Book Review: The Archived

Drawn first to the picture of the girl. She looks sad, confused, as if she's missing someone. The smoke gives the haunted feeling to the style of the book. The key connects to the smoke which is connected to the girl. What is the smoke? Perhaps a spirit of some sought? And what does it have to do with this girl. And the key...keys are usual a sign of something hidden, a secret kept. In the background, walls looking like cement, no place to go. In the Archived by Victoria Schwab, we are taken into a different world, one that only select people know about. The key is important, both to our world and their's. This is a journey that keeps you on your feet, never knowing that to expect next.

Rated 5 stars:

1. Schwab made the female character, Mac, a strong, fearless leader. Taking over her grandfather's job as a Keeper in the Archives, having to collect Histories when they wake up. She met up with danger, but always stood her ground. It is refreshing to see a female character in this type of role. And she didn't make Mac depend on a guy to get the job done. That is always a plus when I read books.
2. Wesley, the main male character in the book, but wasn't seen enough. I don't know why, but I took a liking to him immediately. There was something mysterious with him right from the beginning, which as the book went on, you knew why Schwab made him out to be that way. It was a revelation we would see, though may not have been unexpected either.
3. The pace of the book was spot on. Not too slow and not too fast. I especially liked how Schwab threw in flashbacks of Mac with her grandfather before he passed away. You really sensed how close to the two were and why he passed his job down to her. It was a great way to break up the chapters and always put in the right spots.
4. Schwab makes it clear that this isn't going to be romantic, and why should it be with the theme of the story. There is a love interest in it, but it's just the right amount not to turn it into a romance novel.
5. If you like horror, but not the type that will frighten you but just a good old horror story, then this book is worth taking a look at.

In this book, we are introduced to Histories. A copy of a person's body once they pass away. Inside these mysteries....their memories. Simple enough right? Then there wouldn't be much to read if that was the case. No, inside the Archives, where these Histories are kept, a History wakes up every so often. That is when Keepers, like Mac, come in. It is their job to find the Histories in the Narrows and return them to the Archives.

I found this concept to be quite interesting. Imagine a copy of you and your memories being placed on a shelf after you pass on. It made for an interesting read. And there was much action when Mac had to return all these Histories, especially when her list started to get longer and longer by the day. Schwab gives a great description on what these Narrows and Archives look like, making you feel like you're in there with Mac.

Being a Keeper, means you can't let anyone else know that you are one. Because of this, Mac has become better at lying to her best friend and parents. As the story goes on, Mac starts getting conflicted as the lies get more and more with her parents and friend. Mac's younger brother, Ben was killed only a year ago and she finds herself going to the Archives just to be near his shelf, knowing full well that it isn't really her brother in there. Mac loves and misses her brother, but is it worth losing her job as a Keeper?

Schwab makes Mac out to be a rule breaker, but I think it's with good cause. Most of the time, it's because she just wants to be near her brother. Another time, it was because a History got out to the Outer, the real world, and she along with Wesley, captured him before anymore damage could be done. In this case, it was worth it to break the rules.

There is someone within the walls of the Archives that is set on destroying the branch and soon the Archives in general. It is up to Mac to find out who and stop them before this branch crumbles and she loses Ben and her grandfather for good.

This is where Schwab really shows Mac's courage and heroism. It was great to see a girl can single handily, though sometimes with the help of Wesley, get to the bottom of this. This should be a sign to show girls out there that when it comes to someone you love, nothing can stop you from saving them.

The next book I will be reviewing is The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness. Please kep a look out for that once I finish the book.