The Library of the Dead by T L Huchu

I would like to thank Tot for an advance copy of this novel in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Publisher – Tor

Published – 4/2

Price – £14.99 hardcover £8.49 Kindle eBook

When ghosts talk, she will listen . . .

Ropa dropped out of school to become a ghostalker – and she now speaks to Edinburgh’s dead, carrying messages to the living. A girl’s gotta earn a living, and it seems harmless enough. Until, that is, the dead whisper that someone’s bewitching children – leaving them husks, empty of joy and life. It’s on Ropa’s patch, so she feels honour bound to investigate. But what she learns will change her world.

She’ll dice with death (not part of her life plan . . .) as she calls on Zimbabwean magic and Scottish pragmatism to hunt down clues. For Edinburgh hides a wealth of secrets. And in the process, she discovers an occult library and some unexpected allies. Yet as shadows lengthen, will the hunter become the hunted?

We tend to these days have a simple expectation of most contemporary fantasy it often just be a major city usually New York or London mixed with a detective of some form solving a mystery. Sometimes things get weirder with tales like Neverwhere, The City We Became or Claire North’s various novels that are weaving magic and our world in unexpected ways. For something that treads between the two and gave me an excellent refreshing read I can now strongly recommend to you The Library of the Dead by T L Huchu that takes the detective format, adds magic and then throws in a near future dystopian Edinburgh for us to explore on top. A hugely promising start to the new Edinburgh Nights series that I think has the potential to become something truly special.

In a not-too-distant future Edinburgh is very very different to how it is now. The Scottish Parliament is in ruins, some areas are flooded, power is erratic and there are many slums, cut-throats and long-term camps surrounding the city as people just try to survive. One of these is Ropa who has now left school and using her family’s magical talent of being able to speak to the dead to help pass on messages for a price. This keeps a caravan roof over her family’s head even though she gets bored dealing with petty domestic disputes that death has not ended. However, one ghost has an interest in their young son who has gone missing in the living world and reluctantly Ropa agrees to investigate. This brings her to the attention of a secret magical society that own The Library of the Dead a repository of magical knowledge and places her in a huge level of danger as she then discovers more children are going missing and returning in a terribly changed way – robbed of their youth.

There is some much to enjoy in this debut that bristles with confidence and ambition. One thing it is not is Young Adult despite Ropa being described as 14 going on 15. Ropa is one of the most interesting lead characters I’ve met she is an unusual mix of a young woman learning how her world works, eldest child going on family breadwinner and a person who revels in learning be it via podcasts, books or old movies and TV that survived the apocalypse. She is our narrator and I’m really impressed how Huchu shows us all these sides to her personality – outwardly sarcastic, occasionally foul mouthed and armed with purple hair, steel toed boots and a catapult you could dismiss her as just another arrogant teen, but I really liked that her internal narration shows so much complexity as she finds herself drawn unwillingly into a mystery to solve and also discovers that her magical abilities could be developed a lot further than she ever knew. Someone who applies Sun Tzu, scientific principles, and history to her world to make sense of it – geeks will love that deep down she is clearly one of us. It is also worth noting that Ropa is of Zimbabwean descent and it is always refreshing to be reminded that in 21st century British doesn’t mean yet another white male lead.

Huchu’s creativity is further demonstrated in the world Ropa lives in and it’s intriguing and disconcerting. With mention of phones and podcasts we can feel a connection to our world, but it is clear something terrible has happened that has taken Edinburgh backwards. Food is scarce, the national health service has gone, and schools are paid for by families. Part of the book’s mystery is piecing together what may have happened and there is a lot left to explore in the future. Added to that confidently Huchu adds magic. This starts by showing us Ropa’s existing power to talk to the dead but then we also explore her other ability to travel to the dimension the dead waiting to move on are stuck in – haunting, weird, and also guarded by mysterious skull faced guardian who will devour any intruders. Half familiar I liked how Huchu added their own take on this idea and it felt refreshing and again full of more to explore. Then just when you think that would be enough Huchu throws in a secret society of magicians who study the ancient yet evolving art of magic. Most book lovers will love the idea od a magical library and this adds a new political dimension to explore as well as helping Ropa learn more about magical abilities as we see tensions between factions and also the English are clearly underway. Fans of the Rivers of London series will enjoy this element as Ropa explore various magical theories and starts to add her own touch leading to some incendiary scenes as the adventure builds up. The whole feeling is a of complex giant world that Ropa’s initial mystery just scratches the surface of and I very much was left wanting to explore all the facets of this society from the gangs who Ropa has an uneasy relationship with to her new magical sponsors.

But a story is equally important, and the initial mystery adds shade to what could just be a fun adventure. The abduction and magical torture of children is where the story moves firmly into adult territory and Huchu can write horror as well as action that really pull you into this tale. There are some disconcerting scenes as Ropa finds herself facing the people behind these crimes and it’s an intriguing mystery although one niggle is the final reveals do feel like they could have been strengthened rather than simply laying a path for the next book. Two characters I really loved were Ropa’s Gran a charming guardian for Ropa now very frail yet often able to add some moral guidance Ropa needs to hear (their relationship is incredibly touching) and the very cool magician Priya a character who uses a wheelchair to move around but whose mind is key to unlocking some key magical mysteries for Ropa as she gets used to her new world – plus leading to a fantastic car versus wheelchair chase down the streets of Edinburgh which is a standout highlight of the book.

This series was inventive, fun, thoughtful and most of all left me wanting more. It feels like Huchu has created a world and set of characters that there is a lot of road left to explore in. It is refreshingly modern in approach and yet offered a few unexpected surprises. Something fantasy fans should get hold of now and prepare for a very entertaining ride!