4.0 (1 rating)
The Absolute Book
A bewitching epic fantasy about a revenge killing, a mysterious scroll box that has survived centuries of fires, and the book that changed everything
"Intricately plotted and gorgeously written, The Absolute Book is a cinematic tale that is by turns dark and dreamlike, yet ultimately hopeful." --Deborah Harkness, New York Times bestselling author of A Discovery of Witches
"An instant classic . . . It is everything fantasy should be." --The Guardian
Taryn Cornick believes that the past--her sister's violent death, and her own ill-conceived revenge--is behind her, and she can get on with her life. She has written a successful book about the things that threaten libraries: insects, damp, light, fire, carelessness and uncaring . . . but not all of the attention it brings her is good.
A policeman, Jacob Berger, questions her about a cold case. Then there are questions about a fire in the library at her grandparents' house and an ancient scroll box known as the Firestarter, as well as threatening phone calls and a mysterious illness. Finally a shadowy young man named Shift appears, forcing Taryn and Jacob toward a reckoning felt in more than one world.
The Absolute Book is epic, action-packed fantasy in which hidden treasures are recovered, wicked things resurface, birds can talk, and dead sisters are a living force. It is a book of journeys and returns, from contemporary England to Auckland, New Zealand; from a magical fairyland to Purgatory. Above all, it is a declaration of love for stories and the ways in which they shape our worlds and create gods out of mortals.
"Intricately plotted and gorgeously written, The Absolute Book is a cinematic tale that is by turns dark and dreamlike, yet ultimately hopeful." --Deborah Harkness, New York Times bestselling author of A Discovery of Witches
"An instant classic . . . It is everything fantasy should be." --The Guardian
Taryn Cornick believes that the past--her sister's violent death, and her own ill-conceived revenge--is behind her, and she can get on with her life. She has written a successful book about the things that threaten libraries: insects, damp, light, fire, carelessness and uncaring . . . but not all of the attention it brings her is good.
A policeman, Jacob Berger, questions her about a cold case. Then there are questions about a fire in the library at her grandparents' house and an ancient scroll box known as the Firestarter, as well as threatening phone calls and a mysterious illness. Finally a shadowy young man named Shift appears, forcing Taryn and Jacob toward a reckoning felt in more than one world.
The Absolute Book is epic, action-packed fantasy in which hidden treasures are recovered, wicked things resurface, birds can talk, and dead sisters are a living force. It is a book of journeys and returns, from contemporary England to Auckland, New Zealand; from a magical fairyland to Purgatory. Above all, it is a declaration of love for stories and the ways in which they shape our worlds and create gods out of mortals.
Pages: 640
ISBN: 9780593296738
Get This Book
Available in: Hardcover, Paperback, Library Binding, Ebook
See all editions (23)Reader Reviews
4.0
1 rating
Charlene M.
Apr 18, 2026
3.5 stars, drifting around 4?
I'm not sure how I feel about this one. On the one hand, I liked the ideas - but it felt like there were too many, jammed together awkwardly.
On the one hand, I liked the language - but it also meandered in many places and sometimes felt out of joint.
I nearly DNFed it a few times, but pushed through anyway.
It is a complex read that maybe didn't *have* to be that complex.
Like the sidhe themselves - often beautiful, but you come away feeling emphemeral and hollow.
I dunno. I will have to sit with it. Maybe that's the true point of the book - to make you sit with a story and admit that it was both too much and not enough.
I'm not sure how I feel about this one. On the one hand, I liked the ideas - but it felt like there were too many, jammed together awkwardly.
On the one hand, I liked the language - but it also meandered in many places and sometimes felt out of joint.
I nearly DNFed it a few times, but pushed through anyway.
It is a complex read that maybe didn't *have* to be that complex.
Like the sidhe themselves - often beautiful, but you come away feeling emphemeral and hollow.
I dunno. I will have to sit with it. Maybe that's the true point of the book - to make you sit with a story and admit that it was both too much and not enough.