Thank you to Mark Lawrence and HarperVoyager for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Book that Wouldn't Burn is the start of a new trilogy by Mark Lawrence that is set in the pinnacle of those fantasy settings I adore.

A boy has lived his whole life trapped within a vast library, older than empires and larger than cities.
A girl has spent hers in a tiny settlement out on the Dust where nightmares stalk and no one goes.
The world has never even noticed them. That's about to change.
Their stories spiral around each other, across worlds and time. This is a tale of truth and lies and hearts, and the blurring of one into another. A journey on which knowledge erodes certainty, and on which, though the pen may be mightier than the sword, blood will be spilled and cities burned.

I do adore the library setting in a book but not in the sense of academia, see: "The Name of the Wind" and "The Wizard of Earthsea". Mark Lawrence's setting here was ideal for the story it was willing to tell but parts did get a tad repetitive for me. The writing itself flows well and there are no incidents where I was taking out of the story because of this. The prose itself was enjoyable, quick to read and held my attention whilst waiting for me to dive right into each nook and cranny but the pacing itself was uneven. There were parts where I'd be involved in such an epic moment only to be taken out of by a polarising action.

However, the novel as a whole was largely fascinating and each chapter was perfectly woven and connected. The journey here was intricately detailed and extensive but the world-building itself I found lacking. I hope this is rectified in future books. I'm excited to read more in this series.

— 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 —

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: The Book That Wouldn’t Burn
𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬: Book 1 of 3 of The Library Trilogy
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫(𝐬): Mark Lawrence
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: Science-Fiction Fantasy
𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝: 11th May 2023
𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: 3/5

”Livira had come to appreciate that an ocean of knowledge is apt to drown you long before it educates you.”

I’ve genuinely struggled to rate this. At the beginning of the story I felt like it had 4 star energy and by the end it felt like a 2. I went for three stars as a compromise and because I personally see this as being a bit of a marmite read. I’d like to address my positive thoughts first and then move on to the negative.

What initially drew me into this book (other than the utterly intriguing blurb) was the writing and the world building. I thought that the writing wasn’t flowery but still managed to maintain a deep connection with the world it was creating and conveyed to the readers the dark tone of the world that felt under siege the entirety of the novel.

The world building itself was really cool, I loved the dust settlement and I loved the library too. The library was actually one of my favourite parts of the novel because I knew whenever it was being visited, something exciting would happen. Has anyone watched the Dr Who library episode? “Who turned out the lights?” I got those kind of creepy vibes from ML’s library! This sense of foreboding that followed Livira everywhere and the danger of the shadows made this reader very happy! Like watching a true crime documentary before bed, I may have intrusive thoughts after it but I love the intensity.

I also really enjoyed Livira as a character. Eponymous with weed and yet had the best soul of all the cast of characters. She was brave, reckless, and insatiably curious. There’s a proverb that is well known around my parts stating, curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction bought it back, and Livira is that cat.

Unfortunately, what I didn’t like were quite big issues for me. The pacing of the book was really slow. It actually felt like two books rolled into one for me, instead of one overly long book. Additionally, I found the plot hard to follow for the majority of the story. It wasn’t until the last sort of 10-15% of the book where I really felt like I understood what was going on and to be honest, by then I had lost interest.

It’s such a shame because this could have been a truly epic book. This story had some brilliant ideas and compelling writing but the convoluted plot combined with the snail pace of the story made for a book that burnt out my interest pretty fast.

𝑲𝒂𝒚𝒍𝒆𝒊𝒈𝒉 @ 𝑾𝒆𝒍𝒔𝒉 𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝑭𝒂𝒊𝒓𝒚
🧚‍♀️🤍

The Book That Wouldn’t Burn hooked me just by its cover. I love those colors, lights, and atmosphere.

The storytelling is a slow one. Mark Lawrence gave his best with descriptions and made indeed a solid story with two main characters. I loved the first chapter depicting Livira. I had a little bit of a struggle to connect with Elvar.

This book needs time. You have to read closely and taste the story. I will come back for this book later because I think I will enjoy it more. Highly recommend!

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction, HarperVoyager for this beautiful opportunity!

Another surprising read for me. Not the usual book I’d pick up but I’ve read and enjoyed Mark Lawrence’s books before so I wanted to give this one a go. Also the cover on its own is STUNNING.
I really loved this book. So well written! A surprising mix of fantasy, science fiction and dystopia.
Definitely one I’ll have to reread!

I read an eARC of this book so thank you to Net Galley, the author and the publisher for allowing this.

This story is told from dual perspectives, Livira who we meet as a fierce and determined child. She lives in the dust but when her village is attacked by the enemies they call sabbers, she is torn from her home. A series of events lead to her becoming an apprentice at a library. The second perspective is Evar, also resident at an enormous library but this time with monstrous beings called escapes that they must fight.

We spend most of our time with Livira and her library is fascinating. It’s huge, so large and full of chambers that apprentices can get lost. Some chambers are locked and Livira discovers many mysteries during her unauthorised forays into the depths of the library. The librarians are primarily searching for books that will help the King defend the city against Sabber invasions.

It would be difficult to say too much on plot without spoilers as there are several reveals and they are key to what makes this a compelling story. Thematically this book explores found family, forbidden friendship, questioning the status quo, being destined to repeat the past. The huge library setting is magical as expected and there’s also the study element of it as Livira spends years training to be an assistant librarian.

I thought this was a really clever book, I enjoyed the way the breadcrumbs were laid and then connected at points in the book. A lot is covered and some of it is quite wild, but it never felt like it didn’t make sense in the story. I liked how the book had the characters challenge their preconceptions and be brave enough to stand up for what they care about.

With thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins for the arc.

This is my first Mark Lawrence book and certainly won't be my last. It reminded me alot of Susanna Clarke's Piranesi, but this was more complex with much greater world building.

A dual narrative, both Livira and Evar's characters are well developed and likeable - particularly Livira's - but it was the moments their characters spent together which I found a highlight.

The concept of the book was original, and as a lover of history and philosophy, I found the themes utterly fascinating.

This book rapidly took over my life. Excellent characterisations, tantalising twists, it's got it all.
It had elements of Piranesi, Babel and The Name of the Wind, which are all dear favourites of mine.
I've recommended this as a book of the month for May in the company I work for, so it'll be featured in our newsletter, and I'll be telling anyone who'll listen to buy it.

Sadly, the one didn't work for me. I found myself enjoying the world-building but was very confused and the writing style was not my favorite as it felt as if there was no plot. Might be for other fans but unfortunately not my cup of tea. Three stars for the world-building and concept but a DNF overall

Received arc from Harper Collins UK and Netgalley for honest read and review,this review is my own.
As everyone must know by now , I love Mark Lawrence and any book he writes.
This book is no exception and is outstanding from beginning to end. It is a beautiful read and thoroughly enjoyable.This for me is one of his best yet, I know I said that about Prince of Thorns as well, but I can change my mind .
He knows how to write a great story and I was literally hooked, and could not out it down.
This is of course a story about a library and a specific book, but also about the lives and loves of people in the library and how you look at something , it can be differential perceived .
A thrilling book and I for one cannot wait for part 2. But I have a while to wait as this is not even out yet.
You have to read this one, go on, you will not be disappointed.

I’ve read a number of series by this author and enjoyed each one. The Book That Wouldn’t Burn is the start to another exciting series. The story is expertly executed and the World building is unique. As I read I felt as if I was in the library with all its hidden rooms and doors. I loved the characters. We get a dual narrative with chapters from Liviria and Evan. I loved the progression of Liviria’s character from child to adult while discovering the inner workings of the library. I was intrigued by the title of this book and I loved the build up to the endin. The reveals were perfect and made me want to read the entire book again to see what I might have missed in the first read.

If you’re looking for a complete escape from the world as you know it, I highly recommend this book. It’s beautifully written with a unique plot and characters that you can get behind. I can’t wait to see what is going to happen in book 2.

An easy 5 stars for this one and I look forward to adding it to my bookshelves.

Thank you to HarperCollins UK and NetGalley for my digital review copy of this book.

I don’t know what to say about this book that can truly do it justice. There was so much that I loved about it that I wish I could verbalise, so I’ll try.

For the first perhaps 70% of this title, there is such a strong magic to it, the way the library is characterised and plays such a vital role in Evar and Livira’s story was beautifully done. I really enjoyed unravelling it’s mysteries and getting to understand it (or at least, as much as I could).

The last 30% was just impossible to put down, I love scenes of Evar and Livira trying to understand each other in the context of their respective worlds and my heart broke at that ending, if my iPad was so expensive then I might have thrown it.

Cannot wait to see more from these characters and this writer.

Fantastic! wow I had never read a ML book but i am very glad that the synopsis itself justreeled me in! what a fantastic story and I can't wait to see where the next book goes. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me access to this title.

Lawrence’s world building is intricate dense and layered. It’s also living, dynamic and sensory, reminiscent of Spirited Away. I would have happily read a story in either thread of this book, but the stark differences in the approach and style of the two viewpoints makes this a really disjointed and taxing read for most of its length. The book is cinematic and detailed, but the density of detail over plot makes the first portion of Livira’s story a slog, while Evar’s experiences in the Library with his siblings and the Escapes are pacy and action-packed, but too arch and veiled to get properly invested in. Both needed the space the other was occupying to tell their stories in a more natural way. Ultimately, the push and pull of the alternate stories of Livira and Evar is as wearing as it is intriquing and the effort needed to make it to the last third of the book is considerable. I’d have preferred two books to what’s being done here.

<i>I would like to thank HarpetCollins UK and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.</i>

I’ve wanted to read something from Mark Lawrence for awhile but I wasn’t sure where was best to start. When I saw this book I was sure this would be a great choice.. what could be better than a story about a library, knowledge and books?

I won’t enter into too much details to not spoil the book. This is a heartwarming story encompassing several very serious topics such as racism, misinformation, cyclical history theory, among others.

The writing was brilliant, the world building was original and the characters are interesting. I was absolutely drawn to the story and I can’t wait for the sequel.

<i>The book that wouldn’t burn </i> will be published in May 11th and I couldn’t recommend it enough

“We are the stories we tell to ourselves. Nothing more.”

For more than a decade, Mark Lawrence has written trilogies, short stories, and novellas set within the same universe. Although the stories took place across different timelines and planets, careful readers could find common ground linking them all. The more Mark published, the more tightly woven his books became, culminating in 2022’s The Girl in the Moon. There was a definitive message in Moon stating that it was the last story taking place in the shared universe, and it was time for something new.

Enter: The Book That Wouldn’t Burn.

While I am a massive fan of Mark’s previous works, my anticipation level for a fresh start in a brand new setting was very high. I am pleased to say that my expectations for this story were exceeded. The Book That Wouldn’t Burn is Lawrence at the top of his game, offering a twisty, surprising, and heartfelt story with inspiring characters and magnificent world-building. It concocts a heady brew of science fiction, fantasy, and mystery that makes each chapter feel fresh and unique.

One of the aspects that makes the book so successful is the number of topics it tackles so well. It is a love letter to the written word, but it also addresses interesting themes such as the evolution of language, the cyclical nature of history, racism, autonomy, misinformation, education, and community.

The prose was another highlight. Lawrence doesn’t waste a single sentence, utilizing economical yet descriptive language to develop his characters while building a vast and compelling world around them. Insightful and humorous epigraphs add color and enrich the themes presented in each chapter. There were personal touches throughout the book, with references to Lawrence’s own family members (including an infamous feline) as well as tributes to other authors, influences, and his own previous work.

“It’s always the books you don’t have that call to you, you know that. Not the ones already on your shelf. They can wait.”

I’ve avoided plot details in this review because I think it wise to go into this one completely blind. It is a complex and rewarding story, one of the best of Lawrence’s prolific career. If I had the sequel, I’d start it immediately. Don’t miss it.

Mark Lawrence has the ability to manipulate and concave our perceptions of fantasy into idyllic pastorals of nostalgia. I loved reading every bit of this story, and I am genuinely in awe of his talent for creating morally middle-ground characters who I strongly relate to.

I have been wanting to pick up Mark Lawrence for awhile and what a book to start off with! This world is so fun and gritty. Every fantasy reader should pick this up.

The Book That Wouldn't Burn is the start of an epic fantasy, and it's clearly setting up a world with real scope. Unfortunately I just wasn't a fan - nothing concrete I can put my finger on, just not the right person to enjoy this book.

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

A book about books, how wonderful!

Imagine a library so vaste it has hundreds of chambers with thousands of thousands of books in each. Ok, now imagine it even bigger. You’ve got approximately 1% of The Library ☺

The Book That Wouldn’t Burn follows two stories that appear, at first, not connected at all except that they both are set in the Library, at one place or another.

Livira comes from a settlement in the Dust, where everything is, you guessed it, dusty. She rapidly joins the city – after some Events – and manages to become a trainee at the Library. But Dusters, as they are called (or dust-rat because why be mean when you can be even meaner) are frowned upon, thought inferior by many. That doesn’t stop Livira though! She is an incredibly bright girl, who wants to know things. And what better place for it than the Library? I loved how she wouldn’t stay down and her endless questions. We love a curious girl! She gave me vibes of Lyra Silvertongue and Nona Grey, which was a mix I greatly enjoyed (The structure of her journey (at least, a part) is quite similar to the one of Red Sister, but since I am a big fan (The biggest fan even) of the series that wasn’t a negative point for me at all. I love seeing glimpses of other books and characters in my stories).

Evar, our other protagonist, interested me quiiiiiiite a bit less. We do have much more of Livira’s chapters, so maybe that was why, but it took me a long time before not letting out a sigh when I reached a new chapter and saw it was Evar’s. Evar and his four siblings (that are not technically siblings, the demarcation is really low sometimes) have been trapped in one of the chambers of the Library for years. Before that, their people had been trapped for centuries. Now it’s only them five plus two robotish helpers – the Assistant and the Soldier. Evar wants to escape to find the girl he has loose memories of. The mystery of who that girl was wasn’t really one for us readers, so that wasn’t much of a surprise. But I did not see some of the twists coming, which makes me want to reread the book all over with that new knowledge.

Speaking of knowledge… The Book That Wouldn’t Burn is a Lot about knowledge, how to acquire it and who can, and of course, which knowledge will be relayed to the people. History is written by the victors etc etc. It was really interesting to read, especially with Livira who wants knowledge, and has access to it.

What I didn’t like though… I said it already but some stuff was quite predictable. Maybe it was made to be obvious but it dragged on for so long… The entire story is also quite slow at some parts, where you’re just reading and reading and reading to get to the next interesting part. Also maybe it’s just me but the attraction and feelings mentioned between the ““siblings”” when they were teenagers was ehhhhhh… I get that they only had each other and hormones struck but the fact that it started as siblings > not-siblings :) > we ARE siblings when things definitely happened? Also of course it was only between the only girl and the other boys. Of. Course. Anyways! Like I said maybe it’s just me but I found their dynamic pretty ambiguous, like it had happened in the past ok, but it was still present?

While I will be interested in picking up the following books, I am not in that impatient stage where I can be sometimes with series. We’ll see what Mark Lawrence writes next for Livira and Evar.

In conclusion: this book is for you if you like libraries and books, how history can be written and rewritten over and over and more importantly who tells it, and also tales of spaces and times. It also reminded me of Strange the Dreamer, and as I said before, Nona Grey (<33) and Lyra Silvertongue.

Who am I not to read a book set in a library, and written by Mark Lawrence?!

This book is wonderfully perfect from beginning to end.
Honestly, I couldn't expect anything different from the author.
I usually tend to devour books, but this time I decided to take my time and assimilate and enjoy the story fully.

As I said at the beginning, it takes place in a library, which can also be guessed from the wonderful cover.
This boy is trapped inside it.
His story becomes intertwined with that of a girl and things begin to change.

Engaging, compelling, dynamic and unique story.
Wonderful setting. Let's say it is the dream of many to be locked up in a library, but only to spend their days reading endlessly.

Mark the release date on your calendar, because you absolutely must not miss this gem!
In extreme trepidation, I can't wait to read the second one, and I just finished the first one.