Reviews

The Library of the Dead by T.L. Huchu

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kim_j_dare's review against another edition

3.0

In a not-too-distant future, Edinburg has been ravaged by unspecified catastrophe, and much of the population scrapes out a bare-bones existence. 14-year-old Ropa dropped out of school to care for her younger sister and her frail Gran. She has been trained by her Gran in the art of ghosttalking— carrying messages from the recently deceased to their living family members for a small fee. But the rules seem to be changing, and Ropa’s reliance on her street smarts may not be enough for her family’s continued survival. Someone or something is kidnapping the children of Edinburg and returning them as empty, joyless husks. Ropa’s closest friend has begun working at a mysterious library focused on the occult, and the two things may be connected.

I really enjoyed Ropa’s irreverent voice, the gritty world-building, and the originality of the story. There was a lot packed in, and sometimes the level of detail caused the story to drag. I’m looking forward to seeing Ropa continue to grow into her gifts in the sequel.

aceschwarz222's review against another edition

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adventurous dark funny mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

purplewishing's review against another edition

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dark medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

3.5

The idea of the book really interested me, I found the start very slow and at times more concerned with explaining technical details.
There was a complete curve ball in the story and it moved away from the library to a mystery.
I worked out who was behind it very early on in the book.
That said I liked the characters and can see potential in the other books so I will read the next book, for that I gave it 4 stars instead of 3.