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lahren 's review for:
The Archived
by V.E. Schwab
This is exactly what I’ve been waiting to find from V.E. Schwab since finishing Addie LaRue.
Everything about this book completely worked for me. Even though this is one of her earlier books, it still managed to capture the things I love most about her writing style. This story managed to feel lush and transportive and mysterious and it felt so comforting to sink back into her particular style of prose. However, what I was not expecting was the ambiance we got from the actual plot and world of this book. The way The Archives and the world around it explore places in between death felt almost reminiscent of the things I love most about Neal Shusterman’s work, and I was a huge fan of the way it was developed here. Even though we didn’t get the full picture as to the hierarchy and structure of The Archives, it gave us just enough information while leaving enough unanswered questions that I was thoroughly engaged and compelled the entire way through. This book felt like it had hints of the themes that would later be explored in Gallant and the Darker Shades series, and it was so interesting seeing what felt like the roots of those books in this one.
I also just really loved the characters in this book. Mackenzie in particular I got attached to so quickly and I loved everything she represented. She clearly cares so deeply for the people she loves, but has been forced to spend so many years lying to everyone around her that she clearly has trouble knowing when she can stop and knowing who she can trust. Her fixation on the past makes it hard for her to see the future, but we also see her dream of living a “normal” life even while knowing she would never give up the life she has if she could. The moments when she feels older than her years feel earned and logical with everything she’s been through, and it’s impossible not to admire her strength and tenacity.
Wesley is also just an absolute golden retriever with spiky hair and black eyeliner, and I adored him every time he was on page. I really hope we get to learn more about him and his background in the next book.
I was worried that my reading taste had aged too much for me to enjoy this book, given that I added it to my TBR nearly 10 years ago, but I feel like I might have loved this book more for having read it now, and I will be abandoning the rest of my TBR to read The Unbound immediately.
Everything about this book completely worked for me. Even though this is one of her earlier books, it still managed to capture the things I love most about her writing style. This story managed to feel lush and transportive and mysterious and it felt so comforting to sink back into her particular style of prose. However, what I was not expecting was the ambiance we got from the actual plot and world of this book. The way The Archives and the world around it explore places in between death felt almost reminiscent of the things I love most about Neal Shusterman’s work, and I was a huge fan of the way it was developed here. Even though we didn’t get the full picture as to the hierarchy and structure of The Archives, it gave us just enough information while leaving enough unanswered questions that I was thoroughly engaged and compelled the entire way through. This book felt like it had hints of the themes that would later be explored in Gallant and the Darker Shades series, and it was so interesting seeing what felt like the roots of those books in this one.
I also just really loved the characters in this book. Mackenzie in particular I got attached to so quickly and I loved everything she represented. She clearly cares so deeply for the people she loves, but has been forced to spend so many years lying to everyone around her that she clearly has trouble knowing when she can stop and knowing who she can trust. Her fixation on the past makes it hard for her to see the future, but we also see her dream of living a “normal” life even while knowing she would never give up the life she has if she could. The moments when she feels older than her years feel earned and logical with everything she’s been through, and it’s impossible not to admire her strength and tenacity.
Wesley is also just an absolute golden retriever with spiky hair and black eyeliner, and I adored him every time he was on page. I really hope we get to learn more about him and his background in the next book.
I was worried that my reading taste had aged too much for me to enjoy this book, given that I added it to my TBR nearly 10 years ago, but I feel like I might have loved this book more for having read it now, and I will be abandoning the rest of my TBR to read The Unbound immediately.