A Curse Carved in Ink
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A Curse Carved in Ink
Pre-order for $26.84
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Narrated by:
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By:
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Tzeyi Koay
About this listen
All Zhenya has ever wanted is to escape the monotony of her tiny village with her best friend Shuhua. But Zhenya must care for her grandmother, whose madness haunts their crumbling family bookstore – and she won’t abandon her, madness and all.
But when her grandmother dies, everything falls apart. For she was never mad – she was cursed. And with her death, the curse has passed on to her one remaining descendent: Zhenya. It screams to be fed, but no matter how hard Zhenya tries, she is powerless to stop it. Even when it demands that she kill Shuhua with her bare hands, trapping her soul in an eternity of torment.
As Zhenya grapples with Shuhua’s death, she’s confronted by two immortals of ancient legend: Kaijun, the broody judge of hell, and Yaori, the flirtatious goddess of death. Together, they drag Zhenya to Diyu – hell itself. To free Shuhua’s soul, Zhenya must journey through the ten layers of Diyu, undertaking trials that will test her in unimaginable ways.
It’s terrifying. And to complicate things further, Zhenya finds herself torn between Kaijun and Yaori, grappling with feelings she doesn’t fully understand. But she can’t afford to be distracted, not when the only way to break the curse is to destroy it herself.
Critic Reviews
'A richly imagined exploration of love, life and death, A Curse Carved In Ink is both epic in scale, and deeply personal in its telling. Full of heart—and full of heat—this lush, dark fantasy is a debut to remember.' (Amie Kaufman)
'A lyrical and moving tale that unfolds in a richly-textured underworld, with beautifully real and flawed characters – and that includes the gods of the underworld themselves. A Curse Carved In Ink feels both epic and personal, and will keep readers captivated to the final tearstained page.' (Kate Murray, author of We Who Hunt the Hollow)
'A beautiful examination of family, duty, and love in all its forms, brimming with lyrical prose and a richly imagined underworld, A Curse Carved in Ink is a stunning fantasy debut.' (Maithree Wijesekera, author of The Prince Without Sorrow)
'Lush and lyrical, A Curse Carved in Ink deftly depicts a richly imagined world of mythical creatures, deadly trials, and a magical realm whose wonders and horrors will have readers glued to the page. A beautiful and haunting story of love in all its forms – tender, twisted, and enduring beyond lifetimes.' (M. Stevenson, author of Behooved)
'A stunning debut that blends breathtaking poetry, Chinese folklore, and lush prose into a dark, fantastical adventure that readers will devour. A love triangle of celestial proportions and a vicious curse threatening the very fabric of the world await in this addictive ode to love, power, and sacrifice. An unforgettable addition to the fantasy genre, this deeply emotional tale will stay with readers long after the final heart-wrenching page.' (Julia Alexandra, author of Midnight on the Celestial )
'A Curse Carved in Ink is a devastatingly beautiful journey into an underworld of deadly curses, blood-drenched secrets and eternal love. Inspired by Chinese folklore, Tzeyi Koay’s debut is vivid, heartfelt and deeply romantic.' (Vanessa Len, internationally bestselling author of Only a Monster)
'This was a book I adored from the very first page thanks to its searingly relatable and sarcastic heroine, the lush descriptions of the mortal and immortal worlds, and the sweeping adventure that carried us across realms. Every element of the story was expertly woven together into an unforgettable narrative about the glorious pain and undeniable power of loving and being loved.' (Kamilah Cole, Lodestar Award finalist and bestselling author of An Arcane Inheritance and So Let Them Burn)
'Wise, lovingly-crafted and brimming with heart, A Curse Carved In Ink is a journey both intimate and infinite. With prose that sings and characters that breathe, Koay takes us to new vistas with all she carves into ink. An unforgettable new voice in fantasy.' (Shen Tao, author of The Poem Empress)
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