The Book That Wouldn't Burn

Starred review from March 13, 2023
Lawrence (the Broken Empire trilogy) draws readers into a vast subterranean library in this thrilling romantic fantasy and Library Trilogy series launch. After monstrous sabbers attack Livira Page’s village in the backwater known as the Dust, she finds refuge in the big city, where she adjusts quickly despite prejudice against “dusters.” Meanwhile, Evar Eventari and his four siblings live in the mysterious library that stretches beneath the city. It’s the only home they’ve ever known and they share it with a mysterious Mechanism that transforms books into “something to be physically experienced, walked through, partaken in, interrogated, shared.” The quintet spent decades trapped inside the Mechanism before being spit back out again, though they did not age a day in all that time. Each of the siblings gained skills and knowledge from the books they brought into the Mechanism except for Evar, who emerged only with the vague knowledge that he is missing something—or someone—and now he needs to find her. Told over the course of years for Livira and mere days for Evar, this tale of knowledge and its cost flies by thanks to the gripping mystery and beautiful worldbuilding, ending on a devastating cliffhanger. Readers will be desperate for more. Agent: Ian Drury, Sheil Land Assoc.

June 10, 2024

Lawrence's (The Girl and the Moon) fast-paced series starter follows Livira, a young girl whose village is destroyed by sabbers, wolflike men who prey on the village people. The children are rescued by soldiers from the city, and Livira is conscripted into training to become a librarian. Meanwhile, Evar is attempting to escape the vast subterranean library, the place that has kept him safe but imprisoned for many years. When Livira and Evar have a chance encounter at the Exchange, a portal within the library where time and space behave differently, adventure, romance, and time travel ensue. Lawrence's prose is lyrical, and his descriptions of the library are enticing and magical. Even so, the novel is somewhat predictable and suffers from uneven pacing--dragging in some places and moving disconcertingly fast in others. However, narrator Jessica Whittaker offers an exceptional performance, deftly capturing the characters' range of emotions and providing unique and identifiable voices for each. VERDICT While the hefty run time may discourage some listeners, this should be a winner for bibliophiles and fans of intricate worldbuilding and mystery. For those who enjoyed Erin Morgenstern's The Starless Sea.--Danielle Arpin

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