Magic realism novel The Astral Library by Kate Quinn is set to hit the shelves on February 17.
It tackles Alexandria ‘Alix’ Watson, who finds solace in
Boston Public Library. Bogged down by the burden of working three dead-end jobs
to make ends meet, she escapes into her favourite fantasy novels.
One day she stumbles through a hidden door and meets the
Librarian: the ageless, acerbic guardian of a hidden library where the
desperate and lost escape to new lives inside their favourite books.
The Librarian takes a dazzled Alix under her wing, but
before she can escape into the pages of her new life, a shadowy enemy emerges
to threaten everyone the Astral Library has ever helped protect.
Best known for writing historical fiction, the author cited
her mum as the main source of inspiration for her writing career.
“My librarian mother had a degree in ancient and medieval
history and told me stories about the past in the same casual way that other
kids my age got fairy-tale bedtime stories,” she said.
“I was gravitating naturally toward the past as soon as I
began writing stories of my own, which was about age seven,” she added.
However, when asked about her new release, she described it
as slightly different from her previous works, as they usually focused on
women’s underrepresented roles in history.
“It’s a bit of a departure for me, less straight historical
fiction and a bit more magic realism. It’s my love letter to libraries,
librarians, and readers everywhere.”
