Libyrinth by Pearl North
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Far in the future a unique girl lives in the Libyrinth, a giant building with mazes of shelves that hold more books than can be counted. Haly has a secret and she is afraid of what will happen if they find out that she can hear the books. All around her, books tell her their stories in their own voices without having to be opened and read. She can even hear the books saying their last, as they are burned by the Eradicators.
The Libyrinthians believe that the written word should be preserved and studied and knowledge is their commodity. The Singers (Eradicators) believe the written word is dead and that knowledge is best remembered and shared in song. There is also a power struggle with nearby literate kingdoms, the Singers who have more advanced technology, and the illiterate peasants that populate small villages that believe in the Song.
If you like a little bit of sci-fi and a little bit of fantasy, this book has both. It takes place in a society where technology advanced far beyond today, but was somehow lost and forgotten. The people have split into societies with vastly different beliefs on knowledge and how it should be treated. When different people are thrust into unfamiliar societies they learn the world is not as they were brought up to believe. They discover unknown pain, horrors, wonders, and beauty, but will anyone see home again when secret forces are set on eradicating the Libyrinth?
- posted 16 hours ago
