The Library at Mount Char - Scott Hawkins

I have been meaning to write about this book for a while. I initially read it back in 2016, and have made everyone I could convince read it ever since. It is an incredible, and strange, and incredibly strange book. If you read it, you will love it or you will hate it. I am not sure there is any middle ground.

But first, how did you learn about this book, you ask. Did some algorithm suggest it to you? A friend? Someone who is not your friend anymore? Well, here’s my story. One of the regulars on Tony Kornheiser’s podcast is Chris Cillizza, who is a political analyst for CNN. Back then, I followed him on Twitter. One day he posted about this book, saying in essence, “I don’t know if this is the best book I’ve read all year, or the worst”. From earlier posts, I knew he was a fan of fantasy and science fiction. So, count me as intrigued. I picked it up at the library and took a shot. And here’s my review:

Our protagonist is Carolyn, a woman in her early thirties. Years before, when Carolyn was only 8, her suburban neighborhood was destroyed, and she and several children were taken in by a powerful man known only as “Father”. He assigned each child a particular skill or “catalog” to master in his (and now their) home, the Library. For Carolyn, the catalog was languages, even non-human ones. David was assigned murder and war. Jennifer studied how to heal, up to and including resurrection. Which comes in handy, because Margaret was required to walk the paths of the dead. And so on. But as the novel begins, Father has disappeared, and they can’t get back in the Library. The novel follows their efforts to regain the Library, among other things. You see, since Father has disappeared, that leaves a power vacuum in their “family dynamic”, so to speak. And we all know nature abhors a vacuum. As you can imagine, some of these grown children have real issues, and that provides for some delightful conflict.

Now here’s the thing. This novel is in no way straightforward. To say much more about what is really going on would be spoilery, and I don’t do that. But I will tell you this. This is one of the weirdest books I have ever read.  And just when you think it can’t get weirder, it gets weirder. Off the charts weird. But not incomprehensible weird. More like “holy shit!” weird.

And the book definitely has its moments of absurd humor. My favorite exchange from early on:

“You might have told me he was a fucking tiger, Michael.”

“You didn’t know? I thought everyone knew.”

In addition, “The Library at Mount Char” certainly rewards re-reading. There are passages that sort of just float by the first time, but on second reading you go “Oh! That’s what that meant!” Just phenomenal craft.

I have to say, I believe I understand Cillizza’s original ambivalence. And here’s the warning. This novel is full of triggers. Sometimes shocking violence, especially to women and children. Harm to animals. And absolutely cold-blooded murder. It’s all in there. But it is never gratuitous, it is always in service of the story. And given the abilities of the children, some of the “bad stuff” has lower stakes than you might otherwise imagine.

All in all, it is just an amazing read. I promise you will not have read a novel this unusual in your entire life. You will love it, or you will hate it. I’ll take Column A.