One of the greatest book series, ever.
The God of Lost Words
Hell’s Library
Ace
November 2, 2021
To save the Library of the Unwritten in Hell, former librarian Claire and her allies may have to destroy it first. Claire, rakish Hero, angel Rami, and muse-turned-librarian Brevity have accomplished the impossible by discovering the true nature of unwritten books. But now that the secret is out, in its quest for power Hell will be coming for every wing of the Library. To protect the Unwritten Wing and stave off the insidious reach of Malphas, one of Hell’s most bloodthirsty generals, Claire and her friends will have to decide how much they’re willing to sacrifice to keep their vulnerable corner of the afterlife. Succeeding would mean rewriting the nature of the Library, but losing would mean obliteration. Their only chance at survival lies in outwitting Hell and writing a new chapter for the Library. Luckily, Claire and her friends know how the right story, told well, can start a revolution.
The next time anyone asks for a book recommendation, I am going to hand them the full Hell’s Library trilogy.
The God of Lost Words by A.J. Hackwith is an emotional journey of love among people, and amongst books. Entering this story we know that Claire and her new after-life-family must find a way to trick Hell to save the library. In this series we’ve learned that the library is so much more than a collection of unfinished books. It’s a sort of haven for authors, characters, and readers alike. The only trouble the library has are the evils of Hell trying to take control.
Claire and Brevity naturally take charge to come up with a plan, and Ramiel stands sentry to protect them all with his sword. Hero runs off to be… a hero. I love his quick quips and humor that he uses as a defense. He was once an arrogant King and the “hero” of his book. Without his book now, he’s learning to be a new version of himself that wasn’t written. He’s learned of love, for Ramiel and for Claire. He has so much to lose if Malphas takes the library from him and his family. With that at the forefront of his mind, we follow Hero through a dark and emotional journey to save them all.
“I’ve seen enough revolutions in my time to say it with some authority: rebellions are built on love and hope. You can’t reject the status quo unless you are hopeful enough to imagine something better.”
It was amusing that in all of the Hell, it was “Death” that was the kind neutral one. He couldn’t outright help Claire, but it was clear that he wanted to. A lot of us fear death, and rightfully; however, In The God of Lost Words, we accept death as necessary. Life can’t exist forever. Similar to the understanding that joy cannot exist without sadness. It isn’t quite understood how Claire earned a place in Hell’s library for her afterlife, but her after-life is glorious in my opinion.
“A library is people. Just as much as it is books and archives. You want to know the heart of a library, don’t look at its most famous books; look at the people it serves. Who it comforts, who it protects. The heart of a library may be its books, but its soul is its people. Humans and stories, impossible to separate the two.”
Hands down, this is one of the best book series I’ve ever read. Ever. The God of Lost Words by A.J. Hackwith was a beautiful conclusion to an epic storyline. Come on… a library hosted in Hell but with librarians, muses, and fallen angels that deserve way better than the realm of Hell for home. There’s love, family love, romantic love, queer love, diverse love, book love… it’s all there! I’m so incredibly proud of the character development of Claire, Brevity, Ramiel, and especially Hero. Book characters are alive! Stories are rewriting themselves. There’s just so much to love if you’re a book nerd like me. If I were given a choice, I’d want to spend my eternal life in The Library of the Unwritten. It sounds a lot like Heaven to me.
Kristin lives in the PNW with her husband, and three kids. She loves to read YA fiction, fantasy, and romance. She enjoys a few side-hustles, including creating bookreels/booktoks for authors. The only shows she watches are re-runs, and if she’s not reading a book, she’s listening to one.
