Devi Nair
š§ Listened in audio š¢ Narrated by Lisa Flanagan ā± Duration: 14 hours š·ļø Publisher: Ace Books š Published: October 1, 2019
I don't read fantasy often, but The Library of the Unwritten snagged me by the title alone, and I'm so glad I took the bait. This is a fantasy debut that rewrites the genre playbook. Unwritten characters living in Hell's library, waiting for their authors to finish them, characters jumping ship to become heroes in someone else's story. It's meta, it's bold, and it works beautifully.
The world-building is where this book really shines. Hell isn't just flames and punishment. It's structured, political, and oddly human. The Library itself being independent from Lucifer adds such a fun layer to rebellion and autonomy. And then you have characters like Brevity, Leto, and Ramiel, who all feel distinct without being overwhelming. What really got me was Hero's arch. He moves away from his given storyline to protect the Library and help Claire. Lisa Flanagan's narration was another thing that holds. 14 hours of audiobook wouldn't have been possible without her brilliant and engaging narrative skills. Every character had a voice, every twist landed with weight. I thought 14 hours would drag, but I was so deep in Claire's world that the ending blindsided me. Now I'm stuck waiting for book two like a character trapped in an unfinished manuscript.
A.J. Hackwith built a universe where stories have power, characters have agency, and librarians are the last line of defense against cosmic chaos. I'm here for all of it. There's something deeply satisfying about watching stories literally fight to exist. It makes me think about all the half-ideas sitting in my notes app, and whether they're waiting somewhere too.
Would I recommend it? If you love meta-fantasy, found family dynamics, or stories that play with storytelling itself, this is absolutely worth your time. It's imaginative without being confusing, emotional without trying too heard, and just different enough to stand out in fantasy. Lisa Flanagan's narration is also clearly done by someone who loves the material as much as you will. I'm genuinely excited to see where the trilogy goes next.
š§ Listened in audio š¢ Narrated by Lisa Flanagan ā± Duration: 14 hours š·ļø Publisher: Ace Books š Published: October 1, 2019
I don't read fantasy often, but The Library of the Unwritten snagged me by the title alone, and I'm so glad I took the bait. This is a fantasy debut that rewrites the genre playbook. Unwritten characters living in Hell's library, waiting for their authors to finish them, characters jumping ship to become heroes in someone else's story. It's meta, it's bold, and it works beautifully.
The world-building is where this book really shines. Hell isn't just flames and punishment. It's structured, political, and oddly human. The Library itself being independent from Lucifer adds such a fun layer to rebellion and autonomy. And then you have characters like Brevity, Leto, and Ramiel, who all feel distinct without being overwhelming. What really got me was Hero's arch. He moves away from his given storyline to protect the Library and help Claire. Lisa Flanagan's narration was another thing that holds. 14 hours of audiobook wouldn't have been possible without her brilliant and engaging narrative skills. Every character had a voice, every twist landed with weight. I thought 14 hours would drag, but I was so deep in Claire's world that the ending blindsided me. Now I'm stuck waiting for book two like a character trapped in an unfinished manuscript.
A.J. Hackwith built a universe where stories have power, characters have agency, and librarians are the last line of defense against cosmic chaos. I'm here for all of it. There's something deeply satisfying about watching stories literally fight to exist. It makes me think about all the half-ideas sitting in my notes app, and whether they're waiting somewhere too.
Would I recommend it? If you love meta-fantasy, found family dynamics, or stories that play with storytelling itself, this is absolutely worth your time. It's imaginative without being confusing, emotional without trying too heard, and just different enough to stand out in fantasy. Lisa Flanagan's narration is also clearly done by someone who loves the material as much as you will. I'm genuinely excited to see where the trilogy goes next.