***Review*** The Archived by Victoria Schwab

The Archived by Victoria Schwab

Released: 22nd January 2013

Publisher: Hyperion
Series: Yes #1 in the Archived series

Format:  Digital ARC

Source: From Netgalley

Find At: Goodreads | Amazon UK | Amazon US | Barnes & Noble

Author Site: Victoria Schwab

Many thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for my review copy, this is in exchange for an honest review.

Goodreads Synopsis:

 Imagine a place where the dead rest on shelves like books.

Each body has a story to tell, a life seen in pictures that only Librarians can read. The dead are called Histories, and the vast realm in which they rest is the Archive.

Da first brought Mackenzie Bishop here four years ago, when she was twelve years old, frightened but determined to prove herself. Now Da is dead, and Mac has grown into what he once was, a ruthless Keeper, tasked with stopping often—violent Histories from waking up and getting out. Because of her job, she lies to the people she loves, and she knows fear for what it is: a useful tool for staying alive.

Being a Keeper isn’t just dangerous—it’s a constant reminder of those Mac has lost. Da’s death was hard enough, but now her little brother is gone too. Mac starts to wonder about the boundary between living and dying, sleeping and waking. In the Archive, the dead must never be disturbed. And yet, someone is deliberately altering Histories, erasing essential chapters. Unless Mac can piece together what remains, the Archive itself might crumble and fall.

In this haunting, richly imagined novel, Victoria Schwab reveals the thin lines between past and present, love and pain, trust and deceit, unbearable loss and hard-won redemption.

 

My Review:

The Synopsis to this sounded so good, I mean how cool is the idea of having the dead rest on shelves like library books.

But I have to say overall I found this one to be a bit of a deadpan, it stayed the same level all through the book.  I was waiting for the excitement and the tension but I didn't feel it.  I didn't connect with the book and I just about scraped through to the end.  No I didn't hate it, it just didn't light a fire underneath me.  Shame really as the concept sounded so good.

I liken it to a pan of simmering water, just a few bubble breaking the surface but not the great frenzy you get from a pan of boiling water.

 The writing style was descriptive and very visual, it certainly didn't lack in imagination but maybe this was its downfall for me.  Instead of creating the world I wish the story would have come through a bit quicker, then I think the story would have flowed through better.

I haven't got any characters that stood out, I did sort of like Mackenzie but to be honest I wasn't too fussed on the others.

Obviously this is my opinion of the book and it's not all bad, someone else may think it's a five star book.  It just wasn't for me.  The writing style isn't bad so don't be too put off by me. 

Overall:  

Not for me and left me with a lukewarm feeling.

My Thoughts on the Cover:

It certainly captures the key elements of the book.  I do find it a bit spooky, the smoky effect around the girl is haunting.