Status
Available
Call number
Series
Collection
Publication
Titan Books (UK) (2020), Edition: Titan, 448 pages
Description
Books that aren't finished by their authors reside in the Library of the Unwritten in Hell, but when restless characters who emerge from those unfinished stories escape, it is up to the Librarian to track them down... and keep the collection complete. Many years ago, Claire was named head librarian of the Unwritten Wing--a neutral space in Hell where all the stories unfinished by their authors reside. Her job consists mainly of repairing and organizing books, but also of keeping an eye on restless stories that risk materializing as characters and escaping the Library. When a hero escapes from his book and goes in search of its author, Claire must track and capture him with the help of former muse and current assistant Brevity and the nervous and sweet demon Leto. But what should have been a simple retrieval goes horrifyingly wrong when the terrifying angel Ramiel attacks them, convinced that they hold the Devil's Bible. The text of the Devil's Bible is a weapon in the power struggle between Heaven and Hell, so it falls to the librarians to find a book with the ability to reshape the boundaries between Heaven, Hell...and Earth.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member krau0098
I got this book through NetGalley to review. This is the first book in the Hell’s Library series. This was a very creative and well done book. I enjoyed the humor and wry tone of the characters. I also really enjoyed the idea of a library located in Hell that houses all unfinished books.
This book
In general I liked this book, it did take me quite a while to read though. I think my biggest issue was that I never really felt all that engaged with the characters. I enjoyed the characters and their snarkiness, however neither the characters nor the broader storyline made me desperate to read this book. The writing style, while easy to read, made me feel distanced from the characters and their story.
This book will remind readers of many other books out there that take a humorous look at clashes between Heaven and Hell. It falls under those books that are a bit humorous and are about heaven and hell and the machinations that happen behind the scenes to affect humanity as a whole (think Good Omens, Dogma, etc). I did enjoy the twist of how much influence this Unwritten Library has over leaders in Hell.
Overall this is a creative read. I am on the fence about whether or not I will continue this series. I just felt like I had to actively force myself to finish this one even though I enjoyed a lot parts of the story. I also am not a huge fan of these type of near apocalyptic humourous heaven vs hell types of stories.
This book
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is primarily about a library located in Hell called the Unwritten Wing where unwritten books are kept. The story jumps between three main POVs (there are a couple others but these are the main three). The first is that of Claire, the librarian. The second is that of Leta, a new demon in Hell sent to help Claire. The last is that of Ramiel, a fallen angel that ends up trying to hunt down Claire and Leto.In general I liked this book, it did take me quite a while to read though. I think my biggest issue was that I never really felt all that engaged with the characters. I enjoyed the characters and their snarkiness, however neither the characters nor the broader storyline made me desperate to read this book. The writing style, while easy to read, made me feel distanced from the characters and their story.
This book will remind readers of many other books out there that take a humorous look at clashes between Heaven and Hell. It falls under those books that are a bit humorous and are about heaven and hell and the machinations that happen behind the scenes to affect humanity as a whole (think Good Omens, Dogma, etc). I did enjoy the twist of how much influence this Unwritten Library has over leaders in Hell.
Overall this is a creative read. I am on the fence about whether or not I will continue this series. I just felt like I had to actively force myself to finish this one even though I enjoyed a lot parts of the story. I also am not a huge fan of these type of near apocalyptic humourous heaven vs hell types of stories.
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LibraryThing member ablachly
This is like The Good Place meets Jasper Fforde’s Thursday Next. It was a little slow to get started—a lot of characters and a lot of backstory to build, but it eventually got there and then rolled delightfully along.
LibraryThing member Lauranthalas
First of all, I loved this book! A librarian + Hell’s library = a fabulous time. Not only was the story entertaining, it was well-crafted with amazing characters. I can’t wait for the next installment of this series.
This is the first book in a new fantasy series featuring a Librarian who is in
I won an ARC through a Goodreads giveaway and am providing an unbiased review.
This is the first book in a new fantasy series featuring a Librarian who is in
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charge of the library’s Unwritten Wing in Hell. In this wing, all stories that are unpublished by their author reside in this neutral space. Claire, the Head Librarian, will sometimes have to leave her typical librarian duties to go in search of characters that have escaped their book. A Hero has materialized and disappeared from the library. Claire, her trusty muse Brevity, and a nervous demon named Leto are on a mission to capture the Hero before anything bad happens. Soon, a simple job spirals out of control after being attacked by an angel and finding out that the powerful text of the Devil’s Bible is out in the world. Now the librarians must go after this powerful bible before things get even more out of control.I won an ARC through a Goodreads giveaway and am providing an unbiased review.
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LibraryThing member John_Warner
It is rare that I give five-star ratings to fantasy novels; however, in this case I made an exception. What a cast of heroes and villains! Normally, one would expect the heroes to be from heaven and the villains from hell. However, this designation is murky in this case. The protagonist of this
Aligned against these characters include Uriel, an archangel also known as the Face of God, especially now since God has distanced himself from humanity and the heavenly host; and Ramiel, a fallen angel known as the Thunder of God punished for his insurrection by being assigned to purgatory located outside of the gates of heaven.
Both the agents from heaven and hell are in a struggle to recover a missing artifact, a codex created by Satan and embued with his paranormal essence. Several of the characters have individual motives for discovery.
A colorful cast of characters and a hazardous adventure makes this inaugural book in a new series a good read. I look forward to reading this series' sequel.
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novel is Claire, head librarian of Hell's library, a depository of unwritten books, unfinished books abandoned by their authors. She is assisted by a tattoo-adorned muse name Brevity. The library's staff has been recently increased by a demon of entropy named Leto, a former guilt-ridden adolescent boy. Finally, assisting the library staff on their adventure are Andras; former Archduke of Satan's realm, Claire's colleague and current curator of the arcane artifacts wing of the library, and Hero, an escaped character of one of the library's books.Aligned against these characters include Uriel, an archangel also known as the Face of God, especially now since God has distanced himself from humanity and the heavenly host; and Ramiel, a fallen angel known as the Thunder of God punished for his insurrection by being assigned to purgatory located outside of the gates of heaven.
Both the agents from heaven and hell are in a struggle to recover a missing artifact, a codex created by Satan and embued with his paranormal essence. Several of the characters have individual motives for discovery.
A colorful cast of characters and a hazardous adventure makes this inaugural book in a new series a good read. I look forward to reading this series' sequel.
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LibraryThing member jnmegan
A.J. Hackwith ambitiously launches her new Hell’s Library series with The Library of the Unwritten. Although the novel is a genuinely fun read, there are so many different fantasy themes and tropes included that it becomes difficult to envision the coherent world she is attempting to convey. It
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may be that the book’s role as the opening of a series is an attempt to lay the groundwork for limitless plot pathways, but the result is just confusing enough that it could risk turning away some potential readers. Claire is a deceased human who is the latest in a long line of librarians conscripted with caring for and guarding a collection of unwritten books stored in Hell. The books are described as restless and prone to awakening-occasionally incorporating themselves into the form of a character and managing to escape the library. As the novel begins, a young demon is sent to alert Claire and her apprentice that one of their charges has absconded back to Earth and needs to be retrieved before causing harm to its author. Meanwhile, in Heaven, a soul arrives for judgement at the gates holding a piece of a manuscript that may have been penned by the devil himself. Soon Claire also is induced to track down this work as well, interceding before heaven and hell get a chance to claim it (and its intrinsic power) for their own dubious purposes. The Library of the Unwritten incorporates Judeo-Christian, Greek, Viking, pagan, and other myths with Hackwith’s new concept of unwritten books and the potential of unrealized dreams. The action takes place during Claire’s quest through various realms and states of existence borrowed from many traditions and beliefs. Hackwith also explores the conception of life as an incomplete story with all its concomitant decisions and regrets carried beyond mortal existence. Hackwith does a nice job with building characters that are intriguing and layered, and her novel has some truly fascinating plot twists. It will be interesting to see where Hackwith takes her imagination in future episodes, since the The Library of the Unwritten opens many potential doors. Hopefully, the next Hell’s Library novel will be more cohesive and focused. The author certainly seems to have an encompassing vision for the series and some wonderfully original ideas- but perhaps a bit too much of both. Show Less
LibraryThing member bell7
The Unwritten Wing of Hell's library is where all the unwritten books go - books whose author's died without ever penning their dreams, or books yet to be written. Claire, the librarian, attempts to keep charge of her books. When a character gets out and, horror of all horrors, attempts to make
Clever writing with a fun premise and a lot to say about the power of stories and imagination? Sign me up! This book pretty perfectly puts my interests in fantasy and books and libraries all together in one fun ride. Sure, the pacing may not be perfect, but it kept me guessing 'til the end, and I'll definitely read more by the author.
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contact with the author, Claire brings her assistant Brevity and demon Leto to help get him back. Meanwhile, a soul going to heaven brings pages he declares are from the Devil's Bible, and Ramiel begins looking for demonic activity on earth.Clever writing with a fun premise and a lot to say about the power of stories and imagination? Sign me up! This book pretty perfectly puts my interests in fantasy and books and libraries all together in one fun ride. Sure, the pacing may not be perfect, but it kept me guessing 'til the end, and I'll definitely read more by the author.
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LibraryThing member Glennis.LeBlanc
A library of unfinished books is kept in Hell. When Claire leaves the library to chase down a book character that escaped to meet their author and try to get them to finish writing the book, she runs into an angel that is tracking down the Devil’s Bible. A series of assumptions on both their
Digital review copy provided by the publisher through Edelweiss
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parts leads them on a chase for the book that has the power to tilt the war between Heaven and Hell. Not everyone in the book is what they appear and Clair, nothing more than a damned soul made head librarian too soon and with secrets of her own must find allies and track down the book. I really liked this one and I can’t want to see more in this setting. Digital review copy provided by the publisher through Edelweiss
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LibraryThing member Penny_L
“Claire lived by the firm moral philosophy that one could never have too many pockets, too many books, or too much tea.”
Such an unique story. A library wing in Hell where authors unfinished books and the restless characters within them reside. The librarian, Claire, maintains the books and
Such an unique story. A library wing in Hell where authors unfinished books and the restless characters within them reside. The librarian, Claire, maintains the books and
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closely guards the frustrated characters. This novel takes you on a fantastical journey when a character escapes the library in search of it's author. Cleverly written and thoroughly engrossing. I am looking forward to book #2! Show Less
LibraryThing member imyril
A glorious celebration of free will, self determination and the deep bonds between an author (or a librarian) and their stories.
Weirdly, it nearly lost me halfway even though it was doing all the right things - but I’m so glad I stuck with it, because the payoff in the final act is brilliant.
Full review
I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Weirdly, it nearly lost me halfway even though it was doing all the right things - but I’m so glad I stuck with it, because the payoff in the final act is brilliant.
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Having finished it, it’s an early contender for being a 2020 favorite - but I did struggle to stick with it, so I’m calling it 4 stars rather than 5 (although I reserve the right to change my mind and you can expect me to gush about it for months).Full review
I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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LibraryThing member florabundi
Claire is a librarian who understands and protects her many charges,the unwritten books in Hell's Library. As she defends and repairs her books over the centuries she becomes uncaring about the needs of books to be completed and tends only to their physical aspects. The adventures begin when a
I received this book from the publisher and Netgalley. Thank you.
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character escapes his book and the library and hunts up his author, hoping to inspire the author to complete the story. Claire must find and return him to the library but while she is gone, a demon intends to take over and destroy it.The characters have many battles to win to save the day and strange and unexpected allies join in. Amazing book!I received this book from the publisher and Netgalley. Thank you.
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LibraryThing member Andrewfm
it'd be a cool to be a librarian in hell
LibraryThing member Carolesrandomlife
This was a great novel! I tend to enjoy books about books and libraries so when I saw this book, I knew that I had to read it. I have read a lot of books that involve libraries but never a library located in Hell. Once I started reading, I was hooked. This was a rather exciting story filled with
Claire is the Head Librarian in the Unwritten Wing in Hell's Library. Her job is to take care of all of the unwritten works that have yet to be completed. She not only must repair books but sometimes has to track down any characters who may have escaped their stories. Claire, along with her assistant, Brevity, and demon courier, Leto, must retrieve one such character who has not only escaped but has gone off to meet their author. They are able to catch up with the character, Hero, but things quickly get more complicated when they encounter the angel, Ramiel, who believes that they have the Devil's Bible.
This was a book that I liked more and more as I read. The characters are interesting from the beginning but as I really got to know them over the course of the story, I grew to care about them. I think that all of the key characters in this book showed a lot of growth. The story itself was really exciting. There was no limit as to what could happen and I found the entire premise to be incredibly imaginative. The story had a lot of layers and I loved how a character's backstory or a small piece of information could suddenly change everything.
I would recommend this story to others. I thought that this was a very well done and unique fantasy. I fell in love with this group of characters and found the book to be very exciting. I thought it told a very complete story and I was quite satisfied by how everything worked out. This is the first book in the Hell's Library series and I look forward to reading more of the adventures of this group of characters as they protect the books in Hell's Library.
I received a review copy of this book from Berkley Publishing Group - Ace.
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fantastic characters and I had a fabulous time reading it.Claire is the Head Librarian in the Unwritten Wing in Hell's Library. Her job is to take care of all of the unwritten works that have yet to be completed. She not only must repair books but sometimes has to track down any characters who may have escaped their stories. Claire, along with her assistant, Brevity, and demon courier, Leto, must retrieve one such character who has not only escaped but has gone off to meet their author. They are able to catch up with the character, Hero, but things quickly get more complicated when they encounter the angel, Ramiel, who believes that they have the Devil's Bible.
This was a book that I liked more and more as I read. The characters are interesting from the beginning but as I really got to know them over the course of the story, I grew to care about them. I think that all of the key characters in this book showed a lot of growth. The story itself was really exciting. There was no limit as to what could happen and I found the entire premise to be incredibly imaginative. The story had a lot of layers and I loved how a character's backstory or a small piece of information could suddenly change everything.
I would recommend this story to others. I thought that this was a very well done and unique fantasy. I fell in love with this group of characters and found the book to be very exciting. I thought it told a very complete story and I was quite satisfied by how everything worked out. This is the first book in the Hell's Library series and I look forward to reading more of the adventures of this group of characters as they protect the books in Hell's Library.
I received a review copy of this book from Berkley Publishing Group - Ace.
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LibraryThing member stephanie_M
This is a very good novel that will have a sequel out in about October, I believe. I enjoyed it very much, and it held my attention throughout the entire audiobook. The premise was really cool, and I really like the way it all turned out.
Lisa Flanagan was the perfect narrator for this particular
All in all, I’d say to check this novel or audiobook out at your local library as soon as you can get it. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
4 stars, and recommended.
Lisa Flanagan was the perfect narrator for this particular
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character and audiobook, In my opinion. Perfectly librarian like.All in all, I’d say to check this novel or audiobook out at your local library as soon as you can get it. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
4 stars, and recommended.
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LibraryThing member Gwendydd
Claire is the librarian in Hell's library for unfinished books. Characters from unfinished books can leave their books and wander, so Claire's job is to keep them all in the library so they don't haunt their authors. On an errand to earth to retrieve an errant character, she finds herself involved
I found this to be a reasonably engaging, if somewhat predictable, adventure. Some parts of the worldbuilding were fun, but some parts didn't really make a lot of sense. As long as I didn't think too hard about any of it, I found it reasonably enjoyable. I don't have any plans to read any more in the series.
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in a conflict between Heaven and Hell over some missing pages of a book written by Satan.I found this to be a reasonably engaging, if somewhat predictable, adventure. Some parts of the worldbuilding were fun, but some parts didn't really make a lot of sense. As long as I didn't think too hard about any of it, I found it reasonably enjoyable. I don't have any plans to read any more in the series.
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LibraryThing member ShannonRose4
I loved this book about a library in hell, complete with a does-not-put-up- with demons librarian, a unwritten hero and someone that actually belongs in heaven. I loved this & can’t wait for the next in the series!
LibraryThing member ShannonRose4
I loved this book about a library in hell, complete with a does-not-put-up- with demons librarian, a unwritten hero and someone that actually belongs in heaven. I loved this & can’t wait for the next in the series!
LibraryThing member sleahey
Such an intriguing concept: a library for all of the written works that have remained unfinished. To add to the intrigue, the Library of the Unwritten is located in hell, and staffed by people with ambiguous and troubled backgrounds. When Hero escapes from his book, it falls to Claire, the head
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librarian, to return him to the library and his author's unfinished novel, at the same time that the Devil's Codex must be located and kept from the angels of heaven. I would have appreciated an introductory setting of the scene and cast of characters to refer back to--perhaps then my reading of this novel would not have seemed so choppy. Show Less
LibraryThing member dono421846
Was this book really that good?! I'm focus my fiction reading primarily to stories about libraries, so I have a good bit of familiarity with the genre. This book was full as excellent as the "Invisible Library" series by Genevieve Colman, and Rachel Caine's "The Great Library."
In this first entry
In this first entry
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into the series the author creates a fully-realized world. I'll leave it to others to provide a synopsis. The bookscape has plenty of threads to suggest further adventures, but these are introduced naturally and don't get in the way of the primary narrative. For me one of the strengths of the novel is that everything seemed to flow in an unstrained, unforced manner, with plenty of unexpected outcomes and real surprises. I've already received volume 2, and I'm genuinely excited to dive back in. Show Less
LibraryThing member quondame
Everything in this book almost works. The Library of the Unwritten as an annex of Hell, the Librarian and her failed muse helper, the search for the lost bits of the Devil's Bible all have interesting facets and developments, but the pacing is too drawn out and the some of the character
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interactions just don't jell. Show Less
LibraryThing member Jayeless
I loved the idea of this book – as someone who's set half-written novels aside for way longer than I'd like, how can you resist a novel about the part of hell reserved for unwritten stories? So as you'd expect, I really wanted to like it, but I just didn't. I liked some of the characters – the
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difficult Hero, prickly Claire – but I found the plot very dense, to the point that I didn't fully understand it. My mind wandered constantly when I was trying to read it, and I wasn't very motivated to pick it up day after day. It's not that there was anything about it that I specifically disliked, but I just never felt like it rose above “just OK” for me. I'm somewhat disappointed, because I feel like I should have enjoyed this much better than I did. Show Less
LibraryThing member ladyars
I loved the worldbuilding concepts in this book, but couldn't connect with the characters and their challenges.
LibraryThing member wellreadcatlady
I received a free ARC through NetGalley for an honest review about this book!
Claire is the librarian of the Library of the Unwritten located in hell, she is beyond Lucifer's control even though all the demons would love unfiltered access to the unwritten books to get a better insight in human
Now obviously I read this book because I am a librarian and it sounded awesome that there is a unwritten library filled with books no one else has seen and its in hell, because why not. The story got a little confusing at times because of everything that was going on especially in the beginning, but as I read on it became clear. I did feel at times there was unnecessary plot points that did not add much to the story (maybe later in the series) and I wish more of the text was given to character development or explaining the world because at times it was lacking. I'd say the book really picked up my interest around the halfway mark and redeemed the book.
Claire is the librarian of the Library of the Unwritten located in hell, she is beyond Lucifer's control even though all the demons would love unfiltered access to the unwritten books to get a better insight in human
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desire. Her main responsibilities are to repair books and keep them in order, but also to wrangle in characters that get loose from the book so they don't wreck havoc on the mortal world. During a hero's escape it becomes complicated when angels show up trying to get a hold of a piece of the devil's bible that is in the librarian's possession. Now obviously I read this book because I am a librarian and it sounded awesome that there is a unwritten library filled with books no one else has seen and its in hell, because why not. The story got a little confusing at times because of everything that was going on especially in the beginning, but as I read on it became clear. I did feel at times there was unnecessary plot points that did not add much to the story (maybe later in the series) and I wish more of the text was given to character development or explaining the world because at times it was lacking. I'd say the book really picked up my interest around the halfway mark and redeemed the book.
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LibraryThing member murderbydeath
A great tale for anyone who loves books, but especially for those who fancy themselves future authors, struggling authors, or really, anyone who'd embrace the title of author in any form.
Myself, I've never found the title of author appealing. My love of books is strictly that of the receiver of
Regardless, once I got into the story, which admittedly took awhile, I was invested. I thoroughly appreciated the author's take on Christian theology and judgement, but had a hard time buying into the creative license she took with heaven on several different levels. There's a serious feminist vibe running throughout the narrative, which is fine, but for the record: God is no more a 'she' than God is a 'he'; God is Omni; God is all, and while it makes no material difference which gender pronoun one uses, the overt use of "she' has always felt petty to me. It was a small blip, but whenever it happened it yanked me out of the story, even if just for a second.
The author's grasp of the mythology of the underworld felt less formed, but only if you really stop to consider; the logic of the plotting cracks a bit around the edges if you stop to consider how she's got the bureaucracy of Hell set up. Don't think about it too much though and it works well enough.
The characters are well written, though Leto's story is obviously the one that is the most fully developed. This is the character the author thought most deeply about, or had enough life experience that bled through into his creation. Which is both unfortunate and haunting, though the result is a character the reader can care about and cheer for. To use Hackworth's logic, Leto is the character most likely to leave his book.
Overall, an engaging story, an adventure. There's a second book out next month that I'll happily read, and I hope this time around we'll spend more time in the library itself.
Myself, I've never found the title of author appealing. My love of books is strictly that of the receiver of
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stories, and as such, some of the rhapsodic odes to unwritten stories was lost on me, though I connected with the idea of potentiality.Regardless, once I got into the story, which admittedly took awhile, I was invested. I thoroughly appreciated the author's take on Christian theology and judgement, but had a hard time buying into the creative license she took with heaven on several different levels. There's a serious feminist vibe running throughout the narrative, which is fine, but for the record: God is no more a 'she' than God is a 'he'; God is Omni; God is all, and while it makes no material difference which gender pronoun one uses, the overt use of "she' has always felt petty to me. It was a small blip, but whenever it happened it yanked me out of the story, even if just for a second.
The author's grasp of the mythology of the underworld felt less formed, but only if you really stop to consider; the logic of the plotting cracks a bit around the edges if you stop to consider how she's got the bureaucracy of Hell set up. Don't think about it too much though and it works well enough.
The characters are well written, though Leto's story is obviously the one that is the most fully developed. This is the character the author thought most deeply about, or had enough life experience that bled through into his creation. Which is both unfortunate and haunting, though the result is a character the reader can care about and cheer for. To use Hackworth's logic, Leto is the character most likely to leave his book.
Overall, an engaging story, an adventure. There's a second book out next month that I'll happily read, and I hope this time around we'll spend more time in the library itself.
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LibraryThing member mzonderm
Did you ever think about what happens to the book that don't get written?
In A. J. Hackwith's imagination, they reside in the Library of the Unwritten, a lesser known part of Hell. There, they are presided over, protected by, and under the care of the Librarian. The Librarian is in charge of keeping
Unfortunately, she and her team get caught up in a dispute over the Devil's Bible, a book believed by those in both Heaven and Hell to hold great power. In an effort to keep it out of the hands of a demon who wants to use it for his own nefarious purposes, they seek to return the book to the Library for safekeeping, but must travel through several realms, including Valhalla, on their way. Meanwhile, the Library itself is under seige, and the team must split up. Will they be able to win the fight on two fronts, and still remain strong enough to keep the Lirbary intact?
As with any work of fantasy, this book requires more than a little suspension of disbelief, and readers who characterize themselves as religious may have an ever harder time, given that the subject matter includes a somewhat jaundiced approach to Heaven and Hell, demons and angels. Other readers may appreciate Hackwith's multi-cultural mythologizing, her notion of a literary duel, and her ideas about what can happen when characters become separated from their books.
For fans of The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde, The Library of the Dead by T. L. Huchu, and The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heep by H. G. Parry.
In A. J. Hackwith's imagination, they reside in the Library of the Unwritten, a lesser known part of Hell. There, they are presided over, protected by, and under the care of the Librarian. The Librarian is in charge of keeping
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the books quiet, and making sure none of the character escape from between the covers (except for a few Damsels, who can clearly do better in life). When Claire Hadley, the current Librarian, gets word that, not only has the main characters of one of the books gotten loose, but is talking to its author, she heads topside to intervene and get the character back into its book where it belongs.Unfortunately, she and her team get caught up in a dispute over the Devil's Bible, a book believed by those in both Heaven and Hell to hold great power. In an effort to keep it out of the hands of a demon who wants to use it for his own nefarious purposes, they seek to return the book to the Library for safekeeping, but must travel through several realms, including Valhalla, on their way. Meanwhile, the Library itself is under seige, and the team must split up. Will they be able to win the fight on two fronts, and still remain strong enough to keep the Lirbary intact?
As with any work of fantasy, this book requires more than a little suspension of disbelief, and readers who characterize themselves as religious may have an ever harder time, given that the subject matter includes a somewhat jaundiced approach to Heaven and Hell, demons and angels. Other readers may appreciate Hackwith's multi-cultural mythologizing, her notion of a literary duel, and her ideas about what can happen when characters become separated from their books.
For fans of The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde, The Library of the Dead by T. L. Huchu, and The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heep by H. G. Parry.
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LibraryThing member wyvernfriend
Parts of it felt a little loose but overall I was entertained and charmed by this story of a woman who worked as a librarian in Hell, the keeper of the unwritten and her adventures after an unwritten hero escapes a book and brings them on an adventure with a new demon, an old demon and some other
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escaped characters. I really liked Claire and I could see where a lot of her attitude came from. Overall quite a good read. Show Less
Awards
LibraryReads (Monthly Pick — October 2019)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2019-10
Physical description
7.76 x 5.16 inches
ISBN
1789093171 / 9781789093179
Local notes
Books that aren't finished by their authors reside in the Library of the Unwritten in Hell, and it is up to Claire, the Head Librarian of the Unwritten Wing, to track down any restless characters who emerge from those unfinished stories. When a Hero escapes from his book and goes in search of his author, Claire must track and capture him with the help of former muse and current assistant Brevity and nervous demon courier Leto. But what should have been a simple retrieval goes horrifyingly wrong when the terrifyingly angelic Ramiel attacks them, convinced that they hold the Devil's Bible - a powerful weapon in the power struggle between Heaven and Hell.