Book Review: Libyrinth by Pearl North

Libyrinth by Pearl North
Publisher: Tor Teen
Publication date: July 2009
ISBN: 0765320967
Source: Library 

 
In a future time when books are scarce and in danger of extinction, Libyrarians like Haly protect what is left.  Only Haly isn't like all the other Libyrarians - she has a secret.  The Eradicants believe the written word to be evil - even one look at the words is sin.  Instead, they pass knowledge through spoken word and song.  When the two sides gather to battle for possession of the books kept in the Libyrinth, Haly is about to find out just how important her strange hidden talent is.

Things I Liked:
It was a very interesting story idea and I just loved the summaries and blurbs I saw about it.  That is what really drew me to it - a book about future librarians who fight to save the written word from eradication.  A very intriguing idea to me.  I also really enjoyed Haly's comments on what she read from the books.  Some of it was familiar and some was not.  I enjoy a book that talks about books (meta-book?) and that incorporates specific books into the story.  Also the idea that there are two sides waging battle against each other feels just real enough that it seems possible.  I do like that both sides had their strengths and weaknesses - neither one was perfect.  This will probably appeal to librarians and book-lovers for obvious reasons.

I have often wondered why those who read consider themselves superior to those who don't, when it is the Song that is eternal, and the singers of the Song who wield the power of its teachings.  But arrogance is the folly of the literate. p 112

A story is nothing more or less than a sequence of facts, or in the case of fiction, lies, that are imbued with meaning. p 152

Things I Didn't Like:
Really, I just didn't like the execution of the idea.  I was bored and had to put it down multiple times because I was not interested.  I think the divided storyline (it switches back and forth between two characters stories) made it really hard for me to connect with either of them.  It seemed like there was a lot of extraneous information that did not contribute to the story and that I just didn't care about.  I admit that when I got near the end, I skimmed a lot, so it might have picked up in excitement.  

Read-alikes: 
Reminded me a little (the premise did anyway) of Unwind by Neal Shusterman and Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:  
s-factor: ! 
maybe one or two

mrg-factor: XX
some situations, but not very descriptive

v-factor: ->->
there is some pretty heated fighting that takes place

Overall rating: **

Would you be a libyrarian or an eradicant?

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