Title: The Archived
Author: Victoria Schwab
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy
Synopsis: Imagine a place where the dead rest on shelves like books.
Each body has a story to tell, a life seen in pictures only Librarians can read. The dead are called Histories, and the vast realm in which they rest is the Archive.
Da first brought Mackenzie Bishop here four years ago, when she was twelve years old, frightened but determined to prove herself. Now Da is dead, and Mac has grown into what he once was: a ruthless Keeper, tasked with stopping often violent Histories from waking up and getting out. Because of her job, she lies to the people she loves, and she knows fear for what it is: a useful tool for staying alive.
Being a Keeper isn’t just dangerous—it’s a constant reminder of those Mac has lost, Da’s death was hard enough, but now that her little brother is gone too, Mac starts to wonder about the boundary between living and dying, sleeping and waking. In the Archive, the dead must never be disturbed. And yet, someone is deliberately altering Histories, erasing essential chapters. Unless Mac can piece together what remains, the Archive itself may crumble and fall.
In this haunting, richly imagined novel, Victoria Schwab reveals the thin lines between past and present, love and pain, trust and deceit, unbearable loss and hard-won redemption.
“I’ve been thinking.”
“A dangerous pursuit.”
“Indeed.”
I LOVE THIS BOOK SO MUCH. It’s extremely well-written, gripping from page one, with an extraordinary uniqueness to it, as well as some fantastic characters, and a plot that will keep you hooked until the end, with constant twists and turns to keep your mind whirring.
I was so, so glad that I had the sequel on my hands because I picked that up straight away and I don’t know if I would have been able to survive if I hadn’t had it so close at hand.
It’s just so unique (I know I’ve said that already). This whole concept of a library of dead people, with keepers, and crews, and librarians and all of these secrets spiralling around at every corner. It’s thrilling! And I might even say a little scary at times (it’s not marked “horror” on Goodreads genres for no reason).
The characters were fabulous stuff. Mackenzie… I can relate somewhat, though generally I am a talkative person so I don’t know how long I’d last lying like that. Also, I might add, I’m a particularly awful liar.
Battling curiosity and torn between disguises of right and wrong, Mac is forced to make tough choices, and whether she should harness her feelings or let them guide her to forbidden quarters.
And by far my favourite character…. Guyliner, is the name. If you haven’t read the book it’s natural you have absolutely no idea what I am going on about, read the book and you will totally understand (and agree) with me.
Mackenzie and Wes, their friendship, aaaand… guys you’ve just got to read the book, trust me when I say, you will be surprised! Um, that’s enough hinting for now, yeah. And then there’s also Owen, and there is a lot of doubt. Trust me, a lot of doubt.
Definitely one of my favourite books of the year so far (well I haven’t read that many so far, so….)! Highly recommend it to lovers of YA fantasy. Stay tuned for my next review on the sequel (*fangirling alert*)!
Speak soon!
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