Ink - Amanda Sun

Ink by Amanda Sun
Series: Paper Gods #1
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Publication Date: June 25, 2013
Source/Format: Publisher (Thanks Harlequin!) || ARC

[I received this book from the publisher. This in no way affects the thoughts expressed in my review.]

On the heels of a family tragedy, the last thing Katie Greene wants to do is move halfway across the world. Stuck with her aunt in Shizuoka, Japan, Katie feels lost. Alone. She doesn’t know the language, she can barely hold a pair of chopsticks, and she can’t seem to get the hang of taking her shoes off whenever she enters a building.

Then there’s gorgeous but aloof Tomohiro, star of the school’s kendo team. How did he really get the scar on his arm? Katie isn’t prepared for the answer. But when she sees the things he draws start moving, there’s no denying the truth: Tomo has a connection to the ancient gods of Japan, and being near Katie is causing his abilities to spiral out of control. If the wrong people notice, they'll both be targets. (from Goodreads)

Ink promises the reader a taste of Japan, its mythology and a fresh romance, and delivers on all three. It’s a read that will appeal to fans of Japanese anime, with prose that provides a startlingly visual reading experience. 

Sun has written her story in a way that balances both description and action. She makes use of words that paint an extraordinarily realistic portrait of Japan, all while still effectively telling the story. As mentioned, the writing is very visual, allowing the story to truly come to life in front of the reader’s eyes. Because of this, it’s fairly easily to get completely lost in this story as you read. 

Her use of Japanese words and phrases certainly adds an authentic touch. As a (former) anime junkie, many of them were familiar to me and it was a pleasure to encounter them. But people who don’t know any Japanese shouldn’t fear! It’s fairly easy to discover their definitions, as either the characters explain it or you can pick up on the context clues. 

She also mentions various Japanese rituals, such as the tea ceremony and the cherry blossom celebration, as well as kendo (a Japanese fighting sport). But what really reeled me in was Sun’s incorporation of the Japanese gods. While only the basics of Japanese mythology are familiar to me, her method of weaving it into her story is really strong. It’s subtle, actually believable and slightly fanciful. 

The story was very well-written, combining contemporary situations effortlessly with the paranormal elements. It focuses a lot on Katie’s struggles, which include dealing with the loss of her mother, being a stranger in a complete foreign place where English isn’t the primary language and trying to figure Tomohiro out. The paranormal part does lead to certain situations, and even a predictable romance, but for the most part, it remains simply the catalyst in the background. Basically, the book revolves around Katie looking for answers - and if you want to find out if she finds them, you’ll have to read it. 

My only (minor) reservation is the characters, all of them but particularly Katie and Tomohiro. They’re not very easy to like. In fact, they’re downright frustrating most of the time. Readers have the opportunity to learn just enough about each of them, and nothing more than that, which didn’t help. 

Sun wrote Katie as the foreigner, the gaijin, in Japan only because of her circumstances. There’s hints as to her struggle and the riot of emotions in the early chapters. But once her focus shifts to Tomohiro, that aspect fades completely into the background. The changes in her attitude and feelings are only markedly clear again at the end, when she’s adjusted to Japan. Honestly, it felt as if her budding romance was what helped her really blossom. While that’s not necessarily a bad thing, I did want her to figure things out for herself. Still, the novel ends with her finally taking charge of her life. That alone makes me curious to see if she’s changed in the next one! 

The relationship Katie forms with Tomohiro is something I’m torn about. I like how they started off as enemies, then gradually became friends, followed by becoming something more. But I won’t lie - it felt very insta-love at some points. Clearly, a big part of this lies in the fact that there’s a supernatural connection between them, so I could mostly forgive them moving too fast. I did enjoy certain moments they shared, but I’m still questioning the driving force behind their relationship.

Ink, overall, is an enjoyable story. It accurately portrays Japan and Japanese culture, which is something readers will enjoy. It also tells the story well, packing in some action and sweetness and sorrow. Finishing the novel felt like ending the first season of an anime: you’re satisfied, but there are still unanswered questions. Clearly, it means that readers will need to pick up the second novel to find out more - and I definitely will.