Sci Fi Fantasy Audiobook Review: The Burning Page by Genevieve Cogman
The Burning Page by Genevieve Cogman (The Invisible Library #3)
audiocopy courtesy of Audible
Synopsis from Goodreads
"The third title in Genevieve Cogman's clever and exciting The Invisible Library series, The Burning Page is an action-packed literary adventure!
Librarian spy Irene has professional standards to maintain. Standards that absolutely do not include making hasty, unplanned escapes through a burning besieged building. But when the gateway back to your headquarters dramatically malfunctions, one must improvise. And after fleeing a version of Revolutionary France astride a dragon (also known as her assistant, Kai), Irene soon discovers she's not the only one affected. Gates back to the Library are malfunctioning across a multitude of worlds, creating general havoc. She and Kai are tasked with a mission to St Petersburg's Winter Palace, to retrieve a book which will help restore order.
However, such plans rarely survive first contact with the enemy - particularly when the enemy is the traitor Alberich. A nightmare figure bent on the Library's destruction, Alberich gives Irene a tainted 'join me or die' job offer. Meanwhile, Irene's old friend Vale has been damaged by exposure to Chaotic forces and she has no idea how to save him. When another figure from her past appears, begging for help, Irene has to take a good hard look at her priorities. And of course try to save the Library from absolute annihilation. Saving herself would be a bonus.
Irene's adventures feature stolen books, secret agents and forbidden societies - think Doctor Who but with librarian spies!
Audible US/UK | Amazon US/UK | Amazon kindle US/UK | Book Depository
8/10
* * *
I admit that I've enjoyed The Masked City much more than The Burning Page which in comparison felt muted. Still, there was plenty going on for the reader or listener not to get bored.Alberich is a much more prominent character in this book, and there are several confrontations between him and Irene which kept me on the edge of my seat.
Irene is still the star of the show, but she's lost some of her flair. I only saw a glimpse of her old self when she was confronting the weres, otherwise, she was keeping a fairly low profile.
Kai and Vale were more in the background to my disappointment, I felt that their brilliance could have been better used than just for the roles of Irene's flunkies. However, there is a good reason for their subdued roles. Kai is suffering from PTSD after what he went through in the previous book, and Vale is fighting off chaos infestation which tries to turn him into an archetype figure.
The foray into alternative Russian Empire with Catherine The Great's court was a lovely side story and a colourful one, but again the chances to interact with dragons who were prominent in that world weren't used.
The narrator was wonderful as usual, but the book itself was a series of lost opportunities to truly shine. So, we went from spectacular book #2 to a decent book #3. No matter what, though, I'll be continuing this innovative and utterly lovely series, and hope you'll do the same.
* * *
Признаюсь, что Город Масок мне понравился гораздо больше, чем Горящая Страница, которая была довольно тихой книгой в сравнении. Однако, много чего происходило в сюжетной линии, так что скучать мне всё-равно не приходилось.Альберих - немезида Библиотеки в Горящей Странице появляется часто, и Айрин сталкивается с ним несколько раз, о чём я читала с удовольствием.
Айрин - всё также звезда своего шоу, однако сияния в ней поубавилось. Характерную для неё дерзость я смогла увидеть только в столкновении с вервульфами. Кай и Вэйл вообще играют роли с минимумом инициативы, что для их ярких характеров - трата хороших сюжетных линий, однако я понимаю, почему автор приняла такое решение. Кай страдает от травмы, пережитой в заключении в Городе Масок, а Вэйл борется с заражением хаосом, которое пытается превратить его в архетип знаменитого детектива.
Читала о визите Айрин и Кая в альтернативную Российскую Империю Екатерины Великой я с большим удовольствием несмотря на то, что она была маленькой частью сюжета, и на то, что возможность общения с местным драконами опять была утрачена.
Рассказчица как обычно прекрасно озвучила книгу, однако мне было жаль, что Горящая Страница была полна упущенных возможностей, которые превратили бы её из хорошей книги в книгу великолепную. Ну что ж, жду следующего раза. А так, серия замечательная, рекомендую без колебаний.
