Ink Blood Sister Scribe: A Novel

Written by Emma Törzs

Narrated by Saskia Maarleveld

NAMED A NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK OF THE YEAR & ONE OF THE BEST FANTASY NOVELS OF THE YEAR 

“Astonishing and pristine, the kind of debut I love to be devastated by, already so assured and sophisticated that it’s difficult to imagine where the author can go from here. . . . It’s simply a delight from start to finish.” – AMAL EL-MOHTAR, New York Times Book Review 

“Follow where this novel leads and you will be lost in a bewitching spell, a book of magic about books of magic . . . extraordinary.” – MARLON JAMES

In this spellbinding debut novel, two estranged half-sisters tasked with guarding their family’s library of magical books must work together to unravel a deadly secret at the heart of their collection—a tale of familial loyalty and betrayal, and the pursuit of magic and power.

For generations, the Kalotay family has guarded a collection of ancient and rare books. Books that let a person walk through walls or manipulate the elements—books of magic that half-sisters Joanna and Esther have been raised to revere and protect.

All magic comes with a price, though, and for years the sisters have been separated. Esther has fled to a remote base in Antarctica to escape the fate that killed her own mother, and Joanna’s isolated herself in their family home in Vermont, devoting her life to the study of these cherished volumes. But after their father dies suddenly while reading a book Joanna has never seen before, the sisters must reunite to preserve their family legacy. In the process, they’ll uncover a world of magic far bigger and more dangerous than they ever imagined, and all the secrets their parents kept hidden; secrets that span centuries, continents, and even other libraries . . .

In the great tradition of Ninth House, The Magicians, and Practical Magic, this is a suspenseful and richly atmospheric novel that draws readers into a vast world filled with mystery and magic, romance, and intrigue—and marks the debut of an extraordinary new voice in speculative fiction.

""Ink Blood Sister Scribe is so many things at once: an adventure, a puzzle, a twisty thriller, and a tender romance. . . . I adored it.” – ALIX E. HARROW

""If, like me, you’re a fan of Holly Black and Leigh Bardugo, pick up this book at once.” — KELLY LINK 

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperAudio
• Release date: May 30, 2023
• ISBN: 9780063253490

Emma Törzs

Emma Törzs is a writer, teacher, and occasional translator based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Her fiction has been honored with an NEA fellowship in prose, a World Fantasy Award for Short Fiction, and an O. Henry Prize. Her stories have been published in journals such as Ploughshares, Uncanny Magazine, Strange Horizons, and American Short Fiction. She received her MFA from the University of Montana, Missoula, and is an enthusiastic member of the Clarion West class of 2017.

Reviews for Ink Blood Sister Scribe

[Carolina · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Very good! Started slow but got twisted at the end, very nice.

[Catherine Brossard · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Best book I’ver heard in a while. Smart, well written, with strong characters and twists. Une perle!

[Blaine Neu · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Fantastic Book. Incredibly written, creative, thrilling, mysterious, intriguing, and unique.

[debbaworks · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Fantastic story with twists and turns I'd couldn't predict. It is beautifully read and very well written. The characters are fully fleshed out and very real, the magic believable. It's a great read.

[jenna · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Loved this book, and the audio was so good! Can't wait for the next book.

[Robert Huss · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Human characters who change and grow, are flawed and marvelous, plot twists, and a well-conceived magical system made this a compelling delight to read.

[Justin Dixon · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book pulled me in immediately. It was like putting a puzzle together with all of the little pieces of information you got as the book went on. I loved it!

[Michelle · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

There were a couple of times where I wanted to shut the audio off and start a new book because of the slowness, but I'm glad I finished the because it ended up being very good.

[Christian · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

What a great writer. Absolutely loved. Four words left. Magic.

[Weronika Pogorecka · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is my favorite book of the year (or possibly ever?) I’m obsessed, speechless and so happy. While comparing it to Ninth House in the beginning, it was closer in themes, characters and overall mood to Discovery of Witches / All Souls Trilogy. Beautifully written prose, I was immediately drawn to the story and the characters. It was fantasy, magic and a spellbinding mystery (Yes puns! Also love’em). I could not put it down, wholly satisfying and predictable reveals that made me giddy.

To praise the magical world building even more - I found it deeply fascinating and consuming, so if you enjoy academia book magic, it has it in droves!

[Stephanie Krellwitz · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Beautifully written with excellent narration, I highly-recommend this book, especially if you like magic with a bit of suspense!

[Leann McArthur · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is one of the best books I’ve listened to all year. Highly recommend.

[marissa2fallon · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Everything you ever wanted in a book about magical libraries and spells.

[Kate Cloutier · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

One of the best books I’ve listened to in a long time. I loved the suspense and the sisterly bond of the characters.

[Katie Hill · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Literally just to counteract the homophobic 1 star below me❤️

[Becky Bickel · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Read this book!
I didn’t know what to expect when I chose this book but man am I glad that I did. I couldn’t wait to see just how everyone fit together and how the relationships ended and the magic was just perfect. Just when I had a question about something it was answered in the best way and was always shocking me. Love love love!!!

[Donna Laird · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

lets just open with 2 women kissing, I was looking for something other than romance novels and smut.