Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Collections
Publication
Crown (2015), 402 pages
Description
"Wholly original . . . the work of the newest major talent in fantasy."--The Wall Street Journal "Freakishly compelling . . . through heart-thumping acts of violence and laugh-out-loud moments, this book practically dares you to keep reading."--Atlanta Magazine A missing God. A library with the secrets to the universe. A woman too busy to notice her heart slipping away. Carolyn's not so different from the other people around her. She likes guacamole and cigarettes and steak. She knows how to use a phone. Clothes are a bit tricky, but everyone says nice things about her outfit with the Christmas sweater over the gold bicycle shorts. After all, she was a normal American herself once. That was a long time ago, of course. Before her parents died. Before she and the others were taken in by the man they called Father. In the years since then, Carolyn hasn't had a chance to get out much. Instead, she and her adopted siblings have been raised according to Father's ancient customs. They've studied the books in his Library and learned some of the secrets of his power. And sometimes, they've wondered if their cruel tutor might secretly be God. Now, Father is missing--perhaps even dead--and the Library that holds his secrets stands unguarded. And with it, control over all of creation. As Carolyn gathers the tools she needs for the battle to come, fierce competitors for this prize align against her, all of them with powers that far exceed her own. But Carolyn has accounted for this. And Carolyn has a plan. The only trouble is that in the war to make a new God, she's forgotten to protect the things that make her human. Populated by an unforgettable cast of characters and propelled by a plot that will shock you again and again, The Library at Mount Char is at once horrifying and hilarious, mind-blowingly alien and heartbreakingly human, sweepingly visionary and nail-bitingly thrilling--and signals the arrival of a major new voice in fantasy. Praise for The Library at Mount Char An engrossing fantasy world full of supernatural beings and gruesome consequences."--Boston Globe "Vivid . . . the dialogue sings . . . you'll spend equal time shuddering and chortling."--Dallas Morning News"… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member rivkat
Free review copy. I enjoyed this fantasy a great deal. It’s something like John Dies at the End crossed with the Epic of Gilgamesh, if Gilgamesh were a thirtysomething woman named Carolyn who, along with her adopted siblings, was trying to figure out what happened to their Father. Father tortured
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them into learning vast amounts of mystical things, from healing to languages to the art of war; but with his disappearance, worse things are stirring. Carolyn, the least poorly socialized of them, goes out into the normal world (among “Americans,” as they call everyone outside) to try to figure out what happened and secure assistance. But there’s a lot more to the story. I suspect that the first paragraph lets you know whether this is a book for you: “Carolyn, blood-drenched and barefoot, walked alone down the two-lane stretch of blacktop that the Americans called Highway 78. Most of the librarians, Carolyn included, had come to think of this road as the Path of Tacos, so-called in order of a Mexican joint they snuck out to sometimes…. Oak leaves, reddish-orange and delightfully crunchy, crackled underfoot as she walked. Her breath puffed white in the predawn air. The obsidian knife she had used to murder Detective Miner lay nestled in the small of her back, sharp and secret.” Recommended (though obviously there are plenty of awful things that happen). Show Less
LibraryThing member debnance
I'm going to be controversial here, so please bear with me. Here are three things I want to say about The Library at Mount Char:
1. I recommend this book.
2. I do not recommend this book for me.
3. I didn't finish it.
I don't read scary books. Scary books give me nightmares. I don't like nightmares.
Can I do this? Can I recommend a book that I haven't read? I say I can.
1. I recommend this book.
2. I do not recommend this book for me.
3. I didn't finish it.
I don't read scary books. Scary books give me nightmares. I don't like nightmares.
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When I got to the chapter where Carolyn lures Steve to her room where she has left a zombified Detective Miner to shoot and kill Steve and then Carolyn places the gun in Steve's dead hand and uses it to shoot and kill the zombified Detective Miner...well, I knew this story wasn't for me. But I'm pretty sure it is for somebody. A lot of somebodies. Somebodies who love scary. And odd.Can I do this? Can I recommend a book that I haven't read? I say I can.
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LibraryThing member gendeg
The general state I was in as I read this book: agog and spilling coffee, tea, and all sorts of bedside beverages all over myself from moments of surprise, shock, and exhilaration. Author Scott Hawkins has pretty much gone to town with The Library at Mount Char. (You know how in writing class they
The backcover blurb praised it as a love child between Neil Gaiman and Joe Hill—and it’s somewhat accurate. The book is also extremely violent in parts (there is a scene with a bull-shaped oven/roaster that will leave you queasy afterwards), so readers who get easily upset should be very, very wary. Trigger warnings for this need their own trigger warnings. I was so in the mood for something dark but not cynical; off-kilter and Chululuthian-lite. So I ate this up like a cannibal with a beating heart on my plate.
Hawkins frames the story with a tantalizing premise. A group of twelve orphaned children have been taken in by a mysterious figure whom they simply call Father. Father is many things and is almost all-powerful enough to be a god. He oversees the Library, his life work—pretty much a documentation silo of the entire universe. Father takes on these human children and assigns them a specific catalog or specialization. Isolated under the tutelage of Father, they become Pelapi. Studying outside your assigned catalog or teaching someone something from your own catalog is expressly forbidden, presumably to avoid a situation where one individual gets too powerful. The penalties for disobedience are severe. (Believe me when I say that’s an understatement.)
At the beginning, we meet these twelve chosen orphans as adults in their thirties. Carolyn, our lead, has mastered languages—and not just human languages, but deer, low dragon, and so much more. Her ‘brothers and sisters’ have their own areas, often seemingly much more glamorous and advantageous than Carolyn’s. There’s Michael, the walks and talks among the animals; Jennifer who is a pothead and a master apothecary and healer—she resurrects the dead; David, the most violent of the bunch who specializes in the martial arts, violence, and murder; Margaret, the addled expert on the underworld or ‘forgotten lands’; Peter who deals in mathematics; Lisa, mind control; Rachel and Alicia who see the future and possible futures and their variants (never could quite distinguish the two); and Emily who deals in dreams.
We learn early on that Carolyn has developed a burning hatred of Father and her fellow Pelapi (save for Michael for whom she harbors a soft spot and emotional connection). In addition to people, there are also non-human characters like Dresden and Naga, the lions; and father’s enemies: Barry O'Shea (a tentacled creature-monster of sorts) and Q-33 North (like a ice mountain/glacier with legs).
When Father goes missing, the librarians discover that the Library has been fortified with some kind of perimeter defense mechanism and they are effectively kicked out. They soon band together despite their various personal differences to work out what has happened. Mousy, introspective Carolyn dutifully plays her part as team player, but there is much more at work and at much more at stake. Watch out; silent water runs deep and all that.
The only downside I found was that the central conflict felt like it peaked too early. Carolyn gets her way, and then we’re treated to a long denouement that plays out mostly through conversations. It felt too forced and amateurish for those particular sections; as if Hawkins were trying to squeeze in a lot of backstory and reveal a central mystery by putting the explanations into characters mouths.
Still, there is so much to recommend about this book. I could go on but it would be impractical; I would make no sense. From the first chapter onward, the narrative machinations expand and contract, stretch and twist in such delightfully fantastical ways.
P.S. I will remember you, Dresden! (I couldn’t help but think of Cecil the Lion…)
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give you “What if…” prompts and tell you to be imaginative? Or how you might keep a dream journal that contains the craziest story ideas and premises but is never actually supposed to see the light of day? Well, this book…) It is soundly a genre book (and as a lover of blowing up genre conventions, I don’t mean that disparagingly…) but also one of those slippery, wily books that just won’t sit still and be told to adhere to genre. In any case, I would hate to be the bookseller trying to shelve this in the store. Is it horror, fantasy, slipstream, satire, paranormal, thriller? Who knows! It’s all those and more. In that respect, the complete flouting of conventions seems almost pomo, in fact, but unlike so many pomo books that take themselves too seriously out there, this is actually quite accessible. I truly relished it … like a slice of stolen cake.The backcover blurb praised it as a love child between Neil Gaiman and Joe Hill—and it’s somewhat accurate. The book is also extremely violent in parts (there is a scene with a bull-shaped oven/roaster that will leave you queasy afterwards), so readers who get easily upset should be very, very wary. Trigger warnings for this need their own trigger warnings. I was so in the mood for something dark but not cynical; off-kilter and Chululuthian-lite. So I ate this up like a cannibal with a beating heart on my plate.
Hawkins frames the story with a tantalizing premise. A group of twelve orphaned children have been taken in by a mysterious figure whom they simply call Father. Father is many things and is almost all-powerful enough to be a god. He oversees the Library, his life work—pretty much a documentation silo of the entire universe. Father takes on these human children and assigns them a specific catalog or specialization. Isolated under the tutelage of Father, they become Pelapi. Studying outside your assigned catalog or teaching someone something from your own catalog is expressly forbidden, presumably to avoid a situation where one individual gets too powerful. The penalties for disobedience are severe. (Believe me when I say that’s an understatement.)
At the beginning, we meet these twelve chosen orphans as adults in their thirties. Carolyn, our lead, has mastered languages—and not just human languages, but deer, low dragon, and so much more. Her ‘brothers and sisters’ have their own areas, often seemingly much more glamorous and advantageous than Carolyn’s. There’s Michael, the walks and talks among the animals; Jennifer who is a pothead and a master apothecary and healer—she resurrects the dead; David, the most violent of the bunch who specializes in the martial arts, violence, and murder; Margaret, the addled expert on the underworld or ‘forgotten lands’; Peter who deals in mathematics; Lisa, mind control; Rachel and Alicia who see the future and possible futures and their variants (never could quite distinguish the two); and Emily who deals in dreams.
We learn early on that Carolyn has developed a burning hatred of Father and her fellow Pelapi (save for Michael for whom she harbors a soft spot and emotional connection). In addition to people, there are also non-human characters like Dresden and Naga, the lions; and father’s enemies: Barry O'Shea (a tentacled creature-monster of sorts) and Q-33 North (like a ice mountain/glacier with legs).
When Father goes missing, the librarians discover that the Library has been fortified with some kind of perimeter defense mechanism and they are effectively kicked out. They soon band together despite their various personal differences to work out what has happened. Mousy, introspective Carolyn dutifully plays her part as team player, but there is much more at work and at much more at stake. Watch out; silent water runs deep and all that.
The only downside I found was that the central conflict felt like it peaked too early. Carolyn gets her way, and then we’re treated to a long denouement that plays out mostly through conversations. It felt too forced and amateurish for those particular sections; as if Hawkins were trying to squeeze in a lot of backstory and reveal a central mystery by putting the explanations into characters mouths.
Still, there is so much to recommend about this book. I could go on but it would be impractical; I would make no sense. From the first chapter onward, the narrative machinations expand and contract, stretch and twist in such delightfully fantastical ways.
P.S. I will remember you, Dresden! (I couldn’t help but think of Cecil the Lion…)
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LibraryThing member wildrequiem
This is the singular most unique story I've read in my entire life.
It's a dash of magical realism, a bit of bizarre fantasy, even slightly apocalyptic and scifi. Twin Peaks meets American Horror Story meets Stranger Things? I spent the first 100 pages fumbling around the story because the
I cried and laughed, and then cried and laughed at the fact that I cried and laughed because this story is batshit crazy in book form. Carolyn, the heroine, is beyond badass, and she's a bookworm... of a sort... is the only proper way to put it. And you will love Steve, who is basically the reader — a confused bystander (or is he?) who's suddenly thrust in a shitstorm of insanity and is constantly like "WTF?!" This is a story of gods that are villains, war against each other, cause the sun to disappear, and an otherworldly Library with books that control reality. Cults made of gods in training who live in a mysterious neighbourhood off a highway, study "catalogs" filled with powers, and speak a strange language. The characters are bound by fate, hate, retribution, guilt, revenge, and love. Nothing in this story is random; every event and person serves a purpose and you'll be awestruck. Even the title of the book itself is an enigma. You don't know until the very end what "Mount Char" means, and it wrenched my heart apart and tore it to shreds.
It's a dash of magical realism, a bit of bizarre fantasy, even slightly apocalyptic and scifi. Twin Peaks meets American Horror Story meets Stranger Things? I spent the first 100 pages fumbling around the story because the
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characters and the plot are absurd to the point that I had absolutely no point of reference with which to anchor myself. But cling on, because the most magnificent story will unfold, and at a certain point, it will hit you and crush you with emotion.I cried and laughed, and then cried and laughed at the fact that I cried and laughed because this story is batshit crazy in book form. Carolyn, the heroine, is beyond badass, and she's a bookworm... of a sort... is the only proper way to put it. And you will love Steve, who is basically the reader — a confused bystander (or is he?) who's suddenly thrust in a shitstorm of insanity and is constantly like "WTF?!" This is a story of gods that are villains, war against each other, cause the sun to disappear, and an otherworldly Library with books that control reality. Cults made of gods in training who live in a mysterious neighbourhood off a highway, study "catalogs" filled with powers, and speak a strange language. The characters are bound by fate, hate, retribution, guilt, revenge, and love. Nothing in this story is random; every event and person serves a purpose and you'll be awestruck. Even the title of the book itself is an enigma. You don't know until the very end what "Mount Char" means, and it wrenched my heart apart and tore it to shreds.
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LibraryThing member amysisson
Even before I became a librarian, I've always been drawn to books that feature libraries or librarians, especially the ones that are magical (such as the Ex Libris series by Jim C. Hines) or galactic-spanning (such as the one featured in Andreas Eschbach's The Carpet Makers). So I was naturally
Carolyn's not so different from the other people around her. She's sure of it. She likes guacamole and cigarettes and steak. She knows how to use a phone. She even remembers what clothes are for.
After all, she was a normal American herself once.
But she and the others aren't really normal. Not anymore. Not since their parents were murdered. Not since Father took them in.
Now, Father is missing -- maybe even dead -- and the Library that holds his secrets stands unguarded.
Although this description is accurate, it gives almost no idea of how strange and unusual this book really is. It also doesn't convey how dark this book is. I wasn't very far in when I realized The Library at Mount Char felt like a horror novel to me, and that's something I don't read very often. Not sure whether to continue, I flipped to the back cover again and re-read the description. Then I noticed one of the blurbs, in which Hugo and Nebula Award-winning author Nancy Kress calls the book "The most genuinely original fantasy I've ever read."
Wow. That's quite a statement by an author I admire.
So I kept reading, and after a while I found myself thinking, "Hey, this really is fantasy -- dark fantasy, to be sure, but it's not just horror."
Then I read further, and thought "But wow, this is really dark. And horrible." But I kept reading, because I wanted to find out what happened, and I was certainly never bored, just feeling a little squeamish about some of the dark bits.
And I am so glad I kept going because it turns out that this is one of the most original fantasy books I've ever read. (Thanks, Nancy Kress!)
I don't want to say too much about the plot, but just a little bit more of the set-up: Carolyn is one of twelve children that "Father" has taken in. In return, he has ordered each of them to study a particular "catalog" of knowledge, complete with periodic exams. Carolyn studies languages -- all languages that have ever been, including animal languages. Michael studies the animals themselves, and occasionally goes to live among them. David studies all forms of war and combat. Margaret studies death, while Jennifer studies healing, including the healing of death.
And so on. These children, now grown, have done nothing and still do nothing other than study, study, study. They vaguely refer to everyone outside of their world as "Americans" and cannot really function among them. And they are absolutely forbidden from sharing knowledge with each other from the various catalogs -- in fact, enforcement of this rule is where an important part of the "horror" in this book comes from.
The book isn't perfect, but then again, what is? My main quibble was that there were a couple of sections that brought in minor characters for brief scenes from their points-of-view. These scenes felt intrusive, and it seemed like I could "see" the effort behind the author trying to write, for instance, from the POV of an asshole rap star. There was also a spot, maybe 2/3 or 3/4 of the way through the book, when I thought "Really? The story's not ending here? It seems like it could (or should) end here, so am I going to like the rest of this book, or is it going to drag after this?"
And it turned out that it's everything that happens after that point that makes the book one of the most original fantasies I've ever read. But don't underestimate the stuff up to that point, either, because there's nothing wasted here, not even the rap star scenes that I didn't care for. The climax is set up perfectly. I finished reading this book about three in the morning, and then lay there thinking about how much it had surprised me.
I highly recommend this book, but I also think people should be warned: there are a lot of brutal scenes in it, including rape and torture. They're not gratuitous, but they are disturbing. But even though these are usually things I avoid, I anticipate that I'll be revisiting this book comes next year's awards season.
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inclined to be interested in Scott Hawkins' debut novel The Library at Mount Char. Here's a bit from the back cover description of the book's galley:Carolyn's not so different from the other people around her. She's sure of it. She likes guacamole and cigarettes and steak. She knows how to use a phone. She even remembers what clothes are for.
After all, she was a normal American herself once.
But she and the others aren't really normal. Not anymore. Not since their parents were murdered. Not since Father took them in.
Now, Father is missing -- maybe even dead -- and the Library that holds his secrets stands unguarded.
Although this description is accurate, it gives almost no idea of how strange and unusual this book really is. It also doesn't convey how dark this book is. I wasn't very far in when I realized The Library at Mount Char felt like a horror novel to me, and that's something I don't read very often. Not sure whether to continue, I flipped to the back cover again and re-read the description. Then I noticed one of the blurbs, in which Hugo and Nebula Award-winning author Nancy Kress calls the book "The most genuinely original fantasy I've ever read."
Wow. That's quite a statement by an author I admire.
So I kept reading, and after a while I found myself thinking, "Hey, this really is fantasy -- dark fantasy, to be sure, but it's not just horror."
Then I read further, and thought "But wow, this is really dark. And horrible." But I kept reading, because I wanted to find out what happened, and I was certainly never bored, just feeling a little squeamish about some of the dark bits.
And I am so glad I kept going because it turns out that this is one of the most original fantasy books I've ever read. (Thanks, Nancy Kress!)
I don't want to say too much about the plot, but just a little bit more of the set-up: Carolyn is one of twelve children that "Father" has taken in. In return, he has ordered each of them to study a particular "catalog" of knowledge, complete with periodic exams. Carolyn studies languages -- all languages that have ever been, including animal languages. Michael studies the animals themselves, and occasionally goes to live among them. David studies all forms of war and combat. Margaret studies death, while Jennifer studies healing, including the healing of death.
And so on. These children, now grown, have done nothing and still do nothing other than study, study, study. They vaguely refer to everyone outside of their world as "Americans" and cannot really function among them. And they are absolutely forbidden from sharing knowledge with each other from the various catalogs -- in fact, enforcement of this rule is where an important part of the "horror" in this book comes from.
The book isn't perfect, but then again, what is? My main quibble was that there were a couple of sections that brought in minor characters for brief scenes from their points-of-view. These scenes felt intrusive, and it seemed like I could "see" the effort behind the author trying to write, for instance, from the POV of an asshole rap star. There was also a spot, maybe 2/3 or 3/4 of the way through the book, when I thought "Really? The story's not ending here? It seems like it could (or should) end here, so am I going to like the rest of this book, or is it going to drag after this?"
And it turned out that it's everything that happens after that point that makes the book one of the most original fantasies I've ever read. But don't underestimate the stuff up to that point, either, because there's nothing wasted here, not even the rap star scenes that I didn't care for. The climax is set up perfectly. I finished reading this book about three in the morning, and then lay there thinking about how much it had surprised me.
I highly recommend this book, but I also think people should be warned: there are a lot of brutal scenes in it, including rape and torture. They're not gratuitous, but they are disturbing. But even though these are usually things I avoid, I anticipate that I'll be revisiting this book comes next year's awards season.
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LibraryThing member mckait
Maybe it's me. I had a very difficult time plowing through the first half of this book. It was very confusing. Apparently post apocalyptic, society has deteriorated. When the world as they kew it ended, several children were taken under the wing of a man they were taught to call Father. He trained
There is a lot of violence. There are parts that I could barely read, due to graphic descriptions. Now, I admit to being a bit of a delicate flower, especially where animals are concerned, but this was just beyond what felt was worth the effort for me to read.
There was a lot of jumping back and forth in time, and mistreatment of others was frequent. I stopped at the halfway mark.
You might like it better.
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them each in a specific occult or paranormal talent. They were not allowed to cross over and learn what the others are studying. It is forbidden. There is a lot of violence. There are parts that I could barely read, due to graphic descriptions. Now, I admit to being a bit of a delicate flower, especially where animals are concerned, but this was just beyond what felt was worth the effort for me to read.
There was a lot of jumping back and forth in time, and mistreatment of others was frequent. I stopped at the halfway mark.
You might like it better.
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LibraryThing member jerenda
I'm not really sure what to think of this book. I'd say it's not my kind of book, but not low-quality. I think I'll break it down into my major categories.
Plot: 5/5 This is the strongest aspect of the book. The plot is engaging and full of twists and turns. I read this book very quickly and was
Character Development: 5/5 The main character is not meant to be likable. (See: The Secret Garden) There are two other viewpoint characters who are meant to be likable, and succeed in this. The characters are all well-thought-out and developed, and I liked the ones I was meant to like. The development that happens through the book is engaging and believable.
Writing: 3/5 No comment. Did not annoy me, but did not delight me.
World-building: 3/5 While the Library and the children's lives were explained fully, I felt that the other supernatural beings and events in the world - Barry O'Shea, the Emperor, among others - were not well-developed. Occasionally the characters would spout a sentence or two that was completely incomprehensible, such as "When the Pyramid Walked, all this was Black Ocean and the tentacles were nowhere to be found," and then go back to the actual story and relevant things. While the author no doubt knows what these are referring to, the reader does not, and they come off as superficial attempts to make the world seem more detailed when it isn't instead of hinting at a larger universe outside the immediate present.
However, the Library and the children's actual abilities were explained as much as could be desired, and I had no problem with that.
Mature Content: 0/5 This is a book for adults. I thought it was YA due to the apparent youth of the main character, but it is not. Children of any kind should not read this book. As a mom, the language, graphic violence, and sexual violence present in this book will probably result in me passing this book along to someone else. This is the main reason I disliked the book. Honestly, at the end of the book, I was not convinced the violence in the book was necessary. The "Father" enacts calculated violence against his "children" to accomplish a goal of his, and at the end I was not persuaded that such horrific, systematic violence was necessary to produce the result he desired. Other readers may disagree.
Disclaimer: I received an Advanced Reading Copy of this book in return for a review. This review has been copied to other websites.
Plot: 5/5 This is the strongest aspect of the book. The plot is engaging and full of twists and turns. I read this book very quickly and was
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always interested to know what happened next. The introduction of multiple viewpoint characters was jarring, as such things always were, especially when I couldn't see how they connected to the plot immediately, but it ended up working out. It was a very fun read.Character Development: 5/5 The main character is not meant to be likable. (See: The Secret Garden) There are two other viewpoint characters who are meant to be likable, and succeed in this. The characters are all well-thought-out and developed, and I liked the ones I was meant to like. The development that happens through the book is engaging and believable.
Writing: 3/5 No comment. Did not annoy me, but did not delight me.
World-building: 3/5 While the Library and the children's lives were explained fully, I felt that the other supernatural beings and events in the world - Barry O'Shea, the Emperor, among others - were not well-developed. Occasionally the characters would spout a sentence or two that was completely incomprehensible, such as "When the Pyramid Walked, all this was Black Ocean and the tentacles were nowhere to be found," and then go back to the actual story and relevant things. While the author no doubt knows what these are referring to, the reader does not, and they come off as superficial attempts to make the world seem more detailed when it isn't instead of hinting at a larger universe outside the immediate present.
However, the Library and the children's actual abilities were explained as much as could be desired, and I had no problem with that.
Mature Content: 0/5 This is a book for adults. I thought it was YA due to the apparent youth of the main character, but it is not. Children of any kind should not read this book. As a mom, the language, graphic violence, and sexual violence present in this book will probably result in me passing this book along to someone else. This is the main reason I disliked the book. Honestly, at the end of the book, I was not convinced the violence in the book was necessary. The "Father" enacts calculated violence against his "children" to accomplish a goal of his, and at the end I was not persuaded that such horrific, systematic violence was necessary to produce the result he desired. Other readers may disagree.
Disclaimer: I received an Advanced Reading Copy of this book in return for a review. This review has been copied to other websites.
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LibraryThing member unsquare
Full disclosure: I received a free review copy of this book from Net Galley.
The Library at Mount Char is a fantastic book, but it’s almost impossible to summarize. Part of the problem is that a lot of the book hangs on misdirection. The main character knows a lot of things that she isn’t
This means that to summarize the book past the first few chapters is to spoil some really great surprises. On the other hand, some of the bat-shit weirdness that occurs in later chapters is what made me truly, madly, deeply love this completely insane novel. It’s a bit of a quandary, because I want to recommend this book to everyone I know.
It doesn’t help that the book’s cover looks like the sort of thing you might find on a remaindered thriller in the bargain bin. The design doesn’t really grab you by the face and insist that you start reading the book RIGHT THIS INSTANT.
The basic summary is as follows: Carolyn and her adopted brothers and sisters are apprentice librarians in a massive, strange Library full of books that include all the knowledge in the world. When they were young, all of their parents died suddenly and a mysterious man they call “Father” adopted them. Father is viciously cruel, incredibly dangerous and infinitely powerful… but he’s gone missing and now none of them can get back into the Library. When they discover what actually happened to Father, it may change the fate of the entire universe as we know it.
I started reading Mount Char back in September on my Kindle, but – even though I was definitely enjoying the book – I just didn’t make much progress. It’s gotten to the point that I just don’t finish books quickly unless they’re an audiobook because I can listen to them during my commute. I don’t really set aside time to sit down with a book in front of my face. So, despite the fact that I really enjoyed what I’d read of Mount Char, it ended up languishing on my Kindle to the point that I began forgetting what was going on in the story.
Luckily, my local library has a great selection of books in Overdrive, so I was able to download the MP3 version without waiting for too long. The audiobook has a fantastic narrator who really captures Carolyn’s odd combination of valley girl mannerisms and menacing behavior, so it ended up being the best possible way to read the book.
So, the question is: how do I explain to you what this book is and why you should read it? Well, first off, I think one of the simplest things I can say is that if you enjoy the work of Neil Gaiman, it’ll probably be in your wheelhouse even though it’s simultaneously very different from the sorts of things he writes.
The Library at Mount Char is a dark fantasy with occasional gruesome parts. It’s also absurdly funny. You may go for long stretches of the novel not entirely sure who to root for. You oftentimes won’t understand why the characters are doing what they’re doing. There was a point about two-thirds of the way through when I realized that there was still plenty of story left even though one big thread had wrapped up. It was really exciting because I wasn’t at all sure where Hawkins might be going with the rest of the book.
One of the best parts about The Library at Mount Char is that it is so incredibly confident. The longer you stick with the story, the clearer it becomes that Hawkins knows exactly what he is doing. The way he undermines expectations feels almost gleeful.
The Library at Mount Char is easily one of the best and most exciting books I’ve read in a very long time. I want to buy copies for everyone I know and pester them until they read it. I hope someone eventually figures out a way to turn it into a movie because I’d love to see some of the later scenes dramatized. I can’t recommend it enough.
The Library at Mount Char is a fantastic book, but it’s almost impossible to summarize. Part of the problem is that a lot of the book hangs on misdirection. The main character knows a lot of things that she isn’t
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telling us, so we have to work with what little the author provides.This means that to summarize the book past the first few chapters is to spoil some really great surprises. On the other hand, some of the bat-shit weirdness that occurs in later chapters is what made me truly, madly, deeply love this completely insane novel. It’s a bit of a quandary, because I want to recommend this book to everyone I know.
It doesn’t help that the book’s cover looks like the sort of thing you might find on a remaindered thriller in the bargain bin. The design doesn’t really grab you by the face and insist that you start reading the book RIGHT THIS INSTANT.
The basic summary is as follows: Carolyn and her adopted brothers and sisters are apprentice librarians in a massive, strange Library full of books that include all the knowledge in the world. When they were young, all of their parents died suddenly and a mysterious man they call “Father” adopted them. Father is viciously cruel, incredibly dangerous and infinitely powerful… but he’s gone missing and now none of them can get back into the Library. When they discover what actually happened to Father, it may change the fate of the entire universe as we know it.
I started reading Mount Char back in September on my Kindle, but – even though I was definitely enjoying the book – I just didn’t make much progress. It’s gotten to the point that I just don’t finish books quickly unless they’re an audiobook because I can listen to them during my commute. I don’t really set aside time to sit down with a book in front of my face. So, despite the fact that I really enjoyed what I’d read of Mount Char, it ended up languishing on my Kindle to the point that I began forgetting what was going on in the story.
Luckily, my local library has a great selection of books in Overdrive, so I was able to download the MP3 version without waiting for too long. The audiobook has a fantastic narrator who really captures Carolyn’s odd combination of valley girl mannerisms and menacing behavior, so it ended up being the best possible way to read the book.
So, the question is: how do I explain to you what this book is and why you should read it? Well, first off, I think one of the simplest things I can say is that if you enjoy the work of Neil Gaiman, it’ll probably be in your wheelhouse even though it’s simultaneously very different from the sorts of things he writes.
The Library at Mount Char is a dark fantasy with occasional gruesome parts. It’s also absurdly funny. You may go for long stretches of the novel not entirely sure who to root for. You oftentimes won’t understand why the characters are doing what they’re doing. There was a point about two-thirds of the way through when I realized that there was still plenty of story left even though one big thread had wrapped up. It was really exciting because I wasn’t at all sure where Hawkins might be going with the rest of the book.
One of the best parts about The Library at Mount Char is that it is so incredibly confident. The longer you stick with the story, the clearer it becomes that Hawkins knows exactly what he is doing. The way he undermines expectations feels almost gleeful.
The Library at Mount Char is easily one of the best and most exciting books I’ve read in a very long time. I want to buy copies for everyone I know and pester them until they read it. I hope someone eventually figures out a way to turn it into a movie because I’d love to see some of the later scenes dramatized. I can’t recommend it enough.
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LibraryThing member ainjel
Go into this book expecting nothing. Do not read reviews. Do not read too deeply into the summary. Let yourself fall into it, experiencing the strange as it happens. Think deeply about the words on the page, and believe in the story you are reading.
The Library at Mount Char is a book that has the
You are going to read this book and have no idea what's going on, and that's okay. Most of it comes together in the end, and it might take your breath away, just a little bit.
There's nothing else to say; this book is phenomenal.
The Library at Mount Char is a book that has the
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potential to make you rethink your world, which is quite an accomplishment. It's incredibly unique, yet the world it creates feels highly believable, and the characters.... oh man, you know a book is good when you find yourself deeply in love with characters you know are "bad" and should therefore be unlikable. But then again, the book brings up the question on what is "good" and who deserves to be in power, and even if anyone should have power. You are going to read this book and have no idea what's going on, and that's okay. Most of it comes together in the end, and it might take your breath away, just a little bit.
There's nothing else to say; this book is phenomenal.
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LibraryThing member readingover50
This is a difficult book to review. It is so different from any book I have read. There are some pretty horrific things that happen in the book. But also some pretty amazing things. The ending was one of those amazing things. Up until the end, the "why" of what's happening is pretty up in the air.
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At the end, we get a pretty good explanation. I loved that we were able to flashback to when Carolyn was a child and first met Father. I loved finding out what the sun was. So many magical and fascinating things. I definitely recommend this book, with the warning that there is a pretty strong horror element to it. Show Less
LibraryThing member DGRachel
Beautiful writing, well developed characters, and a unique story. A mix of violence, darkness, tears, and, laughter. Bewitching and fascinating, with an ending that is hopeful and fun. Also seriously bat-crap crazy. It's a wild, original book.
LibraryThing member bragan
I really liked this book, but I'm not entirely sure I can describe it, or describe why I liked it. It's a strange, strange novel centering on a woman named Carolyn who was one of twelve children who were "adopted" by... Well, they call him "Father," and he appears to be some sort of ancient and
But, fair warning, it's also a damned brutal one. "Father" is not a benign deity, and neither are his proteges, once he's done twisting them into the shapes he wants for them. There's an astonishing amount of cruelty in this book, much of it disturbingly inventive. It's not for the faint of heart, or for those who might be triggered, by, well, pretty much anything. And yet, dark as it is, it's also strangely fun. And incredibly creative.
Hard to believe that this was actually the author's first novel.
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terrible god. And now he's gone missing. But, yeah, that doesn't really give you the sense of what it's like at all. It really is just wonderfully strange, with zillions of details that don't necessarily make any real-world sense or have understandable explanations, but which somehow add up to something weirdly convincing and deeply fascinating. And every time I thought I was getting a feel for it, it seemed to turn into something else I wasn't expecting. But in a good way. A crazy way, but a good one. But, fair warning, it's also a damned brutal one. "Father" is not a benign deity, and neither are his proteges, once he's done twisting them into the shapes he wants for them. There's an astonishing amount of cruelty in this book, much of it disturbingly inventive. It's not for the faint of heart, or for those who might be triggered, by, well, pretty much anything. And yet, dark as it is, it's also strangely fun. And incredibly creative.
Hard to believe that this was actually the author's first novel.
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LibraryThing member Codonnelly
Software engineer and debut author Scott Hawkins surprises and amazes in his first novel, The Library at Mount Char. The writing of a novel is a tough cookie to crack, but Hawkins’ strong characters astound and startle, and his powerful imagery strikes to the heart. If you have a strong stomach
Magic plays no role in this fantasy novel, despite what you may think. Carolyn, one of a family of orphans adopted and raised by an enigmatic man named Father, is quite adamant about that. Carolyn and her siblings must each devote their lives to one catalogue of knowledge in Father’s massive Library. This unique method of teaching gives them all a very specific skill set that they are forbidden to branch out from. The plot thickens when Father mysteriously disappears, and the family of misfits, now adults, must set out on their own to find him. Everyone that the motley family encounters on their mission should be very, very afraid.
Each individual character in the novel possesses a unique view of the world, even the characters who do not classify themselves as Librarians. While some authors would find this limiting, Hawkins thrives. He does not create stereotypes, but manages to build a vibrant sequence of characters with their own opinions and very specific eccentricities. How can you not be impressed by an author who can weave together a believable story with talking animals, god-like characters, and picnics on top of another universe?
Hawkins’ descriptions also impress immensely, although they can occasionally fall on the spectrum of too gritty for all readers to comfortably enjoy. There were moments when I was forced to put the book down because I was so physically and emotionally upset. This is a great sign of an effective narrative though, as I was clearly invested in the plot. Keeping that in mind, I would recommend for highly intuitive readers to be wary of reading in a public place or in a work atmosphere. And if you cannot stomach violence in a novel, be cognizant that there is a lot of it.
The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins is full of the wild imaginings of an author with a uniquely scientific background. His experiences add a lot of intriguing and bizarre moments to an already unconventional fantasy novel. I promise that you’ve never read anything like it before, and whether or not you end up as enthralled as me, you won’t walk away without being affected.
Disclaimer: I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review.
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and can tussle with these unconventional and dangerous Librarians, you will discover a mystical new world within our very own Earth.Magic plays no role in this fantasy novel, despite what you may think. Carolyn, one of a family of orphans adopted and raised by an enigmatic man named Father, is quite adamant about that. Carolyn and her siblings must each devote their lives to one catalogue of knowledge in Father’s massive Library. This unique method of teaching gives them all a very specific skill set that they are forbidden to branch out from. The plot thickens when Father mysteriously disappears, and the family of misfits, now adults, must set out on their own to find him. Everyone that the motley family encounters on their mission should be very, very afraid.
Each individual character in the novel possesses a unique view of the world, even the characters who do not classify themselves as Librarians. While some authors would find this limiting, Hawkins thrives. He does not create stereotypes, but manages to build a vibrant sequence of characters with their own opinions and very specific eccentricities. How can you not be impressed by an author who can weave together a believable story with talking animals, god-like characters, and picnics on top of another universe?
Hawkins’ descriptions also impress immensely, although they can occasionally fall on the spectrum of too gritty for all readers to comfortably enjoy. There were moments when I was forced to put the book down because I was so physically and emotionally upset. This is a great sign of an effective narrative though, as I was clearly invested in the plot. Keeping that in mind, I would recommend for highly intuitive readers to be wary of reading in a public place or in a work atmosphere. And if you cannot stomach violence in a novel, be cognizant that there is a lot of it.
The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins is full of the wild imaginings of an author with a uniquely scientific background. His experiences add a lot of intriguing and bizarre moments to an already unconventional fantasy novel. I promise that you’ve never read anything like it before, and whether or not you end up as enthralled as me, you won’t walk away without being affected.
Disclaimer: I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review.
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LibraryThing member reganrule
This would be a fun movie.
LibraryThing member bookczuk
Well-written, unsettling, curiously strange novel. the first part of the book left me slightly mystified, feeling that the intent was to scare off readers who might be faint of heart. As the story grew, and approached a somewhat more human scale, I felt more able to engage in it. I kept thinking
Tags: advanced-reader-copy, early-review-librarything, first-novel-or-book, great-title, has-an-ick-factor, made-me-think, read, read-in-2015, still-trying-to-figure-this-one-out, thought-i-was-gonna-like
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that the gods of Greek, Roman, and Norse mythology have gotten whitewashed in our modern day thinking, that there is, in reality, a lot of violent action and deed in those stories, which were similar to the actions in this book of Father and of the librarians. It was the more human aspects of the story that drew me in, though, the stories of Steve, of Erwin. The happenings of Carolyn, of David, and the rest of the librarians, and even the library itself, felt oddly distant.Tags: advanced-reader-copy, early-review-librarything, first-novel-or-book, great-title, has-an-ick-factor, made-me-think, read, read-in-2015, still-trying-to-figure-this-one-out, thought-i-was-gonna-like
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LibraryThing member AltheaAnn
"Neil Gaiman meets Joe Hill," claims the blurb. Hmm. I don't really agree. I'd say this is more like Clive Barker meets Graham Joyce. But yes, it's dark, contemporary fantasy with a horrific edge.
I have to admit; I found the first couple of chapters somewhat off-putting, and was suspecting that I
Some time ago, a dozen children were 'recruited' by an ancient power to become 'Librarians.' These librarians aren't anything like any associations you might have with the word, however. They've been trained by their 'father' in arcane ways of power, losing their connection with the rest of humanity in the process... becoming what we would call monsters.
But now, their 'father' is mysteriously gone; and in that absence, power is up for grabs...
Our main character, Carolyn, is one of the Librarians. On the surface, she might appear to be your garden-variety schizophrenic. But her odd demeanor hardly reveals the chilling truth of what she's experienced - and what she's capable of.
Steve, a 'regular-guy,' is a plumber who's tried very hard to leave a troubled and criminal past behind. But when his path intersects that of Carolyn, he's going to learn that he never really knew what trouble was.
A disturbing novel with some surprisingly humorous and positive notes (yes, they're really there, amidst the violence and gore). Highly recommended for fans of quality horror.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Crown for the opportunity to read. As always, my opinion is solely my own.
I have to admit; I found the first couple of chapters somewhat off-putting, and was suspecting that I
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wasn't really going to like the book... but I stuck with it, and it ended up really growing on me. The initially opaque and repulsive characters become comprehensible, even sympathetic - and the narrative gradually builds to a masterfully crafted and satisfying conclusion. Some time ago, a dozen children were 'recruited' by an ancient power to become 'Librarians.' These librarians aren't anything like any associations you might have with the word, however. They've been trained by their 'father' in arcane ways of power, losing their connection with the rest of humanity in the process... becoming what we would call monsters.
But now, their 'father' is mysteriously gone; and in that absence, power is up for grabs...
Our main character, Carolyn, is one of the Librarians. On the surface, she might appear to be your garden-variety schizophrenic. But her odd demeanor hardly reveals the chilling truth of what she's experienced - and what she's capable of.
Steve, a 'regular-guy,' is a plumber who's tried very hard to leave a troubled and criminal past behind. But when his path intersects that of Carolyn, he's going to learn that he never really knew what trouble was.
A disturbing novel with some surprisingly humorous and positive notes (yes, they're really there, amidst the violence and gore). Highly recommended for fans of quality horror.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Crown for the opportunity to read. As always, my opinion is solely my own.
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LibraryThing member mountie9
One of the most delightfully odd books I have ever read. It was hard to get into at first, but I persevered and so glad that I did. Truly unique and will totally appeal to fans of Neil Gaiman especially. Filled with unusual characters, some utterly unlikable, but you are still fascinated by them.
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There is no way I can ever describe this to anyone to get them to read it, but you must crack it open, you will not be disappointed. This one is not for the faint of heart, there are some extremely disturbing and grotesque imagery, but it works for the story. Also have a feeling that those that are religious may not enjoy, just a heads up. Some of the dialogue will have you laughing out loud, yet in the next scene your heart will break. This is impossible to review as it is just one of the most memorable and unique books I have ever read. Trust me just pick the damn thing up. And if you can figure out how I can sell this to people without confusing or freaking them out - give me a shout. By the way I am a Librarian, but I do not have a catalogue : ( Show Less
LibraryThing member jmchshannon
Hot damn, was this an amazing book! My biggest regret is not reading it at an earlier date. Seriously, why didn’t you all tell me that I had to read it as soon as it was published? A simple, “Michelle, it is all sick and twisted and gross and everything you absolutely adore in a book” would
I am going to be completely incapable of doing anything other than gush here. Carolyn is kick-ass. Sneaky and powerful and awesome in the fact that she cares about a select few but doesn’t really give a rat’s ass about anything or anyone else. Steve is hilarious in his cluelessness and at the hapless events that befall him. Erwin is all sorts of awesome with his badassery. As for the rest of the crew, they are some messed-up mo-fos, but you cannot help but love them for it because they don’t pretend to be anything else.
As for the events of the novel, I could try to describe them. Unfortunately, anything I say will make The Library at Mount Char sound just plain weird. There is a Library with a capital L because it contains all of the secrets. There are Librarians each with their own specialty. There is Father, who is missing and who has quite the sadistic streak. There are other odd god-like entities that threaten but remain shadowy figures. There is a battle for that Library and its secrets, just like there is a half-hearted search for Father. There is lots of blood and gore and power and pseudo-science. There is trauma and drama and mystery and action and intrigue and love. See? Odd. But SO, so good. Just read it and be done with it!
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have sufficed.I am going to be completely incapable of doing anything other than gush here. Carolyn is kick-ass. Sneaky and powerful and awesome in the fact that she cares about a select few but doesn’t really give a rat’s ass about anything or anyone else. Steve is hilarious in his cluelessness and at the hapless events that befall him. Erwin is all sorts of awesome with his badassery. As for the rest of the crew, they are some messed-up mo-fos, but you cannot help but love them for it because they don’t pretend to be anything else.
As for the events of the novel, I could try to describe them. Unfortunately, anything I say will make The Library at Mount Char sound just plain weird. There is a Library with a capital L because it contains all of the secrets. There are Librarians each with their own specialty. There is Father, who is missing and who has quite the sadistic streak. There are other odd god-like entities that threaten but remain shadowy figures. There is a battle for that Library and its secrets, just like there is a half-hearted search for Father. There is lots of blood and gore and power and pseudo-science. There is trauma and drama and mystery and action and intrigue and love. See? Odd. But SO, so good. Just read it and be done with it!
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LibraryThing member literogo
Scott Hawkins’ debut novel is the best book I have read this year. A multi-layered cosmic fantasy with its feet firmly astride reality and the most bizarre imagination I’ve encountered since Neil Gaiman’s American Gods,The Library at Mount Char baffled me, bedazzled me and blew my mind. For
"Carolyn, blood-drenched and barefoot, walked alone…"
The protagonist is a woman named Carolyn. At the age of eight, her parents were killed in some kind of explosion, and she (and eleven other kids) were “adopted” by a man known as Father. Raised in seclusion from the outside world, they’re trained in specific areas of knowledge, using the extensive notes available to them in the Library. Reading outside your own area is strictly forbidden. But Father has enemies, and he has disappeared. Most terrifying of all; something is using deadly force to keep them out of the Library.
“With this particular species of crazy, you stop trying to make things better. You start trying to maximize the bad. You pretend to like it. Eventually you start working to make everything as bad as possible. It’s an avoidance mechanism.”
This book is not for children. There is gore galore, some of which was so brutal that I got funny looks from other people after saying “Eurgh!” so many times. However, in a strange way, the violence is portrayed with detachment; it is described almost clinically, as if Dexter is laying out a crime scene. I found the understatement more unsettling than a generic, dramatic fight scene might be, which made it much more effective. Hawkins is also quite foul-mouthed – the “F” word appears over 128 times. In his interview with AbsoluteWrite, Hawkins says, “Not all books need to be PG-13. There’s plenty of PG-13 entertainment available, and I may well write some of it myself in the future. But this was a violent story. If I hadn’t alienated a few people in the telling, I think I’d be doing it wrong.”
Steve sighed, wishing for a cigarette. “The Buddha teaches respect for all life.”
“Oh.” She considered this. “Are you a Buddhist?”
“No. I’m an asshole. But I keep trying.”
The Library at Mount Char is one of those open texts that beg to be interpreted. The disconnect between what is real, what is imaginary, and what may be delusion is one of the most confusing (and intriguing) parts of the book. I started investigating things. I drew lines between the symbols, researched obscure objects and places, and made connections to things that (when queried) surprised even the author. My digging took me from ancient Roman torture devices to medieval astrology, quantum physics to African and Asian pantheism, Descartes to Nietzsche. For a long time I wondered if the surreal elements were figments of a traumatized imagination expressed through unreliable narration: perhaps it was all just the coping mechanisms of a kidnapped girl, raised in a cult. However, Hawkins’ creativity is so far beyond any theory I could come up with. I was surprised on every single page.
‘Five hundred dollars?” the man asked. “Ah. Now I understand. In my village we called people like yourself the ‘shepherds of the shit mountain.’ Such men were often caned. Good bye.”
Despite the layers of meaning and understanding, this is not a dense book for the over-educated. It is written in haunting, poetic and thoroughly accessible language. The dialogue is perfect, with each character having their own voice. The characters themselves are exquisitely crafted: a psychopathic murderer, drenched in the blood of his victims, who wears a purple tutu because he doesn’t quite understand conventional clothing. The addle-brained woman who compulsively makes brownies for her home invaders. Contagious tentacles. The surrealism make this dark, scary and contemplative book incredibly entertaining at the same time.
"Norwegian snowboarders claimed that they saw a part of a glacier get up and walk away. That was obviously ridiculous, but before and after photos showed that a big chunk of the glacier in question had indeed gone missing. Also the moon might be just a bit wobbly."
Furthermore, it gives us a new vocabulary for feelings of loss or abandonment. I love the idea of a heart coal; a smoldering piece of something lost that we carry within ourselves, powering our actions until we rekindle the flame, let it go, or let it burn us up. Or regression completeness – the idea that “the universe is structured in such a way that no matter how many mysteries you solve, there is always a deeper mystery behind it.” The novel is structured that way too, it seems. It’s one of those books that rewards re-reading, as each page turns, revealing more layers of complexity.
“Suffering – normal suffering – is transient. What we perceive as emotion is just a quick connection between three-dimensional space and one of the higher physical planes – rage, joy, pleasure, whatever. The repercussions can echo for years, but the actual link usually only lasts for a fraction of a second.”
It baffles me that a work this well-executed is a debut. Hawkins writes with restraint and a cheeky glint in his eye. Each word is necessary and well considered, and even things that appear to be flaws turn out to be deliberate. He is a master of foreshadowing, world-building and suggestive description. If I were to compare Hawkins with other writers, I’d shelve him alongside Madeleine L’Engle’s universal physics, somewhere near Neil Gaiman’s characterization and Umberto Eco’s theological symbolism. Maybe Salman Rushdie could join the party with some irreverent mysticism. Even HP Lovecraft would tip his hat to the way Hawkins tells you just enough to form the shadowy shape of a monster in your mind, leaving your own imagination to fill in the blanks. Stephen King would have a lot to say in favor of his dialogue and action sequences. Finally, Ursula Le Guin would applaud his excellent world-building, and engagement with deeper philosophical and sociological themes.
Some people have criticized The Library at Mount Char for being slow to reveal its mysteries. On the contrary, the novel is richer for its ambiguity and openness to interpretation. It is exceptionally crafted, and a stunning achievement for a debut novel. Scott Hawkins has earned himself a place among the literary stars.
I received this book as an ARC in exchange for a fair review. Read more of my reviews at Literogo.com
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much of it I had no idea what was going on, but that is a huge part of the charm. Have faith, readers – the pieces will come together."Carolyn, blood-drenched and barefoot, walked alone…"
The protagonist is a woman named Carolyn. At the age of eight, her parents were killed in some kind of explosion, and she (and eleven other kids) were “adopted” by a man known as Father. Raised in seclusion from the outside world, they’re trained in specific areas of knowledge, using the extensive notes available to them in the Library. Reading outside your own area is strictly forbidden. But Father has enemies, and he has disappeared. Most terrifying of all; something is using deadly force to keep them out of the Library.
“With this particular species of crazy, you stop trying to make things better. You start trying to maximize the bad. You pretend to like it. Eventually you start working to make everything as bad as possible. It’s an avoidance mechanism.”
This book is not for children. There is gore galore, some of which was so brutal that I got funny looks from other people after saying “Eurgh!” so many times. However, in a strange way, the violence is portrayed with detachment; it is described almost clinically, as if Dexter is laying out a crime scene. I found the understatement more unsettling than a generic, dramatic fight scene might be, which made it much more effective. Hawkins is also quite foul-mouthed – the “F” word appears over 128 times. In his interview with AbsoluteWrite, Hawkins says, “Not all books need to be PG-13. There’s plenty of PG-13 entertainment available, and I may well write some of it myself in the future. But this was a violent story. If I hadn’t alienated a few people in the telling, I think I’d be doing it wrong.”
Steve sighed, wishing for a cigarette. “The Buddha teaches respect for all life.”
“Oh.” She considered this. “Are you a Buddhist?”
“No. I’m an asshole. But I keep trying.”
The Library at Mount Char is one of those open texts that beg to be interpreted. The disconnect between what is real, what is imaginary, and what may be delusion is one of the most confusing (and intriguing) parts of the book. I started investigating things. I drew lines between the symbols, researched obscure objects and places, and made connections to things that (when queried) surprised even the author. My digging took me from ancient Roman torture devices to medieval astrology, quantum physics to African and Asian pantheism, Descartes to Nietzsche. For a long time I wondered if the surreal elements were figments of a traumatized imagination expressed through unreliable narration: perhaps it was all just the coping mechanisms of a kidnapped girl, raised in a cult. However, Hawkins’ creativity is so far beyond any theory I could come up with. I was surprised on every single page.
‘Five hundred dollars?” the man asked. “Ah. Now I understand. In my village we called people like yourself the ‘shepherds of the shit mountain.’ Such men were often caned. Good bye.”
Despite the layers of meaning and understanding, this is not a dense book for the over-educated. It is written in haunting, poetic and thoroughly accessible language. The dialogue is perfect, with each character having their own voice. The characters themselves are exquisitely crafted: a psychopathic murderer, drenched in the blood of his victims, who wears a purple tutu because he doesn’t quite understand conventional clothing. The addle-brained woman who compulsively makes brownies for her home invaders. Contagious tentacles. The surrealism make this dark, scary and contemplative book incredibly entertaining at the same time.
"Norwegian snowboarders claimed that they saw a part of a glacier get up and walk away. That was obviously ridiculous, but before and after photos showed that a big chunk of the glacier in question had indeed gone missing. Also the moon might be just a bit wobbly."
Furthermore, it gives us a new vocabulary for feelings of loss or abandonment. I love the idea of a heart coal; a smoldering piece of something lost that we carry within ourselves, powering our actions until we rekindle the flame, let it go, or let it burn us up. Or regression completeness – the idea that “the universe is structured in such a way that no matter how many mysteries you solve, there is always a deeper mystery behind it.” The novel is structured that way too, it seems. It’s one of those books that rewards re-reading, as each page turns, revealing more layers of complexity.
“Suffering – normal suffering – is transient. What we perceive as emotion is just a quick connection between three-dimensional space and one of the higher physical planes – rage, joy, pleasure, whatever. The repercussions can echo for years, but the actual link usually only lasts for a fraction of a second.”
It baffles me that a work this well-executed is a debut. Hawkins writes with restraint and a cheeky glint in his eye. Each word is necessary and well considered, and even things that appear to be flaws turn out to be deliberate. He is a master of foreshadowing, world-building and suggestive description. If I were to compare Hawkins with other writers, I’d shelve him alongside Madeleine L’Engle’s universal physics, somewhere near Neil Gaiman’s characterization and Umberto Eco’s theological symbolism. Maybe Salman Rushdie could join the party with some irreverent mysticism. Even HP Lovecraft would tip his hat to the way Hawkins tells you just enough to form the shadowy shape of a monster in your mind, leaving your own imagination to fill in the blanks. Stephen King would have a lot to say in favor of his dialogue and action sequences. Finally, Ursula Le Guin would applaud his excellent world-building, and engagement with deeper philosophical and sociological themes.
Some people have criticized The Library at Mount Char for being slow to reveal its mysteries. On the contrary, the novel is richer for its ambiguity and openness to interpretation. It is exceptionally crafted, and a stunning achievement for a debut novel. Scott Hawkins has earned himself a place among the literary stars.
I received this book as an ARC in exchange for a fair review. Read more of my reviews at Literogo.com
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LibraryThing member TooBusyReading
I don't like to know too much about a book before I read it, but knowing that this was about some secret, strange library or book sounded like it would be right up my alley.
My first clue that this might not be quite what I expected came with the table of contents, and the chapter names. Some funny,
It started out creepy and just got creepier.
Although this is not, thank goodness, another zombie book, there are dead ones who are still functioning, at some level anyway. There are gods, gods in disguise, and battles for supremacy. All of that could have been quite interesting.
I couldn't empathize much with the characters except for perhaps badluck Steve, and Erwin, and I liked them quite a bit. The characters under control of Father...not so much although I did like Michael.
And, of course, the lions; I liked the lions.
The students had lessons to learn, each with a specialty, and dire consequences if they tried to find out about someone else's specialty.
What I didn't like about this book was the high level of violence and cruelty. Towards people, towards children who were still children despite their age in years, towards animals. And torture, too. Nope, not my cup of tea. I like creepy; I don't like explicit violence and unrelenting cruelty.
Despite that, and trying to overlook that, the story was somewhat interesting but too drawn out for the story it was telling. And if the reader is too young or susceptible to nightmares, it's gonna cause them.
I was given an advance reader's ebook copy of this book for review.
My first clue that this might not be quite what I expected came with the table of contents, and the chapter names. Some funny,
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some irreverent, some just odd. For example, Chapter 2 is called “Buddhism for [Donkey Butts – different word to prevent robo-censorship]. I wasn't offended but some might be.It started out creepy and just got creepier.
Although this is not, thank goodness, another zombie book, there are dead ones who are still functioning, at some level anyway. There are gods, gods in disguise, and battles for supremacy. All of that could have been quite interesting.
I couldn't empathize much with the characters except for perhaps badluck Steve, and Erwin, and I liked them quite a bit. The characters under control of Father...not so much although I did like Michael.
And, of course, the lions; I liked the lions.
The students had lessons to learn, each with a specialty, and dire consequences if they tried to find out about someone else's specialty.
What I didn't like about this book was the high level of violence and cruelty. Towards people, towards children who were still children despite their age in years, towards animals. And torture, too. Nope, not my cup of tea. I like creepy; I don't like explicit violence and unrelenting cruelty.
Despite that, and trying to overlook that, the story was somewhat interesting but too drawn out for the story it was telling. And if the reader is too young or susceptible to nightmares, it's gonna cause them.
I was given an advance reader's ebook copy of this book for review.
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LibraryThing member sparemethecensor
Note: I did NOT receive a copy of my Early Reviewers book for this title. After waiting for months, I got this book from the library.
Although I didn't love this book, I'm really glad this kind of book was published. It's really inventive and different. This urban fantasy is not zombies or
The writing is serviceable -- nothing to write home about but it doesn't get in the way of the story. Carolyn doesn't have much development, nor do the other characters; everything this book has to offer is in the plot. The novel is written in a distant way that makes the horror elements less effective, in my opinion -- I thought more "wow, that is horrible" than feeling viscerally horrified the way other books have done. But it does keep you turning the pages. If it had given me more of that plot and background, I would have been satisfied.
Although I didn't love this book, I'm really glad this kind of book was published. It's really inventive and different. This urban fantasy is not zombies or
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paranormal or horror in the usual way. The layering of this universe atop our usual America is attempting something China Mieville or Robert Bennett Jackson might do (although this is clearly a first novel and it is not fully fleshed out). Actually, that is my major complaint: the world-building isn't enough. Did any reader come out of this book knowing what all of the catalogs were? I certainly didn't. That would have been so intriguing and would have added so much more to the novel. The writing is serviceable -- nothing to write home about but it doesn't get in the way of the story. Carolyn doesn't have much development, nor do the other characters; everything this book has to offer is in the plot. The novel is written in a distant way that makes the horror elements less effective, in my opinion -- I thought more "wow, that is horrible" than feeling viscerally horrified the way other books have done. But it does keep you turning the pages. If it had given me more of that plot and background, I would have been satisfied.
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LibraryThing member DanaJean
It's hard to place this book in any one genre. There are so many genre's this could fit right in, so I think there is an appeal to a wide range of readers. One needs to go into this without expectation or trying to figure things out. There are so many twists and turns, it's better to just go with
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the flow and not overthink things too much. Lots of action and violence, it may be uncomfortable for some. It's hard to make me uncomfortable so I really enjoyed the story. Unique and deliciously dark, I would recommend it. Show Less
LibraryThing member EmpressReece
The Library from Hell Yep I DNF'd it! I just couldn't get into it. I felt like there wasn't enough background information starting out with about the library stacks and how each stack related to the different characters so the whole time I was trying to figure out what the hell was going on. Then
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the story went from weird to totally nuts so I just gave up. I have so many other books that I want to read so I didn't want to waste anymore time on this one. Maybe I'll try again some other day... Show Less
LibraryThing member meliarose
Carolyn - as well as all the characters at the Library - are odd and not very relatable, but it works in the novel because it is already a story about a warped version of the America we all know. There are so many twists and turns you will never see coming, right up to the end.
LibraryThing member myownwoman
An absolutely epic read! Imaginative beyond comparison, this is a spectacularly intelligent and inventive book that fantasy readers should run to read. It is smart, creative, and edgy, and it is on my favorites' shelf after just one go-through.
It is a complete mind-fuck, transporting readers into a
Thanks to LibraryThing's Early Reviewers Program for an opportunity to read this advanced reader copy. It was AMAZING!
It is a complete mind-fuck, transporting readers into a
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whole new reality just lurking under the one that which we all know. It seriously is tremendous, and it's intimidating in its breadth and depth. I am anxious to read it once more, and I'd be eager to read anything else by the author - especially a sequel! I want more of the Librarians and their Father - maybe in the new universe that he's created (hint hint - pretty please ;))Thanks to LibraryThing's Early Reviewers Program for an opportunity to read this advanced reader copy. It was AMAZING!
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Awards
Grand Prix de l'Imaginaire (Winner — 2018)
Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year (Science Fiction and Fantasy — 2015)
Los Angeles Public Library Best of the Year (Fiction — 2015)
Language
Original publication date
2015-06
ISBN
9780553418613
Local notes
Carolyn and her adopted siblings have been raised according to Father's ancient customs. They've studied the books in his Library and learned some of the secrets of his power. And sometimes, they've wondered if their cruel tutor might secretly be God. Now, Father is missing—perhaps even dead—and the Library that holds his secrets stands unguarded. And with it, control over all of creation.