It's a short read with a very interesting premise, based on a Borges story, The Library of Babel, about a library with an almost infinite (but still finite) number of books, containing every possible combination of characters (letters, numbers, and symbols) in the English language, the majority of the books being complete gibberish. The library's inhabitants are tasked with locating the book among the innumerable that recounts their life story.
I found it funny and horrific to think about and generally fun to read, but I finished it with mixed feelings.
What was up with Wand! I can accept the idea that in an endless existence, there are many True Loves (and in fact he has many unnamed romances) or even that he was unknowingly using Wand as a grief salve for his losing Rachel, but it takes up so little of the story, and then the story just ends. Maybe I wish it was longer. Maybe I wish it was shorter.
Still though, great story, and most people love it without the 'but,' and I had a great time with, like, 85% of it. The differing ways of coping, both through ritual, either with the university or the murder cult, the cultural evolution over the millennia, the population density spread and its effect on information, the many many instances of dying as an immortal being, the way they play with the kiosk, etc. etc. Just a lot of fascinating ideas. I can see myself revisiting this for that reason, and then stopping once he's starting falling after Rachel.
Any recommendations for similar books?
by Ashestoashesjc
1 Comment
i felt that too, like wand kinda felt like a placeholder for some bigger emotional thread that never fully landed. the concept had so much weight but the character stuff didn’t always match it. still tho, the existential dread hit hard in the best way. if you liked this one, maybe check out This Is How You Lose the Time War or The Book of the New Sun series, both kinda mess with time, identity, and meaning in really weird but beautiful ways.