The Archived

Author: Victoria Schwab
Goodreads Rating: 4.45
Pages: 336
Format: Signed! ARC from NYCC12

Imagine a place where the dead rest on shelves like books.
Each body has a story to tell, a life seen in pictures that 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 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 might 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.

I was so excited for this book when I found out more about it. Once upon a time I had wanted to be an Archivist, although not at all in the same way that MacKenzie was one. He job was a lot more exciting and kick as than what I was doing. Although the description does a good job of explaining what MacKenzie do, you can't really understand until you read the book.

I felt a little thrown by the book because when it starts off, it is almost a second person point of view, but its not. Its MacKenzie talking to her grandfather who she refers to as "you." I also felt a little thrown because she doesn't make it clear until later that you is her Da. That bit was a little confusing, and it only happened once in awhile, but once you know whats going on, it's easier to swallow.

I loved the whole world of the Archive and the histories, and the Narrows, and how Mac's key worked. I cannot wait to find out more about how the Archive works and what Mac's next adventure is going to be, because there is going to be a next adventure. Each of the people within the Archive were so amazing and I loved each of their unique personalities, even Patrick who was a bit of a butt.

I think the hardest part of this book was working with Mac as she worked through the grief of losing her brother and that how her parents just moved her away from their life. I totally understand that everyone has their own way of grieving, but the way that Mac just ran away from everything was so unhealthy, and it just made me feel more sad for her.

I loved the plot of this world and how Mac has moved into the Coronado and now she has to deal with all these histories escaping. I loved that she could hold her own even when it came to Wes. There was a big horray at the lack of insta-love and how rather than have Mac fall in love with some guy, she instead develops a relationship. There was a hit of a love triangle, but that mess got dealt with rather than spanning four long books. This one is definitely one to check out.

EDIT: Victoria Schwab tweeted at me and told me that the Da issue of him not being named was resolved in the final book.

The Courts Decision: