What do you think?
Rate this book
Edinburgh Nights #1
The Library of the Dead
Opening up a world of magic and adventure, The Library of the Dead by T. L. Huchu is the first book in the Edinburgh Nights series.
When ghosts talk, she will listen . . .
Ropa dropped out of school to become a ghostalker � and she now speaks to Edinburgh’s dead, carrying messages to the living. A girl’s gotta earn a living, and it seems harmless enough. Until, that is, the dead whisper that someone’s bewitching children � leaving them husks, empty of joy and life. It’s on Ropa’s patch, so she feels honour bound to investigate. But what she learns will change her world.
She’ll dice with death (not part of her life plan . . .) as she calls on Zimbabwean magic and Scottish pragmatism to hunt down clues. For Edinburgh hides a wealth of secrets. And in the process, she discovers an occult library and some unexpected allies. Yet as shadows lengthen, will the hunter become the hunted?
When ghosts talk, she will listen . . .
Ropa dropped out of school to become a ghostalker � and she now speaks to Edinburgh’s dead, carrying messages to the living. A girl’s gotta earn a living, and it seems harmless enough. Until, that is, the dead whisper that someone’s bewitching children � leaving them husks, empty of joy and life. It’s on Ropa’s patch, so she feels honour bound to investigate. But what she learns will change her world.
She’ll dice with death (not part of her life plan . . .) as she calls on Zimbabwean magic and Scottish pragmatism to hunt down clues. For Edinburgh hides a wealth of secrets. And in the process, she discovers an occult library and some unexpected allies. Yet as shadows lengthen, will the hunter become the hunted?
337 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 4, 2021
1616 people are currently reading
56020 people want to read
About the author
T.L. Huchu
29books676followersT. L. Huchu has been published previously (as
Tendai Huchu
) in the adult market, but the Edinburgh Nights series is his genre fiction debut. His previous books (The Hairdresser of Harare and The Maestro, The Magistrate and the Mathematician) have been translated into multiple languages and his short fiction has won awards. Tendai grew up in Zimbabwe but has lived in Edinburgh for most of his adult life.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,322 reviews
May 24, 2022
Such a splendid story takes place in dreamy Edinburgh, take you to an action packed, mind spinning, riveting journey as magic and spiritual entities waltz at the streets and an occult library with dark secret passages!
Ropa who leaves her life, last chance of getting proper education behind to be a ghosttalker: when they whisper to her, she can hear them to help their unfinished businesses.
She’s handsomely paid by the families who recently lost the loved ones to connect with them which helps her to make ends meet.
She has every trait as a badass heroine, bold, quick witted, sarcastic, smart but also kind hearted, generous. Her lovely grandma and her sweet, independent, stubborn sister, her clever and intimidating bestie Priya are remarkable supporting character and reading the relationship dynamics between them is also quite fun!
Complex world building makes you questioning your whereabouts: post apocalyptic future or sometime in the past Scotland chose to be at the wrong side of the war and the kingdom is struggling to gather its power to rise from its ashes!
So far I had amazing time with creative world building, layered, well crafted characters, impressive concoction of magic and spirits� universe at the underground life of Edinburg and the blood freezing, claustrophobic atmosphere were hooking elements make you addicted to the story!
The conclusion is foreseeable from miles away but the result is still satisfying!
I’m giving my four paranormal, surprising, entertaining, magical, fast pacing, Scottish stars!
Special thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan/ Tor- Forge for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
Ropa who leaves her life, last chance of getting proper education behind to be a ghosttalker: when they whisper to her, she can hear them to help their unfinished businesses.
She’s handsomely paid by the families who recently lost the loved ones to connect with them which helps her to make ends meet.
She has every trait as a badass heroine, bold, quick witted, sarcastic, smart but also kind hearted, generous. Her lovely grandma and her sweet, independent, stubborn sister, her clever and intimidating bestie Priya are remarkable supporting character and reading the relationship dynamics between them is also quite fun!
Complex world building makes you questioning your whereabouts: post apocalyptic future or sometime in the past Scotland chose to be at the wrong side of the war and the kingdom is struggling to gather its power to rise from its ashes!
So far I had amazing time with creative world building, layered, well crafted characters, impressive concoction of magic and spirits� universe at the underground life of Edinburg and the blood freezing, claustrophobic atmosphere were hooking elements make you addicted to the story!
The conclusion is foreseeable from miles away but the result is still satisfying!
I’m giving my four paranormal, surprising, entertaining, magical, fast pacing, Scottish stars!
Special thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan/ Tor- Forge for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
February 12, 2021
TL Huchu writes a scintillating beginning to the Edinburgh Nights series, set in a post-catastrophe city which upended peoples lives, with the wealthy going up the East coast after the chaos and anarchy that materialised. It is ruled over by a King, with people greeting each other with the spiel of 'God save the king' and 'Long may he reign', the world building is terrific, the rich descriptions giving us a picture of the desperate poverty, a diverse set of colourful and vibrant characters, probing Edinburgh's criminal and magical underbelly. The storyline is dark with its echoes of the Grimm fairytales, alleviated with comic touches of humour, with a brash, bright, cynical, in your face, 14 year old Ropa Moya, our protagonist of Zimbabwean descent, who just oozes charisma, living in a caravan in the Hermiston slums area. She makes a living operating as a ghost stalker, a go between between the dead and the living, utilising her mbira, an ancient African musical instrument, having left school early to provide for and look after her wise and warm Gran, and her younger sister, Izwi.
Ropa sports green dreadlocks and black lipstick, often accompanied by her cool vulpine companion, focusing on making money to pay the rent which is in arrears, so when the recently dead mother, Nicola, desperately worried about her missing son, Ollie, asks her to find him, she initially refuses. However, she doesn't hold out for long, resulting in her entering macabre, dangerous and life threatening territory. Her friend, Jomo, helps her access the secret Library of the Dead, a repository for magical texts, becoming a member with an ear for a library card, given a scarf by the Secretary, Sir Callandar. It is here she meets her soon to be bestie, the wheelchair bound, adrenaline junkie and healer, Priya Kapoor, the two working together to find Ollie. When she visits the hotbed of criminality that is tent city, ironically named Camelot, where she once lived, she learns that other children have gone missing too.
In a narrative in which Ropa intends to save the taken children, she finds herself in a evil and cursed house, astrally visiting the terrors of the dead zone that is everyThere, with its Voykers, the demon guardians, encounters the midnight milkman, struggling to successfully practice the magical creation of fire before having to engage in the fight of her life in the thrilling finale. This was a joy to read, I loved the mix of Zimbabwean and Scottish magic and culture, the alternative Edinburgh is both recognisable and alien in equal measure and the offbeat characters are a delight, none more so than the unforgettable, brave and fearless Ropa, old before her years with all the burdens she carries. A hugely entertaining and engaging read that I recommend highly. I look forward with great anticipation to the next in the series. Many thanks to Pan Macmillan for an ARC.
Ropa sports green dreadlocks and black lipstick, often accompanied by her cool vulpine companion, focusing on making money to pay the rent which is in arrears, so when the recently dead mother, Nicola, desperately worried about her missing son, Ollie, asks her to find him, she initially refuses. However, she doesn't hold out for long, resulting in her entering macabre, dangerous and life threatening territory. Her friend, Jomo, helps her access the secret Library of the Dead, a repository for magical texts, becoming a member with an ear for a library card, given a scarf by the Secretary, Sir Callandar. It is here she meets her soon to be bestie, the wheelchair bound, adrenaline junkie and healer, Priya Kapoor, the two working together to find Ollie. When she visits the hotbed of criminality that is tent city, ironically named Camelot, where she once lived, she learns that other children have gone missing too.
In a narrative in which Ropa intends to save the taken children, she finds herself in a evil and cursed house, astrally visiting the terrors of the dead zone that is everyThere, with its Voykers, the demon guardians, encounters the midnight milkman, struggling to successfully practice the magical creation of fire before having to engage in the fight of her life in the thrilling finale. This was a joy to read, I loved the mix of Zimbabwean and Scottish magic and culture, the alternative Edinburgh is both recognisable and alien in equal measure and the offbeat characters are a delight, none more so than the unforgettable, brave and fearless Ropa, old before her years with all the burdens she carries. A hugely entertaining and engaging read that I recommend highly. I look forward with great anticipation to the next in the series. Many thanks to Pan Macmillan for an ARC.
March 31, 2021
The Library of the Dead is the first book in the Edinburgh Nights series, and I guarantee that if you read this book, you will be dying to read the next!
Fourteen-year-old, Ropa sees dead people! No, she is not that kid from The Sixth Sense, she is a ghostalker. What!?! Yes, she does not just see them, she communicates with them as well. Ropa has dropped out of school and speaks to the dead of Edinburgh with the help of her Mbira (African Musical Instrument). She carries their messages to their living relatives who pay her for her services. Sounds easy enough right? Wrong, there are obstacles in her way and she often has to leave her physical body behind to travel to other realms.... How!?! You will need to read to find out more! Why drop out of school to become a ghostalker? Why not? No, seriously, rent is expensive, and bills must be paid! Ropa pays for the caravan that she, her Gran and younger sister live in.
When the dead begin to whisper about someone taking children on her turf, Ropa feels obligated to investigate. If you think this is going to be an easy feat - THINK AGAIN! Along the way she will journey deeper into Edinburgh’s underbelly, visit an occult library, rely on Zimbabwean magic, and rely on her courage. She will come up against things that will make dementors look docile. She is on the hunt for answers but along the way will the hunter become the hunted.
This was such an immersive and fun book. If you read the synopsis and think that this might not be your cup of tea, please stop and reconsider this book. Ropa is such a spunky, tough, sarcastic, funny and street-smart character. She thinks fast on her feet, shows bravery and warmth. This book is also full of interesting and quirky characters -including her Gram, her fox (YES!), her friends and even the not so pleasant characters.
The Author builds mounting tension at the same time building alternative realms. This book is atmospheric and dark, yet not too dark. It will please both YA and Adult readers. This book is interesting, and I could not quite figure out when it takes place, is this an alternate Edinburgh or Edinburgh set sometime in the future after a catastrophe. Either way, when Ropa mentions old movies it is hilarious. Her sarcasm and whit really bring some light and fun to this darker book. Another plus of this book is how the Author was able to create the location and other realm without being too wordy or losing me in the process. I could imagine just what the author was describing in chilling detail.
I read most of this book in one day as I did not want to put this book down. It is a little bit different, who am I kidding, it is a lot different, and I loved turning out my world to enter this one. Imaginative, creative, dark, creepy and sinister. What a great start to a new series! I cannot wait to see the main characters of this book again! If you don’t want to start a series, this book does work as a standalone. It's magical!
This book was highly entertaining and pray you do not get lost in the alternate worlds as you leave your world behind to enter The Library of the Dead!
Thank you to Macmillan - Tor and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at
Fourteen-year-old, Ropa sees dead people! No, she is not that kid from The Sixth Sense, she is a ghostalker. What!?! Yes, she does not just see them, she communicates with them as well. Ropa has dropped out of school and speaks to the dead of Edinburgh with the help of her Mbira (African Musical Instrument). She carries their messages to their living relatives who pay her for her services. Sounds easy enough right? Wrong, there are obstacles in her way and she often has to leave her physical body behind to travel to other realms.... How!?! You will need to read to find out more! Why drop out of school to become a ghostalker? Why not? No, seriously, rent is expensive, and bills must be paid! Ropa pays for the caravan that she, her Gran and younger sister live in.
When the dead begin to whisper about someone taking children on her turf, Ropa feels obligated to investigate. If you think this is going to be an easy feat - THINK AGAIN! Along the way she will journey deeper into Edinburgh’s underbelly, visit an occult library, rely on Zimbabwean magic, and rely on her courage. She will come up against things that will make dementors look docile. She is on the hunt for answers but along the way will the hunter become the hunted.
This was such an immersive and fun book. If you read the synopsis and think that this might not be your cup of tea, please stop and reconsider this book. Ropa is such a spunky, tough, sarcastic, funny and street-smart character. She thinks fast on her feet, shows bravery and warmth. This book is also full of interesting and quirky characters -including her Gram, her fox (YES!), her friends and even the not so pleasant characters.
The Author builds mounting tension at the same time building alternative realms. This book is atmospheric and dark, yet not too dark. It will please both YA and Adult readers. This book is interesting, and I could not quite figure out when it takes place, is this an alternate Edinburgh or Edinburgh set sometime in the future after a catastrophe. Either way, when Ropa mentions old movies it is hilarious. Her sarcasm and whit really bring some light and fun to this darker book. Another plus of this book is how the Author was able to create the location and other realm without being too wordy or losing me in the process. I could imagine just what the author was describing in chilling detail.
I read most of this book in one day as I did not want to put this book down. It is a little bit different, who am I kidding, it is a lot different, and I loved turning out my world to enter this one. Imaginative, creative, dark, creepy and sinister. What a great start to a new series! I cannot wait to see the main characters of this book again! If you don’t want to start a series, this book does work as a standalone. It's magical!
This book was highly entertaining and pray you do not get lost in the alternate worlds as you leave your world behind to enter The Library of the Dead!
Thank you to Macmillan - Tor and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at
June 1, 2021
NOW AVAILABLE!!!
i'm pretty unseasoned when it comes to urban fantasy—i've dipped a toe here and there, but it's not a genre that i'm too familiar with. to be honest, i'm not clear on what distinguishes urban fantasy from paranormal romance—such a large chunk of the UF market looks to me like romance novels backdropped with cryptids, and romance novels hold little appeal for me. there have been a few UF books i've loved: , rachel vincent's menagerie trilogy, and i still plan to (someday) try seanan maguire's UF series because i love all her other stuff so much. all of this blahblah is meant to emphasize that i'm no authority on the genre, and i'm sort of reviewing this one in a vacuum here, so i'll leave it to genre-folks to weigh in on how it stacks up against others of its kind. however, i will note that there's no romance-plot in this one, which means more time can be spent on the creatures and blood smears, which i appreciate way more than lingering gazes and sweaty abs. in books.
this is a series opener, so a lot of its focus is directed at introducing the reader to the world. there's definitely YA-reader crossover appeal here: set in a dystopic near-future edinburgh, it features young dreadlocked n' steel-toe-booted zimbabwean/scottish gothpunk ropa—a ghostalker-for-hire who uses her ancestral magic to serve as an intermediary between the dead and the living.
she lives in a teensy caravan with her gran and her little sister izwe, and has a respectfully-distant companionship with a fox named river.
ropa dropped out of school to help pay the bills, but she has an unquenchable thirst for knowledge, and on her rounds, in-between resolving the last-last wishes of the lingering departed, she listens to audiobooks and podcasts constantly—a true autodidact absorbing whatever she can, and making her own astute value judgments on what she learns.
it's basically a supernatural missing persons story, populated by the mysterious characters that prowl thru the urban underbelly; urchins and those who seeking to exploit them—like dickens with a bit more dismemberment and a little of this:
i will absolutely read the rest of the series, because i am intrigued by that library, which was only a small part of this story, and i'm really drawn to ropa's voice and attitude.
i'm pretty unseasoned when it comes to urban fantasy—i've dipped a toe here and there, but it's not a genre that i'm too familiar with. to be honest, i'm not clear on what distinguishes urban fantasy from paranormal romance—such a large chunk of the UF market looks to me like romance novels backdropped with cryptids, and romance novels hold little appeal for me. there have been a few UF books i've loved: , rachel vincent's menagerie trilogy, and i still plan to (someday) try seanan maguire's UF series because i love all her other stuff so much. all of this blahblah is meant to emphasize that i'm no authority on the genre, and i'm sort of reviewing this one in a vacuum here, so i'll leave it to genre-folks to weigh in on how it stacks up against others of its kind. however, i will note that there's no romance-plot in this one, which means more time can be spent on the creatures and blood smears, which i appreciate way more than lingering gazes and sweaty abs. in books.
this is a series opener, so a lot of its focus is directed at introducing the reader to the world. there's definitely YA-reader crossover appeal here: set in a dystopic near-future edinburgh, it features young dreadlocked n' steel-toe-booted zimbabwean/scottish gothpunk ropa—a ghostalker-for-hire who uses her ancestral magic to serve as an intermediary between the dead and the living.
she lives in a teensy caravan with her gran and her little sister izwe, and has a respectfully-distant companionship with a fox named river.
ropa dropped out of school to help pay the bills, but she has an unquenchable thirst for knowledge, and on her rounds, in-between resolving the last-last wishes of the lingering departed, she listens to audiobooks and podcasts constantly—a true autodidact absorbing whatever she can, and making her own astute value judgments on what she learns.
That's the thing about this learning stuff. No sooner have you picked one thing up before you're sent off after another book. Sometimes the guys I listen to say contradictory things and I have to choose for myself who's right and who's wrong. Other times they're both right and it makes no sense to pick one over the other, so you just have to be pragmatic: pick what works now and discard it for something else when the time comes. That's how I like to operate. Can't afford to put myself in some sort of ideological straitjacket. That's for losers.
it's basically a supernatural missing persons story, populated by the mysterious characters that prowl thru the urban underbelly; urchins and those who seeking to exploit them—like dickens with a bit more dismemberment and a little of this:
i will absolutely read the rest of the series, because i am intrigued by that library, which was only a small part of this story, and i'm really drawn to ropa's voice and attitude.
January 9, 2021
"Curiosity's killed cats, but they never mentioned kids."
Although it took me about 100 pages to really start caring about the story and where it was about to go, once I was hooked it was a blast. This book is a bit of a weirdo at first, but then you get to know nit a little better and come to like all the things that make it weird. It's your friend now, quirks and all, and you want to protect it at all costs. Or that's how I felt about the characters anyway. Really, they're a lovely bunch and the beating heart of this book. There's our big-hearted, no-bullshit heroine who had to grow up way too quickly. There's her gran who is honestly the best and the stubborn but cute little sister. And then there's her new friend, Priya, who has got the looks and the brains and also scares me a little. And I'm getting strong queer vibes from her as well as the main character. I was also absolutely here for the impromptu ghost bake-off with the cute gay couple. 20% ridiculous and 80% sweet.
Now I also fell in love with this book because it's set in one of my favourite places in the world: Edinburgh. I miss this city so much and I could imagine it all play out so well because I've walked the same streets as our main character. Nostalgia alert.
The author is also pretty talented at explaining abstract concepts and even manages to make them sound fun. It's a mix of science and magic and I'm seriously impressed by the author's creativity, because I could never. But the magical system seems very well constructed and did great things for the world-building.
One of the book's weaker points is its predictability but I honestly wasn't bothered by that. I feel like the real essence of the book lies in its writing and characters and it takes the pressure off the plot somewhat. That isn't to say I didn't enjoy the plot, because I really did, but I immediately clocked the villain. It was seriously exciting despite that and this might as well be my favourite car/wheelchair chase ever.
I can't believe that I now have to wait a year or more to read the sequel and I hope there will be many of those. Cause this is some Terry Pratchett/Ben Aaronovitch shit.
Although it took me about 100 pages to really start caring about the story and where it was about to go, once I was hooked it was a blast. This book is a bit of a weirdo at first, but then you get to know nit a little better and come to like all the things that make it weird. It's your friend now, quirks and all, and you want to protect it at all costs. Or that's how I felt about the characters anyway. Really, they're a lovely bunch and the beating heart of this book. There's our big-hearted, no-bullshit heroine who had to grow up way too quickly. There's her gran who is honestly the best and the stubborn but cute little sister. And then there's her new friend, Priya, who has got the looks and the brains and also scares me a little. And I'm getting strong queer vibes from her as well as the main character. I was also absolutely here for the impromptu ghost bake-off with the cute gay couple. 20% ridiculous and 80% sweet.
Now I also fell in love with this book because it's set in one of my favourite places in the world: Edinburgh. I miss this city so much and I could imagine it all play out so well because I've walked the same streets as our main character. Nostalgia alert.
The author is also pretty talented at explaining abstract concepts and even manages to make them sound fun. It's a mix of science and magic and I'm seriously impressed by the author's creativity, because I could never. But the magical system seems very well constructed and did great things for the world-building.
One of the book's weaker points is its predictability but I honestly wasn't bothered by that. I feel like the real essence of the book lies in its writing and characters and it takes the pressure off the plot somewhat. That isn't to say I didn't enjoy the plot, because I really did, but I immediately clocked the villain. It was seriously exciting despite that and this might as well be my favourite car/wheelchair chase ever.
I can't believe that I now have to wait a year or more to read the sequel and I hope there will be many of those. Cause this is some Terry Pratchett/Ben Aaronovitch shit.
September 10, 2021
When I read the synopsis of this book on my library app, I was very excited to read it. Being set in Edinburgh was enough for me to immediately download an listen. However, the novel end up being a major let down for several reasons:
1. I hadn’t realized this was going to be a YA novel, but decided to go ahead and read anyway. There are plenty of YA novels that are excellent, the Harry Potter series being an obvious example. However, the writing style and the behavior of the main character was very offputting and not done well. I can tell the author was trying to make her relatable to the YA readers, but I don’t think he succeeded.
2. Lots of things were confusing in the novel. I could tell that it was supposed to be set at some point in the future, and there were a lot of references to an uprising and some form of dystopian society. However, this was not explained at all, the date of the events was never told, and that added a very confusing layer to the plot. I know that this book is the first in a series, so maybe the author gets into this issue more in the other novels, but it is poor writing to not explain this well at the beginning of the first book in a series.
3. For some unexplained reason, the main character never wants to go into the main areas of town for the city center. For a novel that is advertised as being set in Edinburgh, this was a major let down for me. Books like 44 Scotland Street� do a much better job at letting the city be a wonderful backdrop to the story. Having lived in Edinburgh, I was really looking forward to streets and other references being made, but alas. No such luck. Just quick quips like this one about a “new loch - some say it used to be a pretty garden at one point.� 🙄 Why was princes street gardens converted back into a loch?! Why are things like this peppered throughout the book and never explained? And apparently there’s a trailer park at Dunsappie Loch? Such a strange choice when the author does not give any context for this.
4. The characters were very one dimensional and I was not emotionally invested in them at all. Again, this is not an issue with it being YA, just poor writing. The main character also constantly has a bad attitude with a chip on her shoulder and never grows as a person.
5. For the book being titled “The Library of the Dead�, there are hardly any scenes at said library, and I’m still not sure what the purpose was for it being mentioned in the book. It could be more of a plot point in the other books, but again, why is the title what it is when the library-related subplot is minimal and seemingly unnecessary? I feel like this was a failure on the author’s part to get the story out of his head and onto paper in a good order of events.
6. The climax of the book was bizarre and kitschy. It was almost like the author didn’t know exactly how to wrap up his plot and basically did a “Hail Mary�.
All things considered, I have to give it only one star. It really is a shame because the premise was good.
1. I hadn’t realized this was going to be a YA novel, but decided to go ahead and read anyway. There are plenty of YA novels that are excellent, the Harry Potter series being an obvious example. However, the writing style and the behavior of the main character was very offputting and not done well. I can tell the author was trying to make her relatable to the YA readers, but I don’t think he succeeded.
2. Lots of things were confusing in the novel. I could tell that it was supposed to be set at some point in the future, and there were a lot of references to an uprising and some form of dystopian society. However, this was not explained at all, the date of the events was never told, and that added a very confusing layer to the plot. I know that this book is the first in a series, so maybe the author gets into this issue more in the other novels, but it is poor writing to not explain this well at the beginning of the first book in a series.
3. For some unexplained reason, the main character never wants to go into the main areas of town for the city center. For a novel that is advertised as being set in Edinburgh, this was a major let down for me. Books like 44 Scotland Street� do a much better job at letting the city be a wonderful backdrop to the story. Having lived in Edinburgh, I was really looking forward to streets and other references being made, but alas. No such luck. Just quick quips like this one about a “new loch - some say it used to be a pretty garden at one point.� 🙄 Why was princes street gardens converted back into a loch?! Why are things like this peppered throughout the book and never explained? And apparently there’s a trailer park at Dunsappie Loch? Such a strange choice when the author does not give any context for this.
4. The characters were very one dimensional and I was not emotionally invested in them at all. Again, this is not an issue with it being YA, just poor writing. The main character also constantly has a bad attitude with a chip on her shoulder and never grows as a person.
5. For the book being titled “The Library of the Dead�, there are hardly any scenes at said library, and I’m still not sure what the purpose was for it being mentioned in the book. It could be more of a plot point in the other books, but again, why is the title what it is when the library-related subplot is minimal and seemingly unnecessary? I feel like this was a failure on the author’s part to get the story out of his head and onto paper in a good order of events.
6. The climax of the book was bizarre and kitschy. It was almost like the author didn’t know exactly how to wrap up his plot and basically did a “Hail Mary�.
All things considered, I have to give it only one star. It really is a shame because the premise was good.
January 14, 2021
I received an uncorrected proof copy of The Library of the Dead in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to T.L. Huchu and Tor Books.
The Library of the Dead is the first entry in the Edinburgh Nights series. Throughout the book, we follow a 14-year-old dreadlocked punkish youth called Ropa. Ropa works as a ghostalker, using her unique skills and her mbira (an African musical instrument) to converse with the many deceased of this alternative Edinburgh. Passing messages from the dead to the living and banishing unruly spectres are just a few of the tasks that would appear on a professional ghostalker's CV. She has to get paid for such duties after all as her caravan's rent, where she lives with her gran, sister and her pet fox, doesn't come cheap.
I was particularly impressed with Ropa's voice as the MC. Her thoughts and feelings are expressed in the first person present tense and, although it took me a little while to get used to this style, I found it kooky and a joy to read. Ropa's a witty and likeable protagonist who often uses Scottish dialect and slang in a similar way to the style that charmed me as a youth when I would read Oor Wullie comics. Ropa being young, energetic and using some youth-speak makes her an endearing lead to follow.
The Library of the Dead features dark themes, gruesome happenings, otherworldly monsters, and supernatural horrors yet, because of Ropa; I believe that it could be enjoyed by both adult and YA readers alike.
The action takes place in an alternate Edinburgh that features slums, violence, poverty, and magic. It is set after an event known as the catastrophe and although it is hinted at that this could be slightly in the future, the whole atmosphere has an almost 80's vibe to it, but with mobile phones.
With the paranormal, the unknown, and magic lurking within the novel, there are also other planes of existence that can be frequented by those with the necessary skillset. One of these is known as the EveryThere which has a definite Stranger Things' Upside Down feel to it. There are some moments that take place there that stood out in my mind but I am hoping to see more of it in future books. It's a distorted and stifling place where time and gravity don't exist and it is full of shuffling forlorn spirits and guardian demons know as Voykors. Another standout section in this well-crafted and sometimes warped world is later on in the novel. It's a great segment that has trippy modern-day Grimm fairy tale feel to it and introduces the incredibly creepy sounding Midnight Milkman. The titular Library of the Dead is pretty intriguing too and in the next books, I want to find out more regarding what happens there and the exclusive individuals who frequent the establishment.
My reading experience with The Library of the Dead was mostly positive. After I got used to the writing style I found that I really enjoyed the tale's feel. One minor criticism I have is that I found some of the chapters at the beginning, when the novel's groundwork was being set, to be a bit stuttering and plodding and I wasn't completely "all in" until the 90-page mark.
To conclude, I'll say that The Library of the Dead is an enjoyable dark urban fantasy tale that is set in a nicely depicted alternate Edinburgh, with a great lead character and a vibrant supporting cast. To say that this is a debut release though means that a lot of plaudits should go to Huchu here for what he's accomplished. There are many great elements to this novel which I've mentioned throughout the review but it doesn't quite live up to the lofty heights of the concept and what the blurb presents the book as. The Library of the Dead works perfectly as a standalone with everything wrapping up expertly with enough intriguing hints and ideas of what is to come in the follow-up. Will I continue reading this series? Yes, probably. Would I recommend this book? Yes, I would as I give it a well-earned 7/10 rating.
The Library of the Dead is the first entry in the Edinburgh Nights series. Throughout the book, we follow a 14-year-old dreadlocked punkish youth called Ropa. Ropa works as a ghostalker, using her unique skills and her mbira (an African musical instrument) to converse with the many deceased of this alternative Edinburgh. Passing messages from the dead to the living and banishing unruly spectres are just a few of the tasks that would appear on a professional ghostalker's CV. She has to get paid for such duties after all as her caravan's rent, where she lives with her gran, sister and her pet fox, doesn't come cheap.
I was particularly impressed with Ropa's voice as the MC. Her thoughts and feelings are expressed in the first person present tense and, although it took me a little while to get used to this style, I found it kooky and a joy to read. Ropa's a witty and likeable protagonist who often uses Scottish dialect and slang in a similar way to the style that charmed me as a youth when I would read Oor Wullie comics. Ropa being young, energetic and using some youth-speak makes her an endearing lead to follow.
The Library of the Dead features dark themes, gruesome happenings, otherworldly monsters, and supernatural horrors yet, because of Ropa; I believe that it could be enjoyed by both adult and YA readers alike.
The action takes place in an alternate Edinburgh that features slums, violence, poverty, and magic. It is set after an event known as the catastrophe and although it is hinted at that this could be slightly in the future, the whole atmosphere has an almost 80's vibe to it, but with mobile phones.
With the paranormal, the unknown, and magic lurking within the novel, there are also other planes of existence that can be frequented by those with the necessary skillset. One of these is known as the EveryThere which has a definite Stranger Things' Upside Down feel to it. There are some moments that take place there that stood out in my mind but I am hoping to see more of it in future books. It's a distorted and stifling place where time and gravity don't exist and it is full of shuffling forlorn spirits and guardian demons know as Voykors. Another standout section in this well-crafted and sometimes warped world is later on in the novel. It's a great segment that has trippy modern-day Grimm fairy tale feel to it and introduces the incredibly creepy sounding Midnight Milkman. The titular Library of the Dead is pretty intriguing too and in the next books, I want to find out more regarding what happens there and the exclusive individuals who frequent the establishment.
My reading experience with The Library of the Dead was mostly positive. After I got used to the writing style I found that I really enjoyed the tale's feel. One minor criticism I have is that I found some of the chapters at the beginning, when the novel's groundwork was being set, to be a bit stuttering and plodding and I wasn't completely "all in" until the 90-page mark.
To conclude, I'll say that The Library of the Dead is an enjoyable dark urban fantasy tale that is set in a nicely depicted alternate Edinburgh, with a great lead character and a vibrant supporting cast. To say that this is a debut release though means that a lot of plaudits should go to Huchu here for what he's accomplished. There are many great elements to this novel which I've mentioned throughout the review but it doesn't quite live up to the lofty heights of the concept and what the blurb presents the book as. The Library of the Dead works perfectly as a standalone with everything wrapping up expertly with enough intriguing hints and ideas of what is to come in the follow-up. Will I continue reading this series? Yes, probably. Would I recommend this book? Yes, I would as I give it a well-earned 7/10 rating.
October 17, 2021
I’m sad I didn’t enjoy this one all that much, but it seems most of my enjoyment was just from recognising the place names mentioned. I’ll be back to write a full review once I can compile my thoughts into something coherent because I have a LOT :/
November 17, 2024
I wanted to like this, I really did ☹️ I tried starting over and powering through- this just wasn’t for me. 😬
Read
June 6, 2021Didn't land with me. Very slow to get the plot going, concentrating on developing the protagonist voice and set up. Whether this works for any given reader entirely depends on how much you like the protag/world. Didn't hold my attention, but YMMV. DNF at 49%
June 9, 2021
In this debut novel and first of a new urban fantasy series (titled Edinburgh Nights), T.L. Huchu has imagined a near futuristic dystopian Edinburgh. An unspecified catastrophe has occurred, plunging the world into anarchy, chaos and disease. Recognisable remnants of civilisation remain including electricity in places, TV showing re-runs of old shows and mobile phones, but magic has also appeared. The wealthy have deserted the cities, forming enclaves on the coast, leaving the poor and homeless to fend for themselves.
With both her parents dead, fourteen year old Ropafazdo (Ropa) Moya, of Zimbabwean descent, has dropped out of school to care for her blind grandmother and younger sister. To pay the rent for their tiny caravan in the slums, she works hard as a licensed ghoststalker, carrying messages between newly dead ghosts and their loved ones using Zimbabwean music to communicate with the dead. She can also banish unruly ghosts who overstay their welcome. When a ghost tells her children are disappearing and some have returned as husks of themselves, she resolves to find out who is taking them.
With her feisty, cynical attitude Ropa makes for an excellent lead character. She has had to grow up fast and seems much older and more streetwise than her fourteen years. Her unquenchable thirst for knowledge drives her to convince old school friend Jomo to sneak her into the fabulous secret underground library of the dead, where he has a job. There she discovers an amazing repository of books on science and magic and unexpectedly finds herself a mentor. She also makes a new friend in clever, wheelchair bound Priya, who is prepared to help her search for the Midnight Milkman, who Ropa believes is at the heart of what is happening to the missing children.
This creative, atmospheric urban fantasy is quite dark but kept light by Ropa’s snarky wit, comments about old movies and humour in the situations she finds herself in. Edinburgh with its landmark buildings will be recognisable to those who know it, even as it gradually declines into urban decay. With its interesting characters, and fast paced plot, the novel will appeal to both YA and older readers. I can’t wait to revisit this series and find out more about the fascinating library of the dead and the system of magic in this new but familiar world.
With thanks to Macmillan-Tor/Forge and Netgalley for a copy to read. Original review first published in Mystery & Suspense magazine
With both her parents dead, fourteen year old Ropafazdo (Ropa) Moya, of Zimbabwean descent, has dropped out of school to care for her blind grandmother and younger sister. To pay the rent for their tiny caravan in the slums, she works hard as a licensed ghoststalker, carrying messages between newly dead ghosts and their loved ones using Zimbabwean music to communicate with the dead. She can also banish unruly ghosts who overstay their welcome. When a ghost tells her children are disappearing and some have returned as husks of themselves, she resolves to find out who is taking them.
With her feisty, cynical attitude Ropa makes for an excellent lead character. She has had to grow up fast and seems much older and more streetwise than her fourteen years. Her unquenchable thirst for knowledge drives her to convince old school friend Jomo to sneak her into the fabulous secret underground library of the dead, where he has a job. There she discovers an amazing repository of books on science and magic and unexpectedly finds herself a mentor. She also makes a new friend in clever, wheelchair bound Priya, who is prepared to help her search for the Midnight Milkman, who Ropa believes is at the heart of what is happening to the missing children.
This creative, atmospheric urban fantasy is quite dark but kept light by Ropa’s snarky wit, comments about old movies and humour in the situations she finds herself in. Edinburgh with its landmark buildings will be recognisable to those who know it, even as it gradually declines into urban decay. With its interesting characters, and fast paced plot, the novel will appeal to both YA and older readers. I can’t wait to revisit this series and find out more about the fascinating library of the dead and the system of magic in this new but familiar world.
With thanks to Macmillan-Tor/Forge and Netgalley for a copy to read. Original review first published in Mystery & Suspense magazine
March 30, 2022
I’m just so sad I didn’t love this.
September 21, 2023
Libraries are catnip to bookreaders, and unfortunately for Vivian, I was able to lure her in to reading this one. I say ‘unfortunately,� because it turned out to be a lackluster read for her. For me as well, but I thought it was nice to have confirmation from a verified source. So, kind of win? At any rate, Library of the Dead is a genre mix-up, and I do mean mix-up. I was expecting a supernatural take on urban fantasy (ghosts and ghoulies and post-death worldviews) with some multi-ethnic elements, but I wasn’t expecting a post-apocalypse/dystopia/alternate history scenario. In a dystopian Edinburgh, Scotland, Ropa, a streetwise fourteen year-old, makes her living talking to ghosts using a hereditary instrument from Zimbabwe. At ghost’s and Grandma’s behest, she reluctantly takes on the search for a missing child while she struggles to keep her small family intact.
“They say back in the day all this was free. I struggle to believe it myself, but yeah, you could just waltz into any hospital on this here island and they’d mend you, put you back on your feet, and you could say sayonara without paying spit. It’s true. Don’t quite work like that now � and I remember Gran stressing about the bill we got after Gramps died.�
Pacing is perhaps one of the biggest challenges in the story. Initially, the plot takes a meandering approach, giving an overload of minutiae that builds a very full picture of daily life (Keeping in mind the book was endorsed by Aaronovitch, I was reminded of a quote from his Detective Stephanopoulos: “I’m partial to the odd misery memoir�). Most of what happens in the first third of the story has very little to do with the end, almost as if the author had short story ideas and was trying to work them together. The nominal Library is one of those episodes that fills a few chapters, but then disappears.
“I got bumped up two grades in primary school and he was my bestie right up until I said sayonara to the system and split.�
Ropa was such a challenging narrator. Billed as neuro-divergent, and knowing we were in a not-normal timeline, I found myself continually perplexed by her knowledge. Her references ranged from Sun Tzu, Thomas Carlyle, The Book of Lord Shang, David Hume, Tantalus� thirst, Scold’s Bridle, to Phil Collins, Columbo, Casper the Friendly Ghost and Mike Tyson. I get that she’s extremely smart and loves audio books but it does feel like a much older voice, one that’s also had decades to know the history and rhythm of her city, not just how to survive in it. At times Ropa has the sarcasm I’d expect of a know-it-all teenager who is tasked with protecting her family, earning a living, and so on–in short, congruent, perhaps, with the person being portrayed. But at other times it felt like it verges into a deeper, more world-weary cynicism. There is rarely any wonder or marvel at what she experiences or learns, just annoyance.
“Used to be posh when folks with dosh lived here. Bourgeois paradise with students from all over the world spicing it up. That was before things went to shit. Back when looking at some punk the wrong way didn’t necessarily result in your guts being sliced open, and your entrails poured down the gutter.�
The writing is solid, lyrical and verging on poetic. As a note for those who care, there’s some different words thrown in along with a sort of cant. I couldn’t tell always where they were drawn from (I wasn’t reading with internet available) but it what it did most for me is add to the sense of an over-worldly voice. The story mostly takes place from Ropa’s experiential point of view, with some dialogue support–but not much. It is very much a thinking book. Ordinarily, that would be the type that I enjoy, but Ropa’s voice downgraded that experience.
“The everyThere is the shadow behind you at dusk, that ominous form in the corner of your eye, slightly out of focus, that you can never quite make out. It’s the muffled sound that hails you, someone calling your name in an empty room when you’re all alone; and when you turn, no one’s there. The eyes you feel staring at your nape every second of every day. It is ever there.�
There’s very much a sense of first-book world-builder about it. I do like the Scottish-African aspect of the world-building. If that gets your groove on, I’d go for it, with the caveat that you need to be able to stand Ropa’s cynicism. I would be interested to see what Huchu does with the world, if he can improve plotting and create something more streamlined and faster moving. This is one that might appeal to fans of Gideon the Ninth, who have more tolerance for pop culture references and snarky, disenchanted protagonists.
More links on those references at my blog:
“They say back in the day all this was free. I struggle to believe it myself, but yeah, you could just waltz into any hospital on this here island and they’d mend you, put you back on your feet, and you could say sayonara without paying spit. It’s true. Don’t quite work like that now � and I remember Gran stressing about the bill we got after Gramps died.�
Pacing is perhaps one of the biggest challenges in the story. Initially, the plot takes a meandering approach, giving an overload of minutiae that builds a very full picture of daily life (Keeping in mind the book was endorsed by Aaronovitch, I was reminded of a quote from his Detective Stephanopoulos: “I’m partial to the odd misery memoir�). Most of what happens in the first third of the story has very little to do with the end, almost as if the author had short story ideas and was trying to work them together. The nominal Library is one of those episodes that fills a few chapters, but then disappears.
“I got bumped up two grades in primary school and he was my bestie right up until I said sayonara to the system and split.�
Ropa was such a challenging narrator. Billed as neuro-divergent, and knowing we were in a not-normal timeline, I found myself continually perplexed by her knowledge. Her references ranged from Sun Tzu, Thomas Carlyle, The Book of Lord Shang, David Hume, Tantalus� thirst, Scold’s Bridle, to Phil Collins, Columbo, Casper the Friendly Ghost and Mike Tyson. I get that she’s extremely smart and loves audio books but it does feel like a much older voice, one that’s also had decades to know the history and rhythm of her city, not just how to survive in it. At times Ropa has the sarcasm I’d expect of a know-it-all teenager who is tasked with protecting her family, earning a living, and so on–in short, congruent, perhaps, with the person being portrayed. But at other times it felt like it verges into a deeper, more world-weary cynicism. There is rarely any wonder or marvel at what she experiences or learns, just annoyance.
“Used to be posh when folks with dosh lived here. Bourgeois paradise with students from all over the world spicing it up. That was before things went to shit. Back when looking at some punk the wrong way didn’t necessarily result in your guts being sliced open, and your entrails poured down the gutter.�
The writing is solid, lyrical and verging on poetic. As a note for those who care, there’s some different words thrown in along with a sort of cant. I couldn’t tell always where they were drawn from (I wasn’t reading with internet available) but it what it did most for me is add to the sense of an over-worldly voice. The story mostly takes place from Ropa’s experiential point of view, with some dialogue support–but not much. It is very much a thinking book. Ordinarily, that would be the type that I enjoy, but Ropa’s voice downgraded that experience.
“The everyThere is the shadow behind you at dusk, that ominous form in the corner of your eye, slightly out of focus, that you can never quite make out. It’s the muffled sound that hails you, someone calling your name in an empty room when you’re all alone; and when you turn, no one’s there. The eyes you feel staring at your nape every second of every day. It is ever there.�
There’s very much a sense of first-book world-builder about it. I do like the Scottish-African aspect of the world-building. If that gets your groove on, I’d go for it, with the caveat that you need to be able to stand Ropa’s cynicism. I would be interested to see what Huchu does with the world, if he can improve plotting and create something more streamlined and faster moving. This is one that might appeal to fans of Gideon the Ninth, who have more tolerance for pop culture references and snarky, disenchanted protagonists.
More links on those references at my blog:
November 16, 2023
This was fine but I won’t be continuing with the series.
June 3, 2021
Isn’t this cover stunning? I lovethevibrant blue and allthedetails. I know I don’t share fantasy books regularly; however, I love mixing up genres, especially when they involve ghost stories and alibrary(not your every daylibraryeither!).
Set in Edinburgh, Scotland after a catastrophe has struckthecity,TheLibrary oftheDeadis Ropa’s story. She’s a ghosttalker familiar with Zimbabwean magic. She takes messages fromthedeadto those who are living, and this is how she pays her bills. Of course it isn’t that simple, and Ropa has brushes with death and uncertainty.
I absolutely loved Ropa. She’s strong and brave and carries a heavy burden.Thestory is full of imagination, a whole new world, and it’s dark, seedy, and super creepy. I was entertained throughout and am so grateful for my time spent with Ropa. I’m also thrilled to see there’s a follow-up to this book onthehorizon. While this is first in a series, it’s also a complete and thoughtful standalone book as well, but if you are like me, you’ll want to follow along with Ropa in another installment, too!
I received a gifted copy.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: and instagram:
Set in Edinburgh, Scotland after a catastrophe has struckthecity,TheLibrary oftheDeadis Ropa’s story. She’s a ghosttalker familiar with Zimbabwean magic. She takes messages fromthedeadto those who are living, and this is how she pays her bills. Of course it isn’t that simple, and Ropa has brushes with death and uncertainty.
I absolutely loved Ropa. She’s strong and brave and carries a heavy burden.Thestory is full of imagination, a whole new world, and it’s dark, seedy, and super creepy. I was entertained throughout and am so grateful for my time spent with Ropa. I’m also thrilled to see there’s a follow-up to this book onthehorizon. While this is first in a series, it’s also a complete and thoughtful standalone book as well, but if you are like me, you’ll want to follow along with Ropa in another installment, too!
I received a gifted copy.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: and instagram:
September 4, 2021
I felt like the magical library and its snobby practioners club belonged in a different book from the actual plot with the gritty kid investigating kidnappings on behalf of a ghost -- like the author thought it up and it was just too cool to not include, which I'm sympathetic to. There was a lot crammed into this book. But I liked Ropa and the ideas about how magic worked and the decaying Edinburgh (I think this would have even more appeal for someone familiar with the city) and will probably read a seequel if there is one.
August 28, 2021
Aw shucks. I read a bunch of other reviews and I have to echo what they say, "I really wanted to like this book". I thought it started off well, an interesting character with a great voice and a loving family struggling to survive in a dark near future version of Edinburgh. The latter half was a real let down, a mystery became the focus and was resolved so conveniently, I actually cringed. 😬
I won't continue this series. However, I will add Hucha's award winning short stories to my tbr
I won't continue this series. However, I will add Hucha's award winning short stories to my tbr
February 10, 2025
I'm not a YA reader so I fall somewhat outside of the target audience for this book. Also, anything that has even slight airs of magic school makes me breakout in hives, I hate that stuff with a passion, so I probably won't be reading the next books in the series. That being said, I liked the world building and Ropa was pretty easy to like character.
July 2, 2023
It took me a bit to get into the narrative style, but once I did, I enjoyed the heck out of this. Ideal if you're in the mood for post-apocalyptic spooky supernatural shenanigans that feature a mashup of Scottish and Zimbabwean culture, fronted by a spunky, slang-talkin' heroine.
And who doesn't need that every once in a while?
And who doesn't need that every once in a while?
May 9, 2022
Delightful! I must confess that I chose this book on the basis of one of my favourite authors (Ben Aaronovitch) recommending it. When I got my hands on my library copy, there was also a testimonial from another fav (Genevieve Cogman). And they were both right.
Ropa is a young Zimbabwean Scot living in a post-apocalyptic Edinburgh. Her grandmother and her sister live with her in a small trailer in a slummy area, where Ropa manages to pay the rent by taking messages from the dead to the living (if they will make payment). Her mbira (an instrument of the Shona in Zimbabwe) assists her stabilizing these “deaders" and helping them move on to the next plain.
Much against her better judgment, Ropa ends up helping a ghost whose folk are unable to pay, but when admonished by her grandmother Ropa gives it her all. Her friend Jomo wants to show off his new gig at The Library of the Dead, getting both of them in trouble, but inadvertently getting Ropa a library membership and new friends and magical training. Huchu keeps a lot of balls in the air, juggling madly, and keeps the plot and the action rolling along nicely.
I have to say I'm not surprised by Aaronovitch’s reccie, as Ropa reminds me of a less fortunate Peter Grant. Add to that her fox friend, River, who invites herself along on some occasions and the ability to speak with ghosts, plus raw talent for using magic, and I see so many links between the two authors. Ropa, however, has to avoid coppers like Peter, who are corrupt in this version of Edinburgh. She's much more into education than my Peter and grasps every advantage with both hands.
Needless to say, there are threads left hanging at book's end. The main problem has mostly wrapped up, but there are details still to sort and bigger things floating on the horizon. For those of us who adore urban fantasy, I think Mr. Huchu will be an author to watch. I certainly shall be.
Ropa is a young Zimbabwean Scot living in a post-apocalyptic Edinburgh. Her grandmother and her sister live with her in a small trailer in a slummy area, where Ropa manages to pay the rent by taking messages from the dead to the living (if they will make payment). Her mbira (an instrument of the Shona in Zimbabwe) assists her stabilizing these “deaders" and helping them move on to the next plain.
Much against her better judgment, Ropa ends up helping a ghost whose folk are unable to pay, but when admonished by her grandmother Ropa gives it her all. Her friend Jomo wants to show off his new gig at The Library of the Dead, getting both of them in trouble, but inadvertently getting Ropa a library membership and new friends and magical training. Huchu keeps a lot of balls in the air, juggling madly, and keeps the plot and the action rolling along nicely.
I have to say I'm not surprised by Aaronovitch’s reccie, as Ropa reminds me of a less fortunate Peter Grant. Add to that her fox friend, River, who invites herself along on some occasions and the ability to speak with ghosts, plus raw talent for using magic, and I see so many links between the two authors. Ropa, however, has to avoid coppers like Peter, who are corrupt in this version of Edinburgh. She's much more into education than my Peter and grasps every advantage with both hands.
Needless to say, there are threads left hanging at book's end. The main problem has mostly wrapped up, but there are details still to sort and bigger things floating on the horizon. For those of us who adore urban fantasy, I think Mr. Huchu will be an author to watch. I certainly shall be.
June 14, 2021
Ropa takes care of her younger sister and Gran as a Ghosttalker. Ghosts speak to her and she delivers their messages to loved ones for a fee. She finds out children are going missing from a new ghost who was the mother of one of the missing children. The Library of the Dead doesn't play a large part in the story itself. Ropa doesn't know much about it although it's clear we'll discover more about its rules in future books.
I found Ropa very engaging. She's smart, resourceful and fiercely independent. Her new friend Priya is a delight as well. The book is set in a dystopian Edinburgh. It's not clear what has happened but gas is rationed to only certain jobs and there has been an attempted revolution in the past along with mass flooding. I found the world building intriguing and look forward to reading additional books.
Received a review copy from Tor and Edelweiss.
I found Ropa very engaging. She's smart, resourceful and fiercely independent. Her new friend Priya is a delight as well. The book is set in a dystopian Edinburgh. It's not clear what has happened but gas is rationed to only certain jobs and there has been an attempted revolution in the past along with mass flooding. I found the world building intriguing and look forward to reading additional books.
Received a review copy from Tor and Edelweiss.
April 28, 2023
The Library of the Dead has a marvelous protagonist in Ropa. She is whip-smart and tenacious and loves her Gran and her little sister, Izwi, more than anything else in the world. The three live in a caravan in the post-apocalyptic city of Edinburgh. Gran and Ropa have second sight and Ropa can see and talk to the recently dead. That is how she makes her living, doing deeds left undone by the dead, and paid for by their living relatives.
One of the Dead has a child that went missing before she died, she wants Ropa to find the boy, but her relatives can't pay. Ropa says no, she has to take care of Gran and Izwi. She don't work for free, as she would say. Gran asks her to do it and she does, but it ain't easy work.
I loved the characters, the setting and the speech of the future inhabitants of Edinburgh, but the story doesn't catch fire until the very end and it was a bit slow-going, until then.
One of the Dead has a child that went missing before she died, she wants Ropa to find the boy, but her relatives can't pay. Ropa says no, she has to take care of Gran and Izwi. She don't work for free, as she would say. Gran asks her to do it and she does, but it ain't easy work.
I loved the characters, the setting and the speech of the future inhabitants of Edinburgh, but the story doesn't catch fire until the very end and it was a bit slow-going, until then.
September 27, 2021
There’s nothing more alarming about late stage capitalism than the influx of fictional afterlife dystopias where messages from beyond cost money, but that’s an aside. This has such a great contrast between the voice-y, hard knocks narrator on her paranormal grind to pay the rent and the sophisticated, academic magic system we get hints at. The MC and elements of world building are standouts.
March 10, 2022
Absolutely brilliant! Absolutely loved it! Fresh, original voice, creative UF world building, a post-crisis Edinburgh alternatively arranged. I look forward to many more books by this author.
May 27, 2021
Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for an AudioARC in exchange for an honest review.
The Library of the Dead is the first in a new series which follows Roper, a 14(ALMOST 15, since that sounds better) year-old girl who is a licensed Ghost Talker. She uses an instrument to tune into the ghosts and delivers messages to loved ones at a price. When children begin to go missing will Roper be able to gather enough clues from the dead to keep anyone else from going missing?
The Library of the Dead honestly has quite the misleading title. For a book that has over 350 pages there is very little of the Library....or the Dead. Roper did alot of rambling on that was intended to make her charming, which it did, but there wasn't enough story saturation to keep me wanting to come back for another chapter. The dead were few and far between, and the Library itself felt more like an afterthought rather than a key plot component. In my opinion, this should have been a short story or novella to introduce us into the world. It would have packed alot more punch and been successful in it's execution.
If you want a mystery that barely begins until halfway through the book, gets put on the back burner, then solved immediately this one is for you. There could have also been a bit of a language barrier for me that kept the pacing off, but usually I can push through. 12+ for the age rating from me as there's nothing overly scary or graphic.
The Library of the Dead is the first in a new series which follows Roper, a 14(ALMOST 15, since that sounds better) year-old girl who is a licensed Ghost Talker. She uses an instrument to tune into the ghosts and delivers messages to loved ones at a price. When children begin to go missing will Roper be able to gather enough clues from the dead to keep anyone else from going missing?
The Library of the Dead honestly has quite the misleading title. For a book that has over 350 pages there is very little of the Library....or the Dead. Roper did alot of rambling on that was intended to make her charming, which it did, but there wasn't enough story saturation to keep me wanting to come back for another chapter. The dead were few and far between, and the Library itself felt more like an afterthought rather than a key plot component. In my opinion, this should have been a short story or novella to introduce us into the world. It would have packed alot more punch and been successful in it's execution.
If you want a mystery that barely begins until halfway through the book, gets put on the back burner, then solved immediately this one is for you. There could have also been a bit of a language barrier for me that kept the pacing off, but usually I can push through. 12+ for the age rating from me as there's nothing overly scary or graphic.
September 28, 2021
I loved this book! It was so much fun and very close to being a 5🌟 read. There are a few reasons that it was docked a star... I was really annoyed with how the MC spoke at first. I also really didnt care for her as a person... i understand needing to hunt for food but she was so callous about it in the begining. However, as the story went on, she really came in to her own and i grew to love her.
There were also a few moments where i felt like this book had no idea what it was. An example being that throwing fae (the brownie) into the equation really threw me off. I was all for the astral traveling, ghosts, magicians, etc. That all fit together seamlessly. But throwing the fae in there.... ehhhh.... it would have made more sense to me for it to have just been some kind of demonic spirit.
One other small thing being that i had to keep reminding myself that Ropa is only 15... The way she acted and her responsibilities makes you assume otherwise. Had her age not been said from the begining, i would have thought that she was a whole ten years older. Like 25 or so. Give or take a couple years...
Other than that, i obviously really enjoyed this book! I adored how much Ropa loves her family and thus how family oriented she is. She is so cute with her sister and grandma. I really appreciated seeing that. Shes also extremely independant, brave and clever. She was just a really great character to get to follow and watch grow throughout the story.
The plot and pacing was amazing! I was invested by the very first page. You are immediately sucked into the story and it doesnt let go. I seriously couldnt put this down. This is the kind of ghost hunting book i have been looking for! I loved that the author tied in real paranormal beliefs that generally people who believe in spirits have. (like the talking to ghosts, astral traveling, etc) while also making the story its own without making it too far fetched and unbelievable.
This was just a really great book. And i CAN NOT WAIT to get my hands on the second book. 2022 is so close but still so far away 😭 haha
There were also a few moments where i felt like this book had no idea what it was. An example being that throwing fae (the brownie) into the equation really threw me off. I was all for the astral traveling, ghosts, magicians, etc. That all fit together seamlessly. But throwing the fae in there.... ehhhh.... it would have made more sense to me for it to have just been some kind of demonic spirit.
One other small thing being that i had to keep reminding myself that Ropa is only 15... The way she acted and her responsibilities makes you assume otherwise. Had her age not been said from the begining, i would have thought that she was a whole ten years older. Like 25 or so. Give or take a couple years...
Other than that, i obviously really enjoyed this book! I adored how much Ropa loves her family and thus how family oriented she is. She is so cute with her sister and grandma. I really appreciated seeing that. Shes also extremely independant, brave and clever. She was just a really great character to get to follow and watch grow throughout the story.
The plot and pacing was amazing! I was invested by the very first page. You are immediately sucked into the story and it doesnt let go. I seriously couldnt put this down. This is the kind of ghost hunting book i have been looking for! I loved that the author tied in real paranormal beliefs that generally people who believe in spirits have. (like the talking to ghosts, astral traveling, etc) while also making the story its own without making it too far fetched and unbelievable.
This was just a really great book. And i CAN NOT WAIT to get my hands on the second book. 2022 is so close but still so far away 😭 haha
June 9, 2021
3 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum
The opening volume of a new series called Edinburgh Nights by T.L. Huchu, The Library of the Dead opens in the titular city, the home of our protagonist, 14-year-old Ropa Moyo. 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. 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.
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. 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. 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. 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. But as the disturbing attacks continue, will it be enough to help her uncover the truth?
The Library of the Dead was somewhat unexpected, in both good ways and bad. First, the positives: I enjoyed the mystery aspect of the plot, as well as the mix of modern real-world and paranormal elements. As well, the overall mood was delectably eerie and haunting, as befitting a ghost story. This novel was also a fabulous concoction of culture, bringing together Scottish tradition with the Zimbabwean heritage of our protagonist and her family. 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. That said, her voice is both a unique and refreshing addition to shake up the urban paranormal genre.
But 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. 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. I also wish we could have seen more of Edinburgh. 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 would have liked to see more of the city, taken some time to indulge in the richness of its history and the beauty (and sometimes grimness) of the details, but it was unfortunately not to be.
To be fair though, Ropa was not the kind of protagonist to dally, and the snappy and single-minded way in which the story moved was admittedly in keeping with her personality. Still, it prevented me from fully connecting with her character or with the story. That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy myself because I did, but it was definitely not at the deeper level I’d hoped for. It took me a while to feel close to Ropa, or to care about what was actually happening in the plot. And at the end of the day, the story was entertaining but not anything too new or groundbreaking. More world-building (especially when it came to the library) or character relationship development might have helped to flesh things out, because despite the handful of moments showing genuine inventiveness and creativity, this still felt like a variation of something I’ve seen many times before.
All in all, The Library of the Dead was a decent solid read, though it probably could have been more. It might be worth checking out if the character of Ropa intrigues you or if you’re drawn to the setting of Edinburgh, but with the paranormal mystery plot taking center stage, just don’t expect the library to have much of a starring role. I’ll probably continue the series, but I think a lot will also depend on how much the character and world gets developed in the next book.
The opening volume of a new series called Edinburgh Nights by T.L. Huchu, The Library of the Dead opens in the titular city, the home of our protagonist, 14-year-old Ropa Moyo. 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. 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.
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. 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. 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. 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. But as the disturbing attacks continue, will it be enough to help her uncover the truth?
The Library of the Dead was somewhat unexpected, in both good ways and bad. First, the positives: I enjoyed the mystery aspect of the plot, as well as the mix of modern real-world and paranormal elements. As well, the overall mood was delectably eerie and haunting, as befitting a ghost story. This novel was also a fabulous concoction of culture, bringing together Scottish tradition with the Zimbabwean heritage of our protagonist and her family. 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. That said, her voice is both a unique and refreshing addition to shake up the urban paranormal genre.
But 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. 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. I also wish we could have seen more of Edinburgh. 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 would have liked to see more of the city, taken some time to indulge in the richness of its history and the beauty (and sometimes grimness) of the details, but it was unfortunately not to be.
To be fair though, Ropa was not the kind of protagonist to dally, and the snappy and single-minded way in which the story moved was admittedly in keeping with her personality. Still, it prevented me from fully connecting with her character or with the story. That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy myself because I did, but it was definitely not at the deeper level I’d hoped for. It took me a while to feel close to Ropa, or to care about what was actually happening in the plot. And at the end of the day, the story was entertaining but not anything too new or groundbreaking. More world-building (especially when it came to the library) or character relationship development might have helped to flesh things out, because despite the handful of moments showing genuine inventiveness and creativity, this still felt like a variation of something I’ve seen many times before.
All in all, The Library of the Dead was a decent solid read, though it probably could have been more. It might be worth checking out if the character of Ropa intrigues you or if you’re drawn to the setting of Edinburgh, but with the paranormal mystery plot taking center stage, just don’t expect the library to have much of a starring role. I’ll probably continue the series, but I think a lot will also depend on how much the character and world gets developed in the next book.
October 20, 2022
4.5 stars
This was the perfect book for October: an engaging supernatural story featuring spunky teens fighting evil in haunted Edinburgh.
The Library of the Dead is set in the near future, as Edinburgh slowly slides into ruin after sectarian violence and an unspecified ecological catastrophe. There are pockets of wealth, but much of the city has become a crumbling shantytown, a third-world city where mule-drawn carts exist alongside solar-powered Teslas.*
“On a night when there’s power, you almost catch sight of the old city, the one you see in films back in the day. I remember watching Trainspotting and thinking it looked like paradise. I guess the world always looks more beautiful through a telescope.�
The story is narrated by Ropa, a gifted young hustler whose tough exterior hides a soft heart. To support her sick grandmother and sister, Ropa leaves school to become a ghostalker—a courier delivering messages from ghosts to the living. Magic and ghosts are viewed as a normal part of life; practitioners are licensed and paid. I found the magic system fascinating: Ropa communicates with the dead through songs and music from her mbira, a small wood and metal hand keyboard used by the Shona people of Zimbabwe.
“I can’t understand ghosts without the right music to unscramble their voices into words. All I get is gibberish until I fix on the right tune. It’s like two waves meeting and superimposing at the right frequency until they cancel out into unity.�
I adored Ropa, although I found the author’s attempts to demonstrate her erudition to be heavy-handed. An autodidact who spends much of her time listening to audiobooks, Ropa constantly riffs on dead philosophers, architects, and political systems in a way that didn’t feel natural for a 14-year-old. But she is funny, brave, and as sharp as the knife she carries. I especially loved the fact that she treats the ghosts (“deados�) like crabby clients who need to be humored, rather than horrors to be feared.
“He’s getting a bit worked up. I have to calm him down, de-escalate the situation. Ghostly tempers are the leading cause of intra-familial hauntings, which is an undesirable outcome in my line of work.�
When Ropa is approached by the ghost mother of a missing child, she reluctantly agrees to investigate. It soon becomes clear that children across the city are being kidnapped and drained of their life force. At the same time, a mysterious drug is being sold on the black market by the utterly creepy Blind Milkman. When Ropa is introduced to the secret Library of the Dead during her investigation, it becomes clear that she has the potential to be a magician as well as a ghostalker...and she will need powerful magic to defeat her enemies. Fortunately, she has help: Priya, a wheelchair-bound healer; Jomo, an intern at the library; and Ropa’s adopted fox cub River � which I take as a nod to the talking foxes in the Rivers of London series.
The Library of the Dead reminded me a lot of , Margaret Mahy’s brilliant supernatural novel about a teenage girl discovering her magic while fighting a witch sucking the life from children to prolong his own youth. But Hutchu brings a unique spin to the story, with a fantastic narrator, visually engaging writing, and a creative magic system. Best of all, the major storylines are resolved happily at the end, avoiding the usual YA cliffhanger. I’m excited to read the sequel, which I believe will focus on the shadowy Tall Man.
*The English monarchy still rules Scotland and since the story is set just a few generations from now, I amused myself by imaging little Prince George as the King.
This was the perfect book for October: an engaging supernatural story featuring spunky teens fighting evil in haunted Edinburgh.
The Library of the Dead is set in the near future, as Edinburgh slowly slides into ruin after sectarian violence and an unspecified ecological catastrophe. There are pockets of wealth, but much of the city has become a crumbling shantytown, a third-world city where mule-drawn carts exist alongside solar-powered Teslas.*
“On a night when there’s power, you almost catch sight of the old city, the one you see in films back in the day. I remember watching Trainspotting and thinking it looked like paradise. I guess the world always looks more beautiful through a telescope.�
The story is narrated by Ropa, a gifted young hustler whose tough exterior hides a soft heart. To support her sick grandmother and sister, Ropa leaves school to become a ghostalker—a courier delivering messages from ghosts to the living. Magic and ghosts are viewed as a normal part of life; practitioners are licensed and paid. I found the magic system fascinating: Ropa communicates with the dead through songs and music from her mbira, a small wood and metal hand keyboard used by the Shona people of Zimbabwe.
“I can’t understand ghosts without the right music to unscramble their voices into words. All I get is gibberish until I fix on the right tune. It’s like two waves meeting and superimposing at the right frequency until they cancel out into unity.�
I adored Ropa, although I found the author’s attempts to demonstrate her erudition to be heavy-handed. An autodidact who spends much of her time listening to audiobooks, Ropa constantly riffs on dead philosophers, architects, and political systems in a way that didn’t feel natural for a 14-year-old. But she is funny, brave, and as sharp as the knife she carries. I especially loved the fact that she treats the ghosts (“deados�) like crabby clients who need to be humored, rather than horrors to be feared.
“He’s getting a bit worked up. I have to calm him down, de-escalate the situation. Ghostly tempers are the leading cause of intra-familial hauntings, which is an undesirable outcome in my line of work.�
When Ropa is approached by the ghost mother of a missing child, she reluctantly agrees to investigate. It soon becomes clear that children across the city are being kidnapped and drained of their life force. At the same time, a mysterious drug is being sold on the black market by the utterly creepy Blind Milkman. When Ropa is introduced to the secret Library of the Dead during her investigation, it becomes clear that she has the potential to be a magician as well as a ghostalker...and she will need powerful magic to defeat her enemies. Fortunately, she has help: Priya, a wheelchair-bound healer; Jomo, an intern at the library; and Ropa’s adopted fox cub River � which I take as a nod to the talking foxes in the Rivers of London series.
The Library of the Dead reminded me a lot of , Margaret Mahy’s brilliant supernatural novel about a teenage girl discovering her magic while fighting a witch sucking the life from children to prolong his own youth. But Hutchu brings a unique spin to the story, with a fantastic narrator, visually engaging writing, and a creative magic system. Best of all, the major storylines are resolved happily at the end, avoiding the usual YA cliffhanger. I’m excited to read the sequel, which I believe will focus on the shadowy Tall Man.
*The English monarchy still rules Scotland and since the story is set just a few generations from now, I amused myself by imaging little Prince George as the King.
May 27, 2021
The Short Version: An atmospheric meandering trip through Edinburgh’s darkest recesses that’s equal parts Coraline, The world’s end, with just a dash of Oliver Twist.
The Long Version: I got to listen to the audiobook version of this book thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio in exchange for an honest review
Our young protagonist Ropa is a cash strapped ghost talker who makes her ducketts delivering messages from the dead to the living, but when a persistent spirit insists something horrible has happened to her son, she veers off her grind to find the lad which has consequences in this world and the next.
This was a very good book. First and foremost it possesses a wonderfully constructed protagonist. She had a strong voice, was resourceful, but also had believable flaws with logical consequences.
The world building here was good as well, I could feel the Edinburgh chill as I listened.
The chapters are short and the plot breezes along nicely for the most part and while the action is mostly backloaded, the buildup was interesting enough to keep me going.
One of the absolute best parts of this book was how they introduced the magic system. I can’t stand when a novice instantly becomes an expert and unleashes like the hardest spells or abilities like instantly. That absolutely does not happen here as Ropa stumbles through learning new magic which I really appreciated.
The narrator’s performance was spot on, she did several accents and made each character distinct, her vocal talents adding a wonderful layer of richness to the work.
While there was a lot of good in this title, there were some weaker points as well.
The book is on the shorter side, and it reads more like a novella stretched into a novel with some scenes seeming extraneous, more exposition added for the sake of exposition than integral to the plot. Luckily the chapters are short so it didn’t rip me out of the story and ruin the experience.
The writer makes various references to modern or modernish things (A Mike Tyson quote for example) as well as plenty of more classical references (The art of war is referenced quite a bit). To explain this in a teenager, the writer merely offers that she likes listening to audiobooks and watching old movies. Sure it’s possible for someone to have such diverse references but it was a little jarring and felt inconsistent. I really felt the author coming through in those moments.
Also, as in a lot of Fantasy, there’s a decent amount of Deus Ex Machina, which is always a bit of a drag for me. It didn’t ruin anything, but it leaves a very Harry Potter taste in my mouth (where in the protagonist doesn’t solve the problems so much as everyone around them does, with them chipping in here and there). That’s a bit of an overstatement but it hurt the strength of the protagonist for me.
Lastly, I was a little disappointed in the ending. The author did a phenomenal job of having the protagonist decisions result in real world consequences (I mean when real world people just go on quests, it’s not like the real world pauses). I wish it were left there, but the author put a happier spin on it in the last chapter, which I would have been content without.
Overall I bounced between a 3.5 and a 4 but landed on a 4. Solid writing, likable characters, an intriguing if imperfect plot line, and a believable magic system. A solid read for Fantasy lovers of all types.
Component Ratings
Concept/Idea: 4.5 out of 5
Characters: 4 out of 5
Character development: 4 out of 5
Plot: 3.5 out of 5
Pacing: 3.5 out of 5
Narrator performance: 5 out of 5
Dialogue: 4.5 out of 5
Prose: 4 out of 5
Worldbuilding: 3.5 out of 5
Magic system: 4.5 out of 5
Ending: 3.5 out of 5
The Long Version: I got to listen to the audiobook version of this book thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio in exchange for an honest review
Our young protagonist Ropa is a cash strapped ghost talker who makes her ducketts delivering messages from the dead to the living, but when a persistent spirit insists something horrible has happened to her son, she veers off her grind to find the lad which has consequences in this world and the next.
This was a very good book. First and foremost it possesses a wonderfully constructed protagonist. She had a strong voice, was resourceful, but also had believable flaws with logical consequences.
The world building here was good as well, I could feel the Edinburgh chill as I listened.
The chapters are short and the plot breezes along nicely for the most part and while the action is mostly backloaded, the buildup was interesting enough to keep me going.
One of the absolute best parts of this book was how they introduced the magic system. I can’t stand when a novice instantly becomes an expert and unleashes like the hardest spells or abilities like instantly. That absolutely does not happen here as Ropa stumbles through learning new magic which I really appreciated.
The narrator’s performance was spot on, she did several accents and made each character distinct, her vocal talents adding a wonderful layer of richness to the work.
While there was a lot of good in this title, there were some weaker points as well.
The book is on the shorter side, and it reads more like a novella stretched into a novel with some scenes seeming extraneous, more exposition added for the sake of exposition than integral to the plot. Luckily the chapters are short so it didn’t rip me out of the story and ruin the experience.
The writer makes various references to modern or modernish things (A Mike Tyson quote for example) as well as plenty of more classical references (The art of war is referenced quite a bit). To explain this in a teenager, the writer merely offers that she likes listening to audiobooks and watching old movies. Sure it’s possible for someone to have such diverse references but it was a little jarring and felt inconsistent. I really felt the author coming through in those moments.
Also, as in a lot of Fantasy, there’s a decent amount of Deus Ex Machina, which is always a bit of a drag for me. It didn’t ruin anything, but it leaves a very Harry Potter taste in my mouth (where in the protagonist doesn’t solve the problems so much as everyone around them does, with them chipping in here and there). That’s a bit of an overstatement but it hurt the strength of the protagonist for me.
Lastly, I was a little disappointed in the ending. The author did a phenomenal job of having the protagonist decisions result in real world consequences (I mean when real world people just go on quests, it’s not like the real world pauses). I wish it were left there, but the author put a happier spin on it in the last chapter, which I would have been content without.
Overall I bounced between a 3.5 and a 4 but landed on a 4. Solid writing, likable characters, an intriguing if imperfect plot line, and a believable magic system. A solid read for Fantasy lovers of all types.
Component Ratings
Concept/Idea: 4.5 out of 5
Characters: 4 out of 5
Character development: 4 out of 5
Plot: 3.5 out of 5
Pacing: 3.5 out of 5
Narrator performance: 5 out of 5
Dialogue: 4.5 out of 5
Prose: 4 out of 5
Worldbuilding: 3.5 out of 5
Magic system: 4.5 out of 5
Ending: 3.5 out of 5
January 30, 2021
Fourteen year old Ropa lives with her Gran and younger sister, Izwi. She’s got green dreadlocks, black lipstick and a sizeable chip on her shoulder. She’s also a ghostalker.
I had trouble connecting with Ropa when I first met her. She is both book and street smart, but her book smarts can appear at odds with the slang and crass language she uses at times. Life hasn’t been easy for Ropa and as a result she’s built a fairly impenetrable wall around her. She softens when she’s around her family and you get to see another side of her when she’s with her friends but in the beginning she came across as someone I didn’t think I’d be able to get to know.
I had hoped to spend a great deal more time in the library. Hopefully it will be given more page time as the series progresses. The mystery was more prominent than I’d expected but I got sucked into it quite quickly. Although my expectations didn’t entirely line up with reality, I ended up really enjoying this read (once I got used to Ropa’s abrasiveness).
There are some characters I took to immediately and others that I don’t feel I know well enough to be able to form a strong opinion about yet. I loved Gran and look forward to getting to know her more as the series progresses. She’s someone who brings warmth and wisdom.
Ropa’s world is quite dark and there’s hints about the “catastrophe� that shook things up, but I anticipate there is a lot more information to come. I wondered if pop culture no longer exists here as many of the references aren’t current, even now.
The mystery of this book is solved but there’s a lot more this world has to offer. I’m hoping future books will allow me to spend more time in the library, teach me more of its magic, introduce me to many more ghosts and give me a lot more Gran and Priya time.
Quote of the book:
Blog -
Me personally, I find the whole haunting business a bit pathetic.But a girl’s got to pay the bills, so Ropa delivers messages from ghosts to their loved ones. Things have gotten a bit complicated recently because a particular ghost refuses to play by the terms and conditions. Their son is missing and they can’t move on until they know he’s okay. The problem is, this ghost doesn’t have any money and Ropa isn’t in the business of handing out charity.
I had trouble connecting with Ropa when I first met her. She is both book and street smart, but her book smarts can appear at odds with the slang and crass language she uses at times. Life hasn’t been easy for Ropa and as a result she’s built a fairly impenetrable wall around her. She softens when she’s around her family and you get to see another side of her when she’s with her friends but in the beginning she came across as someone I didn’t think I’d be able to get to know.
‘Meh. Tough world, get with the program.�This book has ghosts, magic and a mysterious library, which is a pretty happy trifecta in my eyes. I met plenty of ghosts and got a taste of the magic that exists in Ropa’s Edinburgh but the reality of this book diverged from my expectations at times.
I had hoped to spend a great deal more time in the library. Hopefully it will be given more page time as the series progresses. The mystery was more prominent than I’d expected but I got sucked into it quite quickly. Although my expectations didn’t entirely line up with reality, I ended up really enjoying this read (once I got used to Ropa’s abrasiveness).
There are some characters I took to immediately and others that I don’t feel I know well enough to be able to form a strong opinion about yet. I loved Gran and look forward to getting to know her more as the series progresses. She’s someone who brings warmth and wisdom.
‘It’s in the most trying times, when we ourselves have nothing, that we mustn’t forget there are higher virtues like compassion, kindness and solidarity. Doing something when it is hard, because it is the right thing to do, matters more than doing it when it’s easy.�However, I didn’t get much of a sense of Izwi’s personality. I’m fairly certain Jomo will begin to feel like more than a means to an end in future books but so far he hasn’t made a huge impression on me. Making up for him was Priya, who’s fearless and fantastic. I can’t wait to hang out with her again.
Ropa’s world is quite dark and there’s hints about the “catastrophe� that shook things up, but I anticipate there is a lot more information to come. I wondered if pop culture no longer exists here as many of the references aren’t current, even now.
The mystery of this book is solved but there’s a lot more this world has to offer. I’m hoping future books will allow me to spend more time in the library, teach me more of its magic, introduce me to many more ghosts and give me a lot more Gran and Priya time.
Quote of the book:
‘I’m just getting to like you; don’t die stupidly on me now.�Thank you so much to NetGalley and Tor, an imprint of Pan Macmillan, for the opportunity to read this book.
Blog -
Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,322 reviews
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get help and learn more about the design.