A New York Times bestseller!
“A bewitching gem...I absolutely loved every moment of this story.” —Stephanie Garber, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Caraval series
“If you loved the Hogwarts Library…you’ll be right at home at Summershall.” —Katherine Arden, New York Times bestselling author of The Bear and the Nightingale
From the New York Times bestselling author of An Enchantment of Ravens comes an “enthralling adventure” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) about an apprentice at a magical library who must battle a powerful sorcerer to save her kingdom.
All sorcerers are evil. Elisabeth has known that as long as she has known anything. Raised as a foundling in one of Austermeer’s Great Libraries, Elisabeth has grown up among the tools of sorcery—magical grimoires that whisper on shelves and rattle beneath iron chains. If provoked, they transform into grotesque monsters of ink and leather.
Then an act of sabotage releases the library’s most dangerous grimoire, and Elisabeth is implicated in the crime. With no one to turn to but her sworn enemy, the sorcerer Nathaniel Thorn, and his mysterious demonic servant, she finds herself entangled in a centuries-old conspiracy. Not only could the Great Libraries go up in flames, but the world along with them.
As her alliance with Nathaniel grows stronger, Elisabeth starts to question everything she’s been taught—about sorcerers, about the libraries she loves, even about herself. For Elisabeth has a power she has never guessed, and a future she could never have imagined.
Silas brought this up to 4 stars for being just the absolute best character ever. He was amazing and everyone should read this book for his awesomeness alone.
Now, I have to admit, this book took a bit for me to warm up to, and I almost DNF'd it. But that was before Silas, and then he came into this book and made every scene special and added a really necessary element to it. The relationships became more dynamic with him involved, and I'm just so happy I stuck it out.
The story really picks up after about 100 pages and I started really liking Elisabeth and Nathaniel after around that point as well, which really helped with my overall enjoyment of the story.
Reading updates
-
Started reading
-
Finished reading
-
2 November, 2019:
Reviewed