A.J. Hackwith: The Library of the Unwritten

Hi everyone

The Library of the Unwritten is the first book in A. J. Hackwith’s Hell’s Library series. I read this on my e-reader.

"Many years ago, Claire was named Head Librarian of the Unwritten Wing-- a neutral space in Hell where all the stories unfinished by their authors reside. Her job consists mainly of repairing and organizing books, but also of keeping an eye on restless stories that risk materializing as characters and escaping the library. When a Hero escapes from his book and goes in search of his author, Claire must track and capture him with the help of former muse and current assistant Brevity and nervous demon courier Leto.
But what should have been a simple retrieval goes horrifyingly wrong when the terrifyingly angelic Ramiel attacks them, convinced that they hold the Devil's Bible. The text of the Devil's Bible is a powerful weapon in the power struggle between Heaven and Hell, so it falls to the librarians to find a book with the power to reshape the boundaries between Heaven, Hell…. and Earth."

The Library of the Unwritten sounded like a fantastic read; fun, entertaining, and full of potential. The idea of a library in Hell filled with unfinished stories is intriguing and imaginative, and the opening chapters lived up to that promise. I loved meeting the characters and exploring the library.
Unfortunately, the further I read, the more the book fell flat. What started as a charming, engaging adventure turned into something tedious, boring, and almost chore-like. The severe lack of world-building became more and more apparent and the magic and stakes of the world never felt real or compelling.

There wasn’t a single engaging or realistic character in the entire book. Every character felt one-dimensional and I struggled to care about their journeys or motivations.

I also didn’t think the more serious aspects of the story fit the overall humorous tone. The shift between lighthearted moments and heavier themes felt jarring and inconsistent. It was as if the book couldn’t decide what it wanted to be; a whimsical adventure or a darker, more complex tale.

There definitely were fun moments, but as a whole, the book was actually very dull. The lack of depth in the world and characters made it hard to stay invested, and by the end, I was left feeling underwhelmed.

Have you read The Library of the Unwritten? Did you feel the same way, or did you enjoy it more than I did? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Happy reading!
Helena