The Masked City (An Invisible Library Novel) by Genevieve Cogman

I love the adventures that Irene, Kai, and Vale have.  The story was so great and so many questions screamed to be answered and make the reader eagerly await the third book.  The adventure was great and a trip to an alternate Venice was amazing.

While hunting down Kai’s location Irene learns more about the dragons and much more about Fae and how their stories are told and play out.  The alternate reality the majority of the story takes place in is at the far end of chaos and toxic to Kai.  Irene meets a very interesting cast of Fae characters during her journey to rescue Kai, and it would be interesting to see if some of them appear again in future adventures.  Kai’s family is introduced and the ending leaves a cliffhanger for Kai and Irene with so many unanswered questions.

Some tiny questions that might mean more later, like why did Kai threaten his mother’s vengeance would be worse for his kidnappers than his father’s?  Who is his mother?  Some of the bigger questions will hopefully have a big pay off down the road, like how was Vale able to travel between realms and not be effected?  I am still curious if Irene is the child that Albreich is looking for, but that was not a focus in this adventure.  I am so excited that I don’t have to wait to long before getting the third book, and hope that the adventures between Kai and Irene will continue beyond three books.

 

Characters (new ones and extra information from Invisible Library list)

Kai = youngest of his father’s sons, royal dragon, kidnapped, goes by the name Strongback, family is connected to water

Irene = Librarian-in-Residence for The Library, goes by Winters, cover is that she is a freelance translator

Vale = thinks Guantes is responsible for Kai’s kidnapping, surprisingly appears helpful after appearing to be angry at Irene

Charles Melancourt = agent for Russian buyer, going after the same book as Irene and Kai

Vlad Petrov = driver for Lichtenstein Embassy, assigned to Lady Guantes

Alberich = traitor to The Library

Silver = Liechtenstein’s Ambassador, Fae, helps Irene get to Venice to rescue Kai, doesn’t get along with the Guantes, Irene suspects he is not in charge of his own story at one point

Lady Guantes = staying at the Embassy, monopolizing embassy’s network of informants, keeps her husband on task, weaker than her husband, Fae

Lord Guantes = moderate power Fae, can travel between worlds and bring someone with him, can get distracted for his plot/story with other schemes, has a history with Silver

Rhadamanthus = Librarian who came across Guantes in G-112 20 years ago and detailed his history at the time and interactions with Silver

Argent = powerfu Fae in G-112, helping Guantes rebel against the Holy Roman Emperor, Irene thinks it is Silver from her reality

Inspector Singh = Scotland Yard exchange program, is under investigation from internal affairs

Coppelia = Irene’s supervisor & mentor, Elder of The Library, has arthritis

Ao Shun = Kai’s Uncle, goes by Ryu Gouen in his alternate, King of the Northern Ocean

Murasaki = Librarian-in-Residence in G-51, where Kai was recruited from

Li Ming = Ao Shun’s personal assistant, looks like Kai, goes by Mr. Tsuuran in his reality

Razeil = Irene’s mother’s name she selected as a Librarian

Liu Xiang = Irene’s father’s name he selected, mythical name for the Angel of Mysteries

Johnson = Silver’s butler, protective of Silver

The Horse = great one among the Fae, Irene goes to him for help and makes a deal

The Rider = great one among the Fae

Aunt Isra = a lady Irene meets on the train, speaks Arabic, tells students the story of The Horse and The Rider, and provides information on Fae politics

Athanais the Scarlet = a student in Aunt Isra’s class, Junior Level Fae, spends time with Irene after they arrive in Venice

Caliph al-Rashid = a great Fae, Aunt Isra bore her sword in the service of him

King of the Eastern Ocean = Kai’s father and Ao Shun’s older brother

Martha = Fae in Isra’s class, offers to wander Venice with Irene after getting off the train, Junior level Fae

Zayanna = Junior Level Fae, wants to seduce a hero, in the group Irene meets after getting off the train, wears a bikini

Sterrington = Junior level Fae, in the group Irene gets in the water taxi with, pays for the taxi but wants a receipt, spy

Atrox Ferox = Asian Fae, in the group Irene spends time with, Lord Judge is his patron (Lord Judge is inclined to stability)

Maria/Donata = landlady of the tavern Irene and the group of Fae from the train end up in, speaks English, Guantes calls her Donata

Black Inquisitors = Lords of the Night, servants of the Council of Ten

Council of Ten = Rulers of the Venice that Kai is being kept in, like to appear neutral in the politics of other Fae

Piranesi = designed the prison Kai is being held in (Carceri)