A review by sassmistress
The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman

adventurous dark funny hopeful tense

4.25

Very fresh, exciting fantasy novel in a Victorian England (think Sherlock Holmes and old-school British gentlemen) alternate dimension, with lots of magic and magical creatures, occasional non-graphic sexual content, and some gore. 

I really enjoyed this read for myself, except for the occasional annoying content concern. It was unique and exciting, with some funny turns. The (adult, female, competent professional) MC loves her books and tea, but bravely faces adventure for her beloved Library, the collector of important works of literature from countless alternate dimensions. This does sometimes involve burgling the book in question. 

This book draws inspiration from detective fiction, steampunk (/magic punk?), Fae lore, and a little of that Douglas Adams wit. We've got airships and stagecoaches juxtaposed with werewolves and glamour and eldritch horror. And also cybernetic alligators 😂 Such things are the result of a world falling prey to the forces of chaos. 

Nonstop action, fantastic magic system, terrifying bad guys. To avoid spoilers, I'll be really vague here, but the book climaxes with some spot on, breathtaking imagery of the ultimate fate of evil. 

Lots of magic,and I'm a sucker for a good magic system. The Librarians use The Language to make things happen (with limitations, if you can tell the object to do something in the Language, it'll happen. They have to study vocab regularly). Fae are universally bad and use chaos magic. The two are incompatible. Tech imbued with magic in this world, that part's pretty vague.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Body horror, Fire/Fire injury, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence

Moderate: Murder, Confinement, Car accident, Sexual harassment, Panic attacks/disorders, Death, Misogyny, and Sexual content

Minor: Drug use, Gun violence, Medical content, Cursing, and Sexism

Sexual content: (fairly quick, minor for adult sensibilities, and earlier in the book): - Fae attempt to seduce the MC. "[the smile] was inviting, somehow suggesting darkness and candlelight and closeness, a catch in the breath, a warm hand in hers, a pressure against her body..." And she shakes it off. More murmuring close to lips, description trying to sound enchanting. - Work partner invites the MC to sleep with him. She declines because there's work to do and he's "not her type". Which, apparently, is "darkly dangerous, of dubious morality." Both brag in vague terms about their sexual prowess. Later ogles his fancy outfit and wonders whether she regrets declining. - MC is bisexual, not central to the plot but it comes up several times. Brief consideration of "which way" a potential antagonist "swings", passing thought about using the intern as a honeypot, and several oblique references to the MC's past fling with another woman. - One or two other instances of passionate admiration, steamy but not very spicy visual appreciation, calls him "intoxicating" for being unguarded 🙄 - Later, just attempts by the MC to avoid showing too much leg while maneuvering in her long skirt. Spiritual content: - "It was at times like this that Irene really wished she believed in prayer." - "There was something fascinating about the pure, focused dedication that [her mentee] gave the caviar: it seemed to somehow elevate the little black grains into something holy, even divine. ".... Other: - Gory descriptions of burnt skin, oozing wounds, exposed bone, the scene of a beheading, and the bad guy skinned a person and used it as a disguise. They found the skin and it's highlighted as gruesome. - Discarded cigars and cigarettes in the aftermath of a party. - Sinking vehicle trigger:

Emotionally graphic near-drowning trapped in a sinking vehicle.

The bad guy magically sealed them into the vehicle and sent it tumbling into the river.

- I noted one count of sh**. Might have missed one, but there's not much language.