The Library of the Dead
Edinburgh Nights, book 1
by T.L. Huchu
Ropa dropped out of school to become a ghostalker, and the ghosts start telling her someone’s bewitching children. As the recipient of this message, Ropa decides to investigate.
The story is told from Ropa’s perspective, and I personally loved the narrative voice she has. She’s cynical, snarky, and a bit crude, but she’s also 14, living in a harsh future version of Edinburgh, and supporting her family, I think it makes sense that she’d be so matter-of-fact and a bit jaded by everything. I had a lot of fun learning about Ropa and experiencing things from her point of view.
Although I think the world and plot both had a ton of interesting aspects, once we’re through the initial setup and the main plot comes into play, it takes off at a steady pace as the mystery begins to unfold and disrupt Ropa’s routine. I loved the ghostalker occupation and the use of a mbira as a tool for that. Such a cool, unique spin on conversing with the dead. The library is super interesting but, even though it’s the source of the title, we don’t get to spend a whole lot of time there.
I’d recommend this if you want an intriguing, fast-paced book with danger, snark, and ghosts.
<3D
LessthanThreeD 