YA Review: The Archived

The Archived (Archived, 1) by Victoria Schwab, January 22, 2013. 328 pages. Published by Hyperion. Source: library.

Imagine a place where the dead rest on shelves like books.

Each body has a story to tell, a life seen in pictures that only Librarians can read. The dead are called Histories, and the vast realm in which they rest is the Archive.

Da first brought Mackenzie Bishop here four years ago, when she was twelve years old, frightened but determined to prove herself. Now Da is dead, and Mac has grown into what she once was, a ruthless Keeper, tasked with stopping often—violent Histories from waking up and getting out. Because of her job, she lies to the people she loves, and she knows fear for what it is: a useful tool for staying alive.

Being a Keeper isn’t just dangerous—it’s a constant reminder of those Mac has lost. Da’s death was hard enough, but now her little brother is gone too. Mac starts to wonder about the boundary between living and dying, sleeping and waking. In the Archive, the dead must never be disturbed. And yet, someone is deliberately altering Histories, erasing essential chapters. Unless Mac can piece together what remains, the Archive itself might crumble and fall.

First Sentence:

The Narrows remind me of August nights in the South. 

Guys, I would just like to say that I now understand why so many of y'all have been raving about Victoria Schwab's The Archived!!!! I know, a year late to the game but I enjoyed her writing and world building so much in this, my first book by her, that I am going to have to pester my library to get the second installment as soon as possible.

While it has taken me a month to finally sit down and 'pen' my thoughts on The Archived, I will tell y'all that just thinking about it is bringing back all these great memories of Victoria Schwab's writing and the amusing bantering relationship between Mac and Wesley. Even though there was no romantic chemistry between them, which was a-ok in my book, I loved the way their friendship grew as they learned to open and rely on the only Keeper they knew...each other. I really thought Wesley made a great foil for Mac's closed off personality which gave both of their characters a new dimension that probably would have been missing otherwise.

Since I had heard such great things about this series and Victoria Schwab's writing I was nervous to even pick it up. Because I have been disappointed one too many times by highly talked about books and authors. But The Archived is one that I fell lives up to the expectations that a new reader my have going in. I thought the author did a great job creating a world and situation that made you question and dig into the why's and how's of what was happening within the book. I loved that Mac was complex and had so much to loose/gain by following in the footsteps of her Da.
    But, while I loved reading about Mac and Wesley, and, even the flashbacks to when Mac was training to become a Keeper, what really pulled me in would have to be the writing. Even though the story was a little slow out the gate, I loved the richness of Ms. Schwab's writing and how she pulled me right into the story and made me want to keep on reading with no interruptions.

Mystery, writing, and world/character building are some of the elements that makes this such an interesting and wonderful read. Individually, these things are all good, but when combined in this book they made for excellent reading as the full depth of the story would be missing without just one.

While it's a little hard for me to choose just one thing to like above the rest in this one, I will say this. The companionship between Mac and Wes is one of the highlights for me.  They just made one incredible team throughout the book and I really, and I mean really, hope that their relationship will not drift into the more than friends zone. I just like them the way they are.

So, even though I really enjoyed this one, there is just one thing that disappointed me. Well, I figured out what was happening a little prematurely...I cannot help it if I'm naturally suspicious and always thinking on how something would benefit certain characters within whatever I'm reading. Even with that, I still enjoyed seeing how things played and what the characters would do when they came the to the same realization that I did.

Final Verdict: The Archived- One hyped book that lives up to and surpassed expectations. Definitely a lot of reasons (mystery, a unique story, and great characters) to give this one a chance.

The Archived earns