The Library at Mount Char

Not sure what I was expecting, but I was not expecting this. Wow.

This book is banana pants! A great, fast-paced read but also pretty messed up. You've been warned.

One of the few books I'm rereading, not because I just love it so much, but because it needs a second read just so you actually understand what the heck is even happening. I liked it on first read, but that doesn't mean I actually understood much. I keep getting Umbrella Academy vibes from this one, if mr terrible garbagesack had wanted to give normal kids both trauma AND magic, rather than just find some kids with magic and skip straight to traumatizing them.

I absolutely loved this book, I did not want to put it down. It was a little messed up in parts but I think that was part of its appeal.

Feels like American Gods written by Stephen King on a sadistic streak. Really enjoyed the first 75% (the rest feels like an unnecessary epilogue).

Goofy revenge tale
heavy on blood, light on plot
I smell a sequel.

This book reminded me of the final seasons of the TV show Supernatural. What would happen if an all-knowing god actually lost a battle or two. I also got some higher intelligence treats us like pond scum vibes. By the time things all shake out you get some empathy, deeper layers of understanding, a sacrifice, and a hankering for some BBQ. Or not...

This is a strange book to review. I did enjoy it. It had unique characters with unique abilities.

It is a rich fantastical world. The librarians are raised from children in 1 of 12 specialised talents by “Father” a god-like being with god-like powers.

I wavered between giving this 3 or 4 Stars (I would have given it 3.5 Stars if I could)

What stopped me giving it the 4 Stars were the horrific scenes of torture against children.

I would recommend this to lovers of strange dark fantasy, but with a warning of the violence.

#JennyGuyColvin

This book is something I don't get. I don't have any idea how good it is objectively, but I personally can't really give more than two stars to it.

So basically here we have some mystical, ancient person (creature?) called Father. He can bring back the dead, live forever and ever, speak all languages, so basically a major overpowered freakshow. He has this amazing library with all his knowledge, where he raised apprentices, every single one responsible for learning one subject, ranging from healing, to war, to time travelling. But now Father is gone, the apprentices are kept away from the library by some weird force and they need to do something.

Mr. Hawkins throws you in right away, with the absolutely weird, freaky apprentices and it took me some time to adjust. Sure, it does add to the mysterious atmosphere, but I personally don't really like it when I don't know shit about what's going on. This thing stayed during the whole book is some sense, which meant that certain events get absolutely no explanation and they feel kind of disjointed, like they don't serve any purpose, just there to freak you out because you don't get it. (I'm referring for example to the sun child part in the library.) Same goes for the mentioned characters. We hear a ton about gods and Barry O'Shea, zombie townspeople, rabid guard dog entities and whatever. But we don't see much about them, it's like most of the world is hidden from us. Don't do this.

The characters we see are... not particularly likeable. The librarians are all fucked up to an extent that I couldn't really connect to them. The two humans in a more prominent role, Steve and Erwin are... well, they're fine. Honestly, none of them were completely badly written, that's not the issues, but I didn't connect with any of them enough to really care if they live or die. The protagonist, Carolyn was a bit frustrating with her disconnect from the normal world sometimes, especially at the end with her and Steve at the library.

The thing is, I don't really know what to say about it, because I don't understand the aim of the story. The prose was pleasant enough to read, in some places a bit too flowery and artsy to me, which I would have been fine with, if I understood the story itself. But the way it was just made me feel like when you're watching some weird comedy from a different country, when things happen and you are sure that the writer was doing something, but there was a huge disconnect between their intention and your perception. (So basically what happened when I showed the show The League of Gentlemen to my friends. I love it. They got nightmares. HA.)

So yeah, I wish good luck to Mr. Hawkins for the future. If he releases another novel, I will most likely read it, just to see if it was his style that didn't suit me or simply this one story. Then we see what comes after that, I guess.

This is my second experience with this book, and it really stands up to a reread. The writing is gripping, the characters have incredible depth, and it's such a bizarre story that the reread helps it make a bit of sense. It doesn't resonate with me the way a five star book does, but it did keep me turning pages even when I knew what was going to happen.

That said, it is one of the most violent and gory books that I've enjoyed, so if that is an issue for you, you should skip this. If you like a bloody, epic, world-bending fantasy that's grounded in what it means to be human and also what it means to be lion, though, this is not one to miss.

This was a strange book. I almost gave up approximately 20 percent in. That's when stuff started to be more cohesive.

There is a guy who is called Father who has a lot of adopted children, and he has a library section for each of them to learn. Carolyn, who is the main character, is a bit off the wall which we learn why later. It turns out that Father made them immortal, and he is a supreme being of some sort. Carolyn gets Steve involved in her schemes and weird stuff happens. I can't tell too much or it will spoil the book.

This was the book club pick for October and I loved it. That might be an understatement, this book alone justifies an entire year of meh picks and really highlights the value of reading books that are off of your radar. To my eye this is nearly a perfect book, it's got rollercoaster pacing, true-to-life dialogue, humor in spades, and the most cohesive/tight plotting of anything that I've read this year (and I finished The Culture this year). I cannot believe that outside of some technical manuals, this is Scott Hawkins' debut; this is a first try that has left me in awe. Before I dive in I usually do this for books that need one: Here is your mature content warning, this book has basically every possible trigger under the sun, there's graphic murder and gore, rape and sexual assault, there's mass murder and violence to animals. The story revolves around Carolyn, one of several orphans taken in by a mysterious and god-like figure known as Father. Each child is assigned a specific catalog of knowledge to master, and Carolyn's domain is the Library, a place that houses unimaginable secrets and powers. When Father goes missing, the children, now adults with god-like abilities, must confront the mysteries of the library and the past. If the summary left you glossy-eyed and uninterested I can't blame you, but this is one of those books that the blurb on the jacket won't ever be able to do justice to.As I draft this review I think I've written the phrase “unlike anything i've ever read” at least a hundred times only to delete and rephrase as I think about it a little more. The thing is that there are works that are similar to this in premise, atmosphere, or tone; examples from my list are [b:The Umbrella Academy, Vol. 1: Apocalypse Suite 2795053 The Umbrella Academy, Vol. 1 Apocalypse Suite Gerard Way https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1327877097l/2795053.SY75.jpg 2820826], [b:The Wasp Factory 567678 The Wasp Factory Iain Banks https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1434940562l/567678.SY75.jpg 3205295], [b:The Book of the New Sun 968868 The Book of the New Sun Gene Wolfe https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388595738l/968868.SX50.jpg 6965668], and [b:American Gods 30165203 American Gods Neil Gaiman https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1462924585l/30165203.SY75.jpg 1970226]. But from a writing standpoint, this book is wholly unique, I saw it written in another review and I cannot help but agree, that reading this book is an exercise in trusting the author. So let's talk about the writing for a second. This is a complex and challenging book, it is non-linear in structure and the story is fragmented, with flashbacks interspersed every few chapters to drip-feed the reader the backstory and context. There is a distinct feeling of unreliability in the narration, reading this gave me the sense that I never once had the complete picture and that there was something truly horrible looming just over the horizon. If you're someone who reads a lot of fiction that sense of mystery and unease usually dissolves as you get a sense of what type of story is being told, but that moment is never within reach in this novel. Just when you think you've figured out the rules of the world, Hawkins throws in a curveball that leaves you questioning everything.Part of that unpredictability is rooted in the characters, and we have a whole host of eccentric and terrifying characters, not least of all the main character, Carolyn. All I can really say is that she is one scary-ass lady. As more of her is revealed in each increasingly horrible flashback the tension of this book ratchets up another notch as you piece together the plot and Carolyn's role in the story. It's not just Carolyn, this book reveals more and more facets of each of its characters; the more we know the more we have to take into account. Characters that you thought you knew can change completely with a simple revelation, all of their actions and your reckoning of them completely upended and leaving you blown away in the chaotic swirl.I don't want to paint this book as overly serious and dark, Hawkins is a master at pairing levity with horror. As much as this book made me wince and shift uncomfortably it made me laugh out loud at just how fun all this madness can be. This story jumps from one horror to another but he never fails to use humor expertly as a relief valve; the president could be beheaded in one paragraph and his head would blow raspberries and kisses in the next. Much of the humor is in the banter and dialogue which I also loved, Hawkins writes these absolutely wacky characters but gives them frank and believable dialogue with much of the humor being couched in absurdity and wit. I've got two closing notes and that's a wrap. The first is that I loved how direct the prose was in this book. This isn't to say there is an absence of beautiful and flowery language, because there is, but it's only used when appropriate. The majority of this book is direct and brutal, people don't get shot or pierced through, people get “Half their guts blown out” or get their “heart and lungs obliterated, sending a good bit of tissue out a fist-sized hole in his back”. The second note is that I loved the ending, it felt like every little puzzle piece fell into place and the things I took note of were addressed in a complete and satisfying way.TL;DR: The best description I can give is that there's a team of super kids with an unfathomable and terrifying father, intense flashes of violence and mayhem paired with dark humor, and non-linear dream-ish storytelling.

The start was a bit gruesome and hard to take but because the focus kept shifting it was bearable.
Towards the end [and personally I think there are 3 endings in this book] so after the first and during the second storyline I noticed this author took a different approach to world building, one that I really enjoyed.

Alot of authors will put the firehose in your mouth and turn on the tap, which eventually bogs down the storyline [if you ever get to it] and a storyline that moves is important to me. Others will throw you in the deep end of the pool and leave you to drown; they don't spend any time on the world building and their plot has huge gaping holes, which really ticks me off.

This author, doesn't do all the world building during the first story, there are clear gaps in understanding and the world, but not enough to bog down the progress of the storyline and piss off the reader.

The second story is pretty much all back trailing, filling in the gaps in the story and alot of world building which has me interested if there's a second book. The third story was the wrap up on individual story lines and tying up loose ends, leaving me contented.

This is a book I'd put in my personal collection to pull out when I'd forgotten the minor details and enjoy multiple times over the decades.

I wasn't sure what was happening (in a good, mysterious way) until the end. A strange, but engrossing book.

Slow start for me but halfway through I was fully engaged and I did not predict the end at all.

Thrilling, fast-paced and very dark, but with a sly humour.

Gruesome at times but a fascinating and fresh story and plot. Just when you think the author is starting to wander, his machinations reveal themselves in a way that made my jaw drop. Not for everyone but a great read for fans of dark fantasy.

One of the best books I've ever read. Hawkins creates a fantastic universe and weaves a unique story.

I love it when I get no information about what is going on, just me, context clues and great vibes.

This book is bonkers.
Absurd.
With elements of horror. And humour, at points.

The first 3rd is what feels like a long list of random, weird things thrown at you, and you have absolutely no idea where these things will take you, but at this point you're invested in the weird and the absurd, so you go with it. And when the absurd and the weird start to make sense you begin to wonder, hm, maybe you're the crazy person here. It feels like the good kind of crazy.

If that sounds good to you? This book is for you.

I really enjoyed (most of) the book, and you may wonder why I only give it 3 stars. 3 is good! I wanted the ending to be different, is all.

Dit was ongetwijfeld één van de meest bizarre boeken dat ik ooit heb gelezen.

Het was meeslepend en vlot genoeg geschreven dat ik geen moment heb gedacht om het boek op te geven, maar ik heb eigenlijk nog steeds geen idee wat ik nu eigenlijk precies heb gelezen.
Het boek was een mix van fantasie en horror van de wrede en bloederige soort. De gemakkelijkste beschrijving is dat het over een eeuwenoude almachtige gaat die twaalf gewone mensenkinderen adopteert en elk van hen een deeltje van zijn macht aanleert, maar dit is slechts het oppervlakkige uitgangspunt van dit boek.
In ieder geval vond ik deze aanleiding bijzonder intrigerend en het boek wist me ook te boeien, ook al was ik het merendeel van de tijd in de war, maar na het lezen van de laatste pagina bleef ik toch wat gefrustreerd achter.

De auteur had heel veel leuke en originele ideeën, maar ook heel veel blijft onduidelijk en vaag. Op het einde blijven er zoveel vragen over, dat het gewoon teleurstellend is.

Dus dit was een boek dat ik eigenlijk wel graag heb gelezen, waar ik blijf over nadenken, maar hoe meer ik erover nadenk, hoe meer problemen ik heb en gaten ik vind in verschillende concepten en ideeën.

First book in quite a while that has really grabbed me. It's exactly the kind of book I like – one that plops you down in the middle of a large, well-established set of rules different from the ones you're used to – but it's an excellent example of the type.

What stands out to me is the brutality. It's never cruel just to be cruel, but it – or rather its characters – pull no punches. To be clear, though, a lot of modern work in fantasy and even other media seeks to distinguish itself by what it would like the audience to believe is realism and grit, but which is really just mean-spiritedness for its own sake, and this doesn't fall into that trap.

Great building of its own mythology and systems. Strongly recommended among other recent fantasy, from which it stands out wonderfully.

EDIT: Why did I only give this four stars my first go-round? This book is great.

This is not the easiest book for me to write about. I'm really torn about this. That's not exactly true. I want to be torn about it. I spent a lot of time hating this book, and the rest wanting to hate it (and coming pretty close). I took a break on page 81 to write a healthy paragraph in my notes, which included, “by page 81 or so, I really had no idea what the book was about other than some guy inflicting horrible abuse – physical, metaphysical, mental, spiritual, psychological, and any other kinds possible – on children. All of whom, for various and sundry reasons are devoted to him.” There had been at least 4 distinct places by that point where I wanted to stop reading. But I received the book in exchange for a review, so I had to press on. It was within 10-20 pages after that rant that I found something I enjoyed.

If you're reading an almost 400 page book and the first quarter is so terrible you're only reading by compulsion? It's not a good book. No matter how good that last seventy-five percent is.

And it was pretty good. There's a man, who's moved on beyond humanity after gaining great knowledge – after 60,000 or so years, he has pretty much gained all knowledge. You know that line about sufficiently advanced science appearing magical? Well, imagine that, but sufficiently advanced as to be on Doctor Strange's level. For reasons unexplained for a very long time, he took a bunch of kids on as apprentices – teaching each of them one (and only one) discipline so they'd be as knowledge able as he is (and the methods he uses aren't exactly endorsed by the NEA, John Dewey or even The Barnum and Bailey Circus). After a few decades or so, these children are grown, can almost not remember their old life – and the master disappears. Which is when things start to really fall apart. Oh yeah, there's a postal carrier and a special forces agent who's probably more skilled than Jack Reacher. And it's almost impossible to explain how they're involved.

The worldbuilding is fantastic, really, you've seen little like it. At least 3 of the characters are keepers. Plotting is careful and intricate (at times slow, at other times so fast you'll have a hard time keeping up). I can't tell you how many times it zigged when I thought it was going to zag. And each zig was completely believable and generally mind-bending. All in all, skillfully written, skillfully told. Still, not for me.

I'm not sure how to rank this. If going off of my reaction to it, I think I'd have to invent a new ranking system, something lower than no stars. But if going off of actual merit – it's probably a 3.5-4 (maybe 4.5 star). Read it at your own risk.
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I received this from the people at Blogging for Books in exchange for this review. They probably wish I didn't.

Full Review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7zXGLu_1Zc

Worst stupidest book i've ever read in my life.