article by Camille Cignonini 8D from our Junior Update!
The Girl of Ink and Stars, by author Kiran Millwood Hargrave, is a moving and magical book. It is a mixture of fantasy and mystery: when I started reading it I simply couldn’t stop! I particularly enjoyed its unexpected twists, incredible writing and overarching theme! Plus, the pages are nicely decorated with golden streaks. I recommend this book to anyone who likes fantasy with a bit of mystery.
Summary of the plot:
Isabella lives on the isle of Joya with her father who’s a cartographer and has taught her a lot about mapmaking. Her mother and her brother died of the same disease. Isabella’s dad would tell her a story every night, but her favourite one was the story of Arinta, a myth about a warrior girl who defeated a fire demon to save the island of Joya a thousand years ago. Isabella strongly believes in this tale and uses it to guide her in her adventures. Isabella and her best friend Lupe have known each other for a long time and always find ways to see each other, despite the fact that Lupe’s father is the governor and doesn’t like the people in the village. Actually her father hasn’t let anyone leave the village since he became the ruler, and even stopped people from going into the forest, which is one of the reasons why Isabella’s mum and brother died as it became impossible to get the plants for their medicine.
A girl called Cata suddenly is killed and Isabella realises that it was Lupe who sent her to get something in a forbidden place, where she got killed. The day after, Isabella screams at Lupe and calls her names. Lupe goes missing. The government immediately sends a search party. Many people get taken to the dungeon under the government’s house, including Isabella’s dad. Isabella disguises herself as a boy, takes her dad’s cartographer equipment and an old map of the forbidden forest that her mum made when she was alive, and goes to the government to ask to join the search party . They allow her to come on the trip so she can direct them. Will they be able to find Lupe without getting killed by Cata’s murderer?
image from: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27973757-the-girl-of-ink-and-stars
The Update 