The Library of the Unwritten

 

By A.J. Hackwith

Join the Library. Raise Hell!

Stories are powerful things. As such, they must be contained.  All unfinished stories go to the Library of the Unwritten, a neutral space in Hell overseen by a Head Librarian.  The Head Librarian is responsible for organizing and repairing the books, keeping them safe, and most importantly, keeping restless stories from manifesting into their characters and escaping! 

Claire, a human soul doing penance for her life on earth and the current Head Librarian, is very good at her job.  She’s cool, works well under pressure, and has a no-nonsense attitude when it comes to rebellious stories.  When Leto, a courier demon, visits the library to inform Claire of an escaped character, Claire, Leto, and her Muse assistant Brevity go to modern day Seattle to retrieve the wayward book.  

Meanwhile, Ramiel, a disgraced angel has been tasked with a mission in order to re-enter Heaven.  He is searching Earth for a book written by Lucifer and, mistaking the escaped character for Lucifer’s book, attempts to reclaim the book by force.  After barely escaping with their lives, Claire, Brevity, and Leto must figure out how to retrieve the actual copy of Lucifer’s book before the angels get to it in order to prevent Armageddon.  

  

What proceeds is a wonderful adventure through the underworlds of different mythologies with a gaggle of interesting, complex characters.  Claire, Leto, and Brevity, are accompanied by a disgraced demon archivist, and an unwritten book in character form.   All these characters fit into the world Hackwith has created and add context to the main concept of the novel – stories have power.  

I am a sucker for stories about books or libraries; however, this one felt particularly unique. I absolutely love the idea that unwritten and unfinished stories have power.  The entire world in which this story is set is by far the best thing about it. While I will say the main plot can be a bit shaky at times, I loved the concept and really enjoyed exploring this world Hackwith had created. Tons of fun to read, The Library of the Unwritten is a great armchair adventure into a magical world adjacent to our own!

Beyond the Trees

Beyond the Trees

By Adam Shoalts

Deemed by some to be “one of Canada’s greatest living explorers”, Adam Shoalts does what most of us would never dare to do – explore Canada’s wild places for months on end, alone.  Shoalts clearly loves the wilderness and feels comfortable with solitude.  But four months alone in the arctic is more than even the most seasoned outdoor enthusiasts would normally attempt.

Nevertheless, Adam Shoalts has experience with exploration and takes readers on a journey through the planning and execution of his arctic endeavour.  His plan is to cross the Canadian arctic from west to east by canoe.  He is aware of many other canoeists who would consider tackling at least some of this journey, but none who would brave these wilds alone.

Shoalts starts his journey in the small village of Eagle Plains in the Yukon, paddling east towards Hudson Bay.  Amazingly, for more than half the trip he is paddling upriver – that is, against the current.  (This, along with his lack of companion, is widely considered a crazy thing to do.)  Readers are privy to his tales of hard paddling, as well as wading and towing his canoe with a rope.  There are also countless portages through unknown territory, oftentimes over boulder-strewn terrain and through swampy, densely-treed areas.

Despite the hardships, Adam Shoalts is totally enamoured with the beauty and magic of the north.  He regularly describes breathtaking vistas as well as close encounters with curious wildlife.  Although he does endure a harrowing ordeal involving a muskox, most of his encounters with wolves, bears, and smaller wildlife are completely benign; these animals are totally unaccustomed to humans, and are neither fearful nor aggressive.

Beyond the Trees is a very readable homage to the wilds of the Canadian North.  Shoalts bemoans our culture’s “24/7 connectivity” and maintains that “immersed in nature, one feels alive,” (p. 72).  If you love an outdoor adventure, Beyond the Trees is for you. 

 

Red, White and Royal Blue

Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston delivers a nice, optimistic, and fun love story that’s a perfect start to a new decade of enjoying books and stories.

In an alternative reality, but similar enough to seem absolutely possible, Alex Claremont-Diaz is the half-Mexican son of the first female president of the United States. He is handsome, charming and passionate about making the world a better place. Then there is Prince Henry, third in line to the throne, and practically the definition of Prince Charming. Alex doesn’t necessarily consider Henry his arch-nemesis. It is just that Henry’s perceived perfection rubs Alex the wrong way, and he can’t help but obsess over the Prince’s actions.

During the Royal Wedding of Prince Henry’s brother, Alex and Henry get into an altercation that ends with them tripping over and onto the most expensive wedding cake in the world. To advert the ensuing international political nightmare, Alex and Henry are forced to convince the public that they are the best of friends. What starts as a series of staged outings and photo ops, transforms into a begrudging friendship and soon into a sweet and passionate secret love affair. But when you live your life in the public eye, keeping a secret such as this is basically impossible, especially during an election year.

McQuiston’s debut novel is a joy to read. The characters of Alex and Henry work very well together, and you can’t help but root for them to get their happily ever after. The dialogue is fun and witty, and the love story is swoon worthy. I recommend this book to fans of romantic comedies and any one out there in search of a joyful, fun, and optimistic story that will make you smile.