If you’ve ever wanted to travel to Japan but may have been held back by time, money, or life in general, pick up “Ink: Paper Gods #1” by Amanda Sun.
Ink takes place in Shizuoka, Japan where Katie Greene has just moved. Away from everything once familiar and sent to live with her aunt, Katie can’t seem to adjust. Life for a gaijin (foreigner) in Japan can be quite brutal, especially when you have unmissable blonde hair. Luckily, Katie meets Yuki who is willing to take her under her wing. Not long after Katie finds herself in a comfortable routine at school, she sees something that changes her life. Spying on the schools star kendo player in a fight with his girlfriend, Tomohiro, Katie notices he drops his notebook. When she picks up a stray paper, she sees a drawing of a pregnant woman that… moves? Confused and frightened, she hurries away.
If you thought that was interesting, wait until you read the rest of this enticing novel. Sun wastes no time in dropping major plot twists and cliff-hangers. She also expertly managed to translate Japanese culture into an English fiction teen novel. Her descriptive language and cultural knowledge makes the reader feel as if they too are in Shizuoka. Many have compared her novel to “J-pop” or Japanese Pop soap operas. Sun has also intertwined a mythological aspect into the novel, hence the title “Paper Gods”. Without giving too much away, for those interested in mythology, this could also be up your alley. “Ink: Paper Gods #1” is rated 3.67 stars out of 4 on Goodreads . Interestingly enough, the series has garnered up a loyal following. Fans have even created a “wikipedia” page for the novels.
