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toffishay's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Violence, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Vomit, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Racism, Rape, Slavery, Torture, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Medical content, Trafficking, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, and War
readingwithkaitlyn's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Violence, Kidnapping, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Physical abuse, Torture, Blood, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, and Classism
Minor: Ableism, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cancer, Child death, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Suicide, Excrement, Vomit, Police brutality, Medical content, Car accident, and Alcohol
Drowning, sex work.nytephoenyx's review against another edition
- 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
The magical concepts were interesting, but the system was infodumped and the protagonist’s explanation came off a bit impatient with the whole thing. I still haven’t nailed down the time period (futuristic but with loads of contemporary pop culture references?). The descriptions of magic were good and the plot was interesting, but delivery was simplified and overly lucky.
In general, the book was interesting to read, but a bit too messy to hold my interest for a re-read or continuation.
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Drug use, Blood, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Slavery, Torture, Violence, and Medical content
Minor: Excrement and Vomit
The main character is BIPOC and a supporting character uses a wheelchair. Characters experience poverty.plantybooklover'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
5.0
In The Library of the Dead we meet Ropa, a 14 yr old school drop out who is licensed to be a Ghost Talker. She delivers messages from the dead to the living- for a fee, of course. This profession leads her to all sorts of places expected- nursing homes- and unexpected- baking secret recipe cakes with her clients. (one of my favorite moments!)
As the story starts, we are brought to a dystopian era Edinburgh, where there is no NHS, no social support systems. Ropa lives in a Caravan with her Grandmother, and her little sister Izwi in poverty. Ropa is pragmatic and a bit hard at the edges, but one day a ghost who can't pay begs for her help. She is annoyed, but her Grandmother reminds her that she should help those she can when she can. So Ropa sets out to find a missing child, and leads us all on a wild, unpredictable, and unique adventure filled with magic, mayhem and a fox named River. I admit, reading as an adult, I did have several moments where I wished Ropa would consult some of the older people in her life, but remembering being 14, I understood why she didn't. Her very teenage impulsiveness often pushed the narrative along, all while giving me some anxiety!
There were moments- when I just sat and thought- how did the author come up with this craziness, and how on earth did he make it all work right into one story that fit perfectly at all angles? I loved it...
Not all the characters are well developed, and they mostly all serve as "props" for Ropa, but as the story is mostly Ropa- it works in this novel. The plot itself unrolls very unevenly, but wraps up nicely by the end. I felt the cast of characters was diverse, there is representation of black and brown people, disabled people, older and younger people, and bad and good people.
I read this via audiobook. I felt the narrator was excellent- her accent was charming to me, and understandable, but because it was an audio book- I apparently thought Izwi the sister was "Esme" until I looked it up. That said, I enjoyed the narration. I checked out the second and see the narrator has changed, so I hope they will be just as good.
If you are looking for weird, but not gruesome, with a nice touch of humanity and pragmatism, this is the book for you. I'm hoping there will be more that just 2.... please?
Graphic: Child abuse
Moderate: Death, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Suicide and Vomit
anniereads221's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Physical abuse, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Classism
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