Prose that is beautiful yet efficient, vividly evocative yet honed to precision. Characterisations are rich and layered, woven into intricately detailed worlds.

4.0/5

A twisting tale of intrigue, subjugation, and perception, The Book That Wouldn’t Burn was gripping.

Livira has grown up in the Dust in a tiny village where there is never enough food and water gets scarcer by the year. She dreams of the day the water is gone and her people will be forced to venture to the city. Until one day, a band of Sabbers come and destroy her home, taking her and the other children captive. Reluctantly saved by a group of soldiers, Livira finds herself in the city she’s always dreamed of and assigned to the library around which the whole city revolves.

Evar was born, lost, and spat back out into the same few vast rooms of the library. He and his siblings are all that is left of their people. One at a time they went into the Mechanism, and one at a time they disappeared, only to be regurgitated decades later and find everyone they knew gone. Unlike his siblings, Evar cannot bear to go back into the Mechanism. The others emerged experts on whatever topic the book they went inside with focused on, but Evar has only a girl-shaped space where his time inside should be.

“Their stories spiral around each other, across worlds and time.” Well, that they certainly do.

Once Livira arrives at the library towards the beginning of the book, you get the sense that both main characters are somehow involved with the library, and that their paths will presumably cross.
The initial set up is, like many high fantasy novels, fairly slow, as the world needs to be explained to the reader as it is so unlike our own. However, once the story got started I was hooked.

The way that Livira and Evar’s interactions occurred was fascinating. The ‘magic system’ for lack of a better term - because it seems to perhaps be a mix of magic and technology? - was so well suited to the setting, and I immediately wanted to know more about it and how it worked.

Our two main characters, and their cast of supporting characters, were engaging. Both had led lives where they felt trapped in some way, and both were desperate to find a connection. This made their actions leading to them finding one another really authentic, where otherwise it could have felt forced.

The latter half of the book is absolutely chock full of mysteries, twists, turns, and revelations. Some of these I was surprised by, and some I saw coming, but I don’t personally have an issue with predicting twists as, to me, it suggests the author has signposted it in a way which makes sense to the story and the characters.

I am thoroughly intrigued to see where the story will go in the rest of the trilogy, and I can’t wait to read it.

Oh my! I'm not sure I can gush about this book enough!. Epic in scope, the Book That Wouldn't Burn is a heady mix between traditional epic fantasy and mind bending time/portal sci-fi. It probably shouldn't work but it does. It really really does!

Where to start? Well, the workdbuilding is... immense. The story is set in and around the Library, a seemingly infinite space filled with all the books ever written. It takes Pratchetts L-space to the nth degree. As a booklover, that's a pretty good start! Lovingly imagined, history and mystery are then used to add extra spice to it's spaces. There are some info dumps to explain various aspects but, for me, these added interest rather than take it away.

Mark Lawrence has form using time to mess with things (the Impossible Times trilogy) and he uses it again here, with devastating effect. It can get a trifle confusing but the next chapter or so usually sorts it out. I loved the idea of the Assissants and the Exchange. The Mechanism was a bit less clear but I think this may be made a lot clearer in the next book.

I adored this book. While I would love to go into the plot and characters found in its pages, even the smallest detail can lead to spoilers. I would just advise everyone to read it. Thrilling, heart-wrenching and gut-dropping at times, this is a strong contender for my book of the year so far. So glad to here that the rest of the triology had been written. Now we just have to wait.

Extra points to Mr Lawrence for the epigraphs!

This was a complex, mind-bending, genre-defying epic full of mystery, romance and beautiful prose. Perfect for anyone that wants to get lost in a thrillingly written 500 page love letter to the magic of books and libraries.

I fell head over heels for both of the main characters, Livira and Evar. I couldn’t get enough of them as they both try to unfold the mysteries of the libraries they inhabit.

If you’re looking to sink into a slightly slower paced story that builds to plenty of action, twists and jaw-dropping reveals then I’d highly recommend this one! I think it’s best to go into the book knowing as little as possible about the plot so you can have your mind fully blown.

I received an advance review copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily. I liked the book enough to buy a copy on release. I'm a long-time Mark Lawrence fan. Also, I used to be a librarian as a kid; there's a massive library in the plot, so I'm a bit biased :)

In the Library trilogy, Mark is getting better. It's a change of pace with two main characters, this time both male and female protagonists. Livira is born into poverty, living life as a peasant. Evar was born and lived in The Library, raised by an android.

The story follows our protagonists in and around Crath, city of King Oanold. In Crath lies the legendary Library Athenaeum. The library is.... more than it seems. Things happen outside the realm of normality. In many ways, it reminds me of the Penrose stairs or the Tardis from Doctor Who. I did wonder if this could be Mark's version of Stephen kings the dark tower.

When the plot starts, it meanders, at times wistfully. Around a third of the way through, the plot picks up, roaring along into the usual triumphant fable I am used to seeing in Mark's books. This is an epic tale, and it felt longer than most of Mark's books.

If you're new to Mark Lawrence, I recommend starting with "The Complete Broken Empire Trilogy". It's only 9.99 for the whole trilogy on Kindle.

However, the library trilogy is new, and no previous reading is required. This book is brilliant. I'm happy to recommend anyone purchase it.

The Book That Wouldn Burn is the first book of Mark Lawrance's new The Library trilogy. This is my first Mark Lawrance book and I am amazed by the complex and detailed worldbuilding. It was a slow start but it definitely worth reading. I loved everything about it. I mean a magical giant library. It was just epic. I highly recommend it and can't wait to read the next book.

My views on this book are somewhat mixed. I found it really quite an effort to get into at first. The setting - that of a vast, ageless library in which the librarians may travel for days in order to reach the book they seek - takes a fair while to be established in enough detail. Mark Lawrence’s descriptive writing is relatively sparse compared to many other authors. I also found the pacing of the plot to be extremely erratic in places.

However.

Once this book and I finally clicked, I couldn’t put it down. In a crowded genre filled with cliché, The Book that Wouldn’t Burn feels like a breath of fresh air. I’m not sure where the plot will go in book two - the author covers a lot of ground in this one - but bring it on!

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperVoyager publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I don't think I can give a rating for this book, as I didn't finish it. So, because I have to do a rating for the feedback I will give it 2.5 - middle of the road.
I DNF'd this book at around 40%. Unfortunately the writing style and pacing were a but sluggish and slow for my tastes, but I think this book would be perfect for any readers who are fans of Brandon Sanderson or Raymond E. Feist.

The Book That Wouldn’t Burn follows Livira and Evar whose lives and fates are intricately and inexplicably tied together from the beginning. Livira is an outsider in Crath City, coming from the Dust after an attack on her settlement. Evar, on the other hand, was born in the library and imprisoned within the walls for generations.

The huge library setting is magical as expected and there's also the study element of it as Livira spends years training to be an assistant librarian. The plot is very good and to say too much would be a spoiler. However, the interesting points you will find in this book are the infinite and labyrinthine library and the android-like assistants. Portals that allow you to travel through time and space, with sentient animals serving as Library Guides, and lots of Easter Eggs to previous works to enjoy.

The story started very strongly for me. As with his previous books, Lawrence’s characters are well-written, strong, and developed throughout the story. I enjoyed reading about both Livira and Evar as characters. There is also a cast of secondary characters such as the shadow dog, Volente, and the Raven who bring the story to life adding more depth. I connected with Evar more, working and managing a library myself, I can appreciate all the nods to books etc. Both characters have a lot of similarities, essentially dealing with loneliness. One of the strongest parts of the book was the world-building. Especially the parts about books and libraries, rooms and layers of the library and the Mechanism. The plot is much like the library quite labyrinthine. The first third is slow but quite absorbing. The second part pulls plot strands together to make a tense and exhilarating reading experience. Thematically this book explores loneliness, found families, forbidden friendships, questioning the status quo, destiny and the past repeating itself. An excellent read and one I will be reading again to spot all those easter eggs. Highly recommend.

Thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins for providing me with the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

the opening of this book was so unlike what i thought it would be from the description, but it honestly makes it all the stronger. it's a novel that keeps you off balance and leads you through seemingly meandering turns, but fulfills all of its promise. reminds me of piranesi and the starless sea, both of which i loved. will be curious to see how it fares as a series.

I received a free ARC in exchange for an honest review
I GOT MY HANDS ON A MARK LAWRENCE PRE-RELEASE! This doorstopper features a boy, a girl, and a universe in one library. One gigantic. Mindbending library. I admit I was a little lost at the beginning [wait so the village is destroyed and they just…go from there?] mark lawrence has done it again in this world of books and brutality, trying to remain as spoiler free as possible so you can all check it out yourselves but I’d say Mr. Lawrence has done it again.

The Book That Wouldn't Burn by Mark Lawrence is a book that hooks you up and keeps you questing and querying until the end of the road, respectively until at least the end of the pages in the book and then some more as there are still some two more books to come in The Library trilogy.

We follow the story of two main characters, Livira and Evar. At the beginning, they seem to be unconnected, but then choices are made, things happen & places are found and one and one is put together.

This book is an absolutely amazing read. It talks about race and class and prejudice amongst many other things. But it is also about finding your place in the world, about learning and understanding and about personalities that are willing and capable to quest and ask uncomfortable questions and go the extra mile, rather than stay happy in a status quo.

This book also turns your understanding of time and space onto its head and then you will see where you come out in the end.

I absolutely recommend to read this book. Yes, it is that good.

For book lovers I would consider this to be a must read, because, honestly, who can resist this cover, first of all, and secondly, who can resist a really good story about books and a library with a cast of characters you start to care for so quickly and so entirely.

Available in the UK on 11 May 2023

This review is based on the eARC I received from the publisher via Netgalley in return of an honest review.

Stunning prose, a complex yet structure magic system, all revolving around a library? What’s not to love?!

It’s a big book and not for the faint-hearted, particularly knowing it’s the start of a new trilogy - however I feel positive about the development of this series, particularly with all the twists and turns thrown at the reader through this book.

I enjoyed the mystery elements and the dual POV, although the pacing did leave me feeling a little stretched at times - some points took a bit of resilience to get through.

The Book That Wouldn’t Burn by Mark Lawrence will appeal to anyone who loves books. This epic fantasy is the book in The Library Trilogy.
I received a copy of this book for a free and unbiased opinion.
This book has so much to love- strong and interesting characters, lush world-building, and libraries with magical doors leading to other worlds. Liviria is a young girl and outcast who lives in the dust but whose life is destroyed by the Sabbers. She ends up being moved to a city and allocated to the free-thinking Yute to learn and work with books. One day in the depths of the library, she meets Evar who is looking for someone.
The world Liviria lives is alien and yet relatable- we have leaders who spin the truth and discriminate against people who look different but a world with automated librarians and magical portals.
I found the book a little slow at times and struggled with the length of the book, it does pick up towards the middle with some really amazing plot reveals. But I imagine that many readers will love the attention to description and the atmosphere.
Content warning
Death of children
Perfect for Fans of
The Starless Sea, or anyone who loves books about books and libraries.

Two stories set years, probably centuries, maybe millenia apart but in the same place. A library, vast beyond imagining (sounds amazing, right?). In one timeline Livira, survivor of a massace, refugee, librarian, living in a a city under attack from the creatures who wiped out her village and took her prisoner. In the other Evar, one of just four survivors all raised and living within one city-sized chamber in the library, seraching for meaning, a way out, an identity.
This is a complex book, filled with twists and turns, unsettling and never predictable. The first quarter is slow, bewildering, but the worldbuilding grows, pulling the reader further into the story, although don't get too complacent, what you think is happening very likely isn't (unless you are cleverer than me in which case well done, I did not see that coming.).
It's hard to review without giving out spoilers so all I can say is stick with it and enjoy the ride. A rewarding, absorbing, clever read.

Mind blown. Thank you, Mr Lawrence. As ever, his novels astound and hook me. His world-building is impeccable, and sometimes, I'm left floundering, trying to work out what's happening and why (that's not a complaint.)

The Book That Wouldn't Burn almost defies summary. It is complex and delicious, it is harrowing, and the 'boom' moment, when it comes, just, well, blew my mind, as I said.

I don't read much fantasy these days - but I will spend my time with Mark Lawrence time and time again.

I loved this book:)

(Official review below - it's taken me a while to write this one).

The Book That Wouldn't Burn is the beginning of Mark Lawrence's newest trilogy. Now, he's said this isn't related to the previous trilogies, which were all interconnected, but I'm not at all convinced, and perhaps neither will you be when you read some of the chapter headings - which are all taken from made-up books, and perhaps, written by characters from those previous books.

The Book That Wouldn't Burn, like all Mark's previous offerings, sucks the reader in almost immediately. It might not quite have Red Sister vibes 'When killing a nun it's important to ensure you have...' but it's not long before you can't put the book down.

And yet, as with many of his stories, it can feel as though you're not entirely sure why you're enjoying the story so much, and so invested in the two main characters. This isn't a complaint.

The narrative, skipping between two points of view, moves at odd intervals (again, not a complaint), and just when you might be considering putting the story down, there is a new development, and I warn you all now, without giving away any spoilers, there is one development that will have your jaw dropping in delicious delight.

As with all Mark Lawrence's books, The Book that Wouldn't Burn will leave you both satisfied and demanding more. It is a magnificent addition to his already magnificent collection of stories, and I can't wait for the next instalment. It will also take you some time to reconcile what you've read. It's taken me a good few months to write this review, because to begin with, all I could think was that my mind had been blown.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for my review copy. I have ordered the limited edition hardback as well, and it will go, pride of place, next to my other Mark Lawrence editions.

Unfortunately this book is a DNF at 25%. I really wanted to love it but I found the pacing slow, I liked Livira as a character and found her chapters more enjoyable but I couldn’t connect with Evar’s POV at all. I found the world building confusing in places- it might become clearer as the story develops- but I’m not enjoying it enough to find out. I feel terrible not liking this story and I know there will be many who love it- it’s just not for me.

I recently finished reading The Book That Wouldn't Burn by Mark Lawrence and it left me with a book hangover that is still lingering. This book will transport you to a world where books are everything, and the power of knowledge is both feared and revered.

The story follows two points of view, Livira and Evar, as they navigate their way through a complex world that is filled with secrets and mysteries. Livira is a strong and determined character, and her journey from the Dust to the library is inspiring and emotional. On the other hand, Evar is a more elusive character, but his story is just as captivating.

The world-building in this book is exceptional, and the Infinite Library is a place that you will want to get lost in for hours on end. The themes that the story deals with, such as the power of knowledge, corruption, and xenophobia, are all thought-provoking and relevant.

The book starts off slowly, but the pacing is deliberate and well-executed, building up to a satisfying and emotional ending. While some parts of the complex world-building may be a little hard to follow, the overall story is engaging and will keep you hooked until the very end.

If you're someone who has spent hours in libraries and has had book worlds feel more real than this one, then this book is for you. It's not just a romance story, but a story about friendship, fate, destiny, legacy, and time. It will throw you through a loop and make you cry. This book is going to change your world.

Overall, The Book That Wouldn't Burn is an excellent read, and I highly recommend it. It's not often that a book steals sleep from me, but this one did, and I can't wait to get my hands on the next two books in the trilogy.

How do you review perfection?
This book literally stole sleep from me after I finished it and it's still lurking at the edges of my brain during the day.

Mark Lawrence has been an insta-buy author since Prince of Thorns traumatised me way back when. But in The Book That Wouldn't Burn it feels like Lawrence is standing on Lawrence's admittedly impressive shoulders.

This book is for everyone who's spent hours in libraries and have had book worlds feel more real than this one.

This book is going to change your world.

Thanks to #netgalley for the eArc and #lockedlibrary for producing this beautiful special edition.

Book review -The Book That Wouldn't Burn by Mark Lawrence

Out May 9th

4.5 out of 5 🌟

"It's always the books you don't have that call to you, you know that. Not the ones on your shelf. Those can wait"

Two star crossed lovers, an infinite library and an eternal war. These are the things Mark Lawrence gives you in his new book and it is magnificent.

The book follows two povs, Livira an outsider from the dust making her way in the world and Evar trapped in a library his entire life.

Mark Lawerence makes this the ultimate slow burn. Having the two povs trying to find eachother in the perfect setting of the infinite library. Finding and losing eachother in cycles.

The library itself is a wonderful place. Both interesting, as it holds all the books ever produced, and sometimes deadly.

The author uses the library and its librarians as a perfect allegory for the internet, fake facts and the rise of xenophobia. Making this not only magical but also relevant.

Of course an infinite library also has to have a secret and this secret is what keeps our two povs apart and kept me racing through the book to get to the revelation at the end.

I can honestly say this book surprised the heck out of me and it is the first of Mark Lawrence's books I throughly enjoyed.

A hard recommend for fans of star crossed lovers, slow burn, mystery and deep fantasy.

Thanks netgalley and Harper Collins for this e-ARC in return for an honest review.