Book Review: Invisible Library

Title: Invisible Library

Author: Genevieve Cogman

Genre: Steampunk/Sci-fi/Fantasy

Page #s: 329

Publication Date: 2015

Summary: The Library exists between worlds, an inter-dimensional collection of alternate universes’ important books. To keep the collection up to date Librarians need to collect rare or valuable or simply important books from alternate worlds. Irene is a mid-level Librarian who, upon returning from one job, immediately finds herself assigned another. She is also assigned an assistant.

There is more to the assignment, and her new subordinate, than meets the eye. 

Good Points:

• Irene is a likable enough character.
• All she wants is a good book and maybe a cup of coffee.
• She’s mousey and enjoys detective stories.
• Thinks well on her feet in regard to things trying to kill her but a little clueless about people not trying to kill her.
• Hints of bisexuality.
• Kai is of indeterminate, but likely Chinese, heritage.
• Our handsome and personable Sherlock stand-in, is actually personable. Tiny bit of an ass but personable.
• Personal headcanon has them as trans.
• A believably antagonistic work relationship between Irene and Bradamant, a former superior.
• Very interesting world setup!
• The Library has windows, as many libraries do, that look out on a green space that… no one ever walks through. No one knows how to get to. No one knows what would happen if you did get to it.
• Nice setup for later book, possibly.
• Alternate worlds operate on a Kinsey scale of Very Techy to Very Sorcerous with some mixing it all up.
• All sorts of fantastic creatures exist but Fae, werewolves, and vampires are forces of Chaos while only Dragons are forces of order.

Bad Points:

• Extremely unsurprising.
• Every plot twist comes with a setup that makes it obvious a mile away.
• Reads very much like the authors first novel and like many first novels feels very young in tone.
• The bisexuality is only implied and when the incident that hints at Irene’s bisexuality is actually explained it turns out that she never actually slept with the woman in the first place.
• Very disappointing as this was 90% of the reason I got the book.
• I am unsure of Kai’s feelings towards Irene as he is extremely mercurial without ever being called out on his constant shifts of emotion.
• Okay, not entirely true, Irene comments on Kai’s shifts when they’re about how he presents himself.
• It’s hard to get a handle on Kai’s characterization as it does shift constantly. Now, that could simply be the author attempting to portray a young, unsure but gung-ho individual but they don’t pull it off.

Triggers:

Off camera skinning of a human being.

Mentions of a cesarean at the end of the book.

Cruelty to animals (mind-controlled alligators being slaughtered)

Honestly, I was just kind of disappointed with the book. It’s a fun concept, I did like the characters (barely sketched out as they may be) but the plot was formulaic, the reveal made me want to smack myself and every character involved and the bad guy, once they were actually confronted, kept stalling for time.

Rating: 3/5