Genevieve Cogman

Rating: yep, the Full Five

I CHECKED THIS BOOK OUT FROM MY LOCAL LIBRARY. SUPPORT YOUR LIBRARY!



My Review: Glory be. This is an *epic* tale, taking us mere humanses out to the Deep End, tilting the deck, and saying, "whoopsie-daisy, hope y'all can swim!"



More thoughts after I can remove the oxygen mask and IV fluids the paramedics put on me. (That was written at the end of March after COVID withered my body and rattled my brain.)



Imagine meeting your intended's parents after rescuing her, being show more rescued by her, heisting multiple valuable items together, negotiating Multiversal Peace with her, and having them be like "~meh~ that's just life as a Librarian. Oh BTW there are some facts we've never told you, daughter dear, and there's this job...." Was it that surprising that a daughter of spies had developed trust issues? {Irene} thought wryly, as Author Cogman puts it. In conversation with her mother later: “Life was much easier before I had to worry about everyone else worrying,” Irene muttered. “It’s called growing up, dear. It comes with staying alive.” And that the extent of Mothering the lady can do! But "everyone else" includes a certain deeply treasured Dragon....

More will appear like magic tomorrow, 17 December 2020, at Expendable Mudge Muses Aloud. show less

It would be easy to dismiss The Lost Plot and the entire series as fluffy fantasy involving a weird Library, dragons, Fae, and dimensional time travel, and in some regards this assessment is true. It is rather fluffy in that the stories are not literary in nature but purely entertaining. You are not going to learn much about history, life, or yourself while reading them. To dismiss The Invisible Library series, however, is to ignore all that is right with storytelling for Genevieve Cogman show more tells one hell of a story.

Like all good series, each story builds on the other. In this fourth novel in the series, we know more than we did about the Library. We understand Fae and dragon lands. We know about dragon politics. We understand Irene’s mission and her relationship with Kai. What The Lost Plot does is provide us with just a bit more knowledge about each of these areas to further solidify our understanding. Dragon politics is at the heart of this particular novel, and for the first time we see how Irene’s relationship with Kai and their relationship to the Library could be in jeopardy thanks to his family. In the previous novels, this was something hinted at more than explored, but now we get to see firsthand the high-wire act Irene has been performing to keep both Kai and the Library safe. Her willingness to do so speaks volumes about her feelings for her apprentice, and we finally see some movement in that area as well. In addition, the time spent in various dragons’ company affords us a greater understanding of their strict rules and hierarchy. Plus, there are mobsters, holier-than-though cops, and dragons flying around fighting each other. What more could you want?

After the heavy action in The Burning Page, The Lost Plot does feel rather slow and less informative than previous books. Yet, I suspect this was done for a purpose. There has always been more to the story than just Irene and Kai traveling to different lands to collect rare books for the Library. Book three brought us closer to understanding that overarching mystery, so book four is a time to pause and establish greater understanding of our heros and the political minefields that exist in their line of work. It is not a filler episode so much as it is a breather episode, there to remind us of simpler times when we first met Irene and Kai and to confirm all that we now know. All long-running series have such lulls in action, if you will, where the main story gets set aside for a bit while we reintroduce the characters, discover how much they have changed since we first met them, and get the chance to process everything that has previously happened. For any series to be successful, having this relative lull in the action is essential and welcome.

This is not to say that Irene becomes dull and safe in her efforts to fulfill her mission. It is rather the opposite in fact. If there is any impending danger, she will find it. If she can find a way to wreck havoc, she takes it. This is the Irene we know and love, the one who will do whatever it takes to keep her friends safe and complete her mission, the one who is afraid to jump but will do it anyway because she knows it is the only way. There is plenty of action and destruction to whet any Irene Winters fan.

After three books in the series, there is not much more to say except to remind people just how much fun it is. Irene is hilarious in her practical, no-nonsense way with her affinity for a warm fire, a snifter of brandy, and a pile of books at war with her propensity for danger and mayhem. Kai has a chance to shine on his own this time too, as we see him forced to make decisions without Irene’s guidance and apply his understanding of the politics at play to his decision-making. The Prohibition-era like version of New York City is amusing and adds an extra layer of intrigue to the whole story. The Lost Plot is immensely satisfying and thoroughly entertaining, as is the whole series. The only bad part is now having to wait yet again for the next book. show less

While Irene visits the Library to deposit the latest acquisition, her assistant Kai is ambushed and abducted. Fearing reprisals from his dragon relatives, Irene decides to go rogue and even goes as far as enlisting the help of her previous adversary Lord Silver, who smuggles her to the high-chaos world where Kai is kept prisoner, to a Venice where it is always Carnival. On her own and fighting against the clock, Irene must draw on all her courage and resourcefulness if she wants to liberate show more Kai in time, before a war between the Fae and dragons can be declared.

The events described in this second volume of The Invisible Library series take place a few months after those depicted in the first volume, and while knowledge of the characters and the plot isn't absolutely essential, references are made that will make little sense if one isn't familiar with what has gone before. This is shaping up to be one of my favourite series, with engaging characters, excellent world building and intelligent plot lines, not to mention a very palpable sense of fun. I was glad that my criticism of Irene's coming across once too often as the damsel in distress in The Invisible Library has been addressed, and this novel is very much focused on Irene, while Kai and Vale play supporting roles. There is a real sense of urgency as Irene fights against adversaries and the clock to rescue Kai, with new plot developments and surprises every few pages. I finished the book in record time, even letting supper burn while I had to sneak in a chapter. I can't wait for the third volume, as the novel ends on a tense cliffhanger. show less

I completely adored The Invisible Library. It was funny, tongue-in-cheek and intelligent.

It all starts off with Irene on a job, coming back to find she's got a new assistant and a pretty dangerous job in store. What follows are run-ins with dangerous Fae, vampires, cat thieves and detectives all with secrets and fabulous outfits. And at the center is always a book, and probably another secret. Just wonderful.

Genevieve Cogman immediately pulls you into the story of a secret agent of an show more organization whose sole duty is to procure books from alternate worlds in order to keep the forces of order and chaos in balance. But immediately you begin to wonder if there is more than she has clearance to know, and what exactly is in that deserted city just outside the Invisible Library’s windows?

When I first began reading, and Irene's new assistant, Kai, was introduced as impossibly handsome, in the way that makes you aware he is not available, I began worrying that the mission and the intrigue would be distracted by attraction. It was not. (Question: is Kai Chinese or did I read that wrong? Kai is a code name, so I'm basing this on his physical description.)

It feels very comfortable in the assumption that readers will share Irene’s love for books, her appreciation for detective stories, and her requirement of tea. The characters are almost all self-aware of the tropes, and fall into them even as they explain why they did. This book isn’t young-adult, and even if the main duo of characters appear to be in their twenties or so, there is much beneath the surface.

I am so glad that there are at least three more books in this series. I’m really looking forward to reading more from this author.

I’d recommend this to anyone who likes the idea of a romp through paranormal-steampunk London with a couple of Literati. Here’s hoping the next mission they go on is just as fun. show less