30 Books in 30 Days, Vol. 3
Book 16/30
Okay, wow, that was so good. Partly I’m so surprised by how into this I was because it was a bit of a struggle for me to get through the first book. I got sixty pages in and let it sit for months. Finally I just decided to switch it up and do the audio, and then I finished it in two days. But the laggy, weird kind-of-want-to-DNF feeling stuck around when I thought about book one, even after ultimately enjoying it, so maybe that’s why this one was surprising.
Also, it’s just a really good book! (Spoilers for book one below.)
So this one picks up several months after the close of book one, with our main character in training for the Garda (spelling? the perils of audiobooks), the Great Library’s army, essentially. He learns that his best friend, Thomas, who was thought killed by the Library in the previous book for inventing the printing press (an invention that threatens the Library’s ability to control information and progress and whatever else they control) is actually alive and being held prisoner. There’s other stuff going on, but the main arc of this book is getting the team back together and figuring out how to rescue Thomas.
Rachel Caine (RIP) did a great job with the pacing and the plot here. It was twisty and exciting and emotionally satisfying. There were several scenes in here where I physically couldn’t sit still while listening because it was riling me up so bad. I’m very, very interested in seeing what she did with the last three books, and I’m sure the longer I spend with these characters the more I will like these books.
[4.5 stars]
