I first learned of the existence, and subsequent destruction, of the Great Library in Alexandria when I was in high school. As a lover of books, it struck me as a huge loss to the world. All those books! All that knowledge! But, who's to say the library would have survived the dark ages, the church's stranglehold on any knowledge that would have threatened their power, or even from rotting from within? Ink and Bone explores what would have happened if the library survived and thrived for thousands of years, what the world would look like, who would hold the power.

The world building in the book was a lot of fun. There is a little (tiny) bit of steam punk, a divide between the haves and the have nots, and the Library looming over it all. As a main character, Jess is interesting and uniquely qualified to travel to Alexandria for training in the Library. I never lost interest in the plot, and really enjoyed the mystery, the historical details and the interactions between the students. I bought the second book in the series immediately after finishing this one (and stayed up way to late to read it). Definitely a hit!