Zachary Ezra Rawlins is a graduate student in Vermont when he discovers a strange book hidden in the library stacks. As he turns the pages, entranced by tales of lovelorn prisoners, key collectors, and nameless acolytes, he reads something strange: a story from his own childhood. Bewildered by this inexplicable book and desperate to make sense of how his own life came to be recorded, Zachary uncovers a series of clues — a bee, a key, and a sword — that lead him to a masquerade party in New York, to a secret club, and through a doorway to a subterranean library, hidden far below the surface of the earth.

What Zachary finds in this curious place is more than just a buried home for books and their guardians — it is a place of lost cities and seas, lovers who pass notes under doors and across time, and of stories whispered by the dead. Zachary learns of those who have sacrificed much to protect this realm, relinquishing their sight and their tongues to preserve this archive, and also those who are intent on its destruction. Together with Mirabel, a fierce, pink-haired protector of the place, and Dorian, a handsome barefoot man with shifting alliances, Zachary travels the twisting tunnels, darkened stairwells, crowded ballrooms, and sweetly soaked shores of this magical world, discovering his purpose — in both the mysterious book and in his own life.

Waiting on Wednesday was created by Breaking the Spine, and is now hosted by Wishful Endings (as Can’t Wait Wednesday). It’s a feature where they discuss one of the most anticipated upcoming book releases. The anticipated book release of the week is Erin Morgenstern’s upcoming book The Starless Sea!!!

Synopsis

Zachary Ezra Rawlins is a graduate student in Vermont when he discovers a strange book hidden in the library stacks. As he turns the pages, entranced by tales of lovelorn prisoners, key collectors, and nameless acolytes, he reads something strange: a story from his own childhood. Bewildered by this inexplicable book and desperate to make sense of how his own life came to be recorded, Zachary uncovers a series of clues — a bee, a key, and a sword — that lead him to a masquerade party in New York, to a secret club, and through a doorway to a subterranean library, hidden far below the surface of the earth.

What Zachary finds in this curious place is more than just a buried home for books and their guardians — it is a place of lost cities and seas, lovers who pass notes under doors and across time, and of stories whispered by the dead. Zachary learns of those who have sacrificed much to protect this realm, relinquishing their sight and their tongues to preserve this archive, and also those who are intent on its destruction. Together with Mirabel, a fierce, pink-haired protector of the place, and Dorian, a handsome barefoot man with shifting alliances, Zachary travels the twisting tunnels, darkened stairwells, crowded ballrooms, and sweetly soaked shores of this magical world, discovering his purpose — in both the mysterious book and in his own life.

Why I’m Waiting

Erin Morgenstern is one of my favorite magical realism writers and I devoured her book The Circus from beginning to end! I am so grateful that my best friend mailed me the book The Circus because it brought magic to my life during a dark time. Magical realism has been my favorite genre to read ever since I picked up Weetzie Bat when I was sixteen years old. Morgenstern wrote The Circus about seven years ago and she hasn’t published anything for a WHOLE SEVEN YEARS! She wrote such a hauntingly beautiful book where every word was captivating and lyrical but with a mysterious quality to it!

I haven’t read the synopsis of The Starless Sea until now because Erin Morgenstern is the kind of author who could write a book and I would instantly read it not knowing much about the synopsis itself! Now after reading the synopsis, I am getting the Neverending Story vibes and my book nerd heart is seriously getting giddy!

via GIPHY

It seems that the fantastical element of this book is going to be the library! Morgenstern has a gift of writing about the setting as if it was a character itself and I have a feeling that this magical library is going to be one of the central characters of this book! I can’t begin to tell you how excited I am for this book especially after reading the synopsis! November is a long way away but I have been waiting seven years for her to write a new book so I can definitely wait eleven more months!