You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Scan barcode
erised's review against another edition
challenging
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Classism
berrrit's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
alittleoverrated's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Okay, I'll be quick here (I won't)
The book is for sure worth the read, it was a quick and easy read ( or listen if your me, the very wide cast for the audiobook was very nice and refreshing). You really do have to be in it for the characters though, because the plot is kind of lost in the sauce for most of the book. At times, it truly feels irrelevant that they are the most powerful magic users in the world, because your more wrapped up in the personal dramas. It reads much more like fanfic or a TV show than a novel, which I don't mind 95% of the time.
The premise and worldbuilding had me hooked from the beginning and then kind of failed to keep me there, or continue to expand or even explain things at time. I feel that this booked suffered from having a MASSIVE amount of interesting things going on but too many at the same time that none of them felt fully fleshed out or used to their full potential. I feel like I knew next to nothing about Reina because she was ignored half the book, Callum could have been infinitely more interesting and compelling if he would have spent less time being annoying, and a billion other stories felt very so exciting, but left to the side because we had to move on to the next characters bit.
Ultimately though, I did really enjoyed it a lot, the characters keep it interesting, the transitions between characters and the moments or realization a character has about another during their POV are always compelling.
But honestly, I read this book because someone said it had the best threesome scene they had read in it. It did not disappoint, though it would've been rated M not E if we are talking typical AO3 Rules. 10/10 smut.
The book is for sure worth the read, it was a quick and easy read ( or listen if your me, the very wide cast for the audiobook was very nice and refreshing). You really do have to be in it for the characters though, because the plot is kind of lost in the sauce for most of the book. At times, it truly feels irrelevant that they are the most powerful magic users in the world, because your more wrapped up in the personal dramas. It reads much more like fanfic or a TV show than a novel, which I don't mind 95% of the time.
The premise and worldbuilding had me hooked from the beginning and then kind of failed to keep me there, or continue to expand or even explain things at time. I feel that this booked suffered from having a MASSIVE amount of interesting things going on but too many at the same time that none of them felt fully fleshed out or used to their full potential. I feel like I knew next to nothing about Reina because she was ignored half the book, Callum could have been infinitely more interesting and compelling if he would have spent less time being annoying, and a billion other stories felt very so exciting, but left to the side because we had to move on to the next characters bit.
Ultimately though, I did really enjoyed it a lot, the characters keep it interesting, the transitions between characters and the moments or realization a character has about another during their POV are always compelling.
But honestly, I read this book because someone said it had the best threesome scene they had read in it. It did not disappoint, though it would've been rated M not E if we are talking typical AO3 Rules. 10/10 smut.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide attempt
Moderate: Infidelity, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Murder, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Death, Drug use, Car accident, and Death of parent
There is a coerced on screen suicide attempt, but it is ultimately not real, though feels very real at the time. Read at your own rick, but know everyone is fine at the end. If you would prefer to skip, the scene begins when Callum and Parisa plan to have a battle of the minds so to speak.japanasi's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
it was even better reading it for the second time, loved the audiobook! olivie blake has such a way with words.. multiple pov, the story is soo good.. I love this book
let’s goooo nicolibby brainrot ✌🏻
let’s goooo nicolibby brainrot ✌🏻
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content and Violence
Minor: Bullying, Cursing, Death, Blood, Murder, and Alcohol
shalia's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
I found it difficult to get into the story, its very academic-based magic. I started to really enjoy it once the plot picked-up (about halfway through).
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content and Suicide
Minor: Death and Blood
booksthatburn's review against another edition
I was initially drawn in by the premise, a group of magicians brought to the Library of Alexandria have a year to decide which one of them will be eliminated and which five get to stay for another year. The cast of characters is pretty diverse (though a bit of that initial feeling of diversity was dampened when I realized all of them seemed to have English as their first language, which instantly shrunk the practical candidate pool. Part of the story questions the validity and methods of the entire enterprise, so that leaves some wiggle room for explaining why the candidates aren't actually very diverse (only six total, and two are from the same school in the USA?). Additionally, this could have been the library of Atlantis or Boston and it would have had just as much relevance to the plot. The latest incarnation of the "Library of Alexandria" is physically located in London, in the UK. It became clear pretty quickly that "Alexandria" is just a name, and an indication of thousands of years of whatever this thing is (or at least a claim to that long legacy). There are vague descriptions of the category of study and experiments which the candidates are pursuing, but most of the story is actually a very intense and complicated web of power plays and personal dynamics between the six candidates and the two Alexandrians who oversee them (mostly one of them). There's a pretty intense sex scene about halfway through which I actually didn't mind, but it felt like a sudden shift in tone from the rest of the book.
The characters seemed initially pretty interesting, but there's very little description of how their powers actually work. There are discussions of magical theory which I enjoyed, but they were usually couched in ways where the magic is actually secondary, which made them feel unmoored from the world being built.
It's six (sometimes eight) people in a house, talking to each other and slowly changing how they feel about one another, which is not what I was expecting in a book about "magicians living in the Library of Alexandria".
Ultimately I stopped because it became clearly stated that the whole thing is a slow burn trolley problem, and I don't like trolley problem situations.
The characters seemed initially pretty interesting, but there's very little description of how their powers actually work. There are discussions of magical theory which I enjoyed, but they were usually couched in ways where the magic is actually secondary, which made them feel unmoored from the world being built.
It's six (sometimes eight) people in a house, talking to each other and slowly changing how they feel about one another, which is not what I was expecting in a book about "magicians living in the Library of Alexandria".
Ultimately I stopped because it became clearly stated that the whole thing is a slow burn trolley problem, and I don't like trolley problem situations.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Suicide, Murder, and Classism
Moderate: Cursing, Gun violence, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Grief, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Child death and Fire/Fire injury
em_of_swags's review against another edition
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.25
thought the magic system and motivations of the characters were pretty interesting but the amount of sexuality made me uncomfortable (yes I know this is an adult book, it could have been violence ok?) and I didn't fully grasp the clear line of the plot
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Kidnapping, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, and Alcohol
Minor: Terminal illness
cnohero's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Cursing and Suicidal thoughts
elianna_m's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide and Murder
Moderate: Sexual content, Violence, and Alcohol
thaliareads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Really interesting concept and a diverse cast of characters. I do sort of wish I had read it as a physical or e-book the first time instead of listening to the audiobook. It was a bit tough for me to separate the characters at first since the way I listen to audiobooks while I'm doing other things I sometimes missed when a switch in character was announced. However, this is my personal experience and overall I really enjoyed the narration of this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Sexual content, and Death of parent
Moderate: Death, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Grief, Mass/school shootings, and Murder
Minor: Alcohol
The main plot does involve the six initiates protecting the society which does involve fairly detailed fighting with enemies who try to break in