What if the Library of Alexandria had never been destroyed? It’s a daydream that many who love the ancient world have indulged in, imagining a world with fewer lost texts and more advanced technology. But what if the Library survived and it was a little less … benevolent? Power corrupts, and in Rachel Caine’s Ink and Bone, the Library of Alexandria carefully controls access to information. Her protagonist, Jess Brightwell, will uncover some darker truths about the Library when his family sends him to infiltrate the organization for their own gain. This brilliant book is the first in a series which blends fast-paced action with big questions of censorship and authority, all overlaid with a pastiche of ancient Greek, Roman, and Egyptian cultures. 

From Greek fire to sphinx automatons, elements of the Library’s ancient history permeate the world of Ink and Bone, though its setting is an undefinable pseudo-present, with rather less tech and more magic. Or perhaps the tech just looks like magic. Either way, the stakes are high. While the book’s Egyptian location and myriad references to the ancient world (beginning with a letter from Pharaoh Ptolemy to Callimachus) recall the Library’s heritage, the text’s messages about the power of information and resistance against tyranny keep it strikingly relevant for present-day readers. 

Written for a young adult audience, Ink and Bone is thoughtful and complex enough to be enjoyed by older readers as well. As the series progresses, it treats heavy subjects like torture, war violence, and PTSD with the care and respect they deserve, though such matters can remain difficult to read. A fantastic found-family dynamic develops throughout the series and its foundations are laid in this first book with a compelling cast of characters, who are mostly European (England, Wales, Spain, Germany, and a Muslim character from Saudi Arabia), but each is given a well-developed backstory and distinct personality. 

I recommend Ink and Bone for anyone who shares my fascination with the Library of Alexandria, but also for young adult readers interested in well-built worlds, ensemble character casts, or thought-provoking contemplation of mature themes. The series’ five books explore different parts of Caine’s world but remain grounded in the characters you come to love in Ink and Bone and their commitment to establishing a world where the Library can truly shine as the beacon of light and knowledge it was always meant to be. -Mallory Fitzpatrick