Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.98 AVERAGE
3.98 AVERAGE
I didn't like this book until I got to page 268 out of 321. It was slow moving and lacked luster for me. I'd rather give it a 2.5 but the ending was amazing. I wish the whole book could have been written with the amount of intensity and emotion as the last sixty pages.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Great premise, but I found all the secondary characters to be very flat and I just couldn't relate to the key character. A shame, but there we are.
This book started off decently but lost me when the supposed smart/strong main character got suckered in by a boy and a kiss.
Mackenzie (Mac) Bishop and her family are starting over in an old hotel in New Orleans. While her Mother is excited, Mackenzie knows she is only running away from the tragic death of her brother Ben. Even though she would give anything to have her brother back, she knows that it's impossible. Mac is a Keeper, someone who walks the Narrows between the world of the living and the Archive. The Archive is the final resting place for the dead or "Histories". Sometimes the dead wake up and it's her job to return them to the Archive before they can escape to the land of the living.
The job is certainly dangerous and Mac is constantly lying to everyone she loves. When more and more dangerous Histories start showing up in the Narrows and she meets a wayward soul who seems more than just a ghost Mac faces some big decisions. Will she make the right choice or will she let her heart lead her astray?
The Archived was a bit slow going at first. I could not decide if I liked Mac at all. I found myself more interested in her past life with her Da than the current story. However, as the book progressed I liked her more and more. While she is a flawed character, her flaws are not overdone and are believable. This is something that doesn't always play out well in YA fiction. Kudos to the writer for nailing the real emotions and feelings without making her obnoxious.
As a librarian I loved the idea of an Archive for the dead. It is a interesting avenue that I have not encountered before and I really thought it was creepy and creative. The descriptions of the Library, shelves and librarians were great and I had a clear picture in my head. I almost wanted it to be real. (Except the whole dead people waking up thing)
As other readers have mentioned I felt like the description of the Narrows was hard to understand. I know that its a hallway with doors but I had a hard time with all the technicalities of the marks and who went where. I found myself re-reading parts trying to keep it all straight.
The romance in the book is believable. Finally a realistic romance that is not love at first sight!! The "guy liner" character is my favorite and one that I could see teens really loving.
Other than a few slow parts and some issues with keeping track of all the Narrows rules, I enjoyed this book. It has a good blend of the creepy paranormal, romance, action and realistic family drama. I think many teen readers will enjoy this book! 3.5 stars
The job is certainly dangerous and Mac is constantly lying to everyone she loves. When more and more dangerous Histories start showing up in the Narrows and she meets a wayward soul who seems more than just a ghost Mac faces some big decisions. Will she make the right choice or will she let her heart lead her astray?
The Archived was a bit slow going at first. I could not decide if I liked Mac at all. I found myself more interested in her past life with her Da than the current story. However, as the book progressed I liked her more and more. While she is a flawed character, her flaws are not overdone and are believable. This is something that doesn't always play out well in YA fiction. Kudos to the writer for nailing the real emotions and feelings without making her obnoxious.
As a librarian I loved the idea of an Archive for the dead. It is a interesting avenue that I have not encountered before and I really thought it was creepy and creative. The descriptions of the Library, shelves and librarians were great and I had a clear picture in my head. I almost wanted it to be real. (Except the whole dead people waking up thing)
As other readers have mentioned I felt like the description of the Narrows was hard to understand. I know that its a hallway with doors but I had a hard time with all the technicalities of the marks and who went where. I found myself re-reading parts trying to keep it all straight.
The romance in the book is believable. Finally a realistic romance that is not love at first sight!! The "guy liner" character is my favorite and one that I could see teens really loving.
Other than a few slow parts and some issues with keeping track of all the Narrows rules, I enjoyed this book. It has a good blend of the creepy paranormal, romance, action and realistic family drama. I think many teen readers will enjoy this book! 3.5 stars
I finally read and blew through this book. Omg it was magnificent. Victoria is a genius.
Interesting concept. Easy read, but not terribly engaging. Wonder how the rest of the series will work ...
Took awhile, but I really got into this once it picked up.
Reread: 4 stars, probably leaning towards a 4.5 if I still did half stars!
Original rating: 5 stars
I really really loved this! The start was a bit slow to get into, but only in the slightest bit and it was more than made up for by the end! Victoria Schwab's writing is absolutely beautiful, and she creates stories that are so complicated, but also simple and real. The world of the Archives is really really interesting to read about and I'm excited to dive into more of these books!
Original rating: 5 stars
I really really loved this! The start was a bit slow to get into, but only in the slightest bit and it was more than made up for by the end! Victoria Schwab's writing is absolutely beautiful, and she creates stories that are so complicated, but also simple and real. The world of the Archives is really really interesting to read about and I'm excited to dive into more of these books!