A review by adperfectamconsilium
Overdue by Mark Lawrence

emotional funny mysterious reflective relaxing medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • 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

Overdue is a short story set in the world of The Library Trilogy.

It's a 12000 word story and it can be read before or after The Book That Wouldn't Burn or just as a standalone.

I personally think it works really well as an extra between volumes 1 and 2. The only characters from book 1 that appear are the mysterious librarian Yute, and a certain large cat called Wentworth.
You may also spot appearances from a black dog and a raven 👀.

Overdue is a story that celebrates independent bookshops. It appears that all the bookshops need a resident cat and there are links between the shops in this story. Some bookshops you can get lost in amid the packed shelves and teetering stacks.
It's a clever story with a great plot, a nice bit of humour and surprisingly emotional especially for a character who is an aspiring author.
This author discovers that inspiration can come from unlikely sources and that anything written can have surprising influences.

The celebration of bookshops and the joy they bring to readers is a big part of the story. There's a wonderful point made about a vast difference between selling someone a book rather than a customer buying a book. 

A wonderful addition to the world of The Library Trilogy.