eBook, 334 pages
Published June 1, 2021 by Tor Books.
When a child goes missing in Edinburgh's darkest streets, young Ropa investigates. She'll need to call on Zimbabwean magic as well as her Scottish pragmatism to hunt down clues. But as shadows lengthen, will the hunter become the hunted?
When ghosts talk, she will listen...
Ropa dropped out of school to become a ghostalker. Now she speaks to Edinburgh's dead, carrying messages to the living. A girl's gotta earn a living, and it seems harmless enough. Until, that is, the dead whisper that someone's bewitching children--leaving them husks, empty of joy and life. It's on Ropa's patch, so she feels honor-bound to investigate. But what she learns will change her world.
She'll dice with death (not part of her life plan...), discovering an occult library and a taste for hidden magic. She'll also experience dark times. For Edinburgh hides a wealth of secrets, and Ropa's gonna hunt them all down.
A fun, light read, with a charming protagonist who's fiercely independent and very wily, but quite prone to underestimating others.
#SFFBookClub October 2023 pick
The Library of the Dead is the first book of an urban fantasy series by TL Huchu. I thought it was a good, not great read. The book is well written. The characters and plot are interesting but, for me, it missed the mark on a few levels. I felt that more time could have been spent on world building. We are told that a catastrophe has occurred but we are not given any details as to what happened. While I'm sure that it will be explored in future novels I would have liked a more details on why we are in a dystopian future. As well, the books title promises a library of the dead which is barely touched upon. This is probably a great title for the series overall but not the first book. See Ben Aaronovitch's first book in the Rivers of London series, Midnight Riot. A …
The Library of the Dead is the first book of an urban fantasy series by TL Huchu. I thought it was a good, not great read. The book is well written. The characters and plot are interesting but, for me, it missed the mark on a few levels. I felt that more time could have been spent on world building. We are told that a catastrophe has occurred but we are not given any details as to what happened. While I'm sure that it will be explored in future novels I would have liked a more details on why we are in a dystopian future. As well, the books title promises a library of the dead which is barely touched upon. This is probably a great title for the series overall but not the first book. See Ben Aaronovitch's first book in the Rivers of London series, Midnight Riot. A book who's title changes depending on what country you are in.
Well, this was a pleasant surprise. Ben Aaronovitch had set up a prize for a BAME writer's first novel and this was the winner. This was urban fantasy with a definite nod towards the work of Aaronovitch, it had many of the same sensibilities.
Edinburgh, at some unspecified point in the future. The world has gone to shit, we are ruled by a repressive monarchy and magic is real. One of those Aaronovitch sensibilities is the way that magic is just accepted with a shrug.
This was a nice 'coming of age' story with a strong protagonist finding her moral core and just deciding to do something about some bad stuff. I personally enjoyed how the author plays with my old stomping ground of Edinburgh while thumping through the plot.
I read this in 2 sittings so definite recommend and I am eagerly awaiting the next installment.
