And the confidence with which she uses a slingshot to take down terrifying enemies is too much. Ropa’s “can’t be bothered” attitude and deadpan reactions to utter paranormal chaos is an absolute treat. I’d get so caught up in how well she handles her responsibilities that it was jarring when she responded with an immature comment. There were so many moments I forgot Ropa was only 14 years old. Ropa carries the entire world on her shoulders but it doesn’t define her. I admire her determination and the sacrifices she makes to provide for her family.

She’s tough as hell and there’s nothing that can get in her way, which is really fun when weird, spooky stuff is happening. Instead, Huchu acts like you’ve been a part of Ropa’s story from the beginning and simply drops pieces of information that ring so true it’s like you’ve known about them all along. He doesn’t withhold information or treat you like an outsider. I credit this to Huchu’s inclusive writing style. I learned about her role as a ghostalker, complicated family situation, the Library of the Dead, and the bad spooky happenings without so much as blinking an eye. Huchu sets up Ropa’s world so easily as we move through her day-to-day life. Having not been able to access her own family’s magic, Ropa leans on this new resource to find her own power and discover what evil forces are brewing at night. The investigation leads the young ghostalker to a mysterious library filled with interesting people, books, and of course, magic. One day a particularly desperate ghost begs for help to find her son, and Ropa discovers there is something weird happening to children in the city. At only 14 years old, Ropa trudges through the streets of Edinburgh to earn a meager living to support her grandmother and younger sister. As a ghostalker, she collects payment to deliver messages between the dead and their living loved ones. Ropa can see the dead, but it’s all part of the job.

Add some magic and paranormal happenings for flair and I was happy to take on this story. The pacing is quick, it features a delightful and unusual main character, and the mystery is…mysterious. Every time I read, it felt like I disappeared entirely into the world Huchu created, and ended up with a chunk of easily read pages to show for it. Huchu next? I couldn’t have planned this reading order better if I tried.

How lucky was I to pick up The Library of the Dead by T.L. Maas’s latest book, A Court of Silver Flames, and there was a lot to process after going through the main character’s healing journey.

The Library of the Dead by T.L. Huchu