The Crimson Inkwell: A Gaslamp Trinkets Novel

The Luella Winthrop Trilogy, Book 1

By: Kenneth A. Baldwin

Narrated by: Naomi Rose-Mock

Magic exists where we cannot see.

It lives in unexplained phenomena, in attraction to strangers, in a pen and crimson inkwell, from a trunk, in a tent, at a fair, in the fog...

The Crimson Inkwell is a story about journalist Luella Winthrop. In her journey to become Dawnhurst-on-Severn's most acclaimed writer, she discovers that her city houses dark, magical secrets too uncomfortable to believe.

When an enigmatic carnival worker offers her a pen that can turn fiction to fact, she quickly learns that tampering with the unknown can be intoxicating, lucrative, and dangerous. Can she withstand the onslaught of enchanted consequences with her life and engagement intact?

©2019 Kenneth A Baldwin (P)2021 Kenneth A. Baldwin

Magic or a slow descent into madness?

Luella's story starts as do many gothic stories: with a young woman, tragically orphaned at a young age, working hard to support herself and her ailing sister. While her choice of employment as a journalist may be a bit unconventional, overall she is a staunch traditionalist, convincing her self that the sensible decisions are the best and right for her. Chance leads her to a rather scandalous opportunity for her big break. What starts as a slow controlled book, and magic that could just be coincidence unravels into a wild and crazy ride by the end - which really isn't an end but the set up for the next book.

Luella is a woman torn between the stability provided by conventional respectability and the opportunity possible through pursuing her dreams. Both come at a very high cost. And none of her choices are what they seemed once magic gets involved. That is where this story really twists into something interesting. I loved the use of the support characters in this story too - Luella's relationships are a fabulous foil to her internal struggles. Once things start spiraling out of control for Luella the pace really picks up and I found myself binging the latter half. Some great surprises, twists, and unintended consequences to her decisions.

While the language and pacing feel Victorian, there are many situations that are decidedly not. There are a few scenes that feel more like the 1940's or 50's but it is gaslamp fantasy, not historical fantasy and it stays consistent to itself. There are some questions I would have liked answered which are just left hanging, but this is just the first book in a trilogy!

Naomi Rose-Mock was an excellent choice for narrator. Her reading is smooth, clear, and with just that touch of ennui I imagine Luella having - especially at the beginning with how staid her personality is.

Well-Rounded Story

I received free access to this audiobook from the author for an honest review.

I genuinely enjoyed this book. I love tales that include magic, especially when it involves integrating it with everyday life. While it does contain a love triangle that is essential to the storyline, Luella's decisions are also based economic factors, her family's reactions, and righting wrongs, which I appreciate. I also really enjoyed the narration! It was easy to tell when the different character's were speaking, even if I paused it and came back to it later. I am absolutely going to check out other books narrated by Naomi Rose-Mock!

Luella Winthrop is a journalist who gets the opportunity to use magic in order to achieve her life goals. Along the way, she finds out that using magic is often like the wishes from a genie... you often end up regretting what you asked for and have no easy way to undo what you've just messed up. Luella has to live with the consequences of her decisions and do a lot of work to decide who she can trust. It was a little predictable, so I don't want to give it a full 5 stars, but I would reccomend this book to those who like stories with fantastical twists!

OUTSTANDING

Kenneth A Baldwin has prduced a wildly exciting saga of the Victorian Era. In The Crimson Inkwell he seamlessly takes you from one fast-paced adventure to the next withou a pause to catch your breath. You will find yourself hoping one character triumphs - only to think of them as the dasterdly villian in the next chapter! But one think for sure...at the end of this book, you'll be asking, "Wait! What happened next?"

Captivating From the Very Beginning!

I loved this book so much! It's a historical fiction meets magical fantasy meets mystery meets romance all wrapped up in a perfectly chaotic and tidy bow. It's a captivating telling of a woman's exploration of the world and, in turn, of herself, as she tampers with magical forces beyond her control. I was enamored with her story from the very beginning. My audible gasps and cheers throughout the entire book are evidence of that.

Kenneth Baldwin does an exceptional job lulling you into security by placing enough predictable details into the story to make you feel like you've figured it all out, that when the plot twists come you're left completely stunned. Each chapter left me craving more, until I couldn't put it down anymore and binged-listened to last several chapters in one sitting instead of running errands like I'd originally planned. I can't wait to read the rest of the series!

Beautifully narrated with believable protagonist.

This audiobook was my first introduction to the Luella Winthrop trilogy, and Naomi Rose-Mock’s voice is therefore synonymous for me with Luella’s narrative. It took me a little while to warm up to that voice ,and I don’t know if that is the character or the narrator. While every book needs a good plot and a compelling narrative voice, the actual voice of the narrator tends to make or break an audiobook experience, so let me go ahead and state that Rose-Mock is a phenomenal voice actor. I don’t love her male voices—she can only go so deep, through no fault of her own—but I could definitely tell they were male. And later in the book, in the space of a single chapter (ch. 26), she voices four distinct female characters back and forth in quick succession, and I knew exactly whom she was reading each time. I even correctly guessed who was banging on the door by the way Rose-Mock voiced the character. So my hat goes off to her skills.

As for the story itself, it kept me engaged and wanting to hear more. I even did some extra house cleaning so I had a productive excuse to listen! Yet I have mixed feelings. I like Luella; I find her interesting and believable. But the pace of each scene tends to be slow, because Luella’s narrative voice tends to pause for introspective analysis. This is justified, because as the story goes on, you begin to understand that this character, who is naturally cool-headed, conservative, caring and decorous, is under the influence of—well, a powerful influence. While you believe her capable of passion, you’re also convinced her passions are out of character.

As events unfold, Luella makes one odd, impulsive decision after another, leading her down a path littered with mistakes and boxing her into something of a corner. It happens so gradually, almost naturally, that you never find yourself at that unenviable point as a reader where you want to shout at her to stop being so stupid. Actually, Baldwin does a masterful job of portraying the inside of a woman’s head and heart with insight and honesty. Yet the fact remains that Luella’s situation goes from bad to worse, and though I did not blame her for her choices, I did sort of get tired of watching her head reel repeatedly as she discovered the consequences.

It’s not all dust and ashes, of course. There is some beauty in the book, and a couple of particularly gratifying friendships develop along the way. Yet I feel Luella’s journey is succinctly summed up by this pensive line from chapter 20: “The true weight of secrets is borne by our loved ones.” And again in this wistful reflection from chapter 35: “It’s so easy to pine after the roads we pass as destiny whisks us along.”

I was surprised to find I really liked the ending .The last two lines of the book were quite satisfying. I will definitely keep going with the series, but I confess I sort of dread Book Two. I suspect things will have to get a whole lot darker, and I may not love where Luella ends up by the end of the second book. Will Book Three redeem it all? I certainly hope so. And my first experience with Baldwin (which was Drops of Glass, book one of The Shards of Lafayette series) leads me to believe in him as a storyteller.

/ I had the privilege of receiving a complimentary copy of the audiobook, and this review reflects my honest opinion. Look for my reviews of the remaining two books to complete my reflections on the series as a whole. /