A New York Times bestseller!
“A bewitching gem...I absolutely loved every moment of this story.” —Stephanie Garber, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Caraval series
“If you loved the Hogwarts Library…you’ll be right at home at Summershall.” —Katherine Arden, New York Times bestselling author of The Bear and the Nightingale
From the New York Times bestselling author of An Enchantment of Ravens comes an “enthralling adventure” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) about an apprentice at a magical library who must battle a powerful sorcerer to save her kingdom.
All sorcerers are evil. Elisabeth has known that as long as she has known anything. Raised as a foundling in one of Austermeer’s Great Libraries, Elisabeth has grown up among the tools of sorcery—magical grimoires that whisper on shelves and rattle beneath iron chains. If provoked, they transform into grotesque monsters of ink and leather.
Then an act of sabotage releases the library’s most dangerous grimoire, and Elisabeth is implicated in the crime. With no one to turn to but her sworn enemy, the sorcerer Nathaniel Thorn, and his mysterious demonic servant, she finds herself entangled in a centuries-old conspiracy. Not only could the Great Libraries go up in flames, but the world along with them.
As her alliance with Nathaniel grows stronger, Elisabeth starts to question everything she’s been taught—about sorcerers, about the libraries she loves, even about herself. For Elisabeth has a power she has never guessed, and a future she could never have imagined.
Anonym
24.6.2022
this deserved the five stars for the vibes alone. still, i’ll tell you why i loved it so much. first of all, it had a female main character that was actually likeable and somewhat relatable. also, all of the main characters were flawed, but it was presented in a way, that showed, that you don’t have to be perfect to be good and much less to be loved. the story itself was gripping and incredibly entertaining and with it being a standalone, there wasn’t the unnecessary amount of filler, that is often introduced in trilogies to stretch the plot. though it was a bit predictable at times - i.e. who the main villain was - the story didn’t get boring or cliched. (i wasn’t the biggest fan of the audiobook, simply because the voice actress was a bit over the top at times. still it was a comfortable listening experience.) last but not least, to me it had the same vibes as gallant by v.e. schwab, which didn’t grip me quite as much, but still had immaculate vibes. please don’t ask me what that means. maybe it helps though. overall, one of my favourite fantasy reads of the year.