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samantha_randolph 's review for:
Ink and Ashes
by Valynne E. Maetani
Short and Sweet:
If you love edge-of-your-seat suspense with an #ownvoices Japanese American narration, then I highly recommend this fast paced story of the yakuza, family, and romance.
To Elaborate...
*Note: In the book, Claire refers to her stepfather as her "dad" and her biological, deceased father as her "father." For the purposes of this review, I will do the same.*
I've shamefully had this book sitting on my shelf for a while, and I'm so, so glad I finally read it. INK AND ASHES is about Claire Takata, a young girl with a very curious mind who wants to know more about her father's death when she was a child. She finds a photo and a letter connecting her father to her stepfather, and she had no idea the two ever knew each other. When her parents reluctantly tell her some of their secrets, she discovers her father was once part of the yakuza, a Japanese organized crime group. While searching for more answers, Claire may have lead the yakuza right to her door...and they want her dead.
This story has one of the best suspense plots I've read. Many suspense/thriller books I read focus on building suspense when the main character is alone and often using tactics that could be explained away (the sense of someone following them was actually a stray cat; the mysteriously opened window was actually a sibling playing a prank, etc.). There's absolutely nothing wrong with those methods, but I also love the way Maetani uses very out right scare methods. While there is definitely a mystery as to who exactly is behind all the attacks, there is no arguing that any of what's happening to Claire is a joke. Someone starts a fire in her front yard, someone forces her into a car accident, etc. The 'gifts' Claire gets are specifically tied into Japanese culture and have ominous and deadly meanings. You definitely want to be cautious about reading this alone at night if you're easily spooked.
Outside of the suspense, the family dynamic is touching. Claire's family extends to more than just her immediate family, often having several boys over who are like brothers to her (though with one romantic exception). With such a close cast of characters, Claire, her parents, her two brothers, her three or so close male friends, the author does a wonderful job at making them all distinct. Though I wouldn't have minded another significant female character, all of the brothers (and pseudo-brothers) are the perfect mixture of hilarious, sweet, and frustrating in a very sibling-esque manner. I especially love Claire's relationship with her dad.
Overall, I really enjoyed this one, and I can't wait to see more from this author!
Originally posted at The Forest of Words and Pages: http://www.forestofwordsandpages.com/2016/06/review-ink-ashes-valynne-e-maetani/
If you love edge-of-your-seat suspense with an #ownvoices Japanese American narration, then I highly recommend this fast paced story of the yakuza, family, and romance.
To Elaborate...
*Note: In the book, Claire refers to her stepfather as her "dad" and her biological, deceased father as her "father." For the purposes of this review, I will do the same.*
I've shamefully had this book sitting on my shelf for a while, and I'm so, so glad I finally read it. INK AND ASHES is about Claire Takata, a young girl with a very curious mind who wants to know more about her father's death when she was a child. She finds a photo and a letter connecting her father to her stepfather, and she had no idea the two ever knew each other. When her parents reluctantly tell her some of their secrets, she discovers her father was once part of the yakuza, a Japanese organized crime group. While searching for more answers, Claire may have lead the yakuza right to her door...and they want her dead.
This story has one of the best suspense plots I've read. Many suspense/thriller books I read focus on building suspense when the main character is alone and often using tactics that could be explained away (the sense of someone following them was actually a stray cat; the mysteriously opened window was actually a sibling playing a prank, etc.). There's absolutely nothing wrong with those methods, but I also love the way Maetani uses very out right scare methods. While there is definitely a mystery as to who exactly is behind all the attacks, there is no arguing that any of what's happening to Claire is a joke. Someone starts a fire in her front yard, someone forces her into a car accident, etc. The 'gifts' Claire gets are specifically tied into Japanese culture and have ominous and deadly meanings. You definitely want to be cautious about reading this alone at night if you're easily spooked.
Outside of the suspense, the family dynamic is touching. Claire's family extends to more than just her immediate family, often having several boys over who are like brothers to her (though with one romantic exception). With such a close cast of characters, Claire, her parents, her two brothers, her three or so close male friends, the author does a wonderful job at making them all distinct. Though I wouldn't have minded another significant female character, all of the brothers (and pseudo-brothers) are the perfect mixture of hilarious, sweet, and frustrating in a very sibling-esque manner. I especially love Claire's relationship with her dad.
Overall, I really enjoyed this one, and I can't wait to see more from this author!
Originally posted at The Forest of Words and Pages: http://www.forestofwordsandpages.com/2016/06/review-ink-ashes-valynne-e-maetani/