The Book Censor's Library: A Novel by Bothayna Al-Essa

(Thank you to Restless Books for providing me with a copy of this book!)

 

about book:

A perilous and fantastical satire of banned books, secret libraries, and the looming eye of an all-powerful government. 

The new book censor hasn’t slept soundly in weeks. By day he combs through manuscripts at a government office, looking for anything that would make a book unfit to publish―allusions to queerness, unapproved religions, any mention of life before the Revolution. By night the characters of literary classics crowd his dreams, and pilfered novels pile up in the house he shares with his wife and daughter. As the siren song of forbidden reading continues to beckon, he descends into a netherworld of resistance fighters, undercover booksellers, and outlaw librarians trying to save their history and culture. 

Reckoning with the global threat to free speech and the bleak future it all but guarantees, Bothayna Al-Essa marries the steely dystopia of Orwell’s 1984 with the madcap absurdity of Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland , resulting in a dreadful twist worthy of Kafka. The Book Censor’s Library is a warning call and a love letter to stories and the delicious act of losing oneself in them.

my thoughts:

A magnificent story about books, which I just loved. There are so many literary references, I kept a notebook nearby to jot them all down - talk about an enriching reading experience! The Book Censor's Library by Bothayna Al-Essa is one of my favorite reads of 2024 and I strong urge you to pick up a copy ASAP! You won't want to miss out on this terrific story about books, censorship (think Big Brother), secret libraries, and so much more! 

So, why did I love this book so much? 

1. All the bookishness made my day. 

2. Big Brotherishness is always scary, intriguing, and thought-provoking.

3. Al-Essa's writing was excellent! Truly reminded me of why I love to read. 

4. The story was unputdownable - you can't help but get caught up in it. 

5. Translated fiction is truly the best! Makes me want to read more of it. 

Overall, this is one story that I don't want to share any details about, because you MUST read it for yourself and experiment the beauty of it. You are going to LOVE it to bits!!

Thank you to Restless Books for providing me with a copy of this book!