The Astral Library

A Novel

By: Kate Quinn

Narrated by: Kate Quinn, Saskia Maarleveld

From New York Times bestselling author Kate Quinn comes a gorgeously written fantastical adventure which poses the question: Have you ever wished you could live inside a book? Welcome to the Astral Library, where books are not just objects, but doors to new worlds, new lives, and new futures. Beautifully performed by award winning narrator, Saskia Maarleveld.

Alexandria “Alix” Watson has learned one lesson from her barren childhood in the foster-care system: unlike people, books will never let you down. Working three dead-end jobs to make ends meet and knowing college is a pipe dream, Alix takes nightly refuge in the high-vaulted reading room at the Boston Public Library, escaping into her favorite fantasy novels and dreaming of far-off lands. Until the day she stumbles through a hidden door and meets the Librarian: the ageless, acerbic guardian of a hidden library where the desperate and the lost escape to new lives...inside their favorite books.

The Librarian takes a dazzled Alix under her wing, but before she can escape into the pages of her new life, a shadowy enemy emerges to threaten everyone the Astral Library has ever helped protect. Aided by a dashing costume-shop owner, Alix and the Librarian flee through the Regency drawing rooms of Jane Austen to the back alleys of Sherlock Holmes and the champagne-soaked parties of The Great Gatsby as danger draws inexorably closer. But who does their enemy really wish to destroy—Alix, the Librarian, or the Library itself?

Includes a bonus conversation with Kate Quinn, Saskia Maarleveld, and Tessa Woodward (editor of The Astral Library).

Loved the concept of escaping into a book, literally.

This book has a great concept. Most of us have desired to escape inside a favorite book. However, I felt the frequent use of profanity detracted from the value of the story.

Great and fun concept

A poor narrator can kill a audiobook for me. I’m so grateful that this narrator was amazing. Made all the characters come alive love the concept of the Astro library and I read all the books that this author referred to so it was even more fun. I love the lightheartedness intertwined with tragedy and the heroine in her glory!

Captivating!!!

I disliked that it ended! I wanted to jump inside and leave my world behind!

Mediocre

Good writing as usual, but story was one dimensional. I expected more from a Kate Q. book.

Absolutely fantastical!!

I thoroughly enjoyed this unique novel from Kate Quinn. I have read the majority of Kate‘s books and this one I could not stop listening to. It is such an amazing story the cast a quite magical grip on you. I think the only thing that was a little annoying at times was the way that Saskia made Alix sound too whiney at times. I shared this with me Librarian sister in law immediately. 🩷