Reviews

Ztracená zápletka by Genevieve Cogman

lizziestudieshistory's review against another edition

4.0

I don't really know what to say about this series that I haven't already talked about in previous reviews... I really love this series, it's my favourite comfort read (it's somehow replaced Gail Carriger...)

Cogman did have me worried for a minute there with Irene and Kai - I'm not sure I completely approve of their relationship but I'm much less hesitant about it now their roles have changed! I was in fact quite worried and had a horrifying moment where I thought my escapism would make me cry, but once again I'm left with warm gushy emotions by Cogman. It's a fabulous, fun, slighlty trashy (in the most brilliant way) series and it's one of my unapologetic favourites!

karenholmes's review against another edition

5.0

This one was sooo good it hurts not to have more adventures of Irene Winters (or Jeanette Smith, or whatever other name she chooses to use in each world) to read. Yet. I have seen there is one in progress, but no cover nor tittle yet. So I'll investigate as soon as I finish writing this.
Irene is a sworn Librarian to the Library, and that makes her a spy and a thief in a way because she visits different worlds collecting books to stabilize the whole set of worlds.
There are worlds of chaos (more fae oriented) and worlds of order (dragon oriented) and humans live in almost all, sometimes just props to the whim of the fae who use them in their need for stories.
In this case, Irene visits the NYC of the 20s with all the mafia and the alcohol and the dress code.
It is one of my favorites from the year and will probably the whole set will be one of my favorite series in years to come too. I adore Genevieve Cogman, her imagination and her characters, her world building and her love of books. I am forever grateful to have read it and will reread again and again. But you know, it's never the same when you reread a book,

nela_reads's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

lottie1803's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny lighthearted mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

• 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

4.0

lizzylakes's review against another edition

adventurous challenging funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Suicide

12dejamoo's review against another edition

adventurous tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

I am seriously so obsessed with these books like just the whole concept of them is amazing, so compelling. I used to think Irene was a bit meh but she's really grown on me, and now I really like her! Plus just the general chaos is so much fun and having to navigate it all is just ahh. I love it, and I love when Irene plays secrets and messes with people it's so great.

Spoilery bit:

WHY DID SHE KISS HIM NOOOOOOO. I knew it was coming but I am so so so against Irene and Kai together. He's SO childish! Literally any other character would be better. Pair her with Jin Zhi for all I care! Also the fall out from Kai like hiding in Vale's world with her is gonna be so messy like ughhh.

There was a lot of dragon action in this book and I do like the dragon plots but the Fae plots just hit so much harder. And yes I might be biased because I love Zayanna, but still. Something about the fairytale/story thing just is so interesting to me. But hey, we play a little dragon politics now and that's good too. Plus we get a little of the Fae with Lily so it's not a complete loss.

I particularly liked the scenes in the speakeasies. Idk they were just so fun and Irene sneaking out and tricking people is so fun.

And the dragons and their scary silencing potion! Oh man.

I liked Evariste, it was fun to have another Librarian involved in the plot and see how he used the Language and everything differently to Irene.

Slightly frustrated by the ending with Evariste's daughter's plot kind of just solved quietly offscreen. I guess it's not really the point but yeah it felt like we could have had more of that. But oh well, I did like the conversation between Irene and Ya Yu.

mairelon's review against another edition

5.0

The Lost Plot starts, as so many Invisible Library books do, with everything going spectacularly and catastrophically wrong and with intrepid Librarian Irene Sometimes-Winters right in the middle of it all. After a clandestine meeting with a politically ambitious Dragon, Irene and Kai are once again drawn into the world of Dragon court politics, this time to the backdrop of Prohibition New York. Behind the glitz and glamour of the city, gangs run rampant and dragons plot and scheme, threatening the safety of the city's inhabitants and the stability of the world itself.

I felt like I wanted an age to get my hands on this book, and it was absolutely worth it. I really enjoyed this adventure. Though it hardly gave me time to process what happened before the next thing went ahead and happened, it was a really fun read. I've always found the Invisible Library book exasperating in this way, but I love them all the same. The Lost Plot provides a look into Dragon/Library relations

Spoiler

( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

the book provided, as well as the insight into our mysterious protagonist's past. I particularly enjoyed the departure from "Vale's World" and, well, even Vale.

And, well, look as far as the ending goes

Spoiler

I loved the ending. I'm a massive sap. I love grand happy romantic endings an boy did The Lost Plot deliver.

I cannot wait to see what comes next.

The following is a series of quick, ill-articulated notes:

- As some may know, I am in the process of completing my Master's Degree in Information Management, in a effort to better equip myself for my job as a librarian. During this course, we were asked to think about the depiction of the the field in the media and pop culture and I coulnd't help thinking about this series.

- There are some obvious differences between a librarian's duties (shelving, reference work, cataloguing etc.) and a Librarian's duties (keeping the balance between powerful magical forces, going undercover to acquire rare books, accessing a world outside of time and space etc.).

- The Library also seems to function as more of a horde than an information repository. I really hope that the ethos of the library comes more into question as the series progresses. A character actually questions the point of a library that doesn't share information and I was like, hey yeah if you wanted to collect and preserve a bunch of dusty things make it an archive or a museum. So it'll be interesting to see how that works out.

anns_storybound_sanctuary's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Kidnapping

bibliophilebookclub's review against another edition

4.0

The Invisible Library series is such a great series of books to get lost in. The world-building is exceptional, and the characters are brilliant. I have really enjoyed following Irene and Kai as they navigate different worlds and try to save priceless library volumes. This one is set in Prohibition era New York and it was packed with action. Dragaons aplenty made this one a super fun read. Can’t recommend this series enough!

knsawicki's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

• 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? Yes

4.5