From page one I was hooked and I don't think I've ever read something so beautifully written in my life.
Synopsis: The Library of Alexandria is a vast library of knowledge renowned for its secrecy and protected by the elite magicians who enjoy the wealth of knowledge and power it offers. Every new six initiates have to go through a trial, to be welcomed into the society...or not. Enter Libby, Reina, Parisa, Tristian, Nico and Callum, the newest six magicians of unfathomable talent the library has set to see. However, unwilling and untrusting of each other, they must go through tribulations and tests to find if they are worthy: six enter but only five will be initiated.
Plot: This has been on my list since dark academic became popular and this is the cream of the crop. Wow. It was one of those stories that I know Blake has so much more hidden behind the curtain and has a particular way she wants it told. That was probably my only gripe because as much as we were told, I really was left wanting a bit more. Some of the scenes I was most particularly interested in were glossed over or skipped entirely and I do wish we got to read a bit more about the Library itself and their individual studies within the year trial. This was plot-driven but was definitely more focused on the characters and how they bounce off of each other, which was still great...BUT gimmie more library pleaaaaase. The writing itself was beyond stunning though. It was intricate but still accessible and however complex it was, it didn't feel above my head or too purple and pretentious. I cannot praise the descriptions and the weaving of narratives enough. Truly a talented writer and hopefully we get some answers in the following book because what a cliffhanger.
Characters: Told in split POV (my favorite), this allows us to really see inside each character's highly confidential thoughts about themselves and other initiates, while still learning more about them and their powers. I particularly love that not each character is "good" and that line between good and bad is really blurred here. Each person felt exceptionally real and I didn't want to see one eliminated at the end because of what they individually brought to the whole team. Obviously, I have favorites–Libby and Parisa–but despite liking more than others, each one was fleshed out with an entire backstory and magical talent that was really really fascinating. There are also a lot of fantastic side characters that really help to bring the story and Library to life. They ended up playing quite a bit of a larger role than I expected, and am curious to see if that will continue going forward. There is so much still left to uncover about each of them by the end and I really have some questions for a couple characters.
Don't mind me, just going to read Blake's entire backlog now.
4/5 stars.
TW: violence, cheating, death, mass-shooting, kidnapping; references to: degenerative disease, death of a family member, suicide; mentions of: suicidal thoughts, incest, sacrifice.
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