“Have you ever wanted to live inside a book?” Kate Quinn departs from her usual historical fiction to enter the world of magical realism, libraries and books in The Astral Library. While some of her usual readers might be disappointed, this book hit straight into the heart of a reader, fantasy lover who recognized so many books in this one, and a librarian, or as Quinn, the daughter of a librarian says, a Book Dragon.

Alexandria “Alix” Watson was in the foster care system from the age of eight when her mother left her. Her education came from libraries and books as she moved from houses and schools over the years. By twenty-six, she’s holding down three part-time jobs, and sleeping on a couch. It all comes crashing down in one day when she loses one job, loses the place to crash at night, and her debit card is declined. She’s desperate when she heads to the Boston Public Library. She’s desperate enough that the Astral Library opens its doors to her, a secret library inside BPL, a sanctuary for those who need to escape.

The Librarian of the Astral Library offers Alix the world. If she can live in the pages of any book as a minor character, what book does she want to enter? While she loves fantasies, she knows even minor characters might not survive in those worlds, so she carefully selects her book. But, before she can enter those pages, the Librarian is warned that someone is attacking the Library. It has happened before when angry slavers forced a former slave, a Patron, to let them in the Library. But, the Astral Library took care of that threat. Once again, someone is after Patrons, people who have sought sanctuary and escaped into a book. Alix grabs the opportunity to follow the Librarian. As each Patron is threatened by the people they fled, Alix finds herself in Sherlock Holmes’ London, Jane Austen’s world, Jane Eyre, Twain’s world. Alix is astonished to find the Patrons are being moved from their books to classic paintings.

However, letters from the Library Board continue to threaten the Librarian and the Astral Library. Alix finds herself forced to take action when the Librarian is taken out of action. Alix and her best friend, Beau, are forced to skip from book to book in an attempt to save Patrons and the library itself.

If you remember your fiction classics, you’ll relish the worlds as Alix, Beau, and the Librarian frantically flee from book to book. And, anyone aware of the threat to books and libraries will appreciate Alix’ determination to save the Astral Library. Quinn may be a little heavy handed with Alix’ speech about the importance of public libraries, and her opposition to book banning, but she’s making a point. Libraries are a sanctuary for so many desperate people And, books and libraries are a target right now.

As a librarian, it’s a joy to see an author speak up to support libraries. As a reader, I enjoyed every scene in a book. Quinn creates her own world, a world many of us wish we could enter, even for a short time. Her world-building and her passion for books and libraries is magnificent. She takes a lost foster child who finds her own strength through books, and makes her a resilient woman. “They Got the library at Alexandria – They Aren’t Getting Mine.”

Kate Quinn’s website is https://www.katequinnauthor.com/

The Astral Library by Kate Quinn. William Morrow, 2026. 304p.

FTC Full Disclosure – I received a galley from the publisher, through NetGalley, with no promise of a positive review.