Read History

2025 | Score: 4

Not very good. The Narnia allegory is more of just a plagiarised concept. The twist wasn’t super duper obvious but still saw it coming. I have to read the second book though since I already have it.

Format: Audible

Days: 17

Date: 9/22/2025 -> 10/9/2025

Summary

The Book That Wouldn’t Burn
Mark Lawrence
The Library Trilogy #1

Livira (named after a weed), is raised with her aunt in the dust. They have a small village where water and food are scarce, and almost no interaction with the outside world. Then one day, a tall, dog-like humanoid known as a “Sabaa”, a word that translates just to enemy, arrives. It kills many of the adults and takes the children captive. While escorting them a group of soldiers from “The City” show up and scare them off and save the children. Livira annoys, saves the life of, and bonds with a grumpy soldier named Mela. When they get to the city the children get “Allocated” a test where you walk into 1 of 5 doors based on your rank and standing and they quiz you and give you a job. Most of the other children go into the first door since dusters suck and are stupid. But Mela tries to help Livira but she scorns him and walks into the 5th door, where she is let in by an albino named Ute. She can’t read or write so she embarrasses herself, but Ute decides to take her under his wing.

Livira becomes an acolyte in the library, a massive, infinite, world-spanning library with no good catalog and mysterious guides and assistants wandering around inside. Also she has a perfect eidetic memory. Livira learns, explores, breaks rules, and discovers a place between worlds called “The Exchange” where she meets her handsome prince Evar Evantari. Livira keeps getting sucked back to her world and Evar explores others, where he is just a ghost. But every time she makes her way back, no matter how many years have passed, it is still the same day for Evar.

Eventually they get to hang out (This is a girl he met as a 12 year old less than 24 hours ago) and they kiss. Then back in the exchange Evar’s adopted sister Clovis shows up. She is a Sabaa! She tries to attack Livira, saying she is a Sabaa! See the twist. Evar realizes the truth and Livira flees Clovis. She is distraught, but quickly realizes racism and speceism is bad. The Sabaa’s (Dog people) are invading Crath City! Everyone flees into the library, where Livira has to save Mela and they become ghosts, invading the bodies of the assisstant and soldier who raised Evar and his kin.