The Book That Wouldn’t Burn was a crazy, solid introduction to the world: we have a giant timeless library built into a mountain range, cities built up and around it throughout time and by more than just humanity, and you have a sort of timey whimey mess of a conflict running through everything.

The Book That Broke the World sort of turns that up to 11.

I already told you: we choose sides with our gut. The words are to make us feel better afterwards.

We have Livira and Evar again. They’ve already had a crazy life–or two–each, but the Library isn’t quite done with either of them now… and on top of that, we have yet another new point of view this time: Celcha. It took me a minute to really figure out how this new story was going to interact with the two we already had, but … oh man, it certainly does. We’ll just leave it at that.

I do also like some of the more minor characters which get more of a chance to shine in this one. Arpix and Clovis in particular. It’s fascinating seeing how different cultures collide. We had it work out well for Livira and Evar… can it happen again? Could everyone just all get along some day?

It turns out that the most important lesson that history teaches us is that history should not teach us. Lessons should be learned, not taught. Wisdom has to be earned, and no number of words can wrap the gift of knowledge sufficiently to keep it safe from misuse. The definition of madness is repeating the same action and expecting a different result.

Worldbuildingwise, one crazy bit is that Celcha is member of a third race we hadn’t really seen yet (and there are more than just those). From the moon. Because of course. This world is complicated when it comes to sentient beings trying to kill each other. Which I think works. They have a library with all of the stories–from all these species. The stories of how each grew in turn and tried to kill one another, also in turn.

Plotwise, it’s interesting seeing the myths that were always true in this particular world start to come to the fore. In a series so wrapped up in it’s own ideas of time travel and stable(ish) time loops… well, I very much want to see where this whole plot is going to go!

Overall, it’s very much a middle book. I think The Book That Wouldn’t Burn would (mostly) stand alone. This one, less so. It’s building out the world, but not quite finishing anything just yet. So of course, onward to The Book That Held Her Heart!