Ink in the Blood

Starred review from December 2, 2019
Celia Sand and Anya Burtoni serve the Profeta religion as inklings, using magic to tattoo the faithful with images purported to offer Divine guidance. Non-
believers since their conscription at age six, the 16-year-olds now feel certain the messages they convey come not from the heavens but from Profeta’s mortal bureaucracy, and are meant not to save but to subvert free will. The girls flee, joining a slyly seditious traveling theater troupe dubbed the Rabble Mob of Minos. Crafting an act that disguises their Profeta-given talent as a parlor trick, Celia and Anya attract ample attention, including that of the Divine. The vengeful, power-hungry deity orders the wayward inklings to help expand her following using their performances as propaganda. If they refuse, their newfound friends will pay the price. First in a planned duology, Smejkal’s exceptional debut champions solidarity and choice while extolling art’s ability to spark revolution. Fierce friendships, fraught romance, and sharply drawn, emotionally complex characters of sundry gender identities and sexual orientations elevate the stakes of this ambitious, thought-provoking tale, whose closing cliffhanger inspires and devastates in equal measure. Ages 14–up. Agent: Daniel Lazar, Writers House.

December 1, 2019

Gr 9 Up-"Listen to the ink" is the advice that Celia Sand and Anya Burtoni always follow and give to the recipients of their work. Using their magic as inklings, they tattoo members of the religion Profeta with images that represent the god's wishes. Believing that their work drives the members to goodwill, they eventually learn that they are actually taking away freedom and that the temple is an evil place to live. When the Rabble Mob comes to town with a traveling theater production, Celia and Anya are able to offer their inking services as part of the show, allowing them to escape the imprisonment of the Profeta. However, they are followed by the god, who aims to spread ill will through the traveling show. Faced with the challenge of protecting their new family, they must figure out how to defeat the powerful Profeta. Smejkal has created a dark, engaging world that is the perfect setting for magic and inking. The action doesn't slow down once the main characters escape and learn their true mission, which won't be complete until the sequel of this duology. The queer representation in this book covers a broad spectrum: trans, bisexual, gay, straight, and nonbinary characters will be appreciated by generations to come. VERDICT Fans of dark fantasy and magical atmospheres will anxiously await the sequel to learn Celia's and Anya's fate.-Karen Alexander, Lake Fenton High School, Linden, MI

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 15, 2019
A strong debut that blends dark fantasy, ink magic, and theater. When Celia was first chosen to be an inkling for the revered religion of Profeta, her mothers were delighted to give away their child to become a servant to the Divine. Using ink magic and tattoos to spread the Divine's will to followers should have been an honor, but Celia and her best friend, Anya, soon learn that lies and torture are at the core of the corrupted religion. Ten years later Celia and Anya manage to escape the temple and join the Rabble Mob, a traveling theater troupe. But their happiness and freedom are curtailed when the Divine herself catches up with them, upending everything they thought they knew. Celia will do anything to keep Anya and her new friends safe. The novel examines faith and the power of propaganda in a somewhat convoluted plot that finds its footing toward the end. With a focus on its central platonic female friendship, it also features a well-developed and genuinely touching found family, a slow-burning romance, and the climax to a tragic tale of vengeance that is a thousand years in the making. Celia and Anya are white within a racially diverse world. Every character has a tenor, a visible aura that reflects their chosen, individual gender identity. The promising first in a duology with inspiring friendships and original worldbuilding. (map) (Fantasy. 14-18)

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November 1, 2019
Grades 9-12 Smejkal's smart debut blends magic and religion into a lyrical fantasy. Celia and Anya are best friends and inklings of the Profeta religion, meaning they ink devout followers with magic tattoos that communicate The Divine's will. Celia and Anya chafe under their servitude and the truth that these tattoos annihilate people's free will. They make a desperate escape by joining a traveling theater troupe, for which they use their magic as entertainment. When they learn that The Divine is a real deity and not just a false goddess created by a deceitful religion to control people's actions, the girls' newfound freedom and happiness is placed at risk. The Divine is a vengeful trickster who wants Celia and Anya back in her service, and she will destroy everything they've come to treasure in order to achieve it. Though the plot and world building can feel a bit convoluted at times, the poetic prose and brilliant characters shine from page one. Try this with fans of Emily A. Duncan's Wicked Saints (2019).(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)