From the New York Times bestselling author of The Night Circus, a timeless love story set in a secret underground world—a place of pirates, painters, lovers, liars, and ships that sail upon a starless sea.

Zachary Ezra Rawlins is a graduate student in Vermont when he discovers a mysterious book hidden in the stacks. As he turns the pages, entranced by tales of lovelorn prisoners, key collectors, and nameless acolytes, he reads something strange: a story from his own childhood. Bewildered by this inexplicable book and desperate to make sense of how his own life came to be recorded, Zachary uncovers a series of clues—a bee, a key, and a sword—that lead him to a masquerade party in New York, to a secret club, and through a doorway to an ancient library hidden far below the surface of the earth. What Zachary finds in this curious place is more than just a buried home for books and their guardians—it is a place of lost cities and seas, lovers who pass notes under doors and across time, and of stories whispered by the dead. Zachary learns of those who have sacrificed much to protect this realm, relinquishing their sight and their tongues to preserve this archive, and also of those who are intent on its destruction. Together with Mirabel, a fierce, pink-haired protector of the place, and Dorian, a handsome, barefoot man with shifting alliances, Zachary travels the twisting tunnels, darkened stairwells, crowded ballrooms, and sweetly soaked shores of this magical world, discovering his purpose—in both the mysterious book and in his own life.

Taken to our annual brunch of Calgary BookCrossers.

This is a wrapped book exchange and it will be chosen based on this first sentence: There is a pirate in the basement.

Ohhhhh I’m so excited for this one!! Picked it up at the annual High Tea/wrapped book exchange. I loved the night circus, so I expect big things from this book.

I wanted to love this book because The Night Circus was so damn good. But it just never hooked me, I wasn’t desperate to get back to it and sometimes it felt like a chore. The writing was still beautifully done and I enjoyed certain parts of it, but overall a bit too choppy for me to really feel enveloped in the story.

Released into the first book box we have circulating.

Pulled out of the Calgary BookCrossing Book Box.

I was really excited to read this one as I just loved the Night Circus. While I did enjoy this one I had a hard time getting into the story... I sometimes felt like it was too smart for me and that I wasn't getting as much out of it as I should. Still enjoyed and am glad I read it.

I am adding this one into the Calgary BookCrossing Book Box #2. Hopefully it will find a new reader to enjoy it.

FINALLY! Been waiting for my turn to read this one. :-)

Next reader / RTO

This book is back in my hands. It will be held for a future release.