while never distracting from the main story. The romance is only a secondary plot, but it's one that captivated me.

A novel that is infused with as magic, wonder, and atmosphere. It sweeps you away into it's world effortlessly. It's a love letter to the Brontës, readers, and the power books have to transcend the page and speak to us on a deeper level. It's a novel that celebrates stories and those who love them.