This book is crazy creepy and completely mind blowing. I still can't get over this book and how it just envelopes you into the world. When I first picked it up, I never expected this. This is one you should definitely pick up if you like fantasy!

Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for this ARC.
Unfortunately this book didn't live up to the hope I had for it. The biggest problem was that the protagonist just didn't seem real. I am all for an unlikeable lead, but they have to seem authentic and be compelling. Ropa was unfortunately neither of those things. The way she spoke was just not believable and I really struggled to care about what she was going to do next.
I'm really sad that I didn't get on with the book because it has such a great premise, unfortunately not one for me.

I was not able to download this to my Kindle therefore was unable to read it and cannot review this book.

This was such a fun and entertaining urban fantasy read! I was so happy I enjoyed it because it has all the elements to a great spooky adventure novel: ghosts, a strong female protagonist, a mystery that will keep you guessing and of course conversations with the occult.

The novel almost gave me fantasy, dystopian AND paranormal vibes which is such a strange combination of genres, but it really works in this novel. The story takes place in apocalyptic Edinburgh where our main character Ropa is a ghost talker who delivers messages from ghosts to their loved ones. She gets roped into a mystery of missing children disappearing throughout Edinburg and takes it upon herself to find them.

This book also features a magical library, and that’s what really sold me on reading it. I love novels that included reading, books or libraries in their prose.

The mystery was a big part of the book and the world building sometimes took a back seat to the plot. This is the first book in a series, however, so it doesn’t trouble me too much that we didn’t get to learn more about the library and surrounding world building. We will probably learn more about Ropa’s world in future installments.

Thank you, Macmillan-Tor/Forge and NetGalley, for providing me with this ARC (Advanced Reader's Copy) in exchange for an honest review.

Wow this was so good, this is what I thought the Midnight Library would be like. I love the characters I love the setting. It sounds like this is going to be a series and I am so excited for that because I cannot wait to see what other adventures Ropa has. I absolutely fell in love with this book.

The narration in this story was so unique. Ropa's personality really shined through the writing and I honestly felt like I knew her. The world was really interesting, being a sort of post-war-torn world full of ghosts, and the side characters we met were each unique in their own right. Priya and Jomo were such fun characters and I loved watching Ropa interact with them. The plot was interesting and totally kept me guessing throughout. It did take me quite a bit to really get invested in the book, but once I did, I was totally hooked. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and am anxiously waiting the release of the next book in the series.

Look, all you really need to know about this book is it’s about a Black teen who talks to ghosts and ends up investigating the disappearance of a child in a post-catastrophe Scotland, and it’s AMAZING. It’s creepy and delightfully atmospheric and most likely going to be on my top ten books of the year.

‘Seriously, who brings a catapult to a duel? I like your style[.]’


Fourteen-year-old Ropa dropped out of school to support her Gran and her younger sister. She’s a ghost talker, a go-between who delivers messages from the dead who haven’t yet crossed over back to their loved ones, for a fee, of course. She’s good at it, but it’s not particularly lucrative. They live in a broken down caravan in a former farm field – in this post-catastrophe Edinburgh, it’s much more profitable to farm people (for rent) rather than food – so the last thing she needs to do is take on a charity case for a recently deceased woman who’s worried about her missing son.

“Funny thing is, the more I learn, the more I feel that I know even less than all there is to know. It’s like, you reach the horizon, only to see the damn thing keeps on stretching further out. A bit messed up if you’re just trying to find the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.”


I loved Ropa. She’s brash, no-nonsense and street smart. That isn’t to say she isn’t book smart as well, as she listens to podcasts and pirate audio books while delivering her messages across the city – in particular she’s a big fan of who she calls “Uncle Tzu.” She comes off as a bit stand-offish at first, but it only takes a few chapters to realized that she pretends to be a lot tougher than she is, cynical but still bighearted. Ropa’s someone who’ll say she only dropped out of school for the freedom and the money, and then turn around and spend a week trying to find a lost kid. She does read a bit older than her age, but I attributed that to her responsibilities.

‘I’m just getting to like you; don’t die stupidly on me now.’


The story’s told from Ropa’s first person present-tense POV. It took me a few chapters to get into the book due to the POV choice and the amount of world building, but once the mystery was introduced – a ghost keeps bugging Ropa about finding her young son who’s missing – I was hooked. Besides the initial few chapters, the pacing is tight – and delightfully creepy, and there’s some tantalizing hints dropped as to where the story may go next. The plot is a bit predictable, but honestly, with characters like Ropa, her Gran, Jomo and Priya, I was having too much fun to care. Her Gran’s seemingly a sweet older woman who taught Ropa everything she knows about talking to and casting out spirits. While she’s not able to do much – or even leave the caravan – she’s the heart of Ropa’s family. Jomo is her best friend since childhood, though his family is much more well-off than hers, while Priya is a wheelchair-using medical student with perhaps too much of a taste for adventure.

“I guess the world always looks more beautiful through a telescope. But if you use a microscope, you see things how they really are – up close and personal – and what you get is much scarier.”


The world-building is fascinating, from the titular Library of the Dead (the underHume joke still has me giggling) to the everyThere, where the dead wait to pass on, to a ghost-directed baking lesson in a posh couple’s kitchen. There’s at least two magical systems, the one taught to Ropa by her Gran that seems rooted in their Zimbabwean culture and the Scottish system. Ropa plays mbira music to help bring the dead into focus so she can understand them, but she’s had less success with the more metaphysical lessons. The Scottish version is more old-white-dude Greek-myth-influenced science-over-superstition magic that she learns from reading books from the Library.

Overall, an easy 4.5 stars, and I will definitely be picking up the next book in this series next March (yes, I set a calendar reminder for it). Overall, an excellent dystopian Scottish fantasy that both young adults and adults who like brash but bighearted heroines and creepy plots would enjoy.

I received an advance review copy of this book from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

3.5 Stars
First, I love that this book has a young teen main character. Typically YA books center around 17-18 year old's so I really enjoyed reading a YA with a younger teen lead. Second, I love that this is a mix of dystopian and fantasy and although I am not usually a huge fan of urban fantasy, I really enjoyed this book.
Huge bonus?!?!? Secret Societies! If you are a fan of dark, paranormal books about books(!!!!) Then I would definitely recommend you give this a try.
It did feel a bit slow in the beginning, and I had trouble with the slang throughout the entire book, but I still feel like this is worth the read!

This was such an interesting idea and was executed really well -- I loved the narrator's voice and the way the author mashed up cultures and modern-day Edinburgh with something...spookier.

This was a fantastic book, like nothing I’ve read before. Ropa works as a messenger for the dead, delivering to their living family for payment. She cares for her Gran and sister. But when a ghost asks for help for a special matter, Ropa gets into a whole new world of unreal, even for a ghost talker.
I loved the new take on the supernatural. There is a backstory we don’t know yet, but I’m intrigued.

I’m not sure if I liked or didn’t like it. Mixed feelings. It was a good story but felt disjointed at times. I enjoyed the concept and the characters but the story just didn't flow. Also, the library seemed to be a minor detail in the book.

This was an extremely unique, fascinating story with a ton of character.

It's told by Ropa, a teenage dropout in post-apocalyptic fantasy Edinburgh. She can talk to ghosts, and uses her skill as a hustle to support her ailing grandmother and little sister. Ropa is a no-nonsense person whose desire to help others has been buried under a thick layer of well-earned cynicism. No money, no ghost-talking.

Until one particular ghost gets under Ropa's skin enough for her to do a rare, pro bono favor. Then, some serious shenanigans happen.

The first thing that stood out to me about this book was the language usage. I don't know anything about Scotland except for the stereotypical TV-style Scottish accent, and this is not that. The way Ropa talks slapped me in the face before I had a chance to absorb anything else about the story. "What the HELL is this dialect?!" was my first thought. It took me a while to get into the groove with it, and I still have no idea what some of the words meant.

The second thing that stood out was Ropa herself. She was a great, complex character, and I loved her relationships. Her life was formed around conflicts. Her hard-bitten cynicism was at war with her inner kindness. Her desire to learn the establishment theory of magic conflicting with her roots and her grandmother's teachings. Her drive toward her own interests versus her need to take care of her family. I was deeply invested in her, and really wanted to see her succeed and overcome.

I kind of feel like we just scratched the surface with this book. The main conflict was resolved, but there's still so much going on. The library featured briefly by almost getting Ropa executed and introducing her to a key friend, but other than that it was in the background.

Will Ropa learn establishment magic? Will she learn her grandmother's magic? There's a bigger big bad still out there - what's his next move? What happens to the kids now? Why didn't they try to heal them by giving them back the stolen elixir? This series opens up a brand new world full of life and weirdness, and I'm excited to see what it has to offer next.

A fantastically fast-paced urban fantasy novel with definite cross-genre appeal - this should appeal to fantasy, mystery, and horror readers alike. Ropa, a "ghost-talker", is a fabulous street-savvy teenage heroine; she's snarky and pragmatic, yet her love for her family and friends is palpable throughout the novel. I adored the setting of post-apocalyptic Scotland, set in an alternate future where it's independent. Ropa's voice is full of slang that helps immerse the reader into this world. The magic system is curious, and I do wish the titular library was featured more heavily. A great book for occult/supernatural fans.

TL;DR

The Library of the Dead by T.L. Huchu starts an excellent new urban fantasy series. The main character, Ropa, entertains and will make you laugh. If you’re an urban fantasy fan, this is a must read book. Highly recommended.

Review: The Libary of the Dead by T.L. Huchu

When we are young, the world is a magical place. It’s full of mysteries and possibilities. As we age, we lose that sense of magic, and the mysteries become less about evil wizards and more about keeping a roof over our heads. But the genre of urban fantasy can return that sense of the world being a magical place. At least for me, it can. Whether it’s a city I’ve visited a lot or not at all, the setting of urban fantasy stories get polished with possibilities. I’m grateful for that. But just because the story brings a bit of magic to the real world, it doesn’t mean the stories are light or ignore real world injustices. In fact, the best urban fantasy makes the world both more magical and more horrific at the same time. In The Library of the Dead, T.L. Huchu does just that. Huchu makes Edinburgh, Scotland both more magical and more sinister in his excellent debut novel.

The Library of the Dead introduces us to the world of Ropa, a child with the ability to talk to the dead. In fact, her job is to relay messages from the deceased to their still living loved ones. She’s even licensed to do so. In the beginning, Ropa is hustling to make ends meet, to keep her younger sister, Izwi, in school and to afford the rent for the next month. To talk to the ghosts, she uses an mbira to find the right frequency for each spirit, which is a neat bit of worldbuilding. I like the implication that understanding someone different than us takes work, but harmonizing is possible. Ropa took over the ghost talking services from her gran, who is going blind with cataracts. On her way home, a ghost who can’t pay asks Ropa to do a job, but she refuses at first. However, her curiosity and a horrific discovery make her accept the job. It will take her over and across Edinburgh; it also opens up her world to larger forces working behind the scenes. And this job draws the attention of these larger forces to her. At the young age of 14, Ropa becomes embroiled in heroic struggles that take all of her skill and cunning to make it back home to Gran and Izwi. Somehow, along the way, she’s also got to make a little bit of rent money.

This book had me from the end of chapter one. Ropa is an entertaining main character, and she carries the story easily on her shoulders. The worldbuilding is excellent. Huchu slowly reveals it to the reader, and I appreciated this approach. The reader isn’t dunked into a new world and told to swim. Huchu eases us into the differing aspects of his world. This reveal had two parts, one with Ropa learning about new parts of her own world and the other where Ropa acts as a travel guide. The magical system isn’t explored very much, but from what Ropa learns, it’ll be a scientific system. She’s able to pick it up academically but struggles with application. I look forward to watching her discover her own powers in future books.

Miss Ropa

We’re told Ropa is fourteen, but she didn’t read like any fourteen year old I’ve met. And this is a good thing. She’s very intelligent and interested in a variety of topics. Though she dropped out of school, education remains important to her. She listens to podcasts and audiobooks to improve herself and to escape the bleak surroundings of her world. She’s witty and sharp in a way that keeps the reader entertained, but when she’s in her caravan with Izwi and Gran, she can let down her guard.

Ropa’s introduction to the magical library in Edinburgh goes about as well as expected. I’m sad we didn’t get to see more of her exploring this place, but I imagine that will come with future volumes in the series. Based on her inherent curiosity, Ropa will be drawn to the library, and I think we’ll see her working extra hard to afford membership fees. From the little we get to see, Ropa seems suited to academic magic. I hope we get to see her studies in future volumes.

World Building

From the magical library to the magical licensing to the dystopian setting, The Library of the Dead takes place in a world adjacent to ours. Like our world, there is vast economic inequality. Ropa has to hustle to stay one step behind, but the others we see in the library clearly aren’t concerned with finances. As the novel progresses, we get hints of deep world building: the afterlife, the fae, different forms (?) of magic, etc. I’m looking forward to getting more exposure to it.

One small topic made me smile was the boilerplate warnings Ropa has to give ghosts before accepting their message. I love the idea of magical bureaucracy, and it rings true that if magic were present in the world, the government would seek to control and license it. This shows how mundane magic is in Ropa’s world. If properly controlled, magic would be commonplace instead of wondrous. For Ropa, it’s a job just like any other. If she hadn’t found the library and could make more money somewhere else, I think she might leave the job as a courier. She wouldn’t drop magic all together because it’s a connection she has with her gran. But her everyday use of it keeps a roof over their heads.

An Introduction

The Library of the Dead takes some time to get into the conflict of this novel. There is a lot of buildup and getting accustomed to the world. Thus, it reads a bit slow at first with a lot of action at the end. It was a bit jarring for me. But I read this as an introduction to a longer story. Library introduces us to Ropa’s world in a progressive way that doesn’t overwhelm us with bits of worldbuilding. So, even though it’s a bit of a slow read, I didn’t put the book down.

Conclusion

T.L. Huchu’s The Library of the Dead introduces readers to a wonderful character in an interesting world. Ropa carries this story and remains poised on the cusp of life-changing adventures. This is an exellent start to a new urban fantasy series that I’ll be keeping my eye on. With The Library of the Dead, T.L. Huchu has added wonder back into the world.

8 out of 10!

2.5 stars

This was a fun and quick read. I enjoyed the audiobook version even though I already have an ARC of the e-book, and I liked the narration. I liked the 'voice' of the character and the pacing was pretty good, so I had fun reading it. But I think there was more room for development. This is set in an alternative reality in which Scotland is independent. I thought there was more room to go through the world building and expand the setting. And of course, I would have enjoyed it more if the magical elements were more original and refreshing.

I will be honest saying that I hesitated with this book. When publishers compare books to popular shows like Stranger Things, I also struggle to see a strong comparison. As a paranormal/supernatural detective mystery that felt a little more Odd Thomas to me, this book was great. I would have liked a little less set up, but I understand this book was meant to be a series.

I would read more by this author but this was a mixed bag. I liked it but I didn’t love it. It’s a post disaster world where Scotland is independent but things are so bad women are legally allowed to openly carry knives for self defense. Supernatural things are also apparently so common that nobody bats an eye when she carries messages from the dead to the living for an income. They pay her and don’t kick her out as a con artist. (I don’t know about you but if I wasn’t certain about putting food on the table I would Not be paying for messages from the dead!)
My main complaint about this book is it really drags at first then at the end there’s a rush of action. It’s like the author put too much world building up front to let you know how bad things are and that there’s lots of magic here then rushes to the solution to the problem that’s been set up for the main character. I think now that the world is set up this series has good potential and I will read book two.

In this atmospheric series starter set in a near-future, post-catastrophe Edinburgh, ghostalker Ropa discovers a sinister plot underpinning the city she thought she knew, when when she agrees to help a recently deceased mother find her missing son.

I was enjoying the book. Then it took a strange turn and felt like I was reading a totally different book. I did not finish it because I lost interest. It's not my style, but may be for others.

"The Library of the Dead" is one hell of a start to a series! It has unlimited potential for creep-tastic supernatural plots and a fantastic array of characters. The style of writing is from main character Ropa's street-wise and conversational internal POV which lends it an edge.

It's set in Ediburgh, Scotland in a dystopian future where magic is real. Ropa is a teenager who can see and talk to the dead. In fact, that's how she supports her grandmother and little sister. Then, Ropa accidentally joins a secret underground library society of magicians and scientists and starts to study magical theory. With the help of some old friends (her old school mate Jomo, trusty pet fox River) and some new friends (a young handicapped magician Priya and the COOLEST SCARF ever knitted), she follows the trail of a missing child and uncovers a vast magical conspiracy. What more could a reader ask for in potential for adventure?!

My hopes for future editions include more exploring of the library, more mentoring from older magicians, Ropa's magic skills growing, learning the secrets of the amazing scarf (and the knit pattern to make my own!), finding out what happened to Ropa's mother, the downfall of the Tall Man and meeting many more ghosts! I'm ALL IN! This was a great escape.