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A review by bethanycrowepowell
The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Picked this one up from a TikTok suggesting books that do well showing their characters are smart without saying they are without backing it up. This is a successful element of the book! I found the premise intriguing but despite the bookishness of the milieu and characters, the prose didn't win me over. Lots of snappy conversations that felt a little canned.
Graphic: Violence, Death, Body horror, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal death and Ableism
Pivots quickly from intellectual banter to excruciating magical effects and squicky dead body things. Not overly detailed, but runs the darker side of "fantasy violence".