The Archived by Victoria Schwab Book Review/Discussion

Hello! I read the Archived about a week and a half ago, which i said i would try to do in my Autumn Book Tags post i think, so yay for me!

Also, i’m quite proud because i finally read a V.E. Schwab book! I’ve such great things about Victoria’s writing, and i was glad to finally be able to know what people are talking about.

Let’s get this review/discussion going!

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Page Number: 328 pages

Publication date: January 22, 2013

Publisher: Hyperion

Author: Victoria Schwab

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Synopsis (Off Goodreads)

Each body has a story to tell, a life seen in pictures only Librarians can read. The dead are called Histories, and the vast realm in which they rest is the Archive.

Da first brought Mackenzie Bishop here four years ago, when she was twelve years old, frightened but determined to prove herself. Now Da is dead, and Mac has grown into what he once was: a ruthless Keeper, tasked with stopping often violent Histories from waking up and getting out. Because of her job, she lies to the people she loves, and she knows fear for what it is: a useful tool for staying alive.

Being a Keeper isn’t just dangerous—it’s a constant reminder of those Mac has lost, Da’s death was hard enough, but now that her little brother is gone too, Mac starts to wonder about the boundary between living and dying, sleeping and waking. In the Archive, the dead must never be disturbed. And yet, someone is deliberately altering Histories, erasing essential chapters. Unless Mac can piece together what remains, the Archive itself may crumble and fall.

In this haunting, richly imagined novel, Victoria Schwab reveals the thin lines between past and present, love and pain, trust and deceit, unbearable loss and hard-won redemption.

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My Thoughts:

I really enjoyed this book! There was minimal romance in it, but i don’t think that it was necessary unlike other books which need that missing element of romance.

The plot and concept of the Archive was interesting and that plot twist man, i should have seen that coming!

Our main character Mackenzie is a strong character, but i feel like she’s a bit underdeveloped, just that i thought that she was a slightly boring person, and if she didn’t have that Keeper job, she’d be even drabber.

I found it interesting with the whole family dynamic and how her parents reacted to things differently with one parent being more laid back than the other.

The whole concept of the plot was very confusing but it seemed to make sense when i was reading, but trying to write it down now, i can’t seem to.

But yeah, i liked this book a lot and can’t wait to see what’s next!

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Discussion: (Spoilers)

-Yup, i saw Wesley coming, did you? That’s why i thought all the histories were disappearing like that

-Also i’m pretty sure Wes and Mackenzie will be crew in the next book

-I was very suspicious about Roland at first, and i thought that he was the snitch out of all of the librarians- to be honest though, when Carmen left Kenzie with Ben in the Archive, that should have sent off warning bells- but it didn’t

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Verdict/Reccomendation:

A highly enjoyable read for readers who like mystery and weird concepts about death and the afterlife kind of thing. It’s also a very gender neutral book, though the main character is a girl.

4.5 out of 5 stars, and i can’t wait to read the next one, which is called The Unbound

I stupidly decided to read the chapter sampler at the end of the book, which of course made me just want to read the sequel even more, but it’s unfortunately not available on Overdrive, so….i don’t know what i’m going to do, probably go to the library…when i have time…which i never do

Anyway, for my first Victoria Schwab book, i would say: Success!

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Yup, so that’s it!

Comment below to share your thoughts so we can round out this discussion full circle!

Thanks for reading!

P.S. I finished The Wrath and the Dawn! And then found out that the sequel doesn’t come out till May and i had a breakdown at school.

P.P.S. When you’re reading a Winner’s Curse, and it’s getting real good, and then it expires on Overdrive because you checked it out 2 weeks ago and forgot to renew it. (I put in on hold again, but i was in the middle of reading it! So unfair!)

P.P.P.S. The Winner’s Curse is still not checked back out to me and i’m going INSANE!!!