A Quick Note On This Review: This article includes affiliate links to Bookshop.org as a way of supporting both local bookshops and my own ability to write.
Additional Note: This review contains some spoilers for The Library of the Unwritten.
Claire finds herself appointed to be the Archivist of the Arcane Wing after the forced departure of the last one; Brevity is the new Librarian of the Unwritten; Ramiel has chosen to serve as Claire’s assistant, while Hero is serving as Brevity’s. With the job changes comes cracks in the relationships between the characters that once held back the host of angels and demons that sought to access the power of the Library for their own ends. However, when a pool of mysterious ink is found in the Arcane Wing, the gang must find a way to heal those fractures if they want to save the very soul of the books they seek to protect.
The Archive of the Forgotten by A.J. Hackwith takes a slightly different tack from the first novel of the series, The Library of the Unwritten, but it still provides an interesting showcase of Hackwith’s skill at weaving characters and situations that are simultaneously believable and fantastic. The initial novel focused on Hell’s Library as the main point of the story, with Claire, Brevity, and Hero seeking to protect the books from Heaven and Hell’s forces as they sought to find Hell’s Bible. The Archive of the Forgotten shifts the focus from the Library itself to the people that inhabit it, though books and stories remain a major theme throughout.
The novel introduces shifting point-of-view storytelling to give the reader direct access to the thoughts and feelings of Claire, Brevity, Ramiel, and Hero, which by necessity changes the structure of the story that gets told. Instead of focusing on action, The Archive of the Forgotten delves deeply into the motivations behind the love for art, creativity, and writing with each character offering a unique perspective on different facets of that motivation. Ultimately Hackwith is delving more deeply into the why of preserving books as much as she’s looking at the relationships people develop over a shared love of them.
For casual readers, the novel would likely most appeal to those who enjoy character-focused novels. While it still brings the wit and adventure that Hackwith displayed in The Library of the Unwritten, this novel is decidedly focused on relationships more than other books may typically take. For that reason, it may also appeal to those who are interested in novels that are sometimes labeled “cerebral,” even if they aren’t necessarily following in the traditions of more deconstructed genres. It would also be appealing to those who are interested in books about books, as Hackwith maintains this piece of the story pretty strongly throughout, even though it may require a little reflection to ascertain the key message Hackwith is trying to get across.
For writers, Hackwith’s novel serves as a good lesson in how to integrate multiple points-of-view into a story that’s still compelling. While a writer looking to appeal to the masses may need additional reading to solidify their understanding of how to accomplish this, Hackwith’s skill with navigating the different character motivations is superb enough for anyone to benefit. Additionally, as with The Library of the Unwritten, Hackwith’s novel is a valuable template for understanding how to write a story that simultaneously focuses on books, writing, and creativity, without placing them so completely at the center that they miss out on the human element behind it. For writers who want to talk about writing life or literary themes, Hackwith’s work is a must-read.
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What’s Next?
I am an avid reader and have quite a few thoughts on how some books could benefit both people that want to be entertained and those looking to sharpen their literary skills.
If you’re interested in finding out more about what I’ve been reading – and how it could benefit you – I will be publishing those thoughts on a weekly basis. Check back next week for a discussion of Jesse Q. Sutanto’s Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers!
The Writerly Review 