Paper and Fire (The Great Library #2) by Rachel Caine
5/5 stars *****
Premise- (5/5) It’s been a while since I read the first book in this series, Ink and Bone, but I was sooooooo excited to return to this world. Ink and Bone wrapped up the training of Jess and his friends, and Paper and Fire places them in their respective positions as soldiers, scholars, and other roles. I was really looking forward to Paper and Fire, to find out what happens next.
Characters- (5/5) Not too many new characters, but we got to see pretty much everyone from the first book again, in new roles with new depth. Jess still makes a great protagonist, and I appreciate the complexity of his character. He’s logical and smart, but emotional too, and struggles with those qualities. I loved his relationship with Glain, and in general seeing more of her as a character. I especially loved seeing the crew together again, with Dario and Khalila and Thomas and Morgan. And of course, Santi and Wolfe played important roles too. It was really interesting to see how all their characters had changed and developed from book one. It was also great to see how they worked as a team, despite their tensions and conflicts.
Plot- (4.5/5) This book felt more centrally focused than the first one, and really kicked off the main series plot (at least as far as I can tell). Though it took a little while for the action to get rolling, once it did it was really nonstop, which definitely kept me engaged. I haven’t had as much time to read lately, but I found myself making time for this book because I was so curious to find out what happened next. I’m really looking forward to seeing where the big new plot points take our characters going forward.
World- (5/5) I enjoyed the world of The Great Library even more in this book than I did the first one. As readers we were learning more about the Library and its sinister workings along with the characters, as well as exploring Alexandria as a city and entering the new world of Rome, which was really fun. It’s interesting to me to see what Caine does with new locations, since they’re all real-world, but sort of alternate real-world. Learning more about the technology and magic in Caine’s world was interesting and exciting.
Writing- (4/5) I definitely appreciated Caine’s writing more in this book than the first book. The world-building was more detailed, and I really appreciated the humor that lightened the grim moments in the book. Her style is easy and enjoyable to read.
Overall- (4.7/5) Paper and Fire took the world we were introduced to in Ink and Bone and expanded it with new plot points. Familiar characters were pushed into new, desperate situations, grew, and formed new relationships. This book kept me reading late into the night, full of action and emotion alike. One of those rare sequels, that for me, surpassed the first book!