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The Astral Library

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The Astral Library

By: Kate Quinn
Narrated by: Saskia Maarleveld, Kate Quinn
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This audiobook contains a special bonus conversation between author Kate Quinn and narrator Saskia Maarleveld.

Welcome to the Astral Library, where books open up new worlds…

Alix Watson knows one thing: unlike people, books will never let her down.

Night after night she takes refuge in the Boston Public Library, shutting out the struggle to make ends meet with her favorite fantasy novels.

Then she stumbles through a hidden door and is transported to the Astral Library, where the lost find sanctuary in stories.

But when a shadowy enemy threatens to destroy the library, Alix must flee through Jane Austen’s Regency world and Sherlock Holmes’ London as danger closes in…

‘A bookish delight, with a heroine readers will root for … Give to fans of Matt Haig's The Midnight Library’ Booklist

‘Quinn infuses her first fantasy with a joyful love for libraries and their custodians … Its charm is boundless’ SFX Magazine

(P)2026 HarperCollins Publishers Action & Adventure Coming of Age Fantasy Genre Fiction Science Fiction Time Travel Boston
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Critic reviews

'A bookish delight, with a heroine readers will root for … Give to fans of Matt Haig's The Midnight Library ' Booklist
‘Quinn infuses her first fantasy with a joyful love for libraries and their custodians … Its charm is boundless' SFX Magazine
'If you’ve ever wished to tumble straight into your favorite novel, here’s your chance … Bound to be one of the biggest books of the year' Sarah Penner
‘Bookworms will be enchanted’ Publishers Weekly
‘[Those] who long to disappear into a secret book world will enjoy the escape in this love letter to public libraries’ Kirkus Reviews
All stars
Most relevant
The story wasn't what I expected (in a good way). I found the main character slightly annoying at the beginning but she grows on you and her relationship with the other characters feels more believable as the story unfolds.

I loved the dipping in and out of the books but what I loved most is how it made me feel! I'll be visiting my local library this week!

If we don't use them we will lose them!

Makes you think!

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I had very high expectations of this book. I had been waiting for it for about a year. But it turned out to be unlike Kate's other work. I just forced myself to finish it halfway through just to get to the end. There was no strong story, no proper or interesting villains and ever so many plot holes. The performance of Saskia was top notch as usual, and Kate's writing was good, but the story was very slow, uninteresting, unhooking, and at some points made no sense. I was disappointed. I really expected much better work and story of Kate. No special thing was happening at all. It was hardly even entertaining.

Not her best work

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