While it’s true the author did a wonderful job creating the atmosphere, at times the plot felt too fast-paced and focused to its detriment. I also wish we could have seen more of Edinburgh. First and foremost, my initial draw to this novel was the promise of its eponymous library, but in practice, we don’t actually get to see much of it at all, which was slightly disappointing. That said, her voice is both a unique and refreshing addition to shake up the urban paranormal genre.īut now, for what I thought was the not-so-great-and most of these aren’t true negatives, per se, just aspects which I thought could have been improved. And speaking of Ropa, she’s a delightful teenage girl, full of charisma and courage, even if all that energy sometimes comes though as attitude and sass. This novel was also a fabulous concoction of culture, bringing together Scottish tradition with the Zimbabwean heritage of our protagonist and her family.

As well, the overall mood was delectably eerie and haunting, as befitting a ghost story.

First, the positives: I enjoyed the mystery aspect of the plot, as well as the mix of modern real-world and paranormal elements. The Library of the Dead was somewhat unexpected, in both good ways and bad. But as the disturbing attacks continue, will it be enough to help her uncover the truth? In its labyrinthine depths, Ropa gains access to a wealth of hidden magical knowledge and learns more about what it means to be a ghostalker. Determined to find answers, she recruits the help of her friend Jomo, whose father works at the mysterious occult research institute known as the Library of the Dead. Nicola is one of these ghosts who has come to our protagonist with a plea to help find her son Oliver, and at first, Ropa is reluctant to investigate until she learns of the horrible thing that happens to the missing children. Someone has been targeting and bewitching local children, warns the ghosts of Edinburgh, and Ropa believes this must be the work of some dark and powerful magic. Mostly, this involves getting paid to help folks deliver messages to their dearly departed, but then one night, Ropa encounters a recently deceased spirit who makes her rethink everything she thought she knew. At a young age, she dropped out of school to look after her beloved grandmother and her sister Izwi, scraping out a living as a “ghostalker”-someone who can communicate with the dead. Huchu, The Library of the Dead opens in the titular city, the home of our protagonist, 14-year-old Ropa Moyo. The opening volume of a new series called Edinburgh Nights by T.L. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own. I received a review copy from the publisher. Book Review: The Library of the Dead by T.L. Huchu

The library of the dead huchu