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Rain by Amanda Sun
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I read INK last year, and was very happy to see the beautiful cover didn’t mask poor writing. So when RAIN showed up at Netgalley, I requested it immediately. RAIN has a pretty cover too, and also has interior illustrations that just make me want to break out the inkstones and brushes (not that I can actually draw with a brush, but I can try). If you liked INK, you’ll like RAIN, for the same reasons. RAIN has more of a slow burn, as we realize the consequences of Katie’s decision at the end of the first book, but the stakes are higher.
All of the interesting tidbits about Japanese culture are there: the food, the festivals, the clothing, the crowds. We learn more about the mythology driving Tomo to draw, and why some not so savory types want to control him. I really felt for Katie when her school’s principal told her she needed to learn her kanji, and soon, because she was falling behind since her reading comprehension was poor. I couldn’t imagine trying to learn anything in a different language outside of an actual language class. The school is also involved in a horrible manifestation of the ink, and it was easy to visualize that due to the author’s writing skills.
The romance is back, too, with sweet moments between Katie and Tomo, and bittersweet interactions between other characters. They all seem to have real relationships, without delving into cliches (though there is somewhat of a love triangle, so beware if that’s not your thing). Sometimes those relationships can be harsh, however, though that’s perfectly realistic.
The only reason this doesn’t get five stars is the ending. While full of action, some of the ways the characters acted (I guess it’s part of the twist) threw me off. I liked the way the author incorporated Japanese mythology (that’s where the ink comes from, after all), but there was a little “I’m being bad because I can be” that seemed off-kilter.
RAIN doesn’t end on quite so much of a surprise as INK, but with our characters resolved to take on the ancient gods and goddesses themselves to make things right. I will certainly be looking for the next book in the series.
Received as a free digital ARC via Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.