Status
Available
Call number
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Publication
Doubleday Childrens (2014), 336 pages
Description
When her father is lost at sea shortly after meeting a very unusual visitor, Alice must leave her home to live with an "uncle" whose rural Pennsylvania estate includes a massive and mysterious library that holds much more than books.
User reviews
LibraryThing member stefferoo
I know I said I wasn't going to write a full review until closer to the release date, but past experience has shown that I just cannot shut up when it comes to the books I love and I'm the worst when it comes to waiting. Anyway, I'll compromise by putting up an early version on my thoughts here for
Anyway, I loved Django Wexler's adult epic fantasy The Thousand Names that came out earlier this year, but I had no idea he could write such an excellent children's novel as well. I was so ecstatic when I received this ARC. The author really shows his talent and versatility with this book, creating imaginative worlds filled with all kinds of interesting creatures, bringing them to life with such rich and detailed descriptions. Speaking of which, I also can't wait to see the final book with all the illustrations. They just seem like they'll be wonderful given the creativity and imagination found in here.
The story itself is fantastic; as an avid bibliophile it's hard for me to resist anything to do with libraries or reading about books that take you away to wondrous places...and in this case, it's quite literal as Alice has a power that lets her enter into a book's world and the only way out again is if she defeats the creature imprisoned inside. People like Alice are called "Readers", and by defeating the creatures in these "prison books", they are able to bind them to their will and have access to their abilities. I thought this was such an amazing idea to explain how Readers derive their magical powers and spells, by actually calling upon the creatures they control to channel it for them.
The plot also has enough mystery to keep you constantly guessing, and you can never be sure what everybody's motives are. I couldn't help but feel for Alice and her predicament of being suddenly thrust into this strange new environment where she can't trust anyone. Not that Alice is helpless or needs my sympathy; she's courageous and headstrong, a take-charge girl who won't accept setbacks lying down. It's like I can see her growing up to be the kind of strong female protagonist I admire in the epic fantasy novels I read.
In some ways, The Forbidden Library is a lot more complex than I would have expected from a middle-grade book. At times it's cute (like Ashes the talking cat will be a joy to many, I think -- not just to cat-lovers!), at others it's quite dark. And sometimes it's both at the same time, as evidenced by the "swarmers", Alice's horde of bizarre bird-like creatures that have the physical appearance and consistency of a rubber ball on legs. I won't lie -- reading this made me want an army of swarmers of my own, them being a black mass of razor-sharp pecking beaks notwithstanding. I think this is one of those books that both kids and adults can enjoy; it certainly has that wide appeal.
Now if only my toddler was older so I could have read this aloud to her (well, I did anyway, because it was just too fun not to, what with doing all the voices of the book's many eccentric and memorable characters! But I can't wait until my daughter can actually understand the story). I've been trying to read a lot more children's books/middle-grade books lately, and taking note of my favorite titles, just waiting for the day. The Forbidden Library is most definitely one of them!
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now, because there were just so many other things I'd wanted to say about this book.Anyway, I loved Django Wexler's adult epic fantasy The Thousand Names that came out earlier this year, but I had no idea he could write such an excellent children's novel as well. I was so ecstatic when I received this ARC. The author really shows his talent and versatility with this book, creating imaginative worlds filled with all kinds of interesting creatures, bringing them to life with such rich and detailed descriptions. Speaking of which, I also can't wait to see the final book with all the illustrations. They just seem like they'll be wonderful given the creativity and imagination found in here.
The story itself is fantastic; as an avid bibliophile it's hard for me to resist anything to do with libraries or reading about books that take you away to wondrous places...and in this case, it's quite literal as Alice has a power that lets her enter into a book's world and the only way out again is if she defeats the creature imprisoned inside. People like Alice are called "Readers", and by defeating the creatures in these "prison books", they are able to bind them to their will and have access to their abilities. I thought this was such an amazing idea to explain how Readers derive their magical powers and spells, by actually calling upon the creatures they control to channel it for them.
The plot also has enough mystery to keep you constantly guessing, and you can never be sure what everybody's motives are. I couldn't help but feel for Alice and her predicament of being suddenly thrust into this strange new environment where she can't trust anyone. Not that Alice is helpless or needs my sympathy; she's courageous and headstrong, a take-charge girl who won't accept setbacks lying down. It's like I can see her growing up to be the kind of strong female protagonist I admire in the epic fantasy novels I read.
In some ways, The Forbidden Library is a lot more complex than I would have expected from a middle-grade book. At times it's cute (like Ashes the talking cat will be a joy to many, I think -- not just to cat-lovers!), at others it's quite dark. And sometimes it's both at the same time, as evidenced by the "swarmers", Alice's horde of bizarre bird-like creatures that have the physical appearance and consistency of a rubber ball on legs. I won't lie -- reading this made me want an army of swarmers of my own, them being a black mass of razor-sharp pecking beaks notwithstanding. I think this is one of those books that both kids and adults can enjoy; it certainly has that wide appeal.
Now if only my toddler was older so I could have read this aloud to her (well, I did anyway, because it was just too fun not to, what with doing all the voices of the book's many eccentric and memorable characters! But I can't wait until my daughter can actually understand the story). I've been trying to read a lot more children's books/middle-grade books lately, and taking note of my favorite titles, just waiting for the day. The Forbidden Library is most definitely one of them!
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LibraryThing member 2wonderY
Everyone seems to be writing for this hot niche nowadays.
This one runs in the middle of the pack, maybe slightly forward of center.
Strengths: a fairly straightforward plot, a protagonist that evaluates her actions according to a moral standard, and her creative use of the one creature power she
Weaknesses: Every other character's motivation is veiled until the final pages, and the author has failed to make me care about the outcome.
This one runs in the middle of the pack, maybe slightly forward of center.
Strengths: a fairly straightforward plot, a protagonist that evaluates her actions according to a moral standard, and her creative use of the one creature power she
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has acquired. Weaknesses: Every other character's motivation is veiled until the final pages, and the author has failed to make me care about the outcome.
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LibraryThing member acargile
The Forbidden Library by Django Wexler reveals a world within books.
Alice finds a fairy threatening her father; the next morning, her father says he must go on a long trip. His ship goes down and all people are presumed dead. A supposed uncle takes Alice to his fortress of a house and library. The
Alice discovers that she is a Reader, meaning she can go inside books. This ability may sound exciting; but, if the book is a prison book, you can't get out without killing what is imprisoned. Books can be dangerous places. As Alice tries to find the fairy to discover if her father is really dead and why he was even threatening her father, she must learn to use the powers of a Reader to survive while also trying to figure out who to trust.
This novel is very cute and has an interesting premise. Alice is quite clever and as you read, you can determine if you would have lived through these adventures. There will be a subsequent book, as this novel ended but nothing has been resolved or solved.
Alice finds a fairy threatening her father; the next morning, her father says he must go on a long trip. His ship goes down and all people are presumed dead. A supposed uncle takes Alice to his fortress of a house and library. The
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house and library are magical. Food appears and disappears, the house is immaculately clean, yet there are only two servants:" Emma, who does exactly as told but appears to be an empty vessel and Mr. Black who is downright rude and mean and is dealing under-handedly with the same fairy Alice saw in her house. There are talking cats, a boy the cats are hiding, and books everywhere with magic hiding within.Alice discovers that she is a Reader, meaning she can go inside books. This ability may sound exciting; but, if the book is a prison book, you can't get out without killing what is imprisoned. Books can be dangerous places. As Alice tries to find the fairy to discover if her father is really dead and why he was even threatening her father, she must learn to use the powers of a Reader to survive while also trying to figure out who to trust.
This novel is very cute and has an interesting premise. Alice is quite clever and as you read, you can determine if you would have lived through these adventures. There will be a subsequent book, as this novel ended but nothing has been resolved or solved.
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LibraryThing member 68papyrus
The Forbidden Library is Django Wexler's first book for children and he doesn't disappoint. Alice lives a satisfying and run of the mill life until one evening she wakes up and finds her father speaking with a faerie in the kitchen. The next day her father leaves for a trip and Alice never sees him
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again. She is taken in by an uncle that she didn't realize existed and introduced to a fantastical and at times dangerous world. When Alice discovers she is a Reader, a person who can interact with the characters and surroundings in a book, the adventure begins. I enjoyed this book although the pacing at the beginning was a bit slow once Alice moves into her new home the plot takes off. The author does a great job with his world building and of conveying just how horrifying and dismal Alice's life has become. This book is the first in a series and I'm looking forward to the next installment. Show Less
LibraryThing member NinaCaramelita
WARNING! This review may or may not contain spoilers!
When you start reading a story about a girl named Alice who ends up eavesdropping, hears her father having a discussion with a fairy and later runs into a talking cat, you don’t really have any other option than thinking about you-know-who…
Excitement level: up!
We also know what happens when you put the cat with the milk. This is what happens to Alice. She’s living at her uncle Jerry’s, she can’t enter the library alone. Of course she does! With a little help of Ashen - the cat I mentioned before, she gets in… and that’s when things go ‘wrong’.
The adventure which follows, reminded me SO MUCH of Daenerys Targaryen in the House of the Undying (A Clash of Kings)!! Needless to say, The suspense kept me on the edge of my seat!!
Excitement level: UP!!!
And yes, at this point I was thinking in figures of a 5-star rating.
We got to know what Alice’s gift is and well… the soup isn't always eaten as hot as it is served, so by the time she gets her next task, my excitement had cooled down quite a bit. Still, we get a nice portion of action whilst waiting for another climax which, sadly, never came…
When you start reading a story about a girl named Alice who ends up eavesdropping, hears her father having a discussion with a fairy and later runs into a talking cat, you don’t really have any other option than thinking about you-know-who…
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Right?Excitement level: up!
We also know what happens when you put the cat with the milk. This is what happens to Alice. She’s living at her uncle Jerry’s, she can’t enter the library alone. Of course she does! With a little help of Ashen - the cat I mentioned before, she gets in… and that’s when things go ‘wrong’.
The adventure which follows, reminded me SO MUCH of Daenerys Targaryen in the House of the Undying (A Clash of Kings)!! Needless to say, The suspense kept me on the edge of my seat!!
Excitement level: UP!!!
And yes, at this point I was thinking in figures of a 5-star rating.
We got to know what Alice’s gift is and well… the soup isn't always eaten as hot as it is served, so by the time she gets her next task, my excitement had cooled down quite a bit. Still, we get a nice portion of action whilst waiting for another climax which, sadly, never came…
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LibraryThing member lkmuir
The Forbidden Library kicks off an action-packed fantasy series with classic appeal, a resourceful heroine, a host of magical creatures, and no shortage of narrow escapes--perfect for fans of Story Thieves, Coraline, Inkheart, and Harry Potter
Alice always thought fairy tales had happy endings.
When Alice's father goes down in a shipwreck, she is sent to live with her uncle Geryon--an uncle she's never heard of and knows nothing about. He lives in an enormous manor with a massive library that is off-limits to Alice. But then she meets a talking cat. And even for a rule-follower, when a talking cat sneaks you into a forbidden library and introduces you to an arrogant boy who dares you to open a book, it's hard to resist. Especially if you're a reader to begin with. Soon Alice finds herself INSIDE the book, and the only way out is to defeat the creature imprisoned within.
It seems her uncle is more than he says he is. But then so is Alice.
Alice always thought fairy tales had happy endings.
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That--along with everything else--changed the day she met her first fairyWhen Alice's father goes down in a shipwreck, she is sent to live with her uncle Geryon--an uncle she's never heard of and knows nothing about. He lives in an enormous manor with a massive library that is off-limits to Alice. But then she meets a talking cat. And even for a rule-follower, when a talking cat sneaks you into a forbidden library and introduces you to an arrogant boy who dares you to open a book, it's hard to resist. Especially if you're a reader to begin with. Soon Alice finds herself INSIDE the book, and the only way out is to defeat the creature imprisoned within.
It seems her uncle is more than he says he is. But then so is Alice.
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LibraryThing member AltheaAnn
I read Wexler's previous book (The Thousand Names), and liked it well enough that I picked this up even though I saw that it was aimed at a younger audience. I didn't expect to like it *quite* as much, due to that fact.
I needn't have worried. I loved this book. It may seem like an exaggeration, but
Just on the face of it, I have to admit, it would be difficult to see how I could dislike this book. It's got all the good stuff - I could not conceivably say no to a secret library full of eerie dangers, books that are portals to other worlds, and magical cats (with attitude). Plus it's got an ingenious heroine, a roguishly handsome wizards' apprentice, nasty fairies, and a dragon. Not enough? There's more too...
And there is clearly going to be even more, because although there are plenty of adventures here, the main mystery remains unsolved, pending publication of a sequel... which I'll be reading.
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book!
I needn't have worried. I loved this book. It may seem like an exaggeration, but
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with 'The Forbidden Library' Wexler slips under Diana Wynne Jones' mantle - and is fully worthy of it. (Now, if only Miyazaki would option this story, as he did Wynne Jones' 'Howl's Moving Castle,' and animate the Swarm. The ultimate cuteness would be complete!)Just on the face of it, I have to admit, it would be difficult to see how I could dislike this book. It's got all the good stuff - I could not conceivably say no to a secret library full of eerie dangers, books that are portals to other worlds, and magical cats (with attitude). Plus it's got an ingenious heroine, a roguishly handsome wizards' apprentice, nasty fairies, and a dragon. Not enough? There's more too...
And there is clearly going to be even more, because although there are plenty of adventures here, the main mystery remains unsolved, pending publication of a sequel... which I'll be reading.
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book!
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LibraryThing member dono421846
The YA books I like best are those that you can't really tell are meant for kids (I put Harry Potter in this category). The Forbidden Library is a pleasant set up for on ongoing tale, but it definitely feels like its a kid's book. Perhaps the protagonist's motivations are too simplistic. In any
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event, I picked up this book because of the central role played by libraries and Readers (not ordinary readers, but special, magical Readers). This doesn't disappoint, so I'll dive right into book 2. Show Less
LibraryThing member Kaethe
I wanted so much to love it, but it never quite clicked for me.
Library copy
Library copy
LibraryThing member HeatherLINC
Although it took a while to get into this book, once I did I found"The Forbidden Library" to be a great action fantasy. I loved the concept of the Readers and their ability to enter the books they read. With magical creatures and an undertone of hostility and cruelty, I throughly enjoyed Wexler's
Although Alice was only a young protagonist, she was remarkably level-headed, resourceful and intelligent for such a tender age. I think tween girls will really like her and enjoy following her adventures as she tried to solve a range of mysteries that her uncle sets for her. I enjoyed this book enough to find the sequel, and I look forward to seeing what adventures Alice has to face next.
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world building, and thought, Ashes, Alice's talking companion, was a wonderful character. His attitude was captured perfectly. It was obvious that the author is the owner of at least one cat.Although Alice was only a young protagonist, she was remarkably level-headed, resourceful and intelligent for such a tender age. I think tween girls will really like her and enjoy following her adventures as she tried to solve a range of mysteries that her uncle sets for her. I enjoyed this book enough to find the sequel, and I look forward to seeing what adventures Alice has to face next.
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LibraryThing member MargaretPemberton
I thoroughly enjoyed this story. As a librarian I have a strong belief in the magic of reading and the ability of readers to immerse themselves in the books they are reading. In a world full of so many distractions we need to be reminded that books can transport us to other worlds.
Access to the
Access to the
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book was via Netgalley, with many thanks. Show Less
LibraryThing member fred_mouse
This is a competent middle grade fantasy with some really interesting elements, and yet I can't point at anything that I want to rave about, nor do I have any desire to recommend it to people. I think the 'really interesting elements' is kind of the thing - there are lot of ideas, some great set
It isn't that it was somewhat rambling and the high stakes sections didn't seem any more tense than the low stakes sections of the story, because I kind of like kind of rambling and dislike a narrative form that ratchets up the stress levels. It wasn't that it had rather a lot of chosen one fantasy tropes (although that certainly didn't help), because I get that those are tropes for a reason, and it isn't actually a Chosen One fantasy, although it might develop in to it if there is more of a series ('potential to be the most powerful' is find for a kid; 'suddenly the most powerful' pisses me off).
Having said that, it was interesting enough that I'm planning to get hold of at least the next one in the series.
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pieces, and yet it didn't hold together properly as a story. And I can't articulate why, which is frustrating. It isn't that it was somewhat rambling and the high stakes sections didn't seem any more tense than the low stakes sections of the story, because I kind of like kind of rambling and dislike a narrative form that ratchets up the stress levels. It wasn't that it had rather a lot of chosen one fantasy tropes (although that certainly didn't help), because I get that those are tropes for a reason, and it isn't actually a Chosen One fantasy, although it might develop in to it if there is more of a series ('potential to be the most powerful' is find for a kid; 'suddenly the most powerful' pisses me off).
Having said that, it was interesting enough that I'm planning to get hold of at least the next one in the series.
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Awards
Sasquatch Book Award (Nominee — 2017)
Great Lakes Great Books Award (Nominee — 2016)
Land Of Enchantment Book Award (Nominee — Children's Book — 2016)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2014
Physical description
336 p.; 6.38 inches
ISBN
0857532871 / 9780857532879
Local notes
When Alice's father goes down in a shipwreck, she is sent to live with her "uncle" Geryon in an enormous manor with a massive library that is off-limits to Alice. But then she meets a talking cat. And even for a rule-follower, when a talking cat sneaks you into a forbidden library and introduces you to an arrogant boy who dares you to open a book, it's hard to resist. Especially if you're a reader to begin with. Soon Alice finds herself inside the book, and the only way out is to defeat the creature imprisoned within.
Ex-library.
Ex-library.