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A review by plantybooklover
The Library of the Dead by T.L. Huchu
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
fast-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? No
5.0
This might be my best book of the year. It isn't very educational, but I loved it, right book at the right time.
In The Library of the Dead we meet Ropa, a 14 yr old school drop out who is licensed to be a Ghost Talker. She delivers messages from the dead to the living- for a fee, of course. This profession leads her to all sorts of places expected- nursing homes- and unexpected- baking secret recipe cakes with her clients. (one of my favorite moments!)
As the story starts, we are brought to a dystopian era Edinburgh, where there is no NHS, no social support systems. Ropa lives in a Caravan with her Grandmother, and her little sister Izwi in poverty. Ropa is pragmatic and a bit hard at the edges, but one day a ghost who can't pay begs for her help. She is annoyed, but her Grandmother reminds her that she should help those she can when she can. So Ropa sets out to find a missing child, and leads us all on a wild, unpredictable, and unique adventure filled with magic, mayhem and a fox named River. I admit, reading as an adult, I did have several moments where I wished Ropa would consult some of the older people in her life, but remembering being 14, I understood why she didn't. Her very teenage impulsiveness often pushed the narrative along, all while giving me some anxiety!
There were moments- when I just sat and thought- how did the author come up with this craziness, and how on earth did he make it all work right into one story that fit perfectly at all angles? I loved it...
Not all the characters are well developed, and they mostly all serve as "props" for Ropa, but as the story is mostly Ropa- it works in this novel. The plot itself unrolls very unevenly, but wraps up nicely by the end. I felt the cast of characters was diverse, there is representation of black and brown people, disabled people, older and younger people, and bad and good people.
I read this via audiobook. I felt the narrator was excellent- her accent was charming to me, and understandable, but because it was an audio book- I apparently thought Izwi the sister was "Esme" until I looked it up. That said, I enjoyed the narration. I checked out the second and see the narrator has changed, so I hope they will be just as good.
If you are looking for weird, but not gruesome, with a nice touch of humanity and pragmatism, this is the book for you. I'm hoping there will be more that just 2.... please?
In The Library of the Dead we meet Ropa, a 14 yr old school drop out who is licensed to be a Ghost Talker. She delivers messages from the dead to the living- for a fee, of course. This profession leads her to all sorts of places expected- nursing homes- and unexpected- baking secret recipe cakes with her clients. (one of my favorite moments!)
As the story starts, we are brought to a dystopian era Edinburgh, where there is no NHS, no social support systems. Ropa lives in a Caravan with her Grandmother, and her little sister Izwi in poverty. Ropa is pragmatic and a bit hard at the edges, but one day a ghost who can't pay begs for her help. She is annoyed, but her Grandmother reminds her that she should help those she can when she can. So Ropa sets out to find a missing child, and leads us all on a wild, unpredictable, and unique adventure filled with magic, mayhem and a fox named River. I admit, reading as an adult, I did have several moments where I wished Ropa would consult some of the older people in her life, but remembering being 14, I understood why she didn't. Her very teenage impulsiveness often pushed the narrative along, all while giving me some anxiety!
There were moments- when I just sat and thought- how did the author come up with this craziness, and how on earth did he make it all work right into one story that fit perfectly at all angles? I loved it...
Not all the characters are well developed, and they mostly all serve as "props" for Ropa, but as the story is mostly Ropa- it works in this novel. The plot itself unrolls very unevenly, but wraps up nicely by the end. I felt the cast of characters was diverse, there is representation of black and brown people, disabled people, older and younger people, and bad and good people.
I read this via audiobook. I felt the narrator was excellent- her accent was charming to me, and understandable, but because it was an audio book- I apparently thought Izwi the sister was "Esme" until I looked it up. That said, I enjoyed the narration. I checked out the second and see the narrator has changed, so I hope they will be just as good.
If you are looking for weird, but not gruesome, with a nice touch of humanity and pragmatism, this is the book for you. I'm hoping there will be more that just 2.... please?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse
Moderate: Blood, Death, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Suicide and Vomit