The Library of the Dead by T.L. Huchu

While you wait for Bethany Baptiste’s The Poisons We Drink to come in May, check out this magical adventure also set in an alternate reality where magic is real and once again, the fate of the world rests in the hands of a teenager. This was originally posted in July 2021.

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I am a sucker for any book with “library” in the title. Add in “the dead” and I’m instantly intrigued. It’s science. 

Set in a complex and strange near future, The Library of the Dead, is a genre-bending mix of fantasy, post-apocalyptic dystopia and mystery. With all that it has going on, it would be easy to stray off course, but Huchu keeps the story tight and the characters never stray from the world’s rules that have been crafted for them. 

After losing their home, Ropa, along with her sister and grandmother move into their caravan and are barely making ends meet. With her grandmother’s ailing eyesight and her sister still being quite young, it’s up to Ropa to make enough money relaying messages from the dead to the families they left behind. It’s also up to Ropa to run all errands, maintain the caravan, and protect her family. Needless to say, Ropa has a lot of responsibility and it is really, really starting to wear on her. But, Ropa is also incredibly smart and loyal and does all she can to protect her grandmother and sister from the stress. 

When a deceased mother begs for Ropa to find her missing son, Ropa is more than hesitant to take on a non-paying job. But as mysterious occurrences around town begin to point to a larger child abduction operation, Ropa quickly realizes that if she doesn’t help the children, no one will. It’s through her investigation that Ropa discovers her best friend Jomo has begun to work at a private and prestigious Library. When she convinces him to sneak her in so she can utilize the Library for her investigation, the two are quickly caught and Ropa has somehow defied a death sentence to become a member of the mysterious Library. Upon meeting Priya, a powerful healer who herself is confined to a magical wheelchair, Ropa finds a fast and loyal friend. But as much as Ropa would love to lose herself in the immense collection of occult knowledge found within the Library, she has bills to pay and missing children to find. 

Ropa’s sharp instincts and keen intellect save her from one near death experience after another. I was immediately drawn to her no-nonsense attitude and fierce love for her family and friends. Ropa’s world is similar to our own, full of economic disparity and power imbalances. Even the magical power and knowledge is reserved for those with wealth and connections. Ropa has no problem with pointing out the unfairness of it all and it’s her lack of refinement, and amazing courage,  that let her get by with calling out the members of the Library for their unwillingness to help her find the missing children. But Ropa does find a few allies within the Library and I really hope that books are written in this world so we can find out more about the Library’s history and I would love to see how much change Ropa could bring as she gets older and more powerful in her magical ability. 

I thoroughly enjoyed The Library of the Dead and if you are interested in adding this wonderful adventure to your shelves, you can find ordering information here:

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