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A review by bingley
The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman
3.0
(240518)
Had some interesting, exciting plot points, but character personalities are inconsistent and feel 2D. I feel like it was so busy trying to be a rollicking mystery adventure, hitting certain benchmarks of snarkiness, that it got confused trying to find its way there and out.
TLDR: too inconsistent to deeply capture my fascination/loyalty for further reading.
Whenever I was getting into the plot, a character behaving oddly, trope-ly, or having a random outburst/reaction would just take me back out.
Irene's inner monologues are somewhat long-winded, her thought process in key decisive moments make me feel impatient, like GRL! ISN'T THIS A DANGEROUS SITUATION RN? WHAT ARE YOU DRAGGING ON FOR? Author says she's smart, but her behaviors contradict that: she keeps getting into yikes situations and making questionable decisions.
Kai... exhibits inconsistent behaviors and replies that it feel like he's more a compilation of surface quotes rather than a full fleshed character. He's only given a key characteristic of stringent loyalty that even afterhis identity as a dragon is revealed , it doesn't add much depth.
Also, what's with the secrecy of the Library?? After all Irene's INSISTENCE that the Library is secret, it's dangerous to talk about it, they're not allowed to, she then ends up telling new friends all about its inner workings and the Language. She insists that "oh, i can't say anything, but I will say- (goes on to spill a bunch of secrets)" Like where is the consistency here, too?!?!
If Author establishes one of the founding pillars of the Library to be secrecy, then why is Author contradicting herself by making all these loose lips! SMH.
POV: third person, singular, Irene
MAGIC: fae, elves, dragons, spells, oh my. a little bit steampunk-ish world, if you will.
Had some interesting, exciting plot points, but character personalities are inconsistent and feel 2D. I feel like it was so busy trying to be a rollicking mystery adventure, hitting certain benchmarks of snarkiness, that it got confused trying to find its way there and out.
TLDR: too inconsistent to deeply capture my fascination/loyalty for further reading.
Whenever I was getting into the plot, a character behaving oddly, trope-ly, or having a random outburst/reaction would just take me back out.
Irene's inner monologues are somewhat long-winded, her thought process in key decisive moments make me feel impatient, like GRL! ISN'T THIS A DANGEROUS SITUATION RN? WHAT ARE YOU DRAGGING ON FOR? Author says she's smart, but her behaviors contradict that: she keeps getting into yikes situations and making questionable decisions.
Kai... exhibits inconsistent behaviors and replies that it feel like he's more a compilation of surface quotes rather than a full fleshed character. He's only given a key characteristic of stringent loyalty that even after
Also, what's with the secrecy of the Library?? After all Irene's INSISTENCE that the Library is secret, it's dangerous to talk about it, they're not allowed to, she then ends up telling new friends all about its inner workings and the Language. She insists that "oh, i can't say anything, but I will say- (goes on to spill a bunch of secrets)" Like where is the consistency here, too?!?!
If Author establishes one of the founding pillars of the Library to be secrecy, then why is Author contradicting herself by making all these loose lips! SMH.
POV: third person, singular, Irene
MAGIC: fae, elves, dragons, spells, oh my. a little bit steampunk-ish world, if you will.