📖 Overview
Elizabeth Rew takes a part-time job at the New-York Circulating Material Repository, a lending library that loans out objects instead of books. She works as a page in the basement of the repository, where she discovers the Grimm Collection - a secret room filled with magical items straight from the Grimm fairy tales.
Strange things begin happening at the repository as magical objects go missing. Elizabeth and her fellow pages must work together to investigate the thefts while learning to handle dangerous enchanted items and navigate complex friendships.
This young adult fantasy combines elements of mystery, fairy tales, and contemporary teen life in New York City. The story explores friendship, trust, and the balance between power and responsibility as Elizabeth and her coworkers face the consequences of real magic in the modern world.
👀 Reviews
Readers describe this as an entertaining YA fantasy that combines fairy tales with a contemporary setting. Many reviewers note it works well for middle-grade readers who enjoy light mystery and magic.
Readers liked:
- The unique repository setting
- Integration of Grimm fairy tale objects
- The friendship dynamics between characters
- Clean content appropriate for younger readers
Common criticisms:
- Romance feels forced and underdeveloped
- Plot becomes predictable
- Some characters lack depth
- Pacing drags in middle sections
Review scores:
Goodreads: 3.8/5 (13,000+ ratings)
Amazon: 4.3/5 (180+ reviews)
Notable reader comments:
"Fun concept but the execution needed work" - Goodreads reviewer
"Perfect for 5th-8th graders who love magic" - School librarian on Amazon
"The repository scenes were fascinating but the character relationships fell flat" - Barnes & Noble review
The book appeals most strongly to middle-grade readers and fairy tale fans rather than older YA audiences.
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The Book Jumper by Mechthild Gläser A girl discovers she can jump into the pages of books and interact with characters while protecting stories from those who seek to steal their magic.
Inkheart by Cornelia Funke Characters from books come to life when read aloud, leading to adventures that blur the line between reality and fiction.
The Library of Lost Things by Laura Taylor Namey The daughter of a book hoarder works in a bookstore where she discovers connections between literary worlds and her own life.
Story Thieves by James Riley A boy finds his classmate climbing out of a book at the library, leading to adventures jumping between the real world and fictional stories.
🤔 Interesting facts
🌟 The book's fictional repository is inspired by the real New York Society Library, America's oldest library, founded in 1754.
📚 Author Polly Shulman worked as a reference librarian at the New York Public Library before becoming a writer.
⚡ The magical objects in the book are based on items from the original Grimm Brothers' fairy tales, many of which were significantly darker and more violent than their modern adaptations.
🏰 The book is the first in a trilogy called The Grimm Legacy series, followed by "The Wells Bequest" and "The Poe Estate."
🔮 Many of the security measures described in the book's Special Collections, such as the tracking devices and authentication protocols, are similar to those used in real special collections libraries to protect rare and valuable items.