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Table of Contents
About The Book
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.
Product Details
- Publisher: Atria Australia (February 2, 2027)
- Length: 400 pages
- ISBN13: 9781761636134
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Raves and Reviews
'A deeply imaginative tale that plays with family curses and the dangerous journey required to break them. With hauntingly rich prose Koay lures you into the underworld and doesn’t let you go. Perfect for those who seek brave heroines and brooding immortals.'
– Tigest Girma, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Immortal Dark
'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, New York Times bestselling author of Illuminae
'profoundly, devastatingly human. Both epic and intimate, this debut will easily carve its way into your heart.'
– Mikayla Bridge, author of Of Flame and Fury
'From intriguing start to stunning end, A Curse Carved in Ink is a beautifully written folkloric tale exploring the ache of grief and the journey to healing set in a grand, dark underworld. Gorgeous!'
– Kelsea Yu, author of Demon Song
'A Curse Carved in Ink is as layered as the captivating lotus-structured underworld of Diyu it depicts. Koay’s debut masterfully knits a tale as rich in emotion as it is in magic, grounding generational curses, celestial mythology, and a journey through death in the profoundly eternal experiences of grief, love, and sacrifice.'
– Shalini Abeysekara, #1 Sunday Times bestselling Author of This Monster of Mine
'Lush and lyrical, Zhenya’s journey to the underworld is a richly imagined modern myth that will stay with you long after you've turned the last page. Koay wields a masterful brush.'
– Julie Leong, bestselling author of The Teller of Small Fortunes
'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
'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, bestselling author of An Arcane Inheritance
'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
'Epic as poetry, dark as ink, sexy as hell. A stunningly intricate fantasy – A Curse Carved in Ink will take you to hell and back.'
– Lili Wilkinson, author of Unhallowed Halls
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Book Cover Image (jpg): A Curse Carved in Ink
Trade Paperback 9781761636134
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