The Absolute Book

A Novel

By: Elizabeth Knox

Narrated by: Anne-Marie Duff

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.

I wanted to like this book so much

I tried reading it, and couldn’t follow it. So I tried the audio version. Still couldn’t follow it. I wish I could have understood and enjoyed it more.

Great idea but hard to follow

This story would benefit from a good editor. The transitions from one scene to the next were hard to follow. None of the characters really blossomed into someone you cool love, hate, etc.

I LOVE this book

I read the book over the summer and have been waiting for an audio version. This was such a delight. Narrated perfectly. The story is epic and full of interesting characters. I will definitely put this on my reread/relisten list. ❤️

Fascinating but dull

Really enjoyed the intricacy and detail but it wasn’t a story that had me coming back eagerly every day. It took me over a month to get through it.

Not exactly timeless

This story is really inconsistent in quality, and not exactly timeless. The pop culture references, long descriptions of meal preparation, and mixing of original characters with mythology really kept pulling me out of what should have been an immersive mystery.