Drinker of Ink: A Book Review

This book. THIS BOOK is why I read. It's been a long time since a book made me chuckle and gasp, mourn and yearn, sob with sorrow and cry with joy. It made me rethink how I view life, its beauty and unexpectedness, its relationships and the words we use to make sense of the world. I don't ever think I've read a book that is so full of life.

The character growth is unparalleled. Vivienne and Peter must be real, must be actually living in our world. At the very least, they are alive in my soul. I know them intimately now through their story, and I think the book's format of journal entries is key to achieving this. You feel what they feel. You experience life with them, and their poetry offers entirely new ways of looking at things.

What I love most about Drinker of Ink is the writing. It is utterly ethereal. I never mark up romances, but I underlined so much of its pages. The word choice, cadence, and the metaphors draw you in and make you rethink everything. I couldn't devour this book. I had to sit with its words, reread its passages, and contemplate what they meant to me. Shannon Castleton's writing is true enlightenment. There's no other way to describe it.

Drinker of Ink is indescribably beautiful. I don't think this type of book will connect with everyone, certainly not on the scale that it connected with me, but I know it's a true gem for the right audience. I beg you to read it. It may change your life, like it has mine. I have been truly transformed by this book.

Writing Aesthetic/Style: 5 million stars
Plot/Movement: 5
Character Development: 5
Overall: 5

Thank you with all my soul, Shannon Castleton, for the arc!

Releases Jan 11, 2024

Trigger/Content Warnings: cancer, family deaths, bullying, kisses

For more ratings and reviews and to see what I'm currently reading, visit my Goodreads page here!