The Absolute Book
A Novel
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3.8 • 50 Ratings
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- $4.99
Publisher Description
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.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
Strange, thrilling, and beautiful, The Absolute Book is impossible to categorize…aside from lumping it in with Books We Couldn’t Put Down. Elizabeth Knox’s genre-bending fantasy follows rising young author Taryn, who’s struggling to put the death of her beloved sister Beatrice behind her. But although the driver responsible for the tragedy is in prison, Taryn can’t tamp down her burning rage. When a detective questions her about some suspicious events, the two of them embark on a breathtaking, mind-bending adventure that spans countries, worlds, and even time itself. Knox’s epic tale is a lot, combining myth, mystery, psychological thrills, and supernatural suspense—and she manages to make every element of her sprawling new world feel utterly real. Prepare to read deep into the night.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
This sprawling and engrossing epic from Knox (Mortal Fire) opens with intimate tragedy and expands until the fates of several worlds hang in the balance. When Taryn Cornick's sister, Beatrice, is killed, Taryn wants revenge, and over the 14 years that follow, she progresses from detached teen, then listless wife, to celebrated author. Her debut work of "musing nonfiction" discusses dangers to libraries, and its international acclaim wins Taryn both allies and enemies. As questions emerge about a fire in her grandparents' library which housed an ancient, mystical scroll and Taryn's involvement in a murder case, Taryn is drawn into a centuries-old conflict between demons and the sidhe. The story expands like inverse nesting dolls, beginning as a slow-burn thriller and gradually revealing itself as epic fantasy, even as it retains its core of real-world suspense. Bookish and withdrawn, Taryn is an unexpected chosen one and resists many of the standard heroic tropes. Knox bites off a bit more than she can chew, though, and several questions are left unanswered, but readers will still be impressed by the work's sweeping scope. This ambitious fantasy is a master class in blending genres.
Customer Reviews
so long winded and boring
Could have cut out half of the book and the writing is so choppy and unclear in spots you don’t know what the editors were doing…. Seriously don’t bother!