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oldladysadie's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
At times, it felt like this book was trying to be two different stories at once. There was the supernatural mystery with Nicola and the search for Ollie, and there was the titular Library of the Dead (which didn’t factor into the main narrative nearly as much as I expected going in, given it’s the title of the novel).
I still feel like Ropa, Priya and their respective magics are a breath of fresh air, and will most likely read further in the series. I hope future installments spend more time exploring the magic systems that have been set up, though, and that we get more time with the side characters to really get to know them.
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child abuse and Police brutality
Minor: Addiction and Alcohol
pvbobrien's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
Graphic: Kidnapping
Moderate: Body horror, Child abuse, Gore, Violence, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Death, Drug use, Pedophilia, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Trafficking, Grief, Car accident, and Fire/Fire injury
florunia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.25
The premise is interesting - Edinburgh after some kind of catastrophe (?) with magic known and accepted as normal.
Ropa is perhaps too mature for her age at times, but it's easily explained by her situation and having to grow up too quickly, and it's not really a problem.
The Library of the Dead sadly doesn't have a big role in the book.
The mystery and its conclusion was ok, the next villain lurks in the shadows.
Minor: Gore and Kidnapping
nicnevin's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Slavery, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Police brutality, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
ashleycmms's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Moderate: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Gore, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
rorikae's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Ropa lives in Edinburgh with her grandmother and her little sister. To make a living she talks to ghosts so she can help set them to rest. Her clients have mostly been ghosts from around town but then she is approached by a mother whose child has gone missing. While investigating this case, Ropa is brought into an underground society called The Library of the Undead and things take a turn for the worse as she gets closer to solving what is happening to children in Edinburgh.
T.L. Huchu does a great job of creating a plucky young heroine that you can't help but root for and then setting her down in truly terrifying situations. My favorite aspects of this story were the way that he weaves Ropa's Scottish and Zimbabwean heritage into the story as well as the terrifying horrors that populate the world that Ropa inhabits. There is a house in this story that is truly terrifying and that I will be thinking about for some time.
I do wish that the story was a bit longer as there is a lot that happens and the resolution is relatively swift. Before the story swung super dark, it did feel like younger YA tipping into potentially middle grade, which made that transition feel a little bit abrupt. I am excited that this is a series as I can tell there is more for Ropa to uncover and Huchu is clearly setting up for an overarching plot line.
I'm interested in the next book and where Huchu takes Ropa next.
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Gore, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, and Murder
aardwyrm's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Alcoholism, Animal death, and Police brutality