The Library of the Unwritten (Hell's Library #1) by A. J. Hackwith

"A fun and truly unique idea of all of the "unwritten" works, books, art, music etc, that have yet to be or never was created, resting in an out of the way wing of a Library in Hell. The characters all had their charm and though the story was a bit convoluted at times, it was a pretty enjoyable and creative ride."

3 Stars

Pros: Definitely an interesting concept, all the unwritten books/art/creations of a mortal's life are organized within Hell's library, it was unique/Leto was a kind, relatable and likable character.

Cons: In its uniqueness it was a concept that was almost too difficult to grasp/Claire's rigidity got old rather quickly/It would be interesting to learn more of Claire's life/Leto's life as mortals.

Full Review:

Claire Juniper Hadley was mortal, once. She is now sentenced to spend, however long it takes to repent for her sins, as the Librarian of Hell's Unwritten Wing. It's where all works of art, books. paintings, you name it, go when either being created or were dreams that never came to be. Her assistant is Brevity, a failed muse, who is sunny and cheerful, a sharp contrast to Claire's rigid, somewhat cold exterior. Most of their days are spent making sure that all the works are sleeping "peacefully" in the stacks. But everything changes when a young Demon who goes by the name of Leto says that he has a special delivery for Claire's eyes only.

All this, mixed with one character from a book managing to escape from their novel and make it to Earth to meet their author and try to inspire he to get to writing, and everything is flipped upside down. Leto's special delivery as well as one soul claiming that he has pages from the Devil's Bible before entering Heaven piques the interest of Heaven/Hell and all other realms in between.

Though the narrative fun and creative at times, taking you to different "realms" such as Valhalla and the very Greek Labyrinth guarded by the Minotaur, it was also all a bit hard to grasp. The subject itself, the idea, was fun but at times it became a little too ethereal and hard to follow. I think in the end the betrayal and the fighting was all a little convoluted and that's what irked me the most. It held my interest for the most part but I think the other novels, since this seems to be a series, will be borrowed from the library.

I'd recommend this book to anyone who's ever tried to write or create, since it's interesting and a little inspiring to think that all of our unwritten works are just sleeping, waiting to be woken up when we put paper to pen, or brush to canvas etc.

Comments

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep by Philip K. Dick

“Rick Deckard is a Bounty Hunter who's on the trail of six "Andys" (Androids) who have come to Earth illegally. His job is to track them down and "retire" them. Something he found easy to do until he met her, Rachael Rosen. The Android that does the impossible, passes the "Voight-Kampff" test. The story quickly devolves into a slow, drawn out and frankly boring mystery that was putting me to sleep by the end." ⭐⭐ Pros: I was more interested in comparing it to the film, "Bladerunner."/At first I kind of liked the drab, dreary atmostphere but it soon became soporific. Cons: I had no real idea what was going on with Mercerism/The end there had me blinking in bewilderment, like with Herbert's 29th Dune Book/There was a lot of idle chit-chat while they were in murderous/intense situations, it just seemed odd. Full Review: Rick Deckard, a Bounty Hunter, contracted with the San Francisco Police Department hunts down and retires rogue ...

The Glutton by A. K. Blakemore

"Though dark, disturbing and at times, truly disgusting, Blakemore has created an unforgettable character in Tarare and his sad, sordid tale. This is a book that will stay with me for a long time for many different reasons and to me, that's a sign of a great read." ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐ Pros: Tarare wasn't a monster, it just seemed that the world was against him/I liked Lozeau and his strange band of misfits/Dr. Dupuis seemed like a genuinely good person, or at least, he had his moments. Cons: Some of the timeline/people of the French Revolution were just white noise to me/Courville was a despicable man. Full Review: The Bottomless man, the Glutton of Lyon, Tarare the Terrible. The man who has many titles but who's name is simply, Tarare, is dying in a hospital in Versailles. Citizen Doctor Tissier has written to his friend, Dupuis, in hopes that he'll be able to cure this mysterious illness that plagues Tarare. For now though, he lays, chained to his bed and waits for...

Animal Farm by George Orwell

"A blithe and scathing commentary on equality, power, corruption and how everyone is created equal, but...some are more equal than others. Orwell hit the nail right on the head with this novel and it's no wonder it's a staple for most high school curriculums. " 3 Stars. Pros: Benjamin the Donkey is the smartest animal on the farm and it would have done all the others a world of good if they had listened to him in the first place. Cons: The fact that societies like this actually do exist is nauseating and terrible. It's not a con, per se, it's just a gut wrenching fact. Full Review: When the overworked and mistreated Animals on Manor Farm decide to rise up and overthrow their cruel master, they're successful. They rebel and now find themselves with an entire Farm to run. They rename it Animal Farm and are intent on creating a paradise, where work and play are equal, where productivity is key but relaxation is a must and all the lives of all the animal...

All the Books.

Search This Blog