The Masked City (The Invisible Library, #2)

by Genevieve Cogman

[Terri M. LeBlanc]

How lucky could a blogger get? I was happily approved for The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman which I enjoy quite a bit and then the publisher surprisingly approved me for book two, The Masked City, which I delayed reading for no good reason.

Where The Invisible Library fell short—lots of world building explanations that drug down the action bits—The Masked City soared. The Masked City doesn’t waste anytime jumping right into the action with Kai and Irene who are immediately swept up in dastardly Fae plot to start a war. Kai, Irene’s apprentice, is missing for most of the book and this allows Cogman to explore Irene’s character and motivations in a deeper fashion. Throughout the story, Irene is challenged and becomes quite resourceful in this latest installment in The Invisible Library series.

There are just two bits about this latest installment still niggling in the back of my head.

1. In book one, I caught hints that the Library’s power was perhaps too powerful—that there was a bigger story behind the story. I was hoping Cogman would explore that a bit more in book two, but it was missing.

2. Sometimes Cogman uses big words that are archaic. It is almost as if she is showing off her knowledge of the English language. I wouldn’t mind this so much if one of the Library characters, such as Irene, was using these words, but since it happens in the general text and not character dialogue or thoughts, it feels snooty.

Despite these two points, I did thoroughly enjoy Cogman’s romp through a magic-infused Venice with its gondolas, masks and conniving Fae. Irene is becoming a fleshed out strong female character who is starting understand her power and place in the world. And with the world building out of the way, The Masked City flies with action and adventure.

This review was originally posted on Second Run Reviews