Friday, June 12, 2015

Review: The Forbidden Library by Django Wexler


The Forbidden Library
by Django Wexler

from the author's site: 

Alice always thought fairy tales had happy endings. That--along with everything else--changed the day she met her first fairy...
When Alice's father goes down in a shipwreck, she is sent to live with her uncle Geryon--an uncle she's never heard of and knows nothing about. He lives in an enormous manor with a massive library that is off-limits to Alice. But then she meets a talking cat. And even for a rule-follower, when a talking cat sneaks you into a forbidden library and introduces you to an arrogant boy who dares you to open a book, it's hard to resist. Especially if you're a reader to begin with. Soon Alice finds herself INSIDE the book, and the only way out is to defeat the creature imprisoned within.
It seems her uncle is more than he says he is. But then so is Alice.
my thoughts: 
I've been curious about this one since I first came across it on Goodreads, and I was not disappointed. Alice is independent and strong. She frequently relies on her father's advice when facing a challenge, "There's no percentage in hanging about," and she faces plenty of challenges in the library. Even when Isaac, the "arrogant boy" mentioned above, is ready to run, Alice refuses to back down. At the same time, she is determined to do the right thing, even when it's not easy and in fact, puts her in danger. 
I already have book two, The Mad Apprentice, in my pile of books to read, and I can't wait to get started on it. Throughout The Forbidden Library, Alice (and the reader) has no idea who she can trust. I'm really hoping some of the ambiguity goes away in book two, because I really want to know who is good and who is bad. I suspect, however, that as in life, things are not that simple. 
If you like fantasy and books about books, I definitely recommend checking out The Forbidden Library by Django Wexler. Some scenes might be frightening for younger readers, but overall I would say this book is solidly middle grade and good for 8-12 year-olds. 
how I acquired this book: 
I borrowed it from my local library. 


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