(This review may contain spoilers).
It’s been a while since I read this book. I picked it up again today and while it took me a while to get back into it, I did find it an enjoyable read. Unfortunately, by reaching the end, I didn’t feel I could give it 4 stars, more like 3.5.
One thing I’ve noticed since re-reading the books by these authors is that there are lines that crop up that have been used multiple times. I felt like I was reading repeats of the characters from the Belgariad, for instance.
I did like the slight mix of genres, but I never really felt like the main characters were in any real danger. I liked Twinkie’s character and I would have liked to see more of the interactions between her and the other characters, instead of so many of those conversations being glossed over.
I did find Mark an interesting character, but so much of his early life was glossed over that it was difficult to connect to him emotionally, even though the book was written from his point of view. It wasn’t really until towards the end that I felt he really did anything. Up until the last couple of chapters, it seemed like all he was doing was ferrying around Renata and bantering with his housemates. Plus, it felt like there were a lot of dead-ends when it came to romance. There was an indication of jealousy (told not shown) later on that seemed to make no sense, given there were no reasons for the girls to be jealous of Mark’s supposed girlfriend.
It was really good to get glimpses of how Twinkie’s mind worked, but although there were a few tense moments involving her, I felt a lot of her interactions with the characters, when shown, fell somewhat short.
While the book was billed as a part ghost story on the blurb, those supernatural elements didn’t really come into play until towards the end.
I also felt that the characters had it a bit too easy, especially towards the end of the book, when it felt like there were no conflicts or problems. The resolution would have been infinitely more satisfying if they’d had to work for it.
Ink of Blood 