The Book That Wouldn't Burn (The Library Trilogy)

Mainer

An impactful and glorious read

"It's no secret that Mark Lawrence is one of my favorite authors. As I read each book of his, I decided that this is the one I love most (except that Jorg Ancrath will always have a place in my heart). | Undoubtedly, The Book That Wouldn't Burn is my current favorite book of his. I have read this slowly, which is unusual for me, and savored every word of this book. The story alternates between the POVs of two characters: Livira is an orphan girl from the Dust, and Evar is a young man trapped in the library. Livira's village is attacked, and eventually, she works in the library due to her photographic memory. Evar has been stuck in one chamber with his four adopted siblings and two android-types who care for them and only want to escape into the world. Time is fluid in this book, as in many of Mr. Lawrence's stories, and we get to read about Livira as she comes of age, always asking questions and seeking knowledge. Evar's life is more static, confined as he is. The other characters are varied and compelling, from Malar, the soldier who rescues Livira, to Evar's siblings, all trained for one purpose based on the book they had with them when first snared in the Mechanism, a feature of the library that allows a person to absorb a book without necessarily reading it. Ultimately, this is a book about knowledge vs. wisdom. Is it better to have knowledge freely available, or should one have the wisdom to use it ethically and morally first? It's currently an important issue in the United States, with numerous books being banned around the country. As one of Livira's teachers says: "The library is both the tree and the apple. It offers not knowledge of good and evil but knowledge for good or evil. Of course fire could be forbidden. But one of the compromises that holds back the war—not your little one here, but the big one—is the agreement that if a civilisation is not capable of keeping a book from burning then perhaps it wasn’t ready for whatever knowledge was held within." If you've read other of this author's books, you'll be pleased by the various Easter eggs hidden away. I especially like the epigraphs before each chapter: "Start a tale, just a little tale that should fade and die—take your eye off it for just a moment and when you turn back it’s grown big enough to grab you up in its teeth and shake you. That’s how it is. All our lives are tales. Some spread, and grow in the telling. Others are just told between us and the gods, muttered back and forth behind our days, but those tales grow too and shake us just as fierce. Prince of Fools, by Mark Lawrence" And now I wait for the next book in the series to see what happens next. But I'll be thinking and probably rereading this one for a while. This book has as many turnings as the corridor of the library and I'm sure I didn't discover them all, no matter how much I savored this book. It's a wonderful story that appeals to any reader of almost any genre. It's a beautifully written and thoughtful work. ["

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June 4, 2023 Verified Purchase

VAS

Detailed plot

"I'm not going to write a review. I'll just say that I loved the book and the world's he weaves. It is a slow going book, you definitely won't fly through it in one sitting. When I started the second book, the author provided a "the story so far" prologue. This would have been so helpful before reading the first page of this book. So, here you go (and no spoilers): The library is effectively eternal and infinite. It reaches into many worlds and contains a truly vast collection of books (or the equivalent) from a great many species, spanning all periods of history. It comprises square chambers two miles on each side and is staffed by gleaming white assistants that stock and restock the books. The door from one chamber to the next opens for every member of some species and not for those of others. The further you travel from an entrance keyed to one particular species the rarer doors they can open become. The Exchange is an in-between kind of place whose appearance is partly shaped by the expectations of those visiting it. The Exchange can change the appearance of others to suit visitors’ expectations and it makes the speech of everyone in it understandable to everyone else. The Exchange contains many doors. Those doors lead to the past, present, and future, and to different worlds. The furthest forward time a person visits becomes their present. If a person leaves the Exchange by a door that leads to their past then they appear there as a ghost, invisible to the people of that time and unable to touch anything or communicate with anyone. They will regain their normal form in the Exchange and in any place in their present or future. Left to its own devices the Exchange brings things together and creates coincidences. The Mechanism is a small building into which a single person can take a single book. It will then allow them to experience and interrogate the book as if they were walking through the world in which it’s set or talk to the author with the advantage of all manner of solid illusions to illustrate the text. Escapes appear to be spirits of some kind that can take physical form. They escape from the Mechanism and seem to be the result of damage to it. They tend to attack whatever’s in front of them. There are many mythologies concerning the library’s creation. All of them are true. ["

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August 28, 2024 Verified Purchase

Joseph Wilson-Doan

A master tale

"“The greatest puzzle is one not understood until the final piece is set in place. Life, appropriately, can be like that, all the pieces tumbling together in a slow dance until in one last joining of hands epiphany strikes.” — The best kind of story, in my eyes, is the story that holds off on delivering information and revelation until the last possible moment. Not only does this book perfect that formula to a T but even goes so far as to revel in its superiority in that category with that very same self-crowning quote above. The Book That Wouldn’t Burn is the best book I’ve ever read as well as my #1 favorite. And those two self-canonized categories RARELY overlap. In any just world, this book at the very least becomes the greatest book of 2023, Mark Lawrence’s magnum opus, and in all justifiability, a modern classic and potentially a waypoint for the entire fantasy genre. To say much about this book would be to ruin it as the entire narrative of the book is stylized to be a continuous mystery and revelation cycle that will burn itself into the mind of the reader. I can comment on the wonderful use of literary device, as well as philosophy, mythology, and personal stakes made by Mark Lawrence that TOTALLY elevate this book to the next level. I am extremely impressed at how much effort it took to write this. It’s very clear that Mark labored ponderously for hundreds of hours and wrote his very soul into this book. I’m speechless at how well he is able to put himself into these characters shoes and really imagine what it is like to be them in their unique circumstances. The Book That Wouldn’t Burn is contemplative, romantic, existential, and even at times, shocking, horrifying and bleak. Everything in the story works itself into its’ themes. The plot comes full circle in the end, with an absolute God-tier final 40 pages, and leaves a mysterious trail into the 2 planned sequel novels. This is a story I will cherish and reread for years and years to come and I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone even remotely interested in fiction and masterful storytelling. It’s a perfect masterpiece. All the stars. And more. Books 2 & 3 couldn’t possibly come soon enough. ["

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July 3, 2023 Verified Purchase

House of M

Mark Lawrence does it again!!

""The Book That Wouldn't Burn" by Mark Lawrence is a remarkable literary masterpiece that left me awe-inspired and deeply moved. Lawrence's unparalleled storytelling skills combined with his ability to craft complex characters have once again resulted in an unforgettable reading experience. From the very first page, I was enthralled by the vivid and imaginative world Lawrence created. Set in a dystopian society where knowledge is suppressed, the story follows the journey of our protagonist, a determined young librarian named Livira. Her quest to protect and preserve the remaining books in a world where reading is considered a dangerous act forms the heart and soul of this gripping narrative. The characters in "The Book That Wouldn't Burn" are compelling, flawed, and utterly “human”. Livira is a beacon of hope amidst the chaos, portraying strength, resilience, and a burning passion for preserving the written word. One aspect of Lawrence's writing that truly stands out is his ability to balance intricate world-building with a fast-paced plot. The story unfolds with a sense of urgency, driving the reader forward as secrets are unveiled and tensions rise. The suspense and unpredictability kept me on the edge of my seat, making it nearly impossible to put the book down. Mark Lawrence has once again proven himself to be a master storyteller with "The Book That Wouldn't Burn." It is a powerful testament to the strength of the human spirit and the importance of knowledge in the face of adversity. If you are seeking a thought-provoking and emotionally charged read, I wholeheartedly recommend this book. Prepare to be transported to a world where books become symbols of hope and where the indomitable power of the written word reigns supreme. ["

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May 23, 2023 Verified Purchase

JB

I've already bought the 2nd Book

"This is a book for people who love books. It's one of those rare pieces that absolutely leans into the strengths that can only be provided by the written word. I can't see how someone could turn this into a movie, for example. The story perfectly fits the media. I did find the beginning a little tedious in terms of pacing, particularly Evar's chapters. I found myself skimming just to get through. Each chapter begins with a little excerpt from fictional books by fictional authors. I think this may be my favourite part. Very tongue in cheek and breaks the seriousness of the world building with delightful silly passages. When the book let's go, it gets very good. The characters, the lessons they learn along the way and small revelations lead very naturally to the major reveals. It is very satisfying how the clues come together and all decisions make great sense. The book reads like a complete book. The last 3-5 chapters though feel a bit tacked on, like an attempt to pave way for the trilogy. I'm not convinced there's enough story for a sequel let alone 2, but I'm willing to give the writer a try. Solid 3.5 stars, would highly recommend. ["

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April 23, 2024 Verified Purchase