. . . "However, why this should be so is the biggest mystery of all in a book bulging with gothic secrets and lies. (...) The Cemetery of Forgotten Books -- 'a colossal labyrinth of bridges, passages and shelves??? -- is a wonderful creation, and there are many thrilling set pieces (usually involving horrid deaths), but the novel fails to cohere into a satisfying whole. (...) The disappointing result is" .