The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins
Reviewed by: Carey Gibbons, Reference Assistant
Genre: Horror, Fantasy
Suggested Age: Adults
What is the book about?: Carolyn can look and talk like a regular American when she really works at it. She did spend the first eight years of her life as one. But on Adoption Day, the day her parents and entire neighborhood were decimated by a several megaton bomb blast, Carolyn and 11 other children went to live in a vast library with a mysterious man known only as Father. Father trained each child in a specialized catalog of information. Carolyn’s catalog is languages. She understands any language that has ever been spoken in the history of time, from the poetry of storms to her once native English. Carolyn’s world has been her studies for the last 25 years. But one day, Father goes missing and Carolyn and her siblings are barred from the Library that has taught them everything they know. They have the powers of gods, but with no direction and no one to stop them, will they use their knowledge to find Father and restore order or try to take over the library for their own ends?
My Review: I really liked this book a lot and I want to read more books like it. It was dark, but surprisingly funny at times. The plot took a number of unexpected turns and I liked that too. I enjoy a book that can surprise me. This book is also really weird, which I love. Several references are made in regard to a vengeful glacier named Q-33 North, zombies hang out in the neighborhood around the Library, and Carolyn is not on good terms with Father’s friend Mithraganhi who also happens to be the sun. For the most part, Hawkins did a great job with world building, but I wish I had known more about Carolyn’s brothers and sisters and the catalogs they studied. What Hawkins does tell us in terms of the all encompassing library is completely fascinating. This book was a dark but fun ride. Parts were pretty terrifying but other parts where amusing and all of it was fascinating. It’s a bizarre little gem that I hope more people discover.
Rating: 5/5
About FDL Reads
Welcome to FDL Reads, weekly book reviews from Fondulac District Library. Librarians (and possibly some other guest reviewers) review all types of books, from children’s picture books, young adult favorites, to the latest adult thriller, and share their thoughts each week at fondulaclibrary.org. If the book is owned by Fondulac District Library (or another local library), you’ll see a direct link to the catalog entry and whether or not it is available. If it is checked out or at another local library, you will be able to place a hold as long as you have your library card and PIN numbers. As with any book review, these are our opinions…we disagree amongst ourselves about books frequently. We all have different likes and dislikes, which is what makes the world an interesting place. Please enjoy, and keep on reading!