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The Girl of Ink and Stars
Winner of the Waterstones Children's Book Prize 2017, and the British Book Awards' Children's Book of Year 2017
Forbidden to leave her island, Isabella Riosse dreams of the faraway lands her father once mapped.
When her closest friend disappears into the island’s Forgotten Territories, she volunteers to guide the search. As a cartographer’s daughter, she’s equipped with elaborate ink maps and knowledge of the stars, and is eager to navigate the island’s forgotten heart.
But the world beyond the walls is a monster-filled wasteland – and beneath the dry rivers and smoking mountains, a legendary fire demon is stirring from its sleep. Soon, following her map, her heart and an ancient myth, Isabella discovers the true end of her journey: to save the island itself.
Forbidden to leave her island, Isabella Riosse dreams of the faraway lands her father once mapped.
When her closest friend disappears into the island’s Forgotten Territories, she volunteers to guide the search. As a cartographer’s daughter, she’s equipped with elaborate ink maps and knowledge of the stars, and is eager to navigate the island’s forgotten heart.
But the world beyond the walls is a monster-filled wasteland – and beneath the dry rivers and smoking mountains, a legendary fire demon is stirring from its sleep. Soon, following her map, her heart and an ancient myth, Isabella discovers the true end of her journey: to save the island itself.
228 pages, Paperback
First published May 5, 2016
839 people are currently reading
23159 people want to read
About the author
Kiran Millwood Hargrave
34 books2,597 followersKiran Millwood Hargrave is an award-winning writer whose work has been translated into over 30 languages and optioned for stage and screen. Almost Life, her third novel for adults, will be published by Picador (UK) and Summit (US) in March 2026.
Her debut adult novel The Mercies debuted at number one of the The Times bestseller list, was a top-ten Sunday Times bestseller, and was selected for the BBC Radio 2 Book Club and the Richard and Judy Summer Reads. It was a finalist for the prestigious Prix Femina in France, won a Betty Trask Award, and was called 'unquestionably the book of the 2018 London Book Fair' by The Bookseller. The Dance Tree was shortlisted for the HWA Gold Crown Award and picked for the BBC Two Between Two Covers Book Club, as well as Florence + the Machine's Between Two Books Book Club.
Between them, her children's books have won numerous awards including the Wainwright Prize, Children's Book of the Year at the British Book Awards, the Waterstones Children's Book Prize, the Historical Association Young Quills Award, and the Blackwell's Children's Book of the Year. They have been shortlisted for the Kirkus Prize, the Barnes and Noble Award, Jhalak Prize, the Little Rebels Prize, the Branford Boase Award, the Blue Peter Best Story Award, Costa Children's Book Prize, Foyles' Children's Book of the Year, and thrice-longlisted for the Carnegie Award.
Kiran lives in Oxford with her husband, the artist Tom de Freston, their daughter, cats, and usually a litter of foster kittens.
Her debut adult novel The Mercies debuted at number one of the The Times bestseller list, was a top-ten Sunday Times bestseller, and was selected for the BBC Radio 2 Book Club and the Richard and Judy Summer Reads. It was a finalist for the prestigious Prix Femina in France, won a Betty Trask Award, and was called 'unquestionably the book of the 2018 London Book Fair' by The Bookseller. The Dance Tree was shortlisted for the HWA Gold Crown Award and picked for the BBC Two Between Two Covers Book Club, as well as Florence + the Machine's Between Two Books Book Club.
Between them, her children's books have won numerous awards including the Wainwright Prize, Children's Book of the Year at the British Book Awards, the Waterstones Children's Book Prize, the Historical Association Young Quills Award, and the Blackwell's Children's Book of the Year. They have been shortlisted for the Kirkus Prize, the Barnes and Noble Award, Jhalak Prize, the Little Rebels Prize, the Branford Boase Award, the Blue Peter Best Story Award, Costa Children's Book Prize, Foyles' Children's Book of the Year, and thrice-longlisted for the Carnegie Award.
Kiran lives in Oxford with her husband, the artist Tom de Freston, their daughter, cats, and usually a litter of foster kittens.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,148 reviews
April 2, 2023
They say the day the Governor arrived, the ravens did too. All the smaller birds flew backwards into the sea, and that is why there are no songbirds on Joya. Only huge, ragged ravens.
The Girl of Ink and Stars was a haunting, captivating Moana-esque tale - one that left tingles up my spine long after I'd finished reading.
Forbidden to leave her island, Isabella Riosse has always dreamed of the faraway lands her father once mapped. When her best friend disappears into the island's Forgotten Territories, she immediately volunteers to join the search. As a cartographer's daughter, she's equipped with elaborate ink maps and knowledge of the stars. But the world beyond the walls is a monster-filled wasteland, and far beneath the earth, beneath the dry rivers and smoking mountains, a legendary fire demon is stirring. Soon, following her heart, her map and an ancient myth, Isabella discovers that the true end to her journey is to save the island itself.
THINGS I LOVED:
🌟 The maps. The whole book was filled with pretty designs and tiny details of maps and even the ink of the text was a lovely navy blue color. There were three parts in the book and before each part there was a beautiful map of the new location the characters were in. Anyway, i think the book should get a star just for how pretty it is. is that a thing?
🌟 Isabella! she was so brave and intelligent and she took no nonsense from anyone and she was badass for a thirteen-year-old kid (at least, I think she was 13).
🌟 Lupe. who is also ridiculously courageous and awkward and a sweet cinnamon roll like I just wanna protect her with all my soul?? She understood the terrible deeds her father had done and she was willing to atone for his sins by making her own sacrifice. She cared so much about Isa and was fiercely loyal to her... also Lupe and Isa are lowkey sapphic
🌟 I don't have entire paragraphs to write about all the rest of the characters like Isa's dad or Pablo or Masha but that doesn't mean I love them any less and they all have a place in my heart and I hope they're healthy and happy
🌟 The story. It's so beautiful and it grips you from the very first page and doesn't let you go. It's impossible to put this one down - I finished this book in just a few days (which is fast for me - I'm a snail reader)! Honestly MG fantasy adventure is the best.
🌟 All the legends are true in this book. Yes they are. And there are so many monsters - both human and inhuman. After a while you even start looking over Isa's shoulder for her because nowhere is safe. Okay not really, but you do start holding your breath for her.
To end off, The Girl of Ink and Stars was a story of magic, myths, and monsters; a story of courage, kindness, heartbreak, and most of all - hope. Reading it completely enchanted me, and I won't be forgetting this book any time soon!
May 11, 2017
Thirteen-year-old Isabella Riosse, daughter of a cartographer, lives on the island of Joya. The songbirds of Joya were supplanted by ravens when the Governor arrived. Under his strict rule, residents of the coastal town of Gromera are forbidden to travel beyond the forest flanking the village. When a string of unsettling events make it necessary to journey beyond the forest in search of answers, Isabella joins a team of explorers on an adventure that will test her map-making skills and her courage.
With a young islander as its protagonist, a story steeped in legend, and a wacky chicken gracing the narrative, it’s impossible not to draw a comparison between The Girl of Ink & Stars and Disney’s popular 2016 film, Moana. Unlike Moana, who bravely traverses the open waters, Isabella Riosse’s adventure keeps her land-bound. Rather than take to the waters, she explores black forests, hidden caves, and forgotten cities. Her adventure is conveyed through straightforward, simple writing that’s suitable for the age group of its intended audience. More mature readers will delight in the lyrical descriptions of maps and captivating stories of myth and legend.
On the opposite wall hung the sketchy coast of Amrica and its dragging ocean currents, labelled with strange, wondrous names [. . .] The paper was dyed a beautiful deep blue, and the currents were picked out in thread against it. Da had used a needle thin as a hair for these – gold for Cerulean, black for the Triangle, white for the Frozen Circle.
Arinta was a very brave girl. She lived at the centre of Joya a thousand years ago, when it was free to roam the earth and sailed the ocean like a living ship. There was no forested border, no Forgotten Territories, and songbirds sang in every tree.
Isabella believes the legends of Joya are factual. Her interest in confirming the truth of Joya’s history – namely, that the girl-warrior Arinta really did save the island from a destructive demon – is strengthened by her father’s profession as the island’s only mapmaker. She absorbs his artful profession with the same fervor as dried parchment soaks up ink, learning as much as she can about map-making and reading the stars. Becoming a mapmaker shapes and enriches her character, and a beautiful comparison is accordingly drawn between mapping topography on paper and our lives being mapped on our physical bodies.
We are all of us products of our surroundings. Each of us carries the map of our lives on our skin, in the way we walk, even in the way we grow.
Isabella’s quality of character is further enhanced by her friendship with the Governor’s daughter, Lupe. Though both girls are quite different in personality, Isabella strives to see the good in her friend and, unlike everyone else in Gromera, refrains from holding her strident father’s actions against her. Their first real disagreement occurs on the cusp of peculiar events disrupting the lives of everyone on Joya, and Lupe goes missing before they can make amends. Though she’s always longed to chart the Forgotten Territories, Isabella’s primary motivation for joining the team of island explorers is to save her best friend.
Journeying alongside Isabella is her longtime friend Pablo, a stable boy with narrow-minded beliefs about what young women can accomplish. His character acts as the megaphone for the book’s theme of exploring gender roles. To join the expedition, Isabella must disguise herself as a boy. When Pablo discerns her true identity, he questions her ability to join the team:
‘I should tell them.’ He nodded towards the door.
I put on my fiercest face. ‘You won’t.’
‘I could.’
‘You’d go in your ma’s place, wouldn’t you?’
‘It’s not the same thing –’
‘It is the same thing, same as you taking her place in the fields.’
He paused a moment. ‘Yes. But I’m a man.’
‘You’re a boy. And so what? Girls can go on adventures too.’
‘Have you ever heard of a girl going on an adventure?’
Despite societal expectations for her gender, Isabella bravely forges ahead. When evidence surfaces that suggests something sinister is poised to devastate the island, Isabella could run for safety. Instead, she defies presumptions about her gender and delves into the darkest parts of the island, moving toward danger, rather than away from it. At this terrifying turn in her adventure, Isabella’s knowledge of maps and the stars is more important than ever.
The night was hauntingly clear. The stars revealed their places in constellations and the moon’s pull felt physical on my short hair. Something was happening to the very air we walked through. It was tense, alive and threatening, the island in the grip of forces shifting imperceptibly beneath my feet.
As Isabella dives deeper into her adventure, violence and gruesome incidences give her story a darker edge, though the writing lacks the sophistication for these moments to have significant impact. The same could be said for Isabella’s decision to dress, not just as a boy, but as . Had the cognitive ramification of this transformation been explored through Isabella’s point of view, Hargrave could have capitalized on an untapped well of emotional depth. Nonetheless, Isabella is a stand-out heroine.
The Girl of Ink & Stars maps the journey of a courageous girl who, on her quest to learn the truth behind the legends of her island, may herself become legendary before her adventure concludes.
--
Footnote: This book is published in the US under the title The Cartographer's Daughter by Karen Millwood Hargrave.
With a young islander as its protagonist, a story steeped in legend, and a wacky chicken gracing the narrative, it’s impossible not to draw a comparison between The Girl of Ink & Stars and Disney’s popular 2016 film, Moana. Unlike Moana, who bravely traverses the open waters, Isabella Riosse’s adventure keeps her land-bound. Rather than take to the waters, she explores black forests, hidden caves, and forgotten cities. Her adventure is conveyed through straightforward, simple writing that’s suitable for the age group of its intended audience. More mature readers will delight in the lyrical descriptions of maps and captivating stories of myth and legend.
On the opposite wall hung the sketchy coast of Amrica and its dragging ocean currents, labelled with strange, wondrous names [. . .] The paper was dyed a beautiful deep blue, and the currents were picked out in thread against it. Da had used a needle thin as a hair for these – gold for Cerulean, black for the Triangle, white for the Frozen Circle.
Arinta was a very brave girl. She lived at the centre of Joya a thousand years ago, when it was free to roam the earth and sailed the ocean like a living ship. There was no forested border, no Forgotten Territories, and songbirds sang in every tree.
Isabella believes the legends of Joya are factual. Her interest in confirming the truth of Joya’s history – namely, that the girl-warrior Arinta really did save the island from a destructive demon – is strengthened by her father’s profession as the island’s only mapmaker. She absorbs his artful profession with the same fervor as dried parchment soaks up ink, learning as much as she can about map-making and reading the stars. Becoming a mapmaker shapes and enriches her character, and a beautiful comparison is accordingly drawn between mapping topography on paper and our lives being mapped on our physical bodies.
We are all of us products of our surroundings. Each of us carries the map of our lives on our skin, in the way we walk, even in the way we grow.
Isabella’s quality of character is further enhanced by her friendship with the Governor’s daughter, Lupe. Though both girls are quite different in personality, Isabella strives to see the good in her friend and, unlike everyone else in Gromera, refrains from holding her strident father’s actions against her. Their first real disagreement occurs on the cusp of peculiar events disrupting the lives of everyone on Joya, and Lupe goes missing before they can make amends. Though she’s always longed to chart the Forgotten Territories, Isabella’s primary motivation for joining the team of island explorers is to save her best friend.
Journeying alongside Isabella is her longtime friend Pablo, a stable boy with narrow-minded beliefs about what young women can accomplish. His character acts as the megaphone for the book’s theme of exploring gender roles. To join the expedition, Isabella must disguise herself as a boy. When Pablo discerns her true identity, he questions her ability to join the team:
‘I should tell them.’ He nodded towards the door.
I put on my fiercest face. ‘You won’t.’
‘I could.’
‘You’d go in your ma’s place, wouldn’t you?’
‘It’s not the same thing –’
‘It is the same thing, same as you taking her place in the fields.’
He paused a moment. ‘Yes. But I’m a man.’
‘You’re a boy. And so what? Girls can go on adventures too.’
‘Have you ever heard of a girl going on an adventure?’
Despite societal expectations for her gender, Isabella bravely forges ahead. When evidence surfaces that suggests something sinister is poised to devastate the island, Isabella could run for safety. Instead, she defies presumptions about her gender and delves into the darkest parts of the island, moving toward danger, rather than away from it. At this terrifying turn in her adventure, Isabella’s knowledge of maps and the stars is more important than ever.
The night was hauntingly clear. The stars revealed their places in constellations and the moon’s pull felt physical on my short hair. Something was happening to the very air we walked through. It was tense, alive and threatening, the island in the grip of forces shifting imperceptibly beneath my feet.
As Isabella dives deeper into her adventure, violence and gruesome incidences give her story a darker edge, though the writing lacks the sophistication for these moments to have significant impact. The same could be said for Isabella’s decision to dress, not just as a boy, but as . Had the cognitive ramification of this transformation been explored through Isabella’s point of view, Hargrave could have capitalized on an untapped well of emotional depth. Nonetheless, Isabella is a stand-out heroine.
The Girl of Ink & Stars maps the journey of a courageous girl who, on her quest to learn the truth behind the legends of her island, may herself become legendary before her adventure concludes.
--
Footnote: This book is published in the US under the title The Cartographer's Daughter by Karen Millwood Hargrave.
September 28, 2017
Translation widget on The blog!!!
O carte frumoasa, despre prietenie si curaj, despre lupta continua dintre bine si rau.
Recenzia mea completă o găsiți aici:
https://justreadingmybooks.wordpress....
O carte frumoasa, despre prietenie si curaj, despre lupta continua dintre bine si rau.
Recenzia mea completă o găsiți aici:
https://justreadingmybooks.wordpress....
June 30, 2016
'Any man can draw where he's been - Only a cartographer knows how to draw it to fit with where he's about to be'
If you like the following things, you will probably enjoy The Girl Of Ink And Stars:
- Alice in wonderland
- Ghibli movies
- Parallel Worlds/alternate versions of our world
- Mystical islands
- Explorations
- Stories within stories
- Stars
- Maps
- Monsters
- Fairytale-esque writing
I love ALL the things on that list
If you like the following things, you will probably enjoy The Girl Of Ink And Stars:
- Alice in wonderland
- Ghibli movies
- Parallel Worlds/alternate versions of our world
- Mystical islands
- Explorations
- Stories within stories
- Stars
- Maps
- Monsters
- Fairytale-esque writing
I love ALL the things on that list
December 3, 2017
Mulan, Hercules, and Moana all rolled into one! It was so fantastic and beautifully written with lots of folklore that I need as a separate book. Adventurous middle grade is the best.
February 9, 2018
Rating - 2.5 stars.
First of all, I would just like to take a moment to talk about the cover. It is absolutely beautiful and the main reason I wanted to pick this book up.
I'm going to do lists for what i liked and didn't like.
Things I liked:
- the cover yes yes YES once again
- the writing
- family relationships/friendships
- very easy to read
Things I didn't like:
- there was zero world building like i was so confused???
- the characters are all so boring and have no personality what so ever and didn't even seem to have any development as the story went on
- the plot had so much potential but I just feel the author didn't do it justice
- boring a lot of the time, not much happening
- even though the writing was really good, I think from my personal preference I just didn't enjoy it and wasn't really interested
- I don't think the book was long enough, I think it could've definitely had more going on
In conclusion, I think a younger reader would enjoy this or a new reader but I didn't enjoy it that much. I think this is more the fact I just didn't enjoy the story for my own preference.
First of all, I would just like to take a moment to talk about the cover. It is absolutely beautiful and the main reason I wanted to pick this book up.
I'm going to do lists for what i liked and didn't like.
Things I liked:
- the cover yes yes YES once again
- the writing
- family relationships/friendships
- very easy to read
Things I didn't like:
- there was zero world building like i was so confused???
- the characters are all so boring and have no personality what so ever and didn't even seem to have any development as the story went on
- the plot had so much potential but I just feel the author didn't do it justice
- boring a lot of the time, not much happening
- even though the writing was really good, I think from my personal preference I just didn't enjoy it and wasn't really interested
- I don't think the book was long enough, I think it could've definitely had more going on
In conclusion, I think a younger reader would enjoy this or a new reader but I didn't enjoy it that much. I think this is more the fact I just didn't enjoy the story for my own preference.
December 7, 2018
This is a quick read! I'm a bit surprised that it won so many accolades. I mostly thought it was alright? There were some fun elements, but I was way more curious about the magic, which was mostly left as background. There's a glowing stick! There's a magical sword! There's some kind of imprisoned fire demon!
The focus on friendship was a good staple to hold the story together, though in the end there's an unnecessary sacrifice. I'm sick of those.
The highlight for me was the occasional description of mapmaking. The tied-in place descriptions told in the main character and her father's words were similarly gorgeous. I loved all of that.
And the gestures to the power of myth and the stories we tell each other was similarly solid.
The pace was a little too quick for my taste. It seemed like the characters were always on the run for some reason or another, and that quickness made the world as a whole feel a lot less interested or believable for me. Somehow, it all still flowed enough that I was interested in how everything was going to shake out, but I never got too invested in what this island world might be like. At the end, there's a confusing development with the island that raises a lot of questions. I'm not sure if we'll get a sequel, but there are certainly enough unanswered questions and room for growth overall that a sequel might be pretty great.
But yeah, quick and fun read without a ton of substance but with some really beautiful moments scattered throughout. Worth a quick read.
The focus on friendship was a good staple to hold the story together, though in the end there's an unnecessary sacrifice. I'm sick of those.
The highlight for me was the occasional description of mapmaking. The tied-in place descriptions told in the main character and her father's words were similarly gorgeous. I loved all of that.
And the gestures to the power of myth and the stories we tell each other was similarly solid.
The pace was a little too quick for my taste. It seemed like the characters were always on the run for some reason or another, and that quickness made the world as a whole feel a lot less interested or believable for me. Somehow, it all still flowed enough that I was interested in how everything was going to shake out, but I never got too invested in what this island world might be like. At the end, there's a confusing development with the island that raises a lot of questions. I'm not sure if we'll get a sequel, but there are certainly enough unanswered questions and room for growth overall that a sequel might be pretty great.
But yeah, quick and fun read without a ton of substance but with some really beautiful moments scattered throughout. Worth a quick read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 2, 2017
There aren't many things better than reading a book that is just as gorgeous as its cover and thankfully The Girl of Ink and Stars was just that. It reminded me of Nim's Island meets Journey to the Centre of the Earth meets Disney (and yes, this would make a fantastic movie. Someone make this happen please and thank you.) It was action packed from start to finish, with twists and turns throughout. I throughly enjoyed the relationships, both family and friendship and the mythological element was a pleasant surprise. I'd definitely recommend this for both children and adults looking for a quick but lovely fantasy/adventure middle grade read.
April 2, 2022
Il ritmo della narrazione è travolgente, incalzante anche se a tratti molto lento e noioso, rendendoti difficile rimanere concentrati a lungo.
Il linguaggio è semplice ma non per questo banale ed elementare, anche se è un romanzo fantasy la vicenda sembra quasi realistica, fatta ad eccezione per alcuni casi.
La narrazione è in prima persona e, per questo, riesci ad immedesimarti nel personaggio principale, ritrovandoti molte volte con il fiato sospeso e impaziente di continuare la storia.
I profili dei personaggi sono ben delineati, la protagonista incarna il tipico profilo dell’eroina e difficilmente si comporta diversamente da come ci viene presentata all’inizio, ma nei capitoli finali abbiamo un grandissimo colpo di scena che non voglio spoilerare ma troviamo una totale evoluzione che vi lascerà a bocca aperta, come è successo a me.
La vicenda narrata è molto simile a quelli di altri romanzi dello stesso genere ma alla fine si è rivelato piuttosto originale e diverso dagli altri, lasciandomi piacevolmente sorpresa e invitandomi a proseguire la lettura.
I dialoghi sono ben costruiti e per nulla monotoni, visto che sono una parte fondamentale della storia.
Il libro è completamente incentrato sul viaggio e le avventure che la protagonista vive per salvare la sua amica, il viaggio, l’amicizia e il senso del sacrificio costituiscono i pilastri fondamentali della storia senza i quali non avrebbe senso.
In conclusione, è un romanzo niente male, ovviamente non è perfetto ma devo dire che è stato abbastanza bello ed emozionante da leggere, tralasciando dei momenti “morti” all’interno della vicenda, il finale inaspettato mi è piaciuto molto lasciandomi letteralmente a bocca aperta; quindi, se siete alla ricerca di un’avventura fantastica ve lo consiglio.
Buona lettura.
Il linguaggio è semplice ma non per questo banale ed elementare, anche se è un romanzo fantasy la vicenda sembra quasi realistica, fatta ad eccezione per alcuni casi.
La narrazione è in prima persona e, per questo, riesci ad immedesimarti nel personaggio principale, ritrovandoti molte volte con il fiato sospeso e impaziente di continuare la storia.
I profili dei personaggi sono ben delineati, la protagonista incarna il tipico profilo dell’eroina e difficilmente si comporta diversamente da come ci viene presentata all’inizio, ma nei capitoli finali abbiamo un grandissimo colpo di scena che non voglio spoilerare ma troviamo una totale evoluzione che vi lascerà a bocca aperta, come è successo a me.
La vicenda narrata è molto simile a quelli di altri romanzi dello stesso genere ma alla fine si è rivelato piuttosto originale e diverso dagli altri, lasciandomi piacevolmente sorpresa e invitandomi a proseguire la lettura.
I dialoghi sono ben costruiti e per nulla monotoni, visto che sono una parte fondamentale della storia.
Il libro è completamente incentrato sul viaggio e le avventure che la protagonista vive per salvare la sua amica, il viaggio, l’amicizia e il senso del sacrificio costituiscono i pilastri fondamentali della storia senza i quali non avrebbe senso.
In conclusione, è un romanzo niente male, ovviamente non è perfetto ma devo dire che è stato abbastanza bello ed emozionante da leggere, tralasciando dei momenti “morti” all’interno della vicenda, il finale inaspettato mi è piaciuto molto lasciandomi letteralmente a bocca aperta; quindi, se siete alla ricerca di un’avventura fantastica ve lo consiglio.
Buona lettura.
February 16, 2017
A strange, ungraspable kind of book. It definitely held my interest throughout, though a few times, I was a little confused. Who was Yote? What was all that fire demon stuff all about? And where did the giant wolves come from?.
However, in spite of the bafflement, I enjoyed it. I particularly liked the cartographer vibe - would have liked to see the author make more of that! I'll keep an eye out for other books by her, she's an interesting author.
However, in spite of the bafflement, I enjoyed it. I particularly liked the cartographer vibe - would have liked to see the author make more of that! I'll keep an eye out for other books by her, she's an interesting author.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 14, 2023
I found this book to be kind of average - it was fantastical and beautiful in places and a little more brutal than I was expecting. I think because this book is so short I didn't feel connected to the characters which really effected my reading experience.
I don't have a lot to say about this book, it was a decent little read it just couldn't capture my attention enough and it didn't leave much impact on me.
I don't have a lot to say about this book, it was a decent little read it just couldn't capture my attention enough and it didn't leave much impact on me.
December 7, 2017
I am part of a YA book group, this was October's pick of the month but have only just got around to finishing it yesterday. Going into The Girl Of Ink and Stars, I wasn't really sure what to expect other than adventure and um... Stars. Me being me, I thought this was a book set in space, it isn't. I would definitely say however that the plotline sounded more MG to me then YA but I like reading MG and as a nineteen year old, I have loved reading stories for a younger audience. The story follows young Isabella who lives on a island with a father as a cartographer (person who draws maps and follows the constellations of stars in the sky above). A girl Isabella knows is murdered then her best friend Lupe goes missing after she ventures out to solve the mystery surrounding the murder itself. Being worried, Isabella disguises herself as a boy and joins the search party looking for Lupe and using the map skills she has acquired from her father.
What I enjoyed was the astrological aspect as well as the adventure involving Isabella on the search for Lupe. Sadly, the length of the story is what let it down for me a little, once I did feel fully on board with everything that was happening, the adventure was over. I think younger readers around the age of 12 or 13 will really enjoy this. Overall, a great idea that just needs some more development to it. The illustrations in my edition were really pretty to look at, what made the reading easier was that the story was clearly split into sections so for example, the first part is set in Joya then it moves onto the forests and so on.
What I enjoyed was the astrological aspect as well as the adventure involving Isabella on the search for Lupe. Sadly, the length of the story is what let it down for me a little, once I did feel fully on board with everything that was happening, the adventure was over. I think younger readers around the age of 12 or 13 will really enjoy this. Overall, a great idea that just needs some more development to it. The illustrations in my edition were really pretty to look at, what made the reading easier was that the story was clearly split into sections so for example, the first part is set in Joya then it moves onto the forests and so on.
August 25, 2021
Copertina ed edizione meravigliosa. Peccato per il contenuto.
Scrittura incoerente, incurante dei dettagli spazio-temporali e assolutamente non credibile.
Personaggi secondari completamente inutili e personaggi primari con un vissuto contraddittorio.
La protagonista, 13 anni e nessun potere magico, viene arruolata dall'imperatore come cartografa (perché ha sporadicamente visto il padre lavorare) nella spedizione alla ricerca della figlia scomparsa.
In questo libro ci sono gruppi di adulti che non riescono ad aprire una porta, ma il 15enne si.
La 13enne che a mani nude fa da scavatore in miniera.
Un viaggio che all'andata ha richiesto giorni a cavallo, ma al ritorno qualche ora a piedi.
La storia è un intreccio tra Mulan, Rapunzel e Oceania.
150 pagine di viaggio per raggiungere la minaccia, per poi saltare completamente il confronto.
Peccato.
Scrittura incoerente, incurante dei dettagli spazio-temporali e assolutamente non credibile.
Personaggi secondari completamente inutili e personaggi primari con un vissuto contraddittorio.
La protagonista, 13 anni e nessun potere magico, viene arruolata dall'imperatore come cartografa (perché ha sporadicamente visto il padre lavorare) nella spedizione alla ricerca della figlia scomparsa.
In questo libro ci sono gruppi di adulti che non riescono ad aprire una porta, ma il 15enne si.
La 13enne che a mani nude fa da scavatore in miniera.
Un viaggio che all'andata ha richiesto giorni a cavallo, ma al ritorno qualche ora a piedi.
La storia è un intreccio tra Mulan, Rapunzel e Oceania.
150 pagine di viaggio per raggiungere la minaccia, per poi saltare completamente il confronto.
Peccato.
June 15, 2022
“Дівчина з чорнила та зірок”
Кіран Міллвуд Харґрейв,
Артвидавництво «Небо», 2022
⠀
“THE GIRL OF INK AND STARS”
KIRAN MILLWOOD HARGRAVE, 2016
⠀
Читати, щоб відволікатися.
Щоб дихати.
Щоб жити.
⠀
Книжка фентезійна, але дуже реалістична. Коли не можливо з точністю сказати, чи це «насправді»?!
⠀
Авторська мова цікава й смачна.
⠀
Іноді болюча та не пом‘якшена, але водночас наповнена любов‘ю, дружбою та звитягою.
⠀
Ніколи в житті не цікавилася картографією, але ця книжка налаштовує вас на спрагле читання про острів, загадкові карти, магічну деревину та яскраві чорнила.
⠀
Та дружбу.
Чи любов.
Чи все, за що варто боротися!
⠀
Про книжку:
«Дівчина з чорнила та зірок» — це чарівна казка про острів, про дівчину, яка вирушає в самісіньке серце його історії, та про міфи, що скеровують її на шляху.
⠀
Ізабелла живе на тропічному острові, загубленому в океані. Вона дочка картографа, який передав їй усі свої знання про цей куточок землі. Частина острова є забороненою, і її ревно охороняє вогненний демон — принаймні існує така легенда.
⠀
Багато століть тому демона намагалися перемогти, але не вдалося. А тепер, коли спокій їхнього сонного містечка порушує звістка про зникнення дівчинки й про раптову появу жахливих потвор, стає зрозуміло, що хтось перетнув давній кордон. Під час подорожі героїня зіткнеться з небезпекою і страхом, зі зворушливою мужністю, коханням і дружбою. У цій казці ви дізнаєтеся, чи зможе Ізабелла накреслити нове майбутнє для свого острова.»
⠀
Цитата:
«Ти така сентиментальна», — сказала би Лупе.
⠀
Поруч я пишу два слова.
⠀
Дерево Лупе
⠀
Відкидаюся назад. Зір розмитий після багатьох днів, просиджених над мапою. Але коли я примружуюся і, повівши хворим плечем, простежую поглядом зелень лісів, блакить річок, слабкі стібки променів зірки — на папері я бачу не лише чорнило і нитку. Тут є ще щось — щось наближене до того життя, яке є у татових картах. Можливо.»
⠀
#примхливачитака
Кіран Міллвуд Харґрейв,
Артвидавництво «Небо», 2022
⠀
“THE GIRL OF INK AND STARS”
KIRAN MILLWOOD HARGRAVE, 2016
⠀
Читати, щоб відволікатися.
Щоб дихати.
Щоб жити.
⠀
Книжка фентезійна, але дуже реалістична. Коли не можливо з точністю сказати, чи це «насправді»?!
⠀
Авторська мова цікава й смачна.
⠀
Іноді болюча та не пом‘якшена, але водночас наповнена любов‘ю, дружбою та звитягою.
⠀
Ніколи в житті не цікавилася картографією, але ця книжка налаштовує вас на спрагле читання про острів, загадкові карти, магічну деревину та яскраві чорнила.
⠀
Та дружбу.
Чи любов.
Чи все, за що варто боротися!
⠀
Про книжку:
«Дівчина з чорнила та зірок» — це чарівна казка про острів, про дівчину, яка вирушає в самісіньке серце його історії, та про міфи, що скеровують її на шляху.
⠀
Ізабелла живе на тропічному острові, загубленому в океані. Вона дочка картографа, який передав їй усі свої знання про цей куточок землі. Частина острова є забороненою, і її ревно охороняє вогненний демон — принаймні існує така легенда.
⠀
Багато століть тому демона намагалися перемогти, але не вдалося. А тепер, коли спокій їхнього сонного містечка порушує звістка про зникнення дівчинки й про раптову появу жахливих потвор, стає зрозуміло, що хтось перетнув давній кордон. Під час подорожі героїня зіткнеться з небезпекою і страхом, зі зворушливою мужністю, коханням і дружбою. У цій казці ви дізнаєтеся, чи зможе Ізабелла накреслити нове майбутнє для свого острова.»
⠀
Цитата:
«Ти така сентиментальна», — сказала би Лупе.
⠀
Поруч я пишу два слова.
⠀
Дерево Лупе
⠀
Відкидаюся назад. Зір розмитий після багатьох днів, просиджених над мапою. Але коли я примружуюся і, повівши хворим плечем, простежую поглядом зелень лісів, блакить річок, слабкі стібки променів зірки — на папері я бачу не лише чорнило і нитку. Тут є ще щось — щось наближене до того життя, яке є у татових картах. Можливо.»
⠀
#примхливачитака
July 13, 2017
I have three young nieces who love reading and being read to, so they get quite a lot of books from my husband and me. But I like to read them first and, if they are suitable, buy fresh copies for the children. The nieces enjoy stories about spunky and capable girls with bright minds and big dreams, and this one seemed to tick all the boxes.
So I began this book a few weeks ago but then got distracted with other things I was reading. I picked it up again two days ago and found that I could not reconnect with the story. I started to pitch it into my "DNF" stack. But, no. . . . Something was bothering me about that. I felt I was being unfair. I thought that perhaps I had not been in the right frame of mind to began reading it when I did, as I had just completed book three of Catherynne M. Valente's The Fairyland Series and some other (adult) books. I decided to begin again and consider The Girl of Ink and Stars in its own right.
I read it straight through in a few hours last night and very much enjoyed it. I think it's an especially good read for the age group at which it is aimed (middle readers), and I know that I would have adored it back then. Here's what I found beautiful about it. Firstly, it is gorgeously presented, and I liked everything about this design and presentation. You can see the cover but not the inside, which has maps printed on the inside front and back covers, and cartography bits and pieces lightly printed on each page of text. Secondly, the story is told with simple but elegant language and with compelling characters. Thirdly, the three main characters: Isabella and Lupe, who are thirteen, and Pablo, who's a bit older, are intense and earnest and take themselves and their challenges very seriously. I like this especially because the book is not funny at all. Not that I don't like funny books, in their place, but I find it tiresome when books for kids (or adults) deliver lines as if we were reading a script for an American sit-com. Too much sarcasm and snappy one-liners become tedious, annoying, and unfunny very quickly. (This is also a trend in urban fantasy and other genres.) Fourthly, and what I especially appreciated about The Girl of Ink and Stars, the two girls are genuinely left, on their own, to resolve the crisis that threatens to destroy their island home. It is an overwhelming and impossible task, yet they face it nobly and with an unshakeable strength of character, despite profound personal sacrifice.
I think Hargrave uses the island myth to great effect and is consistent and steady with her modern (within the book's context which has a 19th-century feel) parallels and revelations. She describes things perfectly, as one might expect from a poet, without overdoing the language, giving the reader just enough detail to share her vision. Many times, this vision becomes horrific, and we can feel the terror that Isabella and Lupe and Pablo must feel, but never is it graphically spelled out in grotesque detail. I find this blend of talent with restraint rare these days when so much in books and films is overdone so that absolutely nothing is left to the audience's imagination.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading myths, fairy tales, and folklore, or books about girls who are steadfast and loyal friends saving their world together. (And who doesn't love that?)
Extra notes for true book geeks: The mapping coordinates of the fictional Isle of Joya are given on the opening page of the book, so of course I went to Find Latitude and Longitude and looked them up! Hargrave has based her tale on La Gomera in the Canary Islands, Spain. This is the very port from which Christopher Columbus set sail on 6th September 1492, intending to sail to the Indies under the patronage of Queen Isabella. Water from La Gomera was taken to "baptise" the new continent. No doubt alluding to these historical facts, in The Girl of Ink and Stars, Isabella's father, called Da, is a brilliant cartographer who teaches his daughter all he knows of both legends and map-making, and who yearns to see Amrica.
Although it has these real-world overlaps, Hargrave's Isle of Joya, legend has it, floats! More than simply floating like a scoop of ice cream in a tumbler of root beer, it travels the globe as its own organic, self-directed, and self-maintained ship. When the story opens, however, the island is held fast to its underwater plates (or by a fire demon - same/same) and the songbirds have long fled. The islanders' geographical seclusion makes cartography a wild romantic ideal rather than a bonafide profession, especially since the citizens of Gomera are not even allowed to travel across their own lands but must stay put by the coast. Obviously, this presents a challenge for anyone with wanderlust. Some of the other places names mentioned are Amrica, Afrik and India which adds mystique to places that we readers would normally think of as just ordinary parts of our world.
San Sabastian de La Gomera
So I began this book a few weeks ago but then got distracted with other things I was reading. I picked it up again two days ago and found that I could not reconnect with the story. I started to pitch it into my "DNF" stack. But, no. . . . Something was bothering me about that. I felt I was being unfair. I thought that perhaps I had not been in the right frame of mind to began reading it when I did, as I had just completed book three of Catherynne M. Valente's The Fairyland Series and some other (adult) books. I decided to begin again and consider The Girl of Ink and Stars in its own right.
I read it straight through in a few hours last night and very much enjoyed it. I think it's an especially good read for the age group at which it is aimed (middle readers), and I know that I would have adored it back then. Here's what I found beautiful about it. Firstly, it is gorgeously presented, and I liked everything about this design and presentation. You can see the cover but not the inside, which has maps printed on the inside front and back covers, and cartography bits and pieces lightly printed on each page of text. Secondly, the story is told with simple but elegant language and with compelling characters. Thirdly, the three main characters: Isabella and Lupe, who are thirteen, and Pablo, who's a bit older, are intense and earnest and take themselves and their challenges very seriously. I like this especially because the book is not funny at all. Not that I don't like funny books, in their place, but I find it tiresome when books for kids (or adults) deliver lines as if we were reading a script for an American sit-com. Too much sarcasm and snappy one-liners become tedious, annoying, and unfunny very quickly. (This is also a trend in urban fantasy and other genres.) Fourthly, and what I especially appreciated about The Girl of Ink and Stars, the two girls are genuinely left, on their own, to resolve the crisis that threatens to destroy their island home. It is an overwhelming and impossible task, yet they face it nobly and with an unshakeable strength of character, despite profound personal sacrifice.
I think Hargrave uses the island myth to great effect and is consistent and steady with her modern (within the book's context which has a 19th-century feel) parallels and revelations. She describes things perfectly, as one might expect from a poet, without overdoing the language, giving the reader just enough detail to share her vision. Many times, this vision becomes horrific, and we can feel the terror that Isabella and Lupe and Pablo must feel, but never is it graphically spelled out in grotesque detail. I find this blend of talent with restraint rare these days when so much in books and films is overdone so that absolutely nothing is left to the audience's imagination.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading myths, fairy tales, and folklore, or books about girls who are steadfast and loyal friends saving their world together. (And who doesn't love that?)
Extra notes for true book geeks: The mapping coordinates of the fictional Isle of Joya are given on the opening page of the book, so of course I went to Find Latitude and Longitude and looked them up! Hargrave has based her tale on La Gomera in the Canary Islands, Spain. This is the very port from which Christopher Columbus set sail on 6th September 1492, intending to sail to the Indies under the patronage of Queen Isabella. Water from La Gomera was taken to "baptise" the new continent. No doubt alluding to these historical facts, in The Girl of Ink and Stars, Isabella's father, called Da, is a brilliant cartographer who teaches his daughter all he knows of both legends and map-making, and who yearns to see Amrica.
Although it has these real-world overlaps, Hargrave's Isle of Joya, legend has it, floats! More than simply floating like a scoop of ice cream in a tumbler of root beer, it travels the globe as its own organic, self-directed, and self-maintained ship. When the story opens, however, the island is held fast to its underwater plates (or by a fire demon - same/same) and the songbirds have long fled. The islanders' geographical seclusion makes cartography a wild romantic ideal rather than a bonafide profession, especially since the citizens of Gomera are not even allowed to travel across their own lands but must stay put by the coast. Obviously, this presents a challenge for anyone with wanderlust. Some of the other places names mentioned are Amrica, Afrik and India which adds mystique to places that we readers would normally think of as just ordinary parts of our world.
San Sabastian de La Gomera
November 15, 2017
A very decent middle-grade fantasy about friendship, courage and the importance of finding your way.
April 14, 2022
برعکس بقیه نه اسم کتاب من رو جذب کرد نه کاورش و حالا شاید شاید، به خاطر قیمتش بود (۲۲)😔😂
ولی نه جدا واسه اینکه خلاصش یه چیز جدید به نظر میومد، نشر هوپا بود و هم از نظر حجم کتاب جمع و جوری بود، رفتم سراغش...
داستانِ ایزابلا، داستان جدیدی نبود و یه جاهایی هم شاید کلیشه ای میشد اما یه سری نکته ها داشت که باعث میشه من کمتر از این بهش ندم:
▫️اگر اشتباه نکنم وسط کتاب ۳ صفحه نقشه داشت که به فضای داستان کمک میکردن.
▫️ریتم داستان خیلی سریع بود و هی اتفاق پشت اتفاق، مخصوصا نیمه دومش.
▫️یه سری از جاهاش نقل قول از گذشته بود (که بولد بودن) و اونارو دوست داشتم.
▫️ترجمه هم روون بود.
▪️من اول فکر میکردم فقط خودم اینو حس کردم، ولی چند نفر دیگه هم گفته بودن که خیلی شباهت داره به انیمیشن موانا🤷🏻♀️
▪️پشت کتاب زده گروه سنی جوان اما به نظر من واسه نوجوانه.
در کل واسه یه بار خوندن بدک نیست اما نخوندین هم چیزی رو از دست نمیدین🌚
ولی نه جدا واسه اینکه خلاصش یه چیز جدید به نظر میومد، نشر هوپا بود و هم از نظر حجم کتاب جمع و جوری بود، رفتم سراغش...
داستانِ ایزابلا، داستان جدیدی نبود و یه جاهایی هم شاید کلیشه ای میشد اما یه سری نکته ها داشت که باعث میشه من کمتر از این بهش ندم:
▫️اگر اشتباه نکنم وسط کتاب ۳ صفحه نقشه داشت که به فضای داستان کمک میکردن.
▫️ریتم داستان خیلی سریع بود و هی اتفاق پشت اتفاق، مخصوصا نیمه دومش.
▫️یه سری از جاهاش نقل قول از گذشته بود (که بولد بودن) و اونارو دوست داشتم.
▫️ترجمه هم روون بود.
▪️من اول فکر میکردم فقط خودم اینو حس کردم، ولی چند نفر دیگه هم گفته بودن که خیلی شباهت داره به انیمیشن موانا🤷🏻♀️
▪️پشت کتاب زده گروه سنی جوان اما به نظر من واسه نوجوانه.
در کل واسه یه بار خوندن بدک نیست اما نخوندین هم چیزی رو از دست نمیدین🌚
May 11, 2020
I fell in love with this book the moment I saw that cover. A bad habit probably, but sorry can't help it. A time when boy wizards and demigods rule children's books, it is good to see a thirteen-year-old girl having her own adventures even in the guise of her twin brother. Set in an island steeped in legends and mythical stories, 'The Girl of Ink and Stars' is an ordinary girl's tale of courage and steadfastness.
Isabelle Riosse is the daughter of a cartographer and is also the best friend of Lupe, the only daughter of the Governor. Due to the dictatorship of her father, Lupe's family is hated by all and consequently, Isabella is her only friend. Lupe's desire to eat dragon fruit on her birthday leads to the death of one of her classmates. Hurt by Isabella's cruel words, she goes in search of the killer determined to prove that not everyone in her family is rotten. A search party is formed and Isabella volunteers to join in order to save her best friend. This is also her chance to map the places outside her village which she was forbidden to visit.
The island of Joya and its history comes alive through Isabella's eyes and soon we are thrown into a vortex of events involving demonic beasts and hidden tunnels which until then had been thought to be just bedtime stories. With her lucid and clear style, Hargrave brings life and emotions to the intricacies of map-making quite efficiently. I never thought that this vocation can be as exciting as this.
My sole complaint is regarding the length. The story had the scope of another 'Lord of the Rings', but it is wrapped up too quickly in around two hundred pages. Considering the age group the book is intended for, that could be a wise decision too. Altogether, an enjoyable story that really takes you to the warmth and brightness of stars.
Isabelle Riosse is the daughter of a cartographer and is also the best friend of Lupe, the only daughter of the Governor. Due to the dictatorship of her father, Lupe's family is hated by all and consequently, Isabella is her only friend. Lupe's desire to eat dragon fruit on her birthday leads to the death of one of her classmates. Hurt by Isabella's cruel words, she goes in search of the killer determined to prove that not everyone in her family is rotten. A search party is formed and Isabella volunteers to join in order to save her best friend. This is also her chance to map the places outside her village which she was forbidden to visit.
The island of Joya and its history comes alive through Isabella's eyes and soon we are thrown into a vortex of events involving demonic beasts and hidden tunnels which until then had been thought to be just bedtime stories. With her lucid and clear style, Hargrave brings life and emotions to the intricacies of map-making quite efficiently. I never thought that this vocation can be as exciting as this.
My sole complaint is regarding the length. The story had the scope of another 'Lord of the Rings', but it is wrapped up too quickly in around two hundred pages. Considering the age group the book is intended for, that could be a wise decision too. Altogether, an enjoyable story that really takes you to the warmth and brightness of stars.
July 7, 2018
Each of us carries the map of our lives on our skin, in the way we walk, even in the way we grow.
There are not a lot of better things to get in a book when the cover is as beautiful as the story but this was just that. I really loved this because it was just purely about magic, friendship, adventure and bravery.
I was really happy when Isabella wasn't one of those special snowflake characters who find out she has magical powers. She was a normal human that had a magical way with maps. It wasn't the case where its only her to save the day but her best friend Lupe also played a massive role in saving Joya (the island).
When I read it, it was quite fast paced and that was one of the main things that kept my attention. I was never bored because there was always something going on.
The fate of some characters were really sad surprises but its like you kind of feel happy for them since they went down doing what they believed would redeem themselves from the bad things they have done in the past.
Kiran Millwood Hargrave did a brilliant job of keeping her readers hooked and getting them emotionally connected to her characters.
I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a magical adventure.
There are not a lot of better things to get in a book when the cover is as beautiful as the story but this was just that. I really loved this because it was just purely about magic, friendship, adventure and bravery.
I was really happy when Isabella wasn't one of those special snowflake characters who find out she has magical powers. She was a normal human that had a magical way with maps. It wasn't the case where its only her to save the day but her best friend Lupe also played a massive role in saving Joya (the island).
When I read it, it was quite fast paced and that was one of the main things that kept my attention. I was never bored because there was always something going on.
The fate of some characters were really sad surprises but its like you kind of feel happy for them since they went down doing what they believed would redeem themselves from the bad things they have done in the past.
Kiran Millwood Hargrave did a brilliant job of keeping her readers hooked and getting them emotionally connected to her characters.
I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a magical adventure.
April 23, 2017
The Girl of Ink and Stars is one of those rare treasures that is as gorgeous on the inside as it is on the outside. After initially eyeing this up as a cover buy and then hearing nothing but incredible things about this book I finally jumped straight in and I loved every second.
This book is absolutely gorgeous from beginning to end. Set in a beautifully imagined parallel world, The Girl of Ink and Stars is Isa’s tale. She is such a strong and fierce character and I’m sure that she will be an inspiration to many young girls. This is truly a tale of strength and love whether it be family or friends both of these themes run throughout this book.
The writing is gorgeous and I loved how magical and mystical the world was whilst remaining firmly rooted in our world. I loved the mythology behind the story and how everything unfolded. The added magical realism elements were also really engaging for me.
This is definitely a book that younger readers will be captivated by but there is plenty to like about this magical tale for people of all ages.
I also just need to take a moment to acknowledge that as well as an incredibly gorgeous cover the inside pages of this book are also all beautifully decorated with small illustrations and maps for each part of the book. It’s a masterpiece in every sense.
The Girl of Ink and Stars is a beautiful adventure in a vibrant world with wonderfully imagined characters. A new kind of fairy tale.
This book is absolutely gorgeous from beginning to end. Set in a beautifully imagined parallel world, The Girl of Ink and Stars is Isa’s tale. She is such a strong and fierce character and I’m sure that she will be an inspiration to many young girls. This is truly a tale of strength and love whether it be family or friends both of these themes run throughout this book.
The writing is gorgeous and I loved how magical and mystical the world was whilst remaining firmly rooted in our world. I loved the mythology behind the story and how everything unfolded. The added magical realism elements were also really engaging for me.
This is definitely a book that younger readers will be captivated by but there is plenty to like about this magical tale for people of all ages.
I also just need to take a moment to acknowledge that as well as an incredibly gorgeous cover the inside pages of this book are also all beautifully decorated with small illustrations and maps for each part of the book. It’s a masterpiece in every sense.
The Girl of Ink and Stars is a beautiful adventure in a vibrant world with wonderfully imagined characters. A new kind of fairy tale.
May 2, 2020
This is a wonderful book which is beautifully designed and keeps you gripped until the final page.
The book cover and pages have lovely illustrations on them which makes it a pleasure to read and gives it a feeling of a magical treasured manuscript.
It’s quite a short book but is certainly not lacking because of it.
The story follows Isabella who lives on an island that she is not allowed to leave. Strange events have taken place and when a young girl disappears everything turns to chaos. When Isabella’s friend goes missing she makes up her mind to go and find her. Her journey feels fated as she uses the cartography skills her father taught her. Armed with paper, ink and a knowledge of the stars she sets out on the journey of a lifetime.
A wonderful read, aimed at YA readers but suitable for all.
The book cover and pages have lovely illustrations on them which makes it a pleasure to read and gives it a feeling of a magical treasured manuscript.
It’s quite a short book but is certainly not lacking because of it.
The story follows Isabella who lives on an island that she is not allowed to leave. Strange events have taken place and when a young girl disappears everything turns to chaos. When Isabella’s friend goes missing she makes up her mind to go and find her. Her journey feels fated as she uses the cartography skills her father taught her. Armed with paper, ink and a knowledge of the stars she sets out on the journey of a lifetime.
A wonderful read, aimed at YA readers but suitable for all.
June 29, 2018
3.5 stars - sometimes it’s nice to see what is being put out there as children’s literature these days, and I wasn’t let down here! This is a beautifully written little story of myths and bravery, that I would have loved as a kid! And still did enjoy as a 23 year old ☺️
July 13, 2023
This was nice. A quick, very well-written and interesting read, that did remind me, like others, of a Disney movie, like Moana. It was quite dark and sad, too. It's atmospheric and unique.
Something about the book just stopped me from fully connecting with it. It was a little slow, and it just failed to truly get me excited or entertained. It's not because of the target age being so different from my own - after all, I absolutely love other middle grade books and authors. This one just didn't entirely work. I didn't fall in love with it, but I enjoyed the charm of it and do recommend it to people looking for a magical middle grade story that's a bit different!
Something about the book just stopped me from fully connecting with it. It was a little slow, and it just failed to truly get me excited or entertained. It's not because of the target age being so different from my own - after all, I absolutely love other middle grade books and authors. This one just didn't entirely work. I didn't fall in love with it, but I enjoyed the charm of it and do recommend it to people looking for a magical middle grade story that's a bit different!
April 7, 2017
I really loved this book and wish I had read it as a child! It was so fun and imaginative and emotional but not emotionally manipulative. Highly recommended for readers of all ages who love a good adventure story.
April 2, 2019
Porywająca opowieść o odwadze, sile i wielkiej przygodzie w magicznej opowieści pełnej legend i map – „Dziewczynka z atramentu i gwiazd” Kiran Millwood Hargrave.
Kiran Millwood Hargrave jak na poetkę młodego pokolenia przystało oczarowuje czytelnika od pierwszych stron – bajeczny język, magiczny świat, a wszystko to pełne pasji i nadziei, przygody i tajemnicy. W tej opowieści najważniejsza jest jednak bohaterka, odważna, dzielna Isa, która gotowa jest na wszystko, by uratować wyspę, ocalić swoich najbliższych. Na modłę legendarnych heroin przyjmuje męską tożsamość swojego zmarłego brata bliźniaka, by ruszyć na przekór wszelkim zakazom na Ziemie Zapomniane. Napędza ją miłość i przyjaźń, ale także potrzeba odkrywania, głęboko zakorzeniony w ludzkiej krwi przymus eksploracji, świadomość, że za horyzontem jest coś więcej, a za kolejnym zakrętem rzeki ukrywa się sekret, kolejna wielka przygoda. Nie będzie białych plam na mapie, nie musi ich już być.
„Dziewczynka z atramentu i gwiazd” to jedna z tych opowieści, od których nie sposób się oderwać. Młodszy czytelnik odnajdzie tutaj cząstki siebie – młodych, pełnych nadziei i wiary siebie bohaterów, którzy z brawurą i buntem w sercu znanymi tylko młodości potrafią spełnić swoje marzenia, potrafią prześcignąć mit. Starszy czytelnik natomiast odkryje piękną baśń, legendę na miarę współczesnych czasów, która inspiruje, przywołuje dawno uśpiony zew. To niezwykła lektura, dopracowana w każdym szczególe, pysznie przygodowa, jak tylko przygoda potrafi być smakowita. Kiran Millwood Hargrave wie jak dopasować słowa, wie jak snuć opowieść, by oczarować serca młodsze i starsze – a to taki talent, który dany jest tylko nielicznym.
W Międzynarodowym Dniu Książki dla Dzieci „Dziewczynka z atramentu i gwiazd” to idealny wybór.
Kiran Millwood Hargrave jak na poetkę młodego pokolenia przystało oczarowuje czytelnika od pierwszych stron – bajeczny język, magiczny świat, a wszystko to pełne pasji i nadziei, przygody i tajemnicy. W tej opowieści najważniejsza jest jednak bohaterka, odważna, dzielna Isa, która gotowa jest na wszystko, by uratować wyspę, ocalić swoich najbliższych. Na modłę legendarnych heroin przyjmuje męską tożsamość swojego zmarłego brata bliźniaka, by ruszyć na przekór wszelkim zakazom na Ziemie Zapomniane. Napędza ją miłość i przyjaźń, ale także potrzeba odkrywania, głęboko zakorzeniony w ludzkiej krwi przymus eksploracji, świadomość, że za horyzontem jest coś więcej, a za kolejnym zakrętem rzeki ukrywa się sekret, kolejna wielka przygoda. Nie będzie białych plam na mapie, nie musi ich już być.
„Dziewczynka z atramentu i gwiazd” to jedna z tych opowieści, od których nie sposób się oderwać. Młodszy czytelnik odnajdzie tutaj cząstki siebie – młodych, pełnych nadziei i wiary siebie bohaterów, którzy z brawurą i buntem w sercu znanymi tylko młodości potrafią spełnić swoje marzenia, potrafią prześcignąć mit. Starszy czytelnik natomiast odkryje piękną baśń, legendę na miarę współczesnych czasów, która inspiruje, przywołuje dawno uśpiony zew. To niezwykła lektura, dopracowana w każdym szczególe, pysznie przygodowa, jak tylko przygoda potrafi być smakowita. Kiran Millwood Hargrave wie jak dopasować słowa, wie jak snuć opowieść, by oczarować serca młodsze i starsze – a to taki talent, który dany jest tylko nielicznym.
W Międzynarodowym Dniu Książki dla Dzieci „Dziewczynka z atramentu i gwiazd” to idealny wybór.
October 3, 2016
It's important to state that this is a wonderful book for both boys and girls. Some may think that a book with the silhouette of a girl of the front cover could be calling to a certain audience but there are plenty of boys on front covers and girls pick 'em up: and the same should and could be said here.
Something strange has happened the world which Isabella inhabits. It is a place full of dark secrets and a past shrouded with myths flavoured with the essence of truth. One myth, the story of Arinta the warrior girl, strikes a chord with Isabella more than the others - it speaks of fire deamons and islands which sailed the oceans.
Having lost both her twin brother and her mother, Isabella is left to live in the village of Gromera with her father who has instilled in his daughter a love of maps. So it seems cruel that someone so drawn to exploration is bound to the village alone under the ominous gaze of the governor. It takes a terrible event and the disappearance of her best friend (the governor's daughter) to set Isabella upon a quest which could result in her death and the destruction of the world she holds so dear.
From start to finish I enjoyed this book, every character is interesting and the world is well crafted: you can smell it and hear it as much as you can see it. The language is rich and engaging and supports a quick, engrossing pace. Isabella herself is a wonderful character; one which we can connect with. She often says things that she should not but her heart is true and she is loyal and brave to the very end. What I particularly loved about the book was that it closed with more questions than it had answers, it left me wanting more and also drew me to the world and those within it even more.
Something strange has happened the world which Isabella inhabits. It is a place full of dark secrets and a past shrouded with myths flavoured with the essence of truth. One myth, the story of Arinta the warrior girl, strikes a chord with Isabella more than the others - it speaks of fire deamons and islands which sailed the oceans.
Having lost both her twin brother and her mother, Isabella is left to live in the village of Gromera with her father who has instilled in his daughter a love of maps. So it seems cruel that someone so drawn to exploration is bound to the village alone under the ominous gaze of the governor. It takes a terrible event and the disappearance of her best friend (the governor's daughter) to set Isabella upon a quest which could result in her death and the destruction of the world she holds so dear.
From start to finish I enjoyed this book, every character is interesting and the world is well crafted: you can smell it and hear it as much as you can see it. The language is rich and engaging and supports a quick, engrossing pace. Isabella herself is a wonderful character; one which we can connect with. She often says things that she should not but her heart is true and she is loyal and brave to the very end. What I particularly loved about the book was that it closed with more questions than it had answers, it left me wanting more and also drew me to the world and those within it even more.
February 21, 2023
"The girl of ink and starts" é uma história que crianças e adultos podem partilhar. Por na sua essência encontrar-se a magia das verdadeiras histórias que liamos na nossa infância. Narrativas com ilhas místicas e os seus tesouros; heroínas míticas que lutam contra monstros; aventuras por florestas perigosas mas com a companhia de verdadeiros amigos.
Kiran Hargrave mais uma vez criou uma história encantada da qual não consegui largar, desta vez a escritora apresenta-nos Isabella, a filha de um cartografo, que vive presa na sua ilha Joy e sonha descobrir os Reinos Esquecidos. Quando a sua melhor amiga desaparece apenas ela, graças os seus conhecimentos para ler mapas e estrelas, poderão encontrá-la e com isso descobrir que nem todos os mitos são apenas histórias.
Algo que adoro nas suas histórias é o facto de ela se focar nas amizades do feminino ( e mesmo quando existe romance é mais a amizade entre as tais duas mulheres que se destaca), de não forçar nenhum tipo de romance nas suas histórias e sempre manter-se fiel ao seu estilo de escrita independentemente do género que escreva.
Kiran Hargrave mais uma vez criou uma história encantada da qual não consegui largar, desta vez a escritora apresenta-nos Isabella, a filha de um cartografo, que vive presa na sua ilha Joy e sonha descobrir os Reinos Esquecidos. Quando a sua melhor amiga desaparece apenas ela, graças os seus conhecimentos para ler mapas e estrelas, poderão encontrá-la e com isso descobrir que nem todos os mitos são apenas histórias.
Algo que adoro nas suas histórias é o facto de ela se focar nas amizades do feminino ( e mesmo quando existe romance é mais a amizade entre as tais duas mulheres que se destaca), de não forçar nenhum tipo de romance nas suas histórias e sempre manter-se fiel ao seu estilo de escrita independentemente do género que escreva.
November 18, 2017
Dočteno, knihu jsem zhltala za dva večery a nemohla jsem se od ní odtrhnout. Já prostě miluju Middle-grade dobrodružství, tady navíc byl místní folklór, mytologie, trochu nedpřirozeno, ty španělská jména, ostrov, z velké části neprobádaný. Prostě kouzelná knížečka s kouzelným, napínavým, nenáročným samozřejmě, příběhem.
Přemýšlím, co způsobilo, že se to tolik z vás nelíbilo. Trochu hádám, že fakt, že tam nebyla žádná YA romance a že by český překlad? Já YA fantasy/romanci fakt nepotřebuji a knihu jsem četla v angličtině, tak že by? Tohle bylo skvělé dobrodružství a styl psaní autora se mi moc líbil, udrželo mě to v napětí po celou dobu a prostě to bylo krásné, kouzelné, smutné, veselé, nostalgické. Po dlouhé době mě nějaká kniha opravdu pohltila. Ale chápu, že kdo není zvyklý číst middle-grade fantasy, tak ho to možná nudilo. Já se ponořila do dobrodružství a vyprávění Isabelly a užila jsem si to, všechny ty její příběhy od táty a co postupně prožívala. Prostě paráda. Tak co má autor za další knižní počiny? Chci víc.
Přemýšlím, co způsobilo, že se to tolik z vás nelíbilo. Trochu hádám, že fakt, že tam nebyla žádná YA romance a že by český překlad? Já YA fantasy/romanci fakt nepotřebuji a knihu jsem četla v angličtině, tak že by? Tohle bylo skvělé dobrodružství a styl psaní autora se mi moc líbil, udrželo mě to v napětí po celou dobu a prostě to bylo krásné, kouzelné, smutné, veselé, nostalgické. Po dlouhé době mě nějaká kniha opravdu pohltila. Ale chápu, že kdo není zvyklý číst middle-grade fantasy, tak ho to možná nudilo. Já se ponořila do dobrodružství a vyprávění Isabelly a užila jsem si to, všechny ty její příběhy od táty a co postupně prožívala. Prostě paráda. Tak co má autor za další knižní počiny? Chci víc.
May 4, 2021
I loved this. I can't believe it's taken me so long to get round to reading it.
Beautifully written and comes to life from the first page.
A lovely read that I well certainly be reading with the children this year.
Beautifully written and comes to life from the first page.
A lovely read that I well certainly be reading with the children this year.
August 6, 2017
Blog post titled 'You Are Too Young for The Girl of Ink and Stars' to come! Look out for it in the next month or so.
The art of buying books has become a hesitant action of mine while I wait for the $50 all-you-can-into-a-box book buffet that’s about to arrive. It’s a once in a year thing for my entire country, and so I don’t want to be wasting my money on just any old book. So I cajoled my mum into buying this for me, secondhand mind you, instead. Thanks mum!
However, despite the somewhat negative connotations that both the title of this post and the implication that I didn’t buy this myself might give you, this book was a little gem in it’s own right. The content matched the cover; gorgeous both inside and out. Not only that, but the pages were printed with orange stars, compasses and carefully coloured maps that are supposed to resemble the ones that are described within the pages. Even if I hadn’t enjoyed the story, I’m sure that the beautiful designs would have earned it at least an extra star on goodreads.
I debated on what to give this. While it was a wonderful story and I enjoyed it quite a great deal – I do think that it has been marketed incorrectly. Skeletons and beloved pets almost being eaten don't seem all that appropriate for middle graders (who I am assuming are 9-13). I also really didn't like the first chapter, in fact, I almost put the book down because of it. So I've settled on:
4.5 stars
The art of buying books has become a hesitant action of mine while I wait for the $50 all-you-can-into-a-box book buffet that’s about to arrive. It’s a once in a year thing for my entire country, and so I don’t want to be wasting my money on just any old book. So I cajoled my mum into buying this for me, secondhand mind you, instead. Thanks mum!
However, despite the somewhat negative connotations that both the title of this post and the implication that I didn’t buy this myself might give you, this book was a little gem in it’s own right. The content matched the cover; gorgeous both inside and out. Not only that, but the pages were printed with orange stars, compasses and carefully coloured maps that are supposed to resemble the ones that are described within the pages. Even if I hadn’t enjoyed the story, I’m sure that the beautiful designs would have earned it at least an extra star on goodreads.
I debated on what to give this. While it was a wonderful story and I enjoyed it quite a great deal – I do think that it has been marketed incorrectly. Skeletons and beloved pets almost being eaten don't seem all that appropriate for middle graders (who I am assuming are 9-13). I also really didn't like the first chapter, in fact, I almost put the book down because of it. So I've settled on:
4.5 stars
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