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Review: The Mortal Word

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The Mortal Word by Genevieve Cogman

Title: The Mortal Word
Author: Genevieve Cogman
Published: 2018
ISBN-13: 9780399587443
Publisher: Ace
Twitter: @GenevieveCogman
Publisher’s Blurb: When a dragon is murdered at a peace conference, time-travelling Librarian spy Irene must solve the case to keep the balance between order, chaos…and the Library.

In The Mortal Word’s 1890s Paris the Grand Guignol is in full swing.  Terror in its most “natural” state, precursor to B movies promising to be so frightening a doctor and nurse would be on standby for viewers who succumbed to their terror.

When several murders and other atrocities occur accusations fly.   Terrifying things happen that might disrupt the Paris Peace Treaty between fae and dragon, mediated by humans, who better to blame than the Blood Countess?

Elizabeth Báthory, historically known for torturing her victims and bathing in the blood of virgins,  is high chaos.  With her in the story, the poisoning, the chlorine gas bomb, the mysterious clues to L’Enfer all too easily deflect attention away from the real murderer, and the political reasoning behind it.

Of course, the Blood Countess did all those things, and more.  She terrifies others because it is in her nature.  Disrupting the peace conference is fun and games for her, not politics.  Yet, she has stirred the pot.  And in stirring the pot, becomes the favored target of the political gamesmanship of fae and dragon.

Eventually, the evidence leads to the Grand Guignol theatre, and a basement chamber suitable for use by someone who tortures and kidnaps for fun.  Staged terror and real terror in the same building, nothing could be more perfect.  Here, the reader is led to believe, is the denouement of the story.  Now, we will learn why and how the Blood Countess terrified both fae and dragon over a peace conference.

I got so carried along, i almost missed the siren call of the red herring.  As despicable and terrifying as the Blood Countess is, other evidence points other ways.  When calmer minds prevail and re-organize the evidence, the real killer comes to light.

To mystery readers, this may sound like standard fare.  Let me assure you there’s nothing standard about Cogman’s characters.  In her hands, and through Irene’s eyes, we are shown just how tricky it is to think clearly when a fae is trying to hold her in thrall.  Dragons are tricky in their own way, with their rigid hierarchy and societal rules.  And within this world, a character like the Blood Countess can thrive and both be guilty and not at the same time.

The Invisible Library series is inter-dimensional library, Librarians stealing books to keep chaos and order in balance, dragons, fae, alternate timelines, and so much more.  It’s a pleasurable read, even when the villains are as terrifying as the Blood Countess.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reviews

Review: The Invisible Library

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The Invisible Library Series by Genevieve Cogman

Title: The Invisible Library Series
The Invisible Library
The Masked City
The Burning Page
The Lost Plot
Author: Genevieve Cogman
Published: 2016 – 2017
Publisher: Penguin Random House
Twitter: @GenevieveCogman
What’s Auntie Reading Now? pictures:  Library – Masked City – Burning Page – Lost Plot

Publisher’s Blurb:  Irene is a professional spy for the mysterious Library, which harvests fiction from different realities. 

An evil book warbler called on my birthday and dropped sweet little nothings in my ear about a series featuring an interdimensional library and Librarians who time traveled to retrieve books in order to keep the balance of the universe in place.

Having just purged half my personal library and swearing no more series until I’d finished what I had on hand, I somewhat firmly told this book warbler I would have none of it.

And then he delivered the fatal blow, “it has dragons in it.”

That book warbler plays dirty he does.

“And at that moment the alligators burst into the room.”  (The Invisible Library, p. 148)

Best line in a book ever.  Ever.  If I wasn’t enjoying myself before, that line sealed the deal.  A line like that makes you sit up and take notice.

Irene is a Librarian with the Invisible Library and is sent to steal books from other timelines for the Library in order to maintain the balance of the universe.  She reminds me of a very bookish Mary Poppins with all sorts of tricks “up her sleeves.”  She gets stationed in an alternate steampunk Victorian London where she befriends the local esteemed private detective and the chief of police.

Kai is her assistant.  A student sent along to train with her.  He is gut-wrenchingly absolutely perfectly handsome in a somewhat otherworldly way.  He and Irene develop a nice friendship and professional working relationship.  But sometimes thoughts get in their heads …

And as it turns out, Kai in his non-human form, is a Chinese dragon.  Part of one of the noble ruler clans who very much disapprove of Kai’s involvement with the Library.

There are adventures, both in Irene’s home base London and other worlds, which involve various amounts of chaos between factions of the Fae.  And each adventure begins with being sent to retrieve a book and turns into solving a crime of some sort.

And, of course, there’s a big baddie named Alberich who was once a Librarian himself.  He’s gone rogue and threatens the Library itself.  Intent on killing Irene in the process, he also thinks he can outsmart her and Kai.  Despite his prodigious powers, and many close calls, he has yet to kill either of them.

Don’t expect deep philosophical debates on weighty issues within.  These are light hearted mysteries with absurdist tendencies.  What can you expect when you’re dealing with an interdimensional library, time traveling Librarians, disguised dragons and, the Fae who are out to wreak havoc as only they know how?

The evil book warbler was right, and these were a great summer read.  And the alligators?  That would be telling.