I fell behind with the Invisible Library series when I was ill and caught up during the Finish A Series in A Month challenge. I borrowed The Secret Chapter by Genevieve Cogman from my local library and dove right back in to this suspenseful fantasy world. I forgot just how much I enjoy Librarian Irene and the dragon prince Kai.
by Genevieve Cogman
Series: The Invisible Library #6
Genres: Fantasy
Source: Library
Purchase*: Amazon | Audible *affiliate
Time-travelling, dimension-jumping, Librarian-spy Irene and dragon-prince Kai will have to team up with an unlikely band of misfits to pull off an amazing art heist—or risk the wrath of a dangerous villain with a secret island lair.
A Librarian’s work is never done, and Irene is summoned to the Library. The world where she grew up is in danger of veering deep into chaos, and she needs to obtain a particular book to stop this from happening. Her only choice is to contact a mysterious Fae information-broker and trader of rare objects: Mr. Nemo.
Irene and Kai make their way to Mr. Nemo’s remote Caribbean island and are invited to dinner, which includes unlikely company. Mr. Nemo has an offer for everyone there: he wants them to steal a specific painting from a specific world. But to get their reward, they will have to form a team, including a dragon techie, a Fae thief, a gambler, a driver, and the muscle. Their goal? The Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna, in an early twenty-first-century world, where their toughest challenge might be each other.
Now that Irene and Kai brokered a treaty between the Dragons and the Fae, they must tread carefully when gathering books for the library. As the liaisons of said treaty, it wouldn’t bode well for them to be caught stealing a book from someone who signed the treaty. This is how they ended up traveling to a remote island to broker a deal with a mysterious Fae, an information broker and trader of rare objects: Mr. Nemo.
The tale that unfolds has them agreeing to join a team of thieves on a heist at the Kunsthistorisches Museum in an alternate Vienna. The museum is on an early twenty-first century world. Something is wrong in this world. They have to work with strangers, but also deal with the locals who seem to have a supernatural problem.
This was fun and a pleasant diversion after the previous book. Irene has to do some quick thinking with lots of double crosses, blackmail, and dragons to contend with. We learn more about dragon history, and meet some of Kai’s family.
The motley crew of thieves were interesting, and all agreed to Mr. Nemo’s request for personal reasons. Sharks, high-speed chases, and brilliant double crosses kept me engaged.
Cogman brought the characters and world to live in vivid 3-D. Fans of historical mysteries, suspense, and fantasy will enjoy this series. I love the magic and the library itself, with portals into different versions of our world.
About Genevieve Cogman
Genevieve Cogman got started on Tolkien and Sherlock Holmes at an early age, and has never looked back. But on a perhaps more prosaic note, she has an MSC in Statistics with Medical Applications and has wielded this in an assortment of jobs: clinical coder, data analyst and classifications specialist. Although The Invisible Library is her debut novel, she has also previously worked as a freelance roleplaying game writer. Genevieve Cogman’s hobbies include patchwork, beading, knitting and gaming, and she lives in the north of England.
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About Kimberly
Kimberly is a coffee loving book addict who reads and listens to fictional stories in all genres. Whovian, Ravenclaw, Howler and proud Nonna. She owns and manages Caffeinated PR. The coffee is always on and she is ready to chat. BlueSky | Facebook | Instagram
kara-karina
I keep getting behind in this series, and each book I pick up I enjoy a helluva lot. I wish someone made a TV series out of it. It’ll be spectacular.
Kimberly
Oh my goodness, yes it would.
Katherine
I finally read the first book in the series last year and really enjoyed it. I’m looking forward to catching up and this looks like such a good read!
Kimberly
Yay, this makes me happy!
Rachel @Waves of Fiction
Sounds like a story rich in imagination! Glad to hear you’re enjoying the series!
Anne - Books of My Heart
I enjoyed this series a lot. It’s just got its own flavor, not quite like anything else.
Ailyn Koay
i finished the series, the initial stage was pretty good but I do hope you like the later books of the series 😛
Wendy
I like the sound of this series. On the TBR it goes!
Mary Kirkland
That sounds like it would be a fun read.
Nadene
This series sounds delightful, Kim. I can see why you enjoyed it.
Lisa Mandina (Lisa Loves Literature)
The Invisible Library series is one I need to start. Sounds like it is a good one based on your review of this book. Love that it has something to do with a shark! I didn’t read too close in case anything might spoil me to start the series. Great review!