The Secret Chapter

The Invisible Library #6

by Genevieve Cogman

In the sixth novel in Genevieve Cogman’s historical fantasy Invisible Library series, Irene and Kai have to team up with an unlikely band of misfits to pull off an amazing art heist, or risk the wrath of a dangerous villain in his secret island lair.

As Irene tries to manage a fraught Fae–dragon truce and her overbearing parents, she’s given a hot new mission. The world where she grew up is in danger and only one book can save it.

This is held by Mr Nemo, secretive Fae villain and antique dealer, so Irene and Kai travel to his Caribbean retreat to strike a deal. But in return for the book, they must steal a painting from twenty-first-century Vienna. They’ll join a team of dragons, Fae gamblers and thieves, so their greatest challenge may be one another. And some will kill to protect this painting, which hides an extraordinary secret from a past age.

The Secret Chapter by Genevieve Cogman is a bookish adventure where a Librarian spy must fall in with a nefarious group to achieve her goals. Imagine Ocean’s Eleven meets James Bond with a pinch of magic . . .

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Mystery, Dragons, Urban Fantasy, Books About Books, Adventure

352 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 12, 2019

About the author

Genevieve Cogman got started on Tolkien and Sherlock Holmes at an early age, and has never looked back. But on a perhaps more prosaic note, she has an MSC in Statistics with Medical Applications and has wielded this in an assortment of jobs: clinical coder, data analyst and classifications specialist. Although The Invisible Library is her debut novel, she has also previously worked as a freelance roleplaying game writer. Genevieve Cogman’s hobbies include patchwork, beading, knitting and gaming, and she lives in the north of England.

Reviews

[Melindam]

"It's not you, Book. It's me."

I rarely leave a book unrated, but this is one of those instances.

I do not exactly know what really happened, as I used to really love this series. Even though I lost my original enthusiasm by books 4 and 5, I still enjoyed them. This instalment just failed to impress me in any way and finishing it was a chore.

Maybe I was not in the mood for it because there were no big changes compared to the previous books ... or maybe that was exactly my problem. I just felt that the series - despite some rather feeble attempts to develop Irene's background- just does not go anywhere. Which in a way makes sense from the author's/publisher's POV: why change a formula that works and that readers love? It's just me whose expectations changed.
While I appreciate that Irene and Kai accept and respect each other and work well as a team, they have zero chemistry and no development. They are colleagues with benefits rather than lovers and as such ... well... boring.

The similarities and references to James Bond books (and/or films) left me cold as well, simply because I do not care about James Bond books either. The well-recognisable cliches failed to divert me.

Anyhow, I think this is the book that broke us. A pity, but at one point I may revisit and read book 7 or just re-read the first 3 instalments when I am in the mood.

Until then:

[Magdalena · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the book, however, I've felt that the last couple of books just hasn't been as good as the first ones. I like Irene, I find her to be a great heroine and The Library is a fabulous place. I just don't find the stories as good as the previous ones. Also, Irene and Kai together, sigh, boring. I suspect that's one of the main reasons I find the books to be less interesting now. And this book had way too little Vale in the story...

Still, the humor in the book is great and I love to learn more about Irene so I will continue reading the books...

I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review!

[Phrynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is book six in the Invisible Library series. I read book five at the end of 2018 and for some reason forgot about the series altogether. Anyway here I am in 2021 picking the series up again and loving it!

In The Secret Chapter Irene and Kai are involved in a heist to secure a book for the Library with the assistance of several Fae and another dragon. What could possibly go wrong? The answer - everything.

Just as enjoyable as the previous five books, this series is proving to be well written, intriguing and reliable. I love the way Irene, as a mere human, can still win over Fae, Dragons and anything else life throws at her. Mind you it does help to have her own personal dragon available at certain moments, especially for flying out of dangerous situations.

I will not leave it as long as last time before I move on to the next book.

[Robin (Bridge Four) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Release Day!!!

4.5 'He who controls the present controls that past' Stars

You can also see a different joint review done with Anne at Books of My Heart

I’ve enjoyed the invisible library series so far. It is one of the smarter series I read and I’m always interested in what new shenanigans Irene and associates are going to get into. Irene is usually trying to steal one book or another from some world but now she needs to steal something much larger to get the book she needs and she has some new hinderanceshelpers for the task.



In the last book Irene became the Library’s representative one the tentative peace treaty was signed and Kia was placed in a similar position enabling their relationship to change. I was a little worried that the romantic aspect between them would take over a little since this is the first book they are officially together. I was worried for nothing, there is the romance between them, but it is so in the background really that it is almost not there. So, the tone of the story hasn’t changed much from prior books, which means if you are reading this solely for the romance…don’t.

Irene and Kia both go to meet with Nemo, a criminal overlord type Fae who has a book Irene desperately needs. Irene and Kia both have very different reasons for going, they both have their own political agendas and those agendas don’t always line up. I respect that both Kia and Irene are still their own people with their own motivations and just because they are together that isn’t going to change. Each has secrets from the other and they respect that. While each might do whatever they can to protect the other, they aren’t blindly just letting the others agenda overshadow their own.

”Should I worry about him?”
Does he matter to you? Besides politically, that is?”
Let’s just say, whether of not he’s in danger will affect my response to the situation.”

A few of the things I loved. We finally meet Irene’s parents. They are a trip and it was a pretty funny exchange.

Was it a surprise that a daughter of spies had developed trust issues? she thought wryly.

While other story plot lines have really examined more of the Library and Fae this one had some bigger developments surrounding the dragons and their origin story. I enjoyed learning more about how the dragons think and their political machinations. Sadly, Vale didn’t have much to do with this story but the good news is that I was so caught up in the quirky new characters and the heist that I didn’t really miss him much.

This was another very well written story with new information that will probably build into the next books. I enjoyed all my time with Irene and co. again and can’t wait to see how the revelations about the dragons in this will play into future books.

[Richard Derus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: yep, the Full Five

I CHECKED THIS BOOK OUT FROM MY LOCAL LIBRARY. SUPPORT YOUR LIBRARY!



My Review: Glory be. This is an *epic* tale, taking us mere humanses out to the Deep End, tilting the deck, and saying, "whoopsie-daisy, hope y'all can swim!"



More thoughts after I can remove the oxygen mask and IV fluids the paramedics put on me. (That was written at the end of March after COVID withered my body and rattled my brain.)



Imagine meeting your intended's parents after rescuing her, being rescued by her, heisting multiple valuable items together, negotiating Multiversal Peace with her, and having them be like "~meh~ that's just life as a Librarian. Oh BTW there are some facts we've never told you, daughter dear, and there's this job...." Was it that surprising that a daughter of spies had developed trust issues? {Irene} thought wryly, as Author Cogman puts it. In conversation with her mother later: “Life was much easier before I had to worry about everyone else worrying,” Irene muttered. “It’s called growing up, dear. It comes with staying alive.” And that the extent of Mothering the lady can do! But "everyone else" includes a certain deeply treasured Dragon....

More will appear like magic tomorrow, 17 December 2020, at Expendable Mudge Muses Aloud.

[KiKi The #BookNerd KBbookreviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75 Stars

The Secret Chapter, by Genevieve Cogman is a delightfully fun read with absolutely wonderful descriptions and portrayals of Fae, Dragons, and Librarians. The perfect choice for a feel-good and exciting read!

Irene, a Librarian, has been tasked with securing a specific edition of a very specific book. There is just one catch. The book is held by a Mr Nemo, a mysterious Fae, who is hidden away on a private island. Being the only copy of this book, Irene has to go and see Mr Nemo and hope she can make a satisfactory deal.

Irene is joined by Kai, dragon royalty and her partner, who uses this opportunity to show off his diplomatic skills. However, during their trip, and upon their arrival, they realise that this job may be more complicated than they first thought. Irene and Kai find they are not the only ones who wish to deal with Mr Nemo, and Mr Nemo knows how to use this to his advantage. He has a very specific form of payment required from the group, in exchange they will all receive what they were inquiring about.

The only problem? Mr Nemo wants the group to band together and perform and impossibly difficult heist, secure a specific item and return it to him without damage.

As a result Kai and Irene find themselves working with a Dragon tech master, a Fae thief, a gambler, a driver and a fighter. But how far does this trust go? And will they succeed?

Disclaimer: This is the sixth book in the series and while it can be read as a standalone characters from earlier books will appear. (Personally I read this as a standalone as I wasn’t aware it was part of a series until it was too late!)However, I will be picking up the rest of the series as soon as possible! Due to this though there may be inadvertent spoilers – so I apologise in advance, it is unintentional if I do not mark one!

— Witty And Interesting —
The Writing Style and Narrative. Cogman’s writing style is incredibly witty and interesting, it immediately pulls you in and really connects you with the story right from the start. Genevieve Cogman manages to balance wit and sarcasm with the serious and thoughtful and it works wonderfully. The writing style also allows you to know a lot of information without feeling too info-heavy, and without information dumps, it is cleverly written and very organic.

The Secret Chapter is written from the perspective or Irene, and it is amazing. Using her perspective allows for you to have a lot of insight, particularly into the Library, the peace treaty, and Irene’s thought process. However, it means there is also an element of mystery and suspense. Irene is intelligent and knows when things are suspicious or wrong, so do we as a result, but she doesn’t know why or what the truth is. This allows a lot of theorising and mystery for us! The narrative is also extremely helpful for people who read this as a standalone as Irene is explanatory by nature as well as thoughtful so we learn a lot from her without meaning to. The narrative is extremely fun to read and allows you to connect with the book and characters very well.

— Fun And Exciting —
The Plot. This plot is fun and exciting and unique and all around enjoyable. A band of misfits coming together to pull off a heist or event is not inherently original BUT the story as a whole is incredibly unique in its execution and style. Not only is it unique in execution but also in terms of the way the Fae and Dragons are used, the portrayal of the treaty, the alternate timelines and, of course, the Library. I ADORED the way a Library is used at the core of the story, it is neither good nor bad, it is neutral but protective and is the key to stability. Moreover, I thoroughly enjoyed the complicated rivalry between the Fae and the Dragons and how each fit into archetypes or general traits. The contrast of chaos versus order added such an interesting dimension to the novel and story and aided the rivalry in a subtle but effective way.This rivalry made the story very intriguing as it had such unexpected effects on the way the heist played out and the group worked together. It allowed for humour, anger and hostility to grow and develop and made the read through much more entertaining. I don’t want to say too much on the plot as it is very easy to spoil! But, I also thought that it was paced very well, there was a great balance of action, magic, planning, discussion and character development.

— Complex And Clever —
The Word Building/Magic System. This book had some complex and clever world building and an extensive magic system! Firstly, let’s talk about the Library and the Librarians. First of all – LIBRARIANS are awesome in this story, readers are portrayed as being awesome, and I adored this more than words can say. The librarians are a neutral party, mostly human, who are there to maintain the equilibrium, the Library is the signatory of the peace treaty and they are aiming to create a balance. But they are morally grey, they steal (for the greater good but are professionals at theft) from others. They have the ability to use a power called the Language, they can change/change how you perceive reality – and it is amazing! But, magic has a cost, it has a physical toll on the body, particularly if you try to use it on too many people at once. This adds some realism ad restraint to the magic which adds to the story.

The next set of magic is that of the dragons. Powerful royal dragons can control an element, only a specific one, and can take on their dragon forms at whim. They are powerful, prefer order and have an in depth system of rules and loyalty- they also dislike the fae. However, their magic is also restricted, to use their element they must have access to it, i.e a lake if it is water, and they cannot take on their dragon forms in ares of ‘high-chaos’ (usually areas with high fae activity). This was incredibly interesting and unique as dragons are seldom used to such an extent or with an in depth and complex look in regards to other supernatural or mythological creatures.

The Fae. I simply adored the portrayals of the fae. They are highly chaotic, flirty, and can be extremely vicious – EXACTLY how fae are meant to be. But, Cogman goes even further and creates a system of archetypes, specific personas that individual fae try to achieve, such as being a manipulator or gambler etc… Each specialise in these areas and have skills pertaining to them. However, their archetypes all have weakness that can be exploited.

Each set of magic is incredibly different but works so well together in the novel, they each have their own limits, weaknesses and strengths allowing individuality and incredibly unique uses of the magic.

The world itself is intriguing, areas are categorised as relying on either magic or technology, order or chaos, and have their advantages and disadvantages to each race, being fae or dragon, even the librarians. The world is an incredibly complex one consisting of alternate timelines. However, despite the jumps in time period, and timelines, it is never confusing and works magnificently- I loved this world, especially the library, and will definitely be on the lookout for the prior books so I can learn more about it.

— Realistic And In-Depth —
The Characters. Every character is well crafted, complex and interesting, they are realistic and in-depth and so are incredibly easy to connect with. Normally, I would split all my opinions on the characters but to avoid too many inadvertent spoilers I will keep it a little briefer than usual!

Irene. She is a Librarian and she is amazing! She is smart, headstrong, independent, determined, and absolutely dedicated to the library and what it represents. She is loyal and honourable, but also incredibly witty and sarcastic, which adds so much amazing humour to the story! Throughout the story she is observant but is unable to piece everything together and this is wonderful for the reader as it shows her intelligence but also allows us to theorise too! Her relationship with Kai is realistic and breaks away from stereotypical cliches. They are loyal to each other, but Irene puts the library fist, the world first, and Kai understands this. Their relationship is balanced, kind, and full of understanding – it is just a perfect adult relationship and is not over the top nor does it take over the story- it just is and it works!

Kai. He is a dragon, he is loyal to the dragons, his family and Irene. But, the Dragons secrecy comes first. He is clever, diplomatic and sweet, but quick to aggression. He is a great character to read about and adds a lot of wit and interest to the story! Being a dragon he often gets into disagreements with the fae and they are simply wonderful to read about and incredibly funny at times.

Not only are the characters and the relationships realistic but there is diversity among them. It is added naturally and adds realism to the story! I loved the characters and cannot wait to see more of them! The group that band together with Kai and Irene are so unique and have such individual personalities tat you cannot put the book down because they are so interesting! The dynamics of the group are fun, witty and suspicious and were absorbing to read about. An honorary mention to Silver – creepy as he may be his characters is incredibly funny, flirty, witty, comical, sarcastic and everything I want from a fae!

— A Feel-Good And Exciting Adventure —
Overall. This historical fantasy is a feel-good and exciting adventure. It is full of magic, comedy, action, sarcasm and wit with a dash of violence and a sprinkle of amazing. The characters are complex and easy to connect with, the plot is fun, unique and well paced, and the magic is cleverly weaved throughout.

Overall, I would recommend this to fantasy and magic lovers. It is a great read, perfect for if you want something fun and light but also complex and action packed!

This series is a must read- with magic, fae, dragons and magical librarians what more could you want?

*I received a free e-ARC of #TheSecretChapter, by Genevieve Cogman from #Netgalley and #PanMacmillan @Panmacmillan in exchange for an honest review *

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Invisible Library series is pure junk food for me - roughly equivalent to the chocolate covered peanut butter pretzels from Trader Joe's. It's possible to eat too many of those highly addictive nuggets in a setting, and I think book 6 might be right at the edge of my tolerance. The Secret Chapter is more of what I've come to expect from the series: a heist, big stakes, nonstop peril and narrow escapes, complex politics involving dragons, Fae, and Librarians (with a capital L) on the horizon - but it's starting to feel a bit stale.

The setup is flimsy this time. Irene is sent to retrieve a rare scroll that is necessary to keep the world she went to school in from tipping into chaos. Unfortunately, the owner of this scroll wants a very specific and valuable painting in return, and Irene and her dragon companion Kai are roped into a ragtag army of thieves and gamblers as they attempt to steal a painting that is not what it seems. Sharks are involved. Duels. Heroic driving. Enemies who dress up our heroine in a bikini.

Adventure and action are plentiful, and the heist goes as wrong as expected (no one writes books about heists that go smoothly). But the question that kept coming up in my mind was: shouldn't I care more about these characters by book 6? Characterization is a major weakness for this series, and this entry especially so, as it introduces a substantial new cast and expects readers to maybe care a little about the newcomers. Which is a problem, since I'm not even particularly attached to main character Irene, intrepid and resourceful Librarian that she is. There's some attempt to develop Irene as a character, especially regarding her relationship with her parents, but it feels cursory and slitherer-out-y. Similarly, Irene and Kai are always too busy trying not to get killed to explore the interestingly ambiguous nature of their alliance, and so there's no progression either of characterization or relationship. It's too bad; better characterization would take this series from one I mildly and guiltily enjoy to being actually, well, good.

I still appreciate the irreverent humor sprinkled throughout:

"Kai, wake up. We've been kidnapped."
He groaned something, eyelids flickering open for a second before he relaxed into his doze.
"Kai! There's been a palace revolution and the peasants are attacking!"
Kai gave a deep shuddering sigh and finally opened his eyes properly. "Execute them all in the public square," he mumbled, clearly still half asleep."

I'll probably read the next one. I don't really expect the characterization to improve, but I'll be ready for another adventure in another year or so.

[Steven · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Berkley and Netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.


Not gonna lie, I adore this series. I love the dragons. I love the Fae. I love the Library. I love the Language. But do you know what I'm tired of? Heists. There's been this non-stop barrage of heists in the book world the last few years, and meh, starting to be over it.

Luckily for us, this heist involves Irene Winters who, like Max from Chronicles of St. Mary's, runs headlong into trouble but has the wit and fortitude to kick its ass. Irene is such a great character, and I really love her interactions with the dragons and fae. I really like Kai as well, but I was hoping for more Lord Silver and Vale. I miss them!

This one has a few twists and turns and quite a few betrayals, but most importantly, this one pushes the world building and lore past the huge changes from the last book to an even newer place, setting the stage for some serious ramifications.

This series, even with a heist thrown in, continues to be fun. Can't wait for the next one.

[Carole (Carole's Random Life) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life in Books.

This book was fantastic! I remember reading the first book in this series, The Invisible Library, right around its publication date and knew that this was going to be a very special series. I have looked forward to each installment and have yet to be disappointed. One of the things that I love about the series is that the possibilities are endless. This book was my favorite in the series to date.

You would think that Irene and Kai would get a bit of a break after all of their work to secure a very important treaty but the fun never seems to stop for this pair. After a quick assassination attempt, they must face Irene's parents which proved to be an eye-opening situation. Before long, Irene is summoned to the Library and given the task to secure a very special book. Irene and Kai dealings with Mr. Nemo prove to be more difficult than expected and they find themselves being put on a team to pull off a very big heist.

This was a very exciting book. The action started in the few pages and really never let up. Just getting to Mr. Nemo was an adventure but the fun really got started once they made it to his island. It was really interesting to see Irene and Kai work within a group. Irene has a take-charge attitude which doesn't always work with the group. The task that they have seems almost impossible and they have to do it with a group that they don't completely trust. I had no idea how they were going to make it work and I love that the story kept me guessing.

The characters in this book were very well done. I have grown to love Irene and Kai over the course of this series and I liked them even a little more by the end of this book. I was a little sad that Detective Vale only made a quick appearance but there were so many new and interesting characters introduced in this book that I didn't miss him as much as I would have thought. The crew that Irene and Kai must work with were all really unique individuals. I wasn't sure who could really be trusted but there were a couple of individuals that really proved themselves in the end.

I would highly recommend this book to others. This is the sixth book in The Invisible Library series which is a series that really should be read in order. I loved the excitement of this story and thought that the task was incredibly unique. Once I started reading this book I did not want to put it down. I cannot wait to read more of this wonderful series!

I received a review copy of this book from Berkley Publishing Group.

Initial Thoughts
I loved this book! This is my favorite book in the series so far which says a lot since I have really enjoyed all of them. This is a series that is best when read in order if at all possible. This story kept me guessing and I could have never guessed some of the things that happened. Irene and Kai were amazing as always and it was great to see them in a new setting with a new group of individuals. The task was both difficult and dangerous but it was also very exciting. I can't wait to read more of this amazing series!

[Sahitya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every new book in the Invisible Library always brings me delight and it was no different since the time I got to know the series would be extended. And obviously receiving the ARC made me very happy. What a great way to have some fun on a weekend.

The one thing guaranteed in this series is that the story moves at a great pace, throwing one sticky situation after another at the characters, not giving them time to get complacent. This ensures that we as readers are always on our toes as well, worried what’s gonna happen next and never wanting to keep the book down. As always, there is another heist this time but involving a larger crew and I enjoyed seeing the typical heist tropes used so effectively. We get a 80s style Bond villain who is the mastermind, a master thief, a muscle, a hacker and the one running the show on the ground. It felt like watching a movie with lots of twists, not being able to guess initially who might betray whom, but ultimately figuring it all out and delighting in the knowledge. We also get us a bit more allusion to the dragon’s history which has been going on for the past couple of books now. And while I was enjoying an entertaining and predictable ride, the author completely blew my mind with the epilogue and I can only wonder what the long term consequences of those revelations are going to be.

Irene has always been a favorite character of mine and reading more about her only made me happy. While she is her smart, witty and resourceful self when trying to get out of tricky messes, I liked getting to know her a bit more personally this time around. Her dysfunctional relationship with her parents and being involved in a task which means something personal to her showed us a bit of introspective and vulnerable side to her, and it definitely made me appreciate her more for being the kind and loyal person she is.

We see that her relationship with Kai is going well but as we’ve come to expect, it’s the slowest burn romance ever and I don’t expect that to change anytime soon. We also get quite a few Fae and Dragon cameos from the previous books, so that was fun but I missed having Vale again. The rest of the heist crew was fun to follow as well, but mostly I enjoyed watching Irene try to work with such a diverse team and figure out how to handle each of their idiosyncrasies.

Finally, this is a thoroughly entertaining and sometimes predictable heist novel with an explosive ending and I promise you’ll have fun reading it. If you’re a fan of the series, then I would obviously recommend you to continue on this journey. If you have never read the Invisible Library series, but you love novels full of adventures and heists, supernatural creatures and an extremely smart Librarian protagonist, you should totally check this out. From the way the story ended, I hope we’ll get to know a lot more about the Library’s origins in the later books and I can’t wait.

[Linda (Miss Greedybooks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked book #6, maybe just my mood, I wanted a bit more? Irene and Kai were great, I think just the other characters were not as well written? The story was good, possible it went slower here or there? Again, it could just be my mood? I do hope there will be a book #7!

[Maja · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a blast to read as usual. Fast-paced, fae, dragons. A heist. A way more interesting outcome of Brexit mentioned (it was half a paragraph where politicians was discouraged from such ideas by public beheadings).

So without spoilering anything, this book brings out on yet another adventures with Irene and Kai. This time to 21st century Europe to steal a painting in order to obtain a book. And they have to work with other fae and a dragon in order to do that and all the obstacles that comes with it. Sadly it was difficult to get to know the other characters in the team. Other than Indigo.

I so love how Irene's and Kai's relationship has developed since the first book (also I can't believe not even a year has passed since the start of the series). Also I am weak for Kai's draconic and overprotective side.
It was also great fun to finally meet Irene's parents, however brief it was.
(the books also needs to feature more Silver and more Vale. Especially Silver, he's so fae and I just love it whenever he has page-time. Kai also needs more of his own PoV chapters).

[Maria Dimitrova · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read the first several books back to back so by the time I finished the previous book in the series I had gotten a bit fed up with it. But after a few months I was happy to jump back into the fray.

This story takes a step back from politics and I couldn’t be happier about it. Irene has a task to secure a book. Nothing new there. But for the first time the world of origin and thus the world it will help stabilize is near and dear to Irene. To get it, she has to deal with a powerful Fae which wants a certain painting stolen in return. Irene and Kai have to work with a bunch of other Fae and a dragon to get the painting. Needless to say things don’t go as planned :D

Irene has a talent for getting herself into sticky situations. For once I would like to see one of her plans go without a stich. It would be quite the plot twist! Every time I read one of these books I’m amazed that she’s managed to survive that long. And she’s starting to rub off on Kai. It would have been easier to swallow if she was reckless but she tries so hard to plan for all possible outcomes and then fate itself throws a wrench in her plans. In small doses it’s great fun but after a while it gets old and quite annoying. On the other hand Irene and Kai are easy to like so turning a blind eye to their inadequacies is not a hardship. So if you’re looking for some lighthearted entertainment with sufficiently high stakes you should read this book.

[☕️Kimberly (Caffeinated Reviewer) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now that Irene and Kai brokered a treaty between the Dragons and the Fae, they must tread carefully when gathering books for the library. As the liaisons of said treaty, it wouldn’t bode well for them to be caught stealing a book from someone who signed the treaty. This is how they ended up traveling to a remote island to broker a deal with a mysterious Fae, an information broker and trader of rare objects: Mr. Nemo.

The tale that unfolds has them agreeing to join a team of thieves on a heist at the Kunsthistorisches Museum in an alternate Vienna. The museum is on an early twenty-first century world. Something is wrong in this world. They have to work with strangers, but also deal with the locals who seem to have a supernatural problem.

This was fun and a pleasant diversion after the previous book. Irene has to do some quick thinking with lots of double crosses, blackmail, and dragons to contend with. We learn more about dragon history, and meet some of Kai’s family.

The motley crew of thieves were interesting, and all agreed to Mr. Nemo’s request for personal reasons. Sharks, high-speed chases, and brilliant double crosses kept me engaged.

Cogman brought the characters and world to live in vivid 3-D. Fans of historical mysteries, suspense, and fantasy will enjoy this series. I love the magic and the library itself, with portals into different versions of our world. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer

[8stitches 9lives · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Secret Chapter is the sixth book in the magical, alluring Invisible Library series but each instalment can be read independently without any an issue although it is preferable to have read the previous instalments. It is the perfect time to release the book as the nights draw in and the cold returns; curling up of the sofa with a cup of hot chocolate and reading this feels very comforting. This is effectively a heist novel and Irene and Kai team up with a group of shady individuals in an attempt to steal an important item from a secure museum. The group brings together both Fae and Dragons which of course means that there are a whole host of trust issues right from the get-go. Can they all work together to nab the object or will it descend into chaos before their very eyes?

Ms Cogman has built an incredible world that is intricate and complex yet easy to understand the way it works. The story is packed to the brim with action and suspense but also explores more profound topics such as ethical and moral dilemmas which are thought-provoking to say the least. The message in this book about the quest for peace, and the treaty signed by rivals Fae and Dragons, is one we all need right now. However, how long peace will prevail is anyone's guess. Moving at a quick pace we are treated to a multi-faceted tale with multiple twists and turns and an intense and exciting plot. This is the perfect winter page-turner with wit and charm and the usual heist storyline turned on its head and woven with the supernatural. Many thanks to Pan Macmillan for an ARC.

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m not a huge fan of the heist trope, so although this was just as crazy and action packed as usual I didn’t enjoy it quite as much.

[CJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unfortunately, I am a later comer to The Invisible Library series. It was always one of those books that sounded great but kept getting pushed further down the TBR pile. However, once I started, I inhaled the entire series within a few days. It is one of those series where you finish one book and immediately find yourself purchasing the following book at 2am to start reading straight away.

Cogman has created such lovable and wonderful characters and her world building is a Bibliphile's dream. Add in some intrigue, mysteries, book crime fighting and a whole lot of fun, and it is easy to become engrossed in Irene and Kai's misadventures.

Recommended for fans of: Dark Academia, Jodi Taylor, Jasper Fforde, The Library of the Unwritten, The Rook, Sorcery of Thorns

Thank you to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for the reading copy.

[The Tattooed Book Geek (Drew). · Rating 4 out of 5]

As always this review can also be found on my blog The Tattooed Book Geek: https://thetattooedbookgeek.wordpress...

The Secret Chapter is the sixth book in The Invisible Library series. I will admit that I haven’t read any of the previous books. Of course, starting a series late means that I have missed out on the past stories, character backstories, previous events and the history/relationships that have developed between the characters throughout the series. However, the story in The Secret Chapter is self-contained. As such, I was easily able to pick up, read and thoroughly enjoy my time spent with The Secret Chapter devouring it in a couple of days and finding it to be the perfect slice of escapist fun.

Irene Winters works for the Library as a Librarian. Librarians are, in fact, actual Librarians but are also highly-trained spies. The Library has multiple doorways that lead onto multiple worlds, some with in-world Librarians (like Irene) and others without. Librarians and the Library are neutral and try to keep the balance on worlds, the equilibrium and the status quo between chaos (Fae) and order (dragons) who claim and rule over various worlds. Librarians maintain the stability by collecting books (sometimes through purchasing the books and at other times through less legal and more illicit ways) and housing them in the Library.

For her latest mission, things take a personal turn for Irene and she has only ten days to find a very rare book to save the world that she grew up on, a world that has meaning to her and is close to her heart.

The book in question is in the possession of Mr Nemo, a Fae and a villain in the grandest sense. Mr Nemo’s hi-tech lair is an isolated and remote Caribbean island retreat on his own private island. He has shark tanks and feeds people to sharks, wears white clothes and a Panama hat, communicates with people seated behind his desk and through screens and he positively screams a charismatic but nefarious 1980’s Bond villain.

Mr Nemo puts together a team of skilled individuals (who are more like an untrustworthy crew with questionable ethics and morality) to steal a painting from a high-tech museum in 21st century alternate Vienna. Each individual is chosen for their own specific talent and particular skill (the driver, the tech expert, the gambler, the thief and the muscle). On the successful completion of the heist, there will be a reward for each member of the team, any artefact in Mr Nemo’s own vast collection, a service that he can immediately render to the individual or, a favour that he can grant.

In exchange for the book, Mr Nemo wants something in return, for Irene to be part of the team, that is the offer and with no other choice, Irene accepts the only deal available to her and becomes entangled in a heist to steal a painting with a hidden secret.

There’s magic in The Secret Chapter, the ‘Language‘ that Librarians use, spoken words and sentences that have power and that helps Irene to get out of some sticky situations (possibly with her ending up in some even stickier situations) during the course of the story.

As the main character, Irene is tough, clever, resilient, resourceful and intelligent. Along with Price Kai, Mr Nemo, the team involved in the heist and a few other characters she is ably supported by a secondary cast of varied characters that were all a joy to read about and who all added something to the overall story.

The story has plenty of action, moments of suspense and moves along at a fast pace. There’s a depth to the story with it going beyond being just a heist. There has been a recent peace treaty signed between the dragons and the Fae but it is a fractious peace and the team which consists of both dragons and Fae is plagued by animosity and mistrust. There are also some interesting revelations about the true history of the race of dragons added to the mix.

The Secret Chapter includes many tropes that are commonly found in heist movies including, as I have already mentioned the criminal mastermind Mr Nemo who I must say is a marvellous character and then, also, a casino scene, a high-stakes gambling scene, a high-speed pursuit through the city streets, a shoot-out, the team falling foul of the local crime boss, double-crosses galore and they are all executed brilliantly. The Secret Chapter wears those tropes like a badge of honour and I found myself relishing their inclusion in the story. Their addition along with Cogman’s impressive storytelling, wit, likeable characters, clever world-building and the lively story gives you a rollicking good mix of action-adventure and a magical heist that make for a criminally good read.

[Rina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Take Six of Crows but cut the flashbacks and half the romance, add dragons and living story tropes, and make it bookish – then you get the The Secret Chapter, the latest instalment in the Invisible Library novels.

Meet the half-dozen – not six! – misfits, who each have their very own unique skillset:
Tina, Fae: disregarding speed limits
Ernst, Fae: having the name of a middle-aged Austrian but a Russian accent
Indigo, Dragon: disappointing parents
Jerome and Felix, Fae: being shippable due to one half-sentence
Irene, Librarian: dry humour
and Kai, Dragon: brooding
Some of them are Fae, some of them are Dragon, one is a Librarian, but they all want something that nobody can give them. Well, nobody except Mr Nemo. Who is literally called nobody.

Alright, all jokes aside: I thoroughly enjoyed this book, although it dropped a bit in quality in the last third, but it did end on a strong note.
I remember that the last instalment didn’t sweep me off my feet. At all. There was rather little action and a lot of talking and the whole investigation thing just didn’t captivate my interest.
With that in mind, I didn’t really have very high expectation going into the new instalment, especially since the plot sounded a lot like it was just another book trying to profit with the Six of Crows-formula.

Let’s hear what Irene thinks upon meeting her fellow band of misfits:

Something twitched at the back of Irene’s mind. This situation is familiar, and it’s not just because it’s a narrative trope and I’m in a Fae’s private lair. Something is being deliberately engineered…

Half-dozen of Crows. That’s what’s being engineered here.
However, since that already worked for me with The Gilded Wolves, I shouldn’t be so surprised that the premise wasn’t really an issue, although I do think that the supporting characters could have had just a little more depth to them.

Speaking of the supporting characters. Since most of them were Fae, that brings me to something I had almost forgotten when picking up this book: How outright amazing the concept of the series is. The Library situated between dimensions. The Dragons as beings of order, and the Fae – god, I just love the Fae. I love that they are made of stories, that they are basically walking clichés and stereotypes, and how, around them and their chaotic energies, story tropes come to life much more easily. I mean, seriously, how cool is that?

The one thing that made the reading experience somewhat… unique? was the fact that they had to venture to an alternate 21st century Vienna, to break into the Kunsthistorische Museum.
Now, I live in Austria and I study and work in Vienna – or would do so, if I wouldn’t spend my time in quarantine like the semi-respectable citizen I am. I mostly don’t read any books set in Austria, since I mostly read English books. But of course, I manage to pick up this book, which has been sitting on my shelf for a while now, exactly during these times, when I can’t go to Vienna myself, and when I have literally just visited the Kunsthistorische like one or two weeks before self-isolating started.
I was hoping it would at least be a high-chaos world so I could blame the current situation on the Fae, but no, of course it was a high-order Vienna with the heaviest surveillance imaginable. I have to say though, reading about a place you know and consider your home is somehow weird, although I didn’t really relate a lot to the way Vienna was described. The atmosphere created of, for example, Venice in the second book, felt much more realistic to me. The description of the Kunsthistorische was on point, however. I feel like Vienna itself wasn’t so prominent in the story anyway – probably too boring lmao.

Another thing I do enjoy is how the romance in the books is always subtle and never overpowers the plot itself. Though, at this point, it is maybe a bit too subtle lol. There could be some more hints and tension, to be honest.

I do have three points of criticism, however.

1) There was not a lot of Silver. His dramatics in the beginning were part of what reminded me how much I loved this book. Especially coming from a typically overly dramatic Oscar Wilde read, that was just perfect for me. Also, I’m not gonna lie: his offer of a threesome towards the end made the whole book.
There was also almost zero Vale, which I am particularly not okay with. He only tagged along with Silver towards the end. I’d kinda love them to become a thing, although that probably will never happen. That would be such an exquisite use of the enemies-to-lovers trope, though.

2) There is only so many times I can read about Irene and Kai being taken prisoner and Irene saving both of them with the Language. Especially when she temporarily loses the ability to use the Language, that would be an opportunity to have her do something clever and surprising. And honestly, at this point I'd also rather have her be saved by Kai. We all know by now she is usually fine on her own and able to look out for herself. Let her just once be the one to rely on someone else.


You are now entering SPOILER TERRITORY – advance at your own risk.


3) So, whenever there is a bunch of people, obviously someone needs to die.
And it obviously is a less important characters. But, of course, we need to get somewhat attached to them first.
I can’t think of a lot of character deaths that were… well I don’t know. Can one like a character death? I just feel like it has to be impactful and make you feel something other than annoyance. I definitely don’t like characters dying just to progress the plot – I feel like that is just a lazy way of dispensing of characters you don’t need anymore and solving problems you created yourself.

The character death in this book was very obvious. Jerome was the person we got to know about most (other than Indigo, who definitely wasn’t going to die just like that), and he really had it coming in the way he was looking for challenges and the thrill of a bet. He really just reminded me of Six of Crow’s Jesper.
There was a bit of built-up, but it went really fast. There was definitely not much emotion here, especially since it was portrayed as being the way he would have wanted to go. I somewhat expected him to turn up later and save them from some other situation, but that didn’t happen.
Now, the thing that annoyed me here was that he was introduced as someone somehow close to one of the other Fae, Felix, some kind of failed master thief:

Felix was sitting next to the man with the playing cards [Jerome], and there was something in their body language that made Irene think they knew each other.

How did literally nothing come from that sentence? It was such an odd detail to call out, since most of the Fae present did know each other or at least had run into each other before. And when Felix later strays from the plan and abandons his colleagues for his own personal heist, Jerome is the one to be in on everything and somewhat have his back. And that is literally it.
When Jerome dies, there is never even any kind of reaction from Felix. I feel like there was just so much more potential to that relationship, even if they would have been just friends.

And it’s definitely not that the author would shy from depicting queer relationships, as especially the Fae basically flirt with everyone, and the dragons don’t have the same notions of genders as humans do either. Also, Ernst literally turned out to have a husband? Which was super cute and all, but it came out of nowhere and very late in the story, too.

In that way, some of the supporting characters turned out to be a bit of a let-down.


Let’s end this review on a high note, with some words from the one and only Lord Silver:

“Of course, if I had chosen to take a position as a liaison, I suppose we could have managed something suitably bipartisan. Or rather tripartisan – and thoroughly inclusive…” He was now looking suggestively at them both.
Irene could almost feel Kai stiffen in his chair

… with rage, or so Genevieve Cogman wants us to believe.

***

An inter-dimensional library that is warded off against chaos and contains all the books has never sounded like a better concept.

***

Why does this sound like Six of Crows

[Anne - Books of My Heart · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 hearts

This is a joint review between Robin and me.

We both are big fans of  The Invisible Library series since the beginning.  The world-building is exceptional, with new worlds in each book since Irene travels.  Irene is an awesome character, and all the characters are very well-developed. The writing in these stories is excellent, more complex in the worlds and characters along with mysteries and thrilling action. The main thing Robin likes about the characters in this series is they are true to themselves.

It's important to read the series in order with the character development, you wouldn't get the same knowledge or connection with just one book.  Secret Chapter is a new arc to the story for many reasons, spoilery reasons.  Irene's assignment has changed since the previous book as she and Kai are part of a political team overseeing the new peace treaty, plus she and Kai are more officially a couple.

There are a few Library characters who are involved throughout the series.  But the primary contacts for Irene have been the detective, Vale and the dragon, Kai.  I thought at one point she was going to have a romance with Vale.  This time Vale was mostly absent. Robin was surprised she didn't miss him more, and we hope to see him more in the future.

Robin was slightly worried now Irene and Kai are official that romance would skew the series.  We both feel it is handled well, ie, still in the background.  Robin loved how each has their political role to play and they try not to let it interfere with the romantic aspects. I enjoyed how they were committed to each other, respecting each other's cultures and secrets, while being able to discuss things honestly.

Probably because of Kai, Irene has grown so much personally.  She really knew so little overall about the library, yet quite a bit about various worlds, the fae and the dragons.  Irene continues to learn about the cultures here.  I love this expansion of her knowledge!  Robin and I were both excited to finally meet her parents and hear about Irene's background.

Robin loved that this story is a heist. Each book has its own style and this one was different from the rest. I pointed out Irene is pretty much always stealing a book but this time it is different because there is a whole team.  This team is one they didn't choose, can't trust and is likely to unreliable, probably dangerous. Irene and Kai really have to work every bit of their intelligence and political skills to stay alive in this venture.

Another thing I love so much is the humor. It is based around some of the stereotypes of the cultures but it works very well.

We note the Library has not had fire alarm drills for the last two hundred years. This is because we found the two default responses unhelpful. These being "running away screaming" or "resigning yourself to death while clutching your favourite books." Librarians with more useful suggestions should contact Yves via email and attach a full benefit-threat analysis.

Kai was brooding over his own pot of coffee when she returned, sprawled in his favourite armchair by the fire. He greeted her with an absent nod.

She settled into the chair opposite. "Which  of our many problems are you thinking about?" she asked.

The political treaty team includes Irene (library), Kai (dragon) and by the end, a fae member has been chosen.  Pretty much any fae wouldn't be trustworthy so it will be fascinating to see how that goes in the next book.  We'll both be reading!

 

[Sotiria Lazaridou · Rating 4 out of 5]

an engaging and thrilling addition to the series, blending mystery, adventure and clever twists in a way that keeps you hooked from start to finish. the plot is fast-paced, full of unexpected turns and filled with intriguing characters that make the story feel fresh. the way the author weaves together historical elements with fictional intrigue is highly impressive, giving the book both depth and excitement. the narrative is fun and immersive and the characters’ relationships continue to evolve in meaningful ways. while there are moments that leave you wanting a bit more, it’s an overall enjoyable and satisfying read that will keep fans eagerly turning the pages. the author's skill in crafting this intricate world is on full display and it makes The Secret Chapter a great read for anyone who enjoys an adventurous and intelligent story.

[Leticia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very entertaining book that I could not put down. Why didn't this book get five stars then? I expected more depth on the relationship between Irene and Kai. We know they care about each other but apart from going from one danger to another we don't get much interaction or scenes that show their relationship. I like the bits about Irene's family and past, but we need more characterization than that as well.

[Bea · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

"The Secret Chapter" was an exciting, twisty read, full of politics, action and adventure, some family drama, and a challenging heist.

Irene has fond memories of the world where she grew up so when it's threatened, she is determined to save it. She'll do anything, even make deals with a mastermind thief, Mr. Nemo, who reminded me strongly of a Bond villain, and work with strangers she doesn't trust. The team Nemo puts together takes time to gel, and there are some misunderstandings along the way. And of course, what's a heist story without complications, betrayals, and personal drama? Both Irene and Kai got to show off their diplomatic abilities in this story, Kai especially. Although his arrogance still trips him up occasionally. Kai has grown the most over the series and I've enjoyed seeing him come into his own. In this story, we get to know both of them a bit better and learn more about their families and familial relationships.

Cogman’s writing immediately pulled me in and kept me engaged. As always, she balanced witty banter, sarcasm, political and philosophical observations, along with some mystery and suspense, and lots of adventure. Irene was once again our guide into the worlds of chaos, order, book preservation, and cosmic balance. We see the story through her perspective, learning info as she does. Though she was much better than I was at putting information into a cohesive whole and figuring things out. :D

Cogman's world building continues to amaze me. The politics, the magic systems, the personal relationships, are rich, complex, and multi-layered. It's both cohesive and messy, just life real life. While certain parts of the world are clearly inspired by the real world, Cogman has expanded and developed them, giving them their own life beyond their inspirations.

"The Secret Chapter" was fast paced, twisty, and full of revelations. I can't wait to see where Cogman goes next with the revelations from this book. I do hope we'll see more of Vale in the next book.

[Anne (ReadEatGameRepeat) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't know how to talk about this, I think this might be my favorite so far? - Also this entire book I had had the James Bond Theme playing in my head while reading and because you too deserve to have this song playing in your head here is a Link to a video with that song so you can listen to it while reading this review where I'm sure I'll say lots of Intelligent things, make witty remarks and most of all will convey my thoughts about this book in a coherent manner.



Dear Reader,
we all know I'm incapable of doing those things.....who do you think I am? I'm just here to scream like the unhinged goblin I am about how much I enjoyed this book, how much the epilogue just blew my little goblin brain out of my little goblin skull and idk im here for all the chaotic spy thriller & fantasy vibes this book is.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: this book and this series is just so much fun & it's like fast food in book form. Its a perfect mix of a spy novel (thriller?) set in a Fantasy world with an appropriate amount of fantasy world building and just fantasy concepts. I love the Fae and the Dragons as characters. As always I love the world building in these books, Genevieve Cogman is amazing at that I really loved the 21st Century setting this time, it probably contributed most to the James Bond theme playing in my head during all the heisty shenanigans, as well as all the Fae characters (and Indigo) having very stereotypical spy thriller archetypes that one the one hand yea still made it a bit predictable the way the Fae always are and the way these books always are to a certain extend but my god is it just so much fun. I really liked that we got a bit more of the larger plot progression in this series since that was a big stagnant in the previous 2 books. I'm really exited to keep reading the series and see where it is all going.

[Meghan · Rating 5 out of 5]

AHHH WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN

IM OBSESSED WITH THIS SERIES! So so so good. I truly never know what’s going to happen next! I can’t wait to start the next one

[Forever Young Adult]

Graded By: Mandy C.
Cover Story: Fitting
BFF Charm: Heck Yes
Swoonworthy Scale: 2
Talky Talk: Heisty
Bonus Factor: History?
Relationship Status: Iron Anniversary

Read the full book report here.

[Mrs. Morningstar · Rating 4 out of 5]

I keep worrying that the next book will be less good than the previous but I keep getting proved wrong every single time.

I loved this one.
And I'm probably the only one who'll say this but I'd give anything to see some Silver and Irene action. Even if it's just for once. Kai doesn't have to know..... ;)

[Marlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally published at Reading Reality

This series is pretty much frying pans and fires all the way down, but this entry has an added fillip of archetypal James Bond movie villains to put a bit of extra zing into this increasingly wild ride of a story.

And there are dragons. There are definitely dragons. In this particular entry in the series, there are dragons on all sides. Irene is, of course, accompanied by her own personal dragon, her apprentice-turned-lover Kai.

While dragons in this universe are creatures of order, and Kai is an actual prince among his kind, the side that Kai is generally on – as well as nearly always at – is Irene’s.

But he’s not the only dragon in this one. And not all of them are exactly on the side of the angels. Or even all on the same side. In fact, it could be said that one of the dragons is more than a bit chaotic – at least insofar as anarchy generally equates to chaos – even if the dragon in question doesn’t see it that way.

The Secret Chapter is both a caper story and a followup to the previous entry in the series, The Mortal Word, without being directly dependent on its predecessor. Well, Irene’s and Kai’s actions are influenced by those previous events, but the caper they find themselves in the middle of doesn’t directly relate to the treaty between Dragons and Fae squabbled over during that story and finally signed at the end.

Instead, this one at first hearkens back to earlier books in the series – and earlier escapades in Irene’s past. Irene is sent to the lair of an archetypal fae collector and information broker – cue the James Bond music – to negotiate the acquisition of a book from Mr. Nemo’s collection that will stabilize the world where Irene went to school.

And that’s where the caper comes in. Mr. Nemo collects lots of interesting things – and people. As a powerful fae, it’s both who he is and what he does. He gets and keeps his power from embodying that archetype.

In return for the book that Irene and the Library desperately want, Mr. Nemo requires that they, along with a motley crew that he has previously assembled, steal a particular painting from a specified world and bring it back to his lair.

The caper, the theft, and the way it works – and doesn’t – may remind readers a bit of the TV series Leverage. It’s the old story of taking a thief to catch a thief, but with multiple twists – not always expected.

This is one of those stories where things are far from what they seem. The thug isn’t a thug, the prisoner isn’t a prisoner, the painting isn’t just a painting. It’s also the “secret chapter” of the book’s title. It’s a secret chapter in the history of the dragons – a secret that no dragon should ever want to let out.

But then there’s that anarchist…

Escape Rating A-: If the pattern for the previous book in this series was that of a murder mystery, the pattern for The Secret Chapter is the caper movie crossed with James Bond-type villainy. It’s the motley crew carrying off the heist for the best of all possible reasons, like Leverage. With a villain like Blofeld or Goldfinger pulling the strings behind the scenes. (I’m pretty sure I remember a Bond movie or two that included that scene with the sharks…)

But underneath that set up, there are more interesting games afoot. Or a-wing in the case of the dragon members of the barely together party.

There is more than one “secret chapter” in this story. Come to think of it, both Irene and Kai are dealing with secret chapters of their lives and histories that have all the impact of a bomb in this entry in the series.

(Take that as a hint, don’t start the series here. Begin your journey at The Invisible Library and be prepared to get lost in the stacks.)

The secrets that Irene exposes – or feels exposed by – are all personal. She and her parents have to resolve Irene’s discovery that she was adopted – and that they never told her. Her sense of herself is still reeling a bit. That the book she needs to retrieve will prevent the world where she went to school, one of the few stable places in her chaotic history, from falling into absolute chaos gives the story a personal stake for her.

At the same time, one of the many, many things in this caper that are not what they seem is the painting that they have to steal. It IS a painting – but it isn’t the painting that they think it is. Or not just that painting. Hidden underneath the masterpiece is something else altogether – a half-finished painting that is intended to undermine every so-called history that the eternal, immortal dragon rulers have ever told about themselves. Whether the revisionist history of the painting is a truth that they’ve been covering for millennia or propaganda created for the purpose of destabilizing the dragons is anyone’s guess.

From Irene’s perspective the truth doesn’t matter. Destabilizing the dragons will cause chaos throughout the multiverse that the Library protects. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, of the one – or of the truth.

I can’t wait for further truths to be revealed – or concealed – in future books in this series. Book 7 is already in the works!

[Victoria Hawco · Rating 5 out of 5]

A museum heist with all the classic heist tropes and archetypes? Double crossing and then triple crossing? Art history mixed with James Bond antics? Sign me up.

[Wulf Krueger · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Stories matter – telling them, sharing them, preserving them, changing them, learning from them, and escaping with and through them. We learn about ourselves and the world that we live in through fiction just as much as through facts. Empathy, perception and understanding are never wasted. All libraries are a gateway into other worlds, including the past – and the future.”


It’s been a while since I’ve read a book that featured a passage good enough for an opening quote. And the above passage is just from the Cogman’s acknowledgements at the very beginning. Fortunately, the implicit promise given holds true for this sixth instalment of the series.

Originally, I intended to give this book four stars, maybe mention it’s more like 4.5 but when I thought about what’s missing in this book for the fifth full star, I couldn’t really think of anything. Yes, there’s not much “philosophical depth” to be found in “The Secret Chapter” but when I contemplated that, I realised I’m perfectly fine with that - the entire series is a lot of fun and yet gives some food for thought and sometimes that’s enough.

“The Secret Chapter” is much like its predecessors: Irene’s and Kai’s dynamics are there and some of the others, e. g. Silver and Vale, are making an appearance. Vale, unfortunately, doesn’t feature prominently in this book but considering what it’s about, this makes sense.

Because this time, Irene is sent to acquire a book by doing a Fae lord a favour by stealing a painting. Doesn’t sound very exciting? Well, Irene needs the book to save an entire world; in fact, a world that used to be her safe haven in complicated times - she went to school there and it helped in lot in shaping her.
Thus, a heist is planned in the vein of the heist films of old, e. g. “Rififi” or “The Sting”, with a gang consisting of Fae, Irene, Kai - and a rogue dragon! Starts sounding more interesting, eh?

The job seems to go quite well up to a certain turning point at which an already suspenseful novel takes a turn into a fast-paced action thriller which is quite refreshing. Nevertheless, just as I would have hoped and expected, the aptly-named “The Secret Chapter” ultimately turns out to be much more than “just” a heist story or an action thriller.
Satisfyingly, it succeeds as well in incorporating Irene’s parents into the story in a good and believable way.

As if all that wasn’t enough, the trademark humour of the series is there as well:

“‘Kai! There’s been a palace revolution and the peasants are attacking!’ Kai gave a deep shuddering sigh and finally opened his eyes properly. ‘Execute them all in the public square,’ he mumbled, clearly still half-asleep.”

If I had to find fault with this book, I’d probably point out that while Irene and Kai are obviously devoted to each other, there are reservations on both their parts. They keep secrets from each other and that’s fine - we all do. The motivation is what counts, though, and at least Irene’s reason to hold back is - at least in part - mistrust or maybe insecurity. I can’t really define it but by the sixth book, I would have wished for more trust and intimacy.

I also like Cogman’s take on Brexit - especially in the grim light of the result of yesterday’s (12.12.2019) general election in the UK:

“‘The United Kingdom?’ ‘Very strongly tied to Europe, which is why CENSOR has an English name and acronym. It did attempt to leave the European Union last year, but apparently that was prompted by demonic interference. A lot of politicians were subsequently tried for treason and beheaded at the Tower of London.’”

While I don’t condone the beheading, I certainly think the divisive short-sighted tactics of a certain hare-brained prime minister will lead to disaster for those who just elected him.


Anyway, coming back to the book, it ends with a twist that I didn’t see coming at all - a twist that isn’t a big deal in an immediate or urgent sense but it has the potential to upset the precious balance that has only so recently been achieved among the worlds and factions.

And yet, it all fits satisfyingly together naturally and in a strangely uplifting way. It’s probably helped by the personal growth Irene shows at the end:

“‘Mother, please, hear me out. If there’s something I’ve learned over the last few years, it’s that everything people do is important. I happen to have chosen this particular thing to do with my life, and I was lucky enough to have the choice.”


Whole-heartedly recommended without reservation to any fan of the series; recommend with minor reservations to those who haven’t read “The Secret Chapter”’s predecessors yet. You would miss out on a lot of minor things so go and read this entire series.


“‘Life was much easier before I had to worry about everyone else worrying,’ Irene muttered. ‘It’s called growing up, dear. It comes with staying alive.’”



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