When Lenora's parents went on an extended vacation, any thoughts of having a fun time on her own are quickly dashed when she's saddled with
the world's worst babysitter; the young woman drags the girl all over the city, buying herself dresses and planning parties to impress her
friends, and only seems to care about Lenora insomuch as she's determined to keep the girl from doing anything fun. While visiting the library,
Lenora determines to slip away, even just for a little while... only to find herself facing a strange stone archway, beyond which lies an
impossibly vast world of shelves and books and other wonders. A giant of a woman whose badge identifies her as an Answerer takes Lenora on as
an assistant in the great Library of Ever, where all manner of people (human and otherwise) seek all manner of knowledge. As a Fourth Assistant
Apprentice Librarian, the girl finds herself plunged into all manner of challenges, seeking answers for patrons... and facing an insidious
enemy that wants to stamp out knowledge.
Review
Another audiobook chosen primarily to pass the time at work, The Library of Ever promises an adventurous romp in an imaginary
library that spans time and space and reality itself, with a side order of fighting the embodied forces of ignorance and misinformation - an
enemy still all too alive and well in the real world, as recent spikes in book banning sadly indicate. This is what it delivers. It skirts a
line that many similar titles toy with: turning reading and books into a bold, in-your-face Grand Adventure, presumably to convince readers (who
likely already know, as they're reading the book in the first place) how enjoyable and necessary books and the information they contain are.
Fortunately, it doesn't browbeat too much on this. (Few things kill the fun of a story like an overly-blatant Theme or Lesson bludgeoning the
reader; whisper it, speak it, but don't shout and pummel with it...) Lenora's a decently plucky heroine who gets in over her head more than
once, but manages to find her way through tricky problems and learn something along the way - especially the idea that factoids "everyone knows"
aren't always true, so every assumption deserves scrutiny. The Library of Ever itself is a vast, surreal world for her to explore. Along the
way, the Forces of Darkness scheme and skulk through the shelves, taking a personal interest in the up-and-coming young librarian. The ending
has a decently perilous climax with a hook for the second book in the series... which I downloaded after finishing this one.
About a year ago, Lenora discovered a great secret in the city library: a hidden gateway to the vast, magical Library of Ever, repository of
all knowledge and stories. She also discovered that the Forces of Darkness were actively attacking the Library. If knowledge is going to
survive, it needs brave, bold Librarians like Lenora to protect it... but she can't even protect herself in her kendo classes, which she took
up after narrowly escaping the Forces last time. She hasn't even been able to find her way back to the archway leading to the Library of Ever.
Then she finds one of her favorite librarians in tears because she was just fired by the new Board - the Board that she overheard taking over
last year, planning "big changes" and "increased profit margins" (since when was a library about making money?)... clearly the Forces of
Darkness at work. Lenora once more finds her way into the magical otherworldly library - and things are not all well. A new Director has taken
over. Books are disappearing, as are whole sections of the library. And the Forces of Darkness walk freely among the shelves. Worse, her
mentor, the great woman Malachi, has been demoted. Someone is going to have to find the first Librarian and save the Library of Ever, and soon,
or the Forces of Darkness will triumph, strangling knowledge and curiosity and ushering in an era of ignorance, fear, and hatred. That someone,
apparently, is Lenora. She only wishes she knew how...
Review
The second in a (probable) duology, Rebel in the Library of Ever may take place a year after the first book, but melds seamlessly.
Lenora's not the inexperienced assistant apprentice she was in the first volume, coming into the adventure with a greater understanding of the
place, the job, and the enemy... but, amazingly, not everyone seems to recognize the evil walking in plain sight in the Library of Ever.
Patrons seem to be coming around to the new Director's profit-driven schemes, despite the dwindling stock of books and shrinking staff, even
if they're often unsatisfied when they can't find answers or help; nobody apparently notices or cares enough to stand up to the Forces of
Darkness so long as there's a smiling face and a veneer of legitimacy and "progress" plastered over them. With the Forces emboldened and
deeply entrenched, she faces a steeper battle than before, though she has more friends than before - including, unexpectedly, the Director's
own daughter, who has an eye-openeing experience following Lenora through the labyrinthine Library. More interesting ideas and facts are
explored, including the ongoing search for the largest number (which is not infinity, which is not technically a number) and the question of
the Library of Alexandria's fate (among other mysteries), as Lenora heads toward the ultimate confrontation with the monstrous Forces of
Darkness and their plot to hijack the Library of Ever to spread their lies (a plot that's all too easy to see in effect in today's world of
"alternative facts"). It's a satisfying conclusion that seems to wrap the series, though there are a few tantalizing hints from the first
volume that hint at more adventures to come for Lenora.
