Review: The Archived by Victoria Schwab

Publisher: Hyperion
Published: January 22, 2013
Pages: 336
Source: For Review from Hachette Book Group Canada
Rating: 4.5 Stars

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 short: With an entirely unique and exciting concept, The Archived by Victoria Schwab is a refreshing read with an excellent mystery and vivid writing.

Just when you think there are no more truly original ideas left for books, Victoria Schwab comes back swinging with an entirely unique concept in her sophomore novel, The Archived. Mackenzie, the novel's easily likeable and sympathetic protagonist, is a Keeper, charged with the purpose of hunting down and returning restless spirits that escape from their shelves in The Archive. That's just the beginning of the premise, but I'll stop there to preserve the story's enigmatic plot. It's a fairly complex concept and Victoria Schwab nails the execution of it, ensuring that we are never confused, only intrigued.

The Archived was my first exposure to Victoria Schwab's writing and I was totally impressed - not only with the beauty and emotion of her prose, but also with how she handled the more practical aspects of the story, like the execution of the world building and the set up of the mystery. I can honestly say that I was left guessing right up to the end. There was also rarely a dull moment - the pacing was swift and the action scenes were numerous. Some of the spirits that Mackenzie has to hunt down are quite violent and this lends itself to some truly thrilling scenes. And this makes me especially excited as to the potential for this series.

There may have been a few times when my largely left-brained mind had trouble fully buying every aspect of the world building, leaving me with some niggling questions, but I think to dwell on them too much would be a bit too nitpicky and unfair of me. Ultimately, The Archived was a compulsively readable novel due to its enigmatic mystery, its thrilling action, and Victoria Schwab's vivid writing. Most significantly, The Archived has a wholly original premise and that is so refreshing and rare in books these days. Very much recommended!

Other Reviews:
Avery's Book Nook
Cozy Up With A Good Read
More Than Just Magic

Authors Links:
Website
Blog
Twitter
Goodreads