How can you not love this book?!
Last month I finished a book that I was quite taken with, World of Ink and Shadows by Lena Coakley. In short the book follows the four Bronte siblings and describes their interactions with the fictional worlds (primarily Verdopolis) they had built as juveniles. The book is fantasy and Coakley posits that The Brontes were actually able to visit their fantastical worlds and by doing so their actual works were inspired by characters found in Verdopolis. Coakley also uses the story to explain why all the Brontes died so young and, for me anyway, it really worked.
This book had so much that was catnip for me. I don’t actually know much about the Brontes and I love books that then make me want to go out and do research to find out more about the real person/subject. I also love the concept that fictional characters can take over from their author for example. How many times have you gone to an author reader to hear them say “well I intended to do this but my character wanted to do this….”? I also loved the fact that, initially, their imagined world was perfect, but then things began to go wrong, especially after the characters that the Brontes wrote began to become more aware of themselves and their place in the story.
Since I loved the book so much I then went unto Goodreads to see how much everyone else liked the books only to find that other readers weren’t as enthused and I was shocked but then I began to think about it and I remembered that everybody else and their brother loved Feed by Mira Grant and I’ve yet to finish it. If I were to tell one of the fans of this book that it did nothing for me I’m sure they would look at me in horror.
So this then brings up the question, do you try and make someone love a book you love, or do you just acknowledge that there are different books for different folks? If someone has already read it I’d argue that you shouldn’t waste the effort. Instead try and reach other readers who have not yet had the pleasure of reading the work you love. Bookriot had a great article 99 ways to spread the word about a book you love on this very topic. While I find most of their suggestions a little exhausting I have, in the past, donated a copy to my library as well as making my book club read a book I loved. My favorite instance of getting others to love a book was when my book club read The book Thief by Marcus Zusak and ended up really liking it. I also may seriously consider joining Instagram for book promotion and my first book is going to be World of Ink and Shadows. Seriously guys try this book and in the meanwhile tell me about a book you loved that was met with coolness
