Losing myself in 'The Girl of Ink and Stars' by Kiran Millwood Hargrave

"Each of us carries
the map of our lives on our skin,
in the way we walk, even in the
way we grow."

Spoiler free plot teaser... 

Isabella is the daughter of a cartographer and lives in Gromera on the island of Joya with her father. Something deep within their island changed the day Governor Adori arrived, sending the song birds and animals away, leaving only the ravens behind. Isa's father had explored the world in the years before the Governer came, mapping out islands and oceans and landmarks with the most precision. But Gromera was cut off from the rest of the island and the ports closed, keeping all of its villagers trapped with no means to leave if they wanted to.

Isa is best friends with the Governer's daughter, Lupe, and despite their obvious differences they have a close friendship. The story begins with the disappearance of one of their classmates, Cata. Isabella is worried about about where she could be, but Lupe isn't. She was the last to see her, sending her off to collect her favourite dragon fruits for her birthday.

The disappearance of Cata is the catalyst of the story, eventually sending Lupe into action, and Isa has to do all she can to make sure the village doesn't lose more than just Cata.

My thoughts...

Firstly, I devoured this book within a few days. Ten year old me would have adored everything about it, and I can guarantee it would have been a book I would have read over and over again. Those kinds of books are always the best when you're a child. When I bought the book in Waterstones, the girl who served me told me how wonderful it was - she'd read it too and highly recommended it. I completely understand why.

The fantasy elements of the book paired with the strong links to myths and legends worked so well. Parts reminded me of mythology and legends of different cultures, similar to Disney's Moana or Mulan - especially the story of Arinta and how she imprisoned Yote.

"Arinta was sad. She loved Joya, with its forests and sea and songbirds. So that night, she stole her father's sword and crept out of her house to where Yote was rumbling the earth, readying himself to swallow Joya. She journeyed underground through a waterfall, drenching herself in the water to protect herself against the flames, and walked until she arrived at Yote's lair. She called out. Yote heard her, but did no stop rumbling."

Personally I'm a bit of a Greek Mythology nerd, so I really enjoyed the inclusion of the stories that Isa's father tells her, and then the fact that she passes these on to Lupe. Isabella relies heavily on the story of Arinta throughout the book, which I think is true of a lot of children, and perhaps people in general - when feeling fearful they cling on to something familiar, in any shape or form.
I really loved the language that Kiran Millwood Hargrave used throughout the novel. The poetic elements really made the story flow beautifully whilst remaining easy to read at the same time. Her sentences felt carefully constructed rather than just simply written, as though the reader is led just like the map that takes the lead on Isabella's journey. 

Maps play a huge role in the novel. Isa's father is a navigator and creator of maps, and her late mother created the map of Joya that takes pride of place on their wall. It's clearly in her blood to follow in the footsteps of her parents as she is given a chance to finish the work that her father cannot. Also, I think the map of Joya holds a lot of significance because it shows Isabella the way when nothing else can - despite the absense of her mother, in a way she's there to help and guide her in the darkest times.

The book itself is filled with visual maps on the cover sheets and at the start of each part; The Isle of Joya, The Forgotten Territories, The Labyrinth and Somewhere on the Western Sea. I loved these little details and I'm sure than any child reading this book would love them too. They provide something for the imagination to build around, as well as the story.  
Originally I'd written a far more in depth review, but I really don't want to give away any spoilers because personally I do my absolute best to avoid them for any book I read. I like to be taken by surprise and shocked and find everything out for myself. 

I think this is a fantastic read though, for children, teenagers, young adults and adults - people of all ages :) I've already recommended it to one of my friends.

~ C xxx