Ink Blood Sister Scribe by Emma Törzs

Törzs’s debut shows real promise as she introduces a fascinating world of book magic, three unique central characters, and realistic, conflicted relationships in which well-meaning people who care about each other still struggle to find the right way forward.

I love the intricacies of the magic in the story, and how the magic ties in to the conflicts between the characters — especially the complicated family relationships that Joanna, Esther, and Nicholas grapple with as they try to understand and deal with what’s happening around them. The book doesn’t entirely work for me, though: It has uneven pacing (taking about 20% of the book to really get moving and veering into extensive backstory just at the climax near the end), at least one obvious magical inconsistency, and leaves me more invested in Nicholas than the two title sisters. I also wasn’t too surprised by the way things played out, including the motivations for various characters’ actions that were revealed and explained at the end.

That said, I’m willing to forgive a debut novel for issues like pacing when it can deliver such interesting world building, believable relationships, and a magical system that feels new, and I look forward to how Törzs develops her storytelling in future books.

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Thank you to NetGalley and Cornerstone (Penguin Random House) for providing an advanced reader copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. Ink Blood Sister Scribe comes out on July 6, 2023.