Mist, Metal, and Ash (Ink, Iron, and Glass Series #2)

by Gwendolyn Clare

Overview

Worlds collide in Mist, Metal, and Ash, the thrilling sequel to the epic, imaginative, acclaimed fantasy Ink, Iron, and Glass.

In an alternate 19th-century Italy, Elsa has an incredible gift: she can craft new worlds with precise lines of script written in books. But political extremists have stolen the most dangerous book ever scribed--one that can rewrite the Earth itself.

Now Elsa must track down the friend who betrayed her and recover the book before its destructive power is unleashed. Can she handle the secrets she'll uncover along the way--including the ones hiding in her own heart?

An Imprint Book

"The alternate-history thrill ride continues ... The author is a master of character development ... Action and adventure with a fearless heroine at the helm." --Kirkus Reviews

"A satisfying sequel." --Booklist

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250233387
Publisher:	Square Fish
Publication date:	02/18/2020
Series:	Ink, Iron, and Glass Series , #2
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	336
Sales rank:	499,804
Product dimensions:	5.30(w) x 8.20(h) x 1.00(d)
Age Range:	14 - 17 Years

About the Author

Gwendolyn Clare teaches college biology in central Pennsylvania, where she lives with too many cats and never enough books. Her short stories can be found in Fantasy & Science Fiction, Asimov's, Analog, Clarkesworld, and Beneath Ceaseless Skies. Mist, Metal, and Ash is her second novel.

Editorial Reviews

"The alternate-history thrill ride continues ... The author is a master of character development ... Action and adventure with a fearless heroine at the helm." --Kirkus Reviews

"A satisfying sequel." --Booklist

PRAISE FOR INK, IRON, AND GLASS:

"This novel is a source of serious fun." --School and Library Journal (starred review)

"Exciting and original." --Kirkus (starred review)

"Clare's debut is built upon an intriguing premise... A solid series starter featuring a competent, flawed heroine that's built for sf fans." --Booklist

"A gasp-worthy ending ensures a sequel." -- Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

From the Publisher

02/01/2019

Gr 8 Up—In a fantasy version of 19th-century Italy, Elsa must save the world from vengeful destruction by a mad politician—and from accidental destruction by those who mean well. Elsa and her friends each possess a rare skill; together, they are nearly unstoppable. But their friendship is fractured by circumstances. Nonetheless, they must find a way to infiltrate a dangerous rebel stronghold, find a stolen book, and rescue Leo, the friend who appears to have betrayed them. Leo, for his part, must determine how to win back the trust of his friends while keeping his brother and power-hungry father at bay. This fast-paced sequel to Ink, Iron, and Glass dives deep into issues around trust and commitment. A major theme is independence, including the right of individuals to choose their own path even if it involves risk. This novel is likely to be incomprehensible as a stand-alone, but it's a satisfying sequel. VERDICT Purchase where the previous volume is popular.—Sheri Reda, Wilmette Public Library, IL

School Library Journal

2018-10-28

The alternate-history thrill ride continues in this sequel to Ink, Iron, and Glass (2018).

It's been one month since Leo's betrayal, when he stole the editbook and defected to his father's cause. Fierce, trouser-sporting, revolver-toting, polymathic pazzerellone Elsa has been trying to find a way to reclaim the book, created by her mother and designed to protect Elsa's scribed world of Veldana from European threats. However, it also has the power to edit the real world, making it the most powerful object in existence. Leo's tyrannical father, to whom the ends justify the horrific means, will do anything to unify the four states of Italy, and the editbook will help him do just that. Elsa must convince Leo's father that she wants to join his revolution. The author is a master of character development. The third-person narration, which creates spot-on dramatic irony, alternates between several characters, each with their own struggles. Feelings of guilt, challenges to their personal belief systems, shifting loyalties, and navigation of worlds on the brink of change are complicated but never feel contrived or convoluted. Leo's foster sister, Porzia, is especially compelling, questioning the future she's taken for granted as a member of the privileged class and steward of her family's legacy. People of Veldana, Elsa included, have brown skin, as does alchemy pazzerellone Faraz (also cued as Muslim); assume whiteness for others.

Action and adventure with a fearless heroine at the helm. (Fantasy. 12-adult)

Kirkus Reviews