Book One
Reviewed: May 4th, 2024
Released: December 15th 2014
Genre: Historical Steampunk Fantasy
One spy. One dangerous book. One deadly mission. The first in a delightful fantasy mystery series, The Invisible Library is the astounding debut from Genevieve Cogman.
Irene must be at the top of her game or she’ll be off the case – permanently . . .
Irene is a professional spy for the mysterious Library, which harvests fiction from different realities. Along with her new assistant Kai, she’s posted to an alternative London. Their mission – to retrieve a dangerous book. But lo and behold, when they arrive, it’s already been stolen. London’s underground factions seem prepared to fight to the very death to find her book.
In this world teeming with supernatural creatures and unpredictable magic, Irene soon finds herself up to her eyebrows in a heady mix of danger, clues and secret societies. And Kai is also hiding secrets of his own. Yet failure is not an option – the nature of reality itself is at stake.
Helen’s Thoughts: 4/5
An enjoyable fantasy, about Librarians who are actually spies, travelling between alternate worlds to retrieve books.
I struggled a little at the start as a lot of terminolgy for these worlds are thrown at you, explaining how the alternate versions of the worlds actually work. I almost gave up, but fortunately I persevered. Once you get past that and meet the characters and understand their missions, it becomes much more interesting. Of course Irene and her new mentee are sent off with very little information into an alternate world, and it makes you wonder if the Library wants them to fail. The Library is full of brooding secrets and ancient people.
Plenty of action, mechanical creatures as well vampire, werewolves and fae to stir the pot, and keep the adventure interesting.
Irene is a wonderful heroine, with plenty of insecurities to keep her questioning things, but strong when it matters. I loved her and Kai, and the detective Vale.
A great start to the series and I can’t wait to revisit Irene and her worlds.
Purchase The Invisible Library:
Link to book on Amazon UK: Kindle | Paperback | Audiobook
Link to book on Amazon US: Kindle | Paperback | Audiobook
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If you enjoy fantasy books then you will love my epic fantasy Sentinal series or the Romantic Fantasy SoulMist series or Dystopian Science Fantasy, Harmony. Sign up to my newsletter and download a free novella called Sentinals Stirring and get notified when my next books are published.
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