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atlantiareads's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
The Library of the Dead was not my typical read, but was a nice change of pace. Theres a good mystery and great cast of characters. I found this book to quite creept at times. Even though the main character is 14, this book i feel like is definitely better suited to an older age range.
Overall i felt the first 130 pages were too slow and were difficult to get through. Truthfully consideted dnf'ing.
I feel like learning more about the greatly detailed magic system and spending more time in the hidden library would have brought me more enjoyment with this book.
Unsure if I will continue on to book 2.
Overall i felt the first 130 pages were too slow and were difficult to get through. Truthfully consideted dnf'ing.
I feel like learning more about the greatly detailed magic system and spending more time in the hidden library would have brought me more enjoyment with this book.
Unsure if I will continue on to book 2.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Body horror, Blood, Car accident, Child abuse, Classism, Confinement, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Violence, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Addiction, Police brutality, Medical trauma, and Racism
nytephoenyx's review against another edition
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
The Library Of the Dead was a tricky book because there are a lot of interesting things, but I struggled with the execution. The book is written in first person with a lot of slang, which is fine, but the protagonist rambles. It has a very “inner monologue” feel and it slowed down the narrative. Add to that: the library mentioned in the title only appears in a couple chapters, and the plot didn’t really get going until halfway through the book, and this was a struggle for me.
The magical concepts were interesting, but the system was infodumped and the protagonist’s explanation came off a bit impatient with the whole thing. I still haven’t nailed down the time period (futuristic but with loads of contemporary pop culture references?). The descriptions of magic were good and the plot was interesting, but delivery was simplified and overly lucky.
In general, the book was interesting to read, but a bit too messy to hold my interest for a re-read or continuation.
The magical concepts were interesting, but the system was infodumped and the protagonist’s explanation came off a bit impatient with the whole thing. I still haven’t nailed down the time period (futuristic but with loads of contemporary pop culture references?). The descriptions of magic were good and the plot was interesting, but delivery was simplified and overly lucky.
In general, the book was interesting to read, but a bit too messy to hold my interest for a re-read or continuation.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Death, Drug use, Body horror, Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Kidnapping, and Death of parent
Moderate: Medical content, Violence, Torture, and Slavery
Minor: Excrement and Vomit
The main character is BIPOC and a supporting character uses a wheelchair. Characters experience poverty.anniereads221's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Grief, Death, Cursing, Blood, Child death, Violence, Vomit, Physical abuse, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Drug use, Torture, Slavery, Classism, and Child abuse
jim_jam's review
adventurous
dark
funny
tense
fast-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? Yes
3.0
The style of the writing is a bit irritating at first but you get used to it. Overall, an alright read but not amazing. Would probably have given up if it was not an audiobook/ was longer. The world building feels sort of half done and rushed, as does the plot and most of the characters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Trafficking, Torture, Murder, Child abuse, Suicide, Pedophilia, Medical trauma, Death, and Body horror
nicnevin's review against another edition
dark
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Good story set in a post-apocalyptic Edinburgh. Plot was pretty good but I would have preferred more worldbuilding stuff because I am unsure where and when the timelines diverged.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Classism, Colonisation, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Rape, Sexism, Slavery, Stalking, Terminal illness, Torture, Trafficking, and Violence
uranaishi's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, Confinement, Slavery, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Grief, Alcohol, Animal death, Death of parent, Child abuse, Death, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Trafficking, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Police brutality, Blood, Car accident, Drug use, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: War, Murder, Animal cruelty, Classism, Rape, Abandonment, and Emotional abuse
ashleycmms's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Alcohol, Animal death, Car accident, Child death, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Murder, Torture, Confinement, Cursing, Addiction, Drug use, Animal cruelty, and Violence
allisonwonderlandreads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
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? No
4.0
The Library of the Dead is a fantasy with dystopian and mystery elements, fast-paced enough to pull it all off without getting stuck. There's a paranormal focus that includes carrying messages for ghosts and astral projection onto different planes. The eponymous library is located under a graveyard (entrance through a mausoleum, naturally) and serves the needs of magical scholars and now one autodidactic teenager on a pro bono mission from a recently departed ghost to figure out why children in Edinburgh are going missing.
Ropa is a no-nonsense protagonist who could take a starring role in the argument for why you should take 14-year-olds very seriously indeed. She's self-assured, the main breadwinner for her family, and has a tough exterior protecting a heart of gold. She loves to learn, and her unmastered magical abilities are just out of reach. One of my favorite aspects of the book is how strongly her voice comes through in terms of the language and tone chosen by the author. Ropa has a quick, dry sense of observational humor, and she doesn't waste energy skirting around the truth as she sees it. I also loved her friendships and her relationships with her grandmother and younger sister. They provide a positive and supportive foundation as Ropa's detective work gets increasingly dangerous and complicated.
The plot wasn't particularly surprising on the mystery front, but Ropa's detective work led her through so many strange magical situations and action-packed scenes that I didn't mind. I'm delighted that this is just the beginning of a series because I can't wait to see how Ropa grows, how the deepening intrigue is resolved, and how her relationships evolve. The dystopian world-building is also still incomplete, so I am curious to know more about this near future world and the series of atrocities and bad decisions that got us there. This book has so much heart, and I definitely recommend it.
Ropa is a no-nonsense protagonist who could take a starring role in the argument for why you should take 14-year-olds very seriously indeed. She's self-assured, the main breadwinner for her family, and has a tough exterior protecting a heart of gold. She loves to learn, and her unmastered magical abilities are just out of reach. One of my favorite aspects of the book is how strongly her voice comes through in terms of the language and tone chosen by the author. Ropa has a quick, dry sense of observational humor, and she doesn't waste energy skirting around the truth as she sees it. I also loved her friendships and her relationships with her grandmother and younger sister. They provide a positive and supportive foundation as Ropa's detective work gets increasingly dangerous and complicated.
The plot wasn't particularly surprising on the mystery front, but Ropa's detective work led her through so many strange magical situations and action-packed scenes that I didn't mind. I'm delighted that this is just the beginning of a series because I can't wait to see how Ropa grows, how the deepening intrigue is resolved, and how her relationships evolve. The dystopian world-building is also still incomplete, so I am curious to know more about this near future world and the series of atrocities and bad decisions that got us there. This book has so much heart, and I definitely recommend it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Confinement, Death, Kidnapping, Torture, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Death of parent, Classism, Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Drug abuse, Drug use, Ableism, Addiction, Animal death, Excrement, Police brutality, Suicide, Blood, Gaslighting, Grief, Slavery, and Chronic illness
jamesreads's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
The Library of the Dead is about a girl trying to survive in a world that’s broken down. Ropa’s life is centered pretty much entirely on taking care of her sister and grandmother. When Ropa finds out someone is stealing children she decides to do what she can to stop it. They don’t have much, but Ropa is determined the home they’ve managed to metaphorically carve out for themselves. So she’s reluctant to get involved until her grandmother gives her a nudge in the right direction.
Ropa’s world is not quite our own. I think it’s some sort of dystopian future after magic is revealed somehow. I think a better explanation is coming in the future books. At least I hope it does because I have a lot of questions. The places Ropa finds herself are all pretty well explained. I think the wider world just needs more explanation. The dark atmosphere of this story was absolutely perfect, though. I feel like the best way to explain it is a rainy/cold/snowy day where you just want to stay inside, but have to head out anyway.
I think this is a good moment to talk about the main character of the story. Her name is Ropa and she talks to ghosts for a living. She’s the real deal, though. I thought it was so interesting how she used magic to be able to understand the ghosts. She’s also very strict and practical when it comes to her abilities. She’s always laying down the terms and conditions before anything else. She’s almost too pragmatic, but it’s her way of dealing with the pressure of her life. She’s pretty much the sole provider for her family and she’s a teenager. I think there’s some romantic potential for her in future books. Although if it does’t go that route I won’t be mad. Sometimes friends are just that and it’s good to see in books too.
Ropa’s grandmother and sister were both great additions. I want to find out more about the grandmother. I’d love to see more of her magic. There’s just these small moments of it in this book. Her grandmother’s magic has an entirely different foundation and I’m curious about how that works. I really did not appreciate the horrible way a certain character treated Ropa’s family magic like it was less than. It seems more like two paths to get to the same result.
I really liked the way the plot was handled in this. It’s primarily a mystery. A lot of the big pieces are all tied up at the end. However there were several things hinting at things to come. Ropa and her friends shrug them off, and I just know that’s going to be mistake. Still it’s got me ready for the next book in a couple months.
So i don’t think I can talk about the theme much without spoilers. Ropa’s life has been all about her family. She’s technically a teenager, but she’s also the provider for her family. Her youth is seemingly over and she’s not even old enough to really be an adult.I think this is being paralleled by things going on in this story. Particularly the way life and youth are literally being stolen from the children for the wealthy to relive their own youth. It may not be done magically, but it’s something that happens to kids all the time in situations like Ropa’s.
So i don’t think I can talk about the theme much without spoilers. Ropa’s life has been all about her family. She’s technically a teenager, but she’s also the provider for her family. Her youth is seemingly over and she’s not even old enough to really be an adult.
I’m also not entirely sure where this fits in young adult versus adult. I think either age group could read and enjoy it, though.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, Torture, and Body horror
rorikae's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-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
'The Library of the Dead' by T.L. Huchu is the start of a spooky YA series about a girl who can see the dead and help put them to rest.
Ropa lives in Edinburgh with her grandmother and her little sister. To make a living she talks to ghosts so she can help set them to rest. Her clients have mostly been ghosts from around town but then she is approached by a mother whose child has gone missing. While investigating this case, Ropa is brought into an underground society called The Library of the Undead and things take a turn for the worse as she gets closer to solving what is happening to children in Edinburgh.
T.L. Huchu does a great job of creating a plucky young heroine that you can't help but root for and then setting her down in truly terrifying situations. My favorite aspects of this story were the way that he weaves Ropa's Scottish and Zimbabwean heritage into the story as well as the terrifying horrors that populate the world that Ropa inhabits. There is a house in this story that is truly terrifying and that I will be thinking about for some time.
I do wish that the story was a bit longer as there is a lot that happens and the resolution is relatively swift. Before the story swung super dark, it did feel like younger YA tipping into potentially middle grade, which made that transition feel a little bit abrupt. I am excited that this is a series as I can tell there is more for Ropa to uncover and Huchu is clearly setting up for an overarching plot line.
I'm interested in the next book and where Huchu takes Ropa next.
Ropa lives in Edinburgh with her grandmother and her little sister. To make a living she talks to ghosts so she can help set them to rest. Her clients have mostly been ghosts from around town but then she is approached by a mother whose child has gone missing. While investigating this case, Ropa is brought into an underground society called The Library of the Undead and things take a turn for the worse as she gets closer to solving what is happening to children in Edinburgh.
T.L. Huchu does a great job of creating a plucky young heroine that you can't help but root for and then setting her down in truly terrifying situations. My favorite aspects of this story were the way that he weaves Ropa's Scottish and Zimbabwean heritage into the story as well as the terrifying horrors that populate the world that Ropa inhabits. There is a house in this story that is truly terrifying and that I will be thinking about for some time.
I do wish that the story was a bit longer as there is a lot that happens and the resolution is relatively swift. Before the story swung super dark, it did feel like younger YA tipping into potentially middle grade, which made that transition feel a little bit abrupt. I am excited that this is a series as I can tell there is more for Ropa to uncover and Huchu is clearly setting up for an overarching plot line.
I'm interested in the next book and where Huchu takes Ropa next.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Gore, Grief, Kidnapping, Murder, Torture, and Violence