The Infinite Library (utgåvan 2011)

Review:

Whoa... So, I was cruising through upcoming titles on LibraryThing a couple months ago when I saw this amazing cover - a book addict's dream - The Infinite Library. Even the title pulled me in. Being the bibliophile that I am, I knew I had to read it, and thanks to the author I finally got the chance. As previously stated - Whoa; I seriously had no idea what I was getting myself into, but I am happy that I did! The Infinite Library is vast, both in content and length, (548 pages), and its conveyance of language and description is breathtaking. I started out reading at a quick pace, but came to the conclusion that it was better savored in small digestible chunks than devoured in a mass reading frenzy. I can attest to the validity of the back cover blurb, it is definitely, "A novel of dark mystery, infinity, and a compelling story for all those who love books and book-related enigmas." Alberto takes some time to get used to, but his personality and well-developed character becomes, dare I say - enjoyable - as the intriguing plot progresses. Strangely, I have mixed feelings about Castellemare, for some reason he seems to ride the fine line between good and evil, but that's probably because I sometimes like to side with the antagonizing party. The dialogue is rich and well-written, flowing almost effortlessly throughout the entire piece. I say "piece" because the book is artfully drafted as if the written word, (devoid of technological influence), is still treasured in a green society. I can almost imagine myself in a dusty library surrounded by the sight, sound, and smell of yellowing pages while reading. The only qualm that I have is that the other two volumes are not published yet. I believe I will enjoy them, especially if Kane X. Faucher continues to write with such beautiful style. Recommended to readers in the mood for a literary challenge at a controlled pace.

Rating: On the Run (4/5)

* I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. ( )

I admit: this was a long read, but considerably satisfying. One can feel emanating from the page a great deal of the author's passion and erudition on a wide variety of topics from codes and ciphers to books themselves (a swan song or love song for books in the digital age). There's some artful inter-text going on here, but it transitions well. At first, I found the Gimaldi character a bit stuffy, but after a while the reader begins to like him––if not feel a pinch of pity for his being pulled around by the nose. The author announces that this is the first in a trilogy of books, and this is the somewhat innocuous opener where we have yet to see the entire project unfold. The concept of an infinite library is itself dazzling, and the array of characters surrounding Gimaldi are a little picaresque and wholly untrustworthy.The book advertises itself as a mystery, a genre label I can partially agree with. This is not a whodunnit potboiler as such. Instead, the mystery is drawn up to a different level of engagement (perhaps conceptual?). Some of the mysterious aspects occur in the threading of allegorical fables in a sort of frame-tale device that may be in homage to Borges, or something else. It is, in many ways, a re-envisioning of the mystery genre, perhaps on par with other book-related mystery tales. Yet, I detected something very unsettling happening in the background of the plot as I read on, something shadowy that I have every reason to expect will pop out of the proverbial closet and spook us in the next volume.I give this book 4/5 because, as a first volume in a trilogy, it is still too early to make a proper judgement on how all of these elements will work out and tie together. On a technical note, I enjoyed the pacing of the book - it wasn't rushing around to move the plot along artificially. As a lover of books and libraries in general, I learned a bit more about what seems to be their exciting history. This book has got a boatload of concepts that stick with you, haunting thought even after the whole thing is over.Specific Ratings:Writing style: 4/5Plot and pacing: 5/5Character development: 3.5/5Delivery of main ideas: 4/5Reading Level: sophisticated, general audience ( )