Isabella's Reading Corner: Worlds of Ink and Shadow

Worlds of Ink and Shadow by Lena Coakley

Published January 5^th 2016 by Harper Collins

Worlds of Ink and Shadow is a wonderfully imaginative mix of fact and fiction about the Brontë siblings. I am a big fan of Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre, but I knew very little about the authors or their lives.

In the story, the siblings are able to physically enter the worlds of their own creation. Unfortunately, to do this there is a price that must be paid.  This is a beautifully rendered & highly atmospheric novel. The intricate details and family dynamics make it compulsively readable.

Coakley writes with such passion and knowledge, you can feel the love she has for her subjects. The book really brings these literary figures to life. I recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys historical fiction or fantasy, even if you are not a fan of the Brontës.

From the publisher:

Charlotte, Branwell, Emily, and Anne. The Brontë siblings have always been inseparable. After all, nothing can bond four siblings quite like life in an isolated parsonage out on the moors. Their vivid imaginations lend them escape from their strict upbringing, actually transporting them into their created worlds: the glittering Verdopolis and the romantic and melancholy Gondal. But at what price? As Branwell begins to descend into madness and the sisters feel their real lives slipping away, they must weigh the cost of their powerful imaginations, even as their characters-the brooding Rogue and dashing Duke of Zamorna-refuse to let them go.

Gorgeously written and based on the Brontës’ own juvenilia, Worlds of Ink & Shadow brings to life one of history’s most celebrated literary families in a thrilling, suspenseful fantasy.

You can read my original Isabella's Reading Corner post on Worlds of Ink and Shadow here.