The Archived (The Archived #1) http://www.yabookscentral.com/media/reviews/photos/thumbnail/200x285s/5e/5b/af/_10929432-1348061215.jpg Featured

Looking forward to Unbound!

Before I started The Archived, I had fairly massive expectations. This is probably the most unique dystopian novel I’ve seen pitched in a while (in my opinion this book isn’t dystopian at all, though). Shelving the ghosts of the dead so their lives can be recorded and remembered is crazy, crazy original, and I seriously applaud Victoria Schwab for thinking that up. But aside from the premise, I hadn’t heard much about this book—characters, pacing, prose. I assumed that, since everyone loved the book, those elements would be well done also. And so, like I said, I started reading expecting a 4 or 5 star read.

And honestly, I was freaking out about this book before I even read the first sentence. The Archived’s epigraph is taken from one of my all-time favorite poems, “Do Not Stand At My Grave And Weep” by Mary Elizabeth Frye. There was some spazzing involved when I saw that.

After that, I managed to calm down and read The Archived and I came away from this book highly impressed. Overall, this book definitely met my expectations, though it wasn’t a perfect read for me.

The premise, obviously, is Schwab’s biggest bargaining chip in attracting readers to the book, and it’s also her biggest strength. The entire system—Outer, Narrows, Archive—worked extremely well in context, and if I had any questions or concerns, they weren’t serious enough to detract from my enjoyment of the book. It’s not often anymore that I’m unable to compare one title with another, but The Archived and it’s set-up is far, far outside my normal realm of experience. If anything, though, I would say the Archive portrayed by Schwab was reminiscent of the Cemetery of Forgotten Books featured in The Shadow of the Wind and its sequels. The same gothic, enigmatic presence was featured in the two dusty old libraries filled with unusual volumes.

Schwab’s main character, Mackenzie, was certainly proactive and, in my mind, qualifies as a strong female protagonist. I think her reactions to situations were realistic and her decisions along the road more or less made sense. I didn’t really get a good “feel” for her though, and that was probably my biggest issue with the book: my “mehness” toward the characters. I’d say that I liked Mackenzie and her new-found friend Wesley, but I didn’t find them memorable and they didn’t stand out from other YA characters I’ve come across. But by no means were the personalities portrayed in The Archived bad or underdeveloped or static or any of that. I just didn’t fall in love with them.

This books storyline is more mystery-intensive than anything else, with the fantasy elements playing a nice background harmony. After Mackenzie moves to a new house, she’s responsible for a different “territory” of the Narrows, and for some reason, a lot more Histories are escaping into her territory than she’s used to or is normal. There were also several mysterious murders that took place in Mackenzie’s new home, and they’re tied to whatever’s going wrong in the Archive.

I wasn’t quite expecting that sort of mystery element in The Archived—as I said, I thought this was dystopian fiction, so I figured rebelling against the government would be priority number one. But overall I think Victoria Schwab handled her story well, and I though the reveal of the antagonist was well-done, even if I could have done without the big and dramatic villain monologue that came alongside.

Simply put, The Archived is very good. Better than just “good”, really. It’s rare that I have high expectations for a book anymore, and it’s even rarer that my high expectations are met. I was extremely impressed with the creative thought that obviously went behind crafting this book, and I look forward to the sequel.

Why I Loved It: I really, truly loved this book. I found it on my bookshelf yesterday and remembered that it was being released this month. I knew that the book had to be great if only because the author shares my love of chocolate pudding. So I sat down to read it, using it as a break from studying. Well then it started to overwhelm the study time until I finally gave in and stopped pretending to study. Midnight comes around, and I reached the last page. I am eternally grateful to Ms. Schwab for not leaving me with some awful cliffhanger. My brain wouldn't have been able to handle it after that reading experience. I was already on edge. (In the best possible way mind you.)

Reading this book brought back the wonderful feelings that Starters had given me months before. I was relishing every word and page, turning faster and faster until I had to will myself to slow down. The two worlds in which Mackenzie lives would have quickly overwhelmed me. Luckily for her, she has some special talents and the wisdom of her grandfather residing within her. The fact that she is pretty dang tough is also a pretty big plus. Mackenzie is such a relatable character with her fierce loyalty and her "take-no-crap" attitude with a touch of empathy that creates such a well-rounded and well-loved character.

In all honesty, I have nothing but wonderful things to say about this book. The plot was different and unique and full of just enough winding turns to keep me reading *and to yell at anyone who interrupted me* without completely overwhelming me. The character development was incredibly strong from Mackenzie and the people in the world around her to the the people residing in the Archives. The Librarian Roland was probably my favorite character. He had the whole smart guy thing going, complete with a pair of red Chucks. Can you ask for more?

I wouldn't be me if I didn't mention THE BOY. I don't normally go for "guyliner" and black fingernails. In Wesley's case, I will make an exception. He was all charm and brains and with the right touch of bad boy. Yep. I have found another fictional boyfriend to add to the list. He literally oozed charm without being completely obnoxious. That is a hard feat.

The world that Ms. Schwab created makes for a very fun and edge of your seat reading experience. And it has just the right amount of creepy.

Who Should Read It: Everyone. Seriously. If you read Starters and loved it more than you thought you would, this needs to be added to the TBR pile. It's worth it.

For some reason when I first heard about this book I didn't jump to add it to my TBR pile. I remember the cover coming out and then deciding I wanted to read it. (Shallow right? smh) But I'm so glad I decided to read it! After reading the blurb and everything, I decided that it would be one of my most anticipated reads of 2013! And trust me, I was not disappointed.
In the beginning, we are introduced to Mackenzie and her parents. They have moved away to a different set of apartments (or really an old hotel) due to one of her mother's "crazy projects." They are still suffering from the deaths of their family members Ben and Da. As they move in, she meets Wes (who is super uber amazing) and the story unfolds from there.
First, I want to start with the mystery. The mystery was so good. I'm normally the type of person that can figure out the answer from the beginning, but this one, I had no idea. It really made me have to sit and analyze the situation and even still I didn't know who to choose.
Then there was the emotion. While reading this book I had ALL THE FEELS. From love, to grief, to happiness. I felt everything while reading this, just as I imagine Mackenzie would have felt going through it. As they showed the flashbacks from Da and Ben towards the end, I was biting my nails and tearing up. It was so overwhelming. Mackenzie had to be super strong to endure that type of pain. Then the deceit and betrayal that was at the end of the book. Gah you guys, I'm getting rambly, but the emotion in the book is the best part. It had me hooked and wanting to stay with my head stuck in the book.
Lastly, the world building was great! One thing I love about fantasy novels, is the way the author can make up the world completely in their head. I also hate that fact about fantasies because they sometimes leave out certain details that the reader may need. But in my opinion, Schwab got it 100% perfect. She made a very imaginative world in her head and was able to deliver it to her readers in the book. As for me, I pictured The Archive as my actual local library. With me putting it towards something that I could actually relate to made the story that much better for me.
The characters are amazingly put together as well. Mackenzie is an amazing, kick ass MC, even if she does make some bad decisions. But who doesn't? Then there's Wes. My goodness, talk about book boyfriends. I loved him. He definitely was a great asset to the story. and my interpretation of him... I pictured him as a young Hook from Once Upon a Time with the guy-liner lmao (Don't judge me.)
Overall, this is an amazing read and you will not regret picking it up. At the end the emotion left me breathless and the epic finale had me biting my nails. Schwab did an amazing job with this one, from beginning to end.
Overall, I give this

Victoria Schwab is a woman who knows how to write a book.

First of all, I have to talk about how absolutely astounding the writing is. It's beautiful and almost lyrical, very haunting. Victoria Schwab has such an incredible way with words and using them to create perfect images in your head or pull on your heart strings as the occasion requires. She's definitely one of the most talented writers I've ever had the pleasure of reading.

Then Mac? Mac is so awesome. She changes and develops so much from a pretty kick ass girl to a semi-ultimate bad ass (we have to leave room for her to become ULTIMATE bad ass in the sequels, yeah?). I loved that she was strong, physically and emotionally, and dedicated. She was loyal, but not necessarily blindly. She wasn't a model Keeper because she was too curious and man can I relate to that.

And then there's the other characters, all of them crafted extraordinarily well. Mac's Da, her parents, the boys she meets, the Librarians. They have so much detail and so much life. Each one is incredibly important to the story and so very real and wonderful. These characters had depth to them, even if they weren't in the story often or didn't seem super important. And you can tell that Victoria knows so much more about them that we might get to learn in the sequels.

The story itself is this immense mystery and I never saw it coming. I was so swept up in the prose and the characters that I couldn't even try to imagine how it was going to be told or how it would end. It was very intricately woven, little hints you don't really see until the very end. Thinking about it makes me want to go and reread and take notes on how to properly do a mystery like this.

Guys, seriously. Not picking up this book would be a mistake. I'm so head over heels in love with this book, it's ridiculous. I think The Archived is enough to put Victoria on my insta-buy list forever and ever. I know the year's just started, but this is already on my Best of 2013 list, without a doubt (which, admittedly, is already a bit lengthy. But...we'll talk about that later). Run, drive, train, bus, hijack a jet, do something to get your hands on this book.

I think this book is going to get a big buzz from teens and adults. Can't wait for book 2!

First Thoughts:
I had been looking forward to reading The Archived ever since I saw preview in the back of The Near Witch. The idea of a place where the dead rest on shelves like books? How could that not be a great premise? I really enjoyed The Near Witch, so I was super excited when I was able to trade for an ARC of The Archived through the YA Book Exchange.

And Then:
I truly loved this book. The plot was unique and well thought out. When reading, I didn't feel like I had read the same type of story in another book (which has been happening quite a bit lately). It was well and truly one of a kind.
I love when an author's world building really gives me a clear picture, as if I am watching a movie in my head. Victoria Schwab really achieved that for me in this book. The plot was fast paced and thrilling. There were many creepy twists and turns that I did not see coming. (I love when that happens.) The writing was lyrical and had such a nice flow to it. The main character Mackenzie was tough and brave, but also had a sentimental side. She was very likable and I enjoyed going on this journey with her. The romance was sweet, and not a huge part of the novel. Still, I felt that the way it was incorporated worked really well with the plot and pacing.
There are a few things in the book that I felt could have been explained a little more. For example, I would have liked a little more detail about how the "histories" could actually wake up and walk around. I mean, they are dead right? If they are only the person's memories, how do they have bodies? Maybe there was something more that I missed, but logically speaking, I didn't quite get some of the more technical aspects of how it all works.
Besides that, this was a beautiful story filled with heartbreak, love, and loss. The author really made me think about truth and lies, past and present, and how easily they can blur together. I especially loved the parts where Mac was remembering the time she spent with her Da (grandfather). It is written in flashbacks, and the relationship it revealed between the two characters added something very special to the story.

Overall:
I really enjoyed The Archived. I would recommend it to anyone who likes their paranormal to have some depth to it. It really leaves you with something to think about in regards to life/death, love/loss, truth/lies. This was another winner for me by Victoria Schwab. I will be eagerly anticipating her next novel.

The Archived by Victoria Schwab
ARC received from Disney Hyperion at ALA
Release Date: 1-22-2013
Reviewed by: Middle Sis Jenn
The Sisters Say: Brilliant, Bewitching and Beautifully Written

Wow!!!! At first this was not high on my TBR list. I had heard good things, but there was so much more I needed to read. And then I made a trade with another blogger, so I read it quickly before sending it off. And I am SO GLAD I did! This book was so uniquely addicting that I read it in one sitting. The characters were full of life (or death...you know, if they were a History) and Victoria's world bled from the page. It was perfect--I wouldn't change a thing!

From Chapter 1, I was immediately entranced by the poetry in Victoria’s words. I could immediately relate to Mackenzie, and my heart broke for her loss. She has lost Da, her mentor, and Ben, her little brother; and through Victoria’s words, I felt Mac’s pain as if it were my own. There was one part in the first chapter where Mac says, “The silliest things shatter you.” She goes on to talk about how after you suffer a loss, you try to move on—but the small things, a ball under a bed, a crumpled up t-shirt in the corner of a room can bring all the pain flashes back to you at the speed of light. But instead of that light, you are shrouded in darkness. The writing was so full of emotion that I just knew this book was going to be amazing. And it was.

Mac was the perfect heroine—strong-willed, curious, but flawed and easily broken (in spirit, not in body). She was truth wrapped up in the guise of a Keeper, one who returns Histories who have escaped the Archives. I loved watching her as the digs deeper and deeper into the conspiracy. I loved watching her fall victim to her own insecurities and suspicions. But most of all, I loved watching her conquer those insecurities and fight back for her world and her life. She pushed through, even when the cards were stacked against her. Trust me, Mac will have you punching a fist into the air and yelling, “Go get ‘em!”

And then the guys…oh, there are so many guys that will leave you with a bit of drool on your chin. I don’t know how Victoria did it, but there were so many guys that caught my attention: Roland, Wes, and Owen. I mean, wow! I didn’t know who to choose!

I loved Roland’s sense of humor and his loyalty. I felt like I could trust him immediately. He was charming and, maybe I’m wrong, but I think he has a thing for Mac. I really enjoyed the conversations between him and Mac. They were clever and heartfelt. Even when Roland was being a jerk, you could tell it was for Mac’s own good.

And Wes...otherwise known as “Guyliner.” I’m not normally a fan of guys that wear eyeliner, but somehow, Wes makes it hot. He seems like he has a dark side, and if you know me, I’m a sucker for the dark side. But, Wes was more than that—he was mysterious, and at times I just knew he was hiding something. But he still managed to sweep me off my feet.

And Owen…he’s a complete mystery. He’s sexy in his own way, and Mac immediately feels for his position. She wants to help him, and darn it, so do I! Not much is known about this mystery man, but, if you’re like me, you’ll find yourself wanting to know more!

So…there’s this entire slew of guys that Mac can pick from, and let me tell you, when she does—it is oh so steamy hot! There were some kissing scenes that left me blushing from head to toe, and I’m not ashamed to admit that I re-read them once or twice….okay, three times. The question is…with who? I won’t tell, you’ll have to check it out on your own.

Victoria builds an amazingly captivating world that will draw you straight into the romance, betrayal, and suspense. She keeps you guessing right up until the very end, and I, for one, can’t wait for the next book!