Lynne Stringer, Keeper of the Archives, Rhiza Press, September 2024, 260 pp., RRP $22.99 (pbk), ISBN 9781761111563
Haunted by the threat of their dangerous father, Eden and her family must navigate life in the Sendirian City after their apartment is ravaged by a fire. Eden manages to get a job working for the Governments Archives where, rumour has it, government workers are subject to a mysterious monster by the name of Izrod- a worker of the notorious criminal Kore. More and more workers are going missing in the night despite strict security measures- some that return permanently crazy, and others that never return at all.
After running into some danger herself, Eden is given the opportunity to defeat Kore for good and put a stop to his crazy plans – with the help of an unlikely partner.
The safety of the Sendirian City is on the line – will Eden rise to the challenge?
The Keeper of the Archives is an excellent introduction to dystopian style novels, with its futuristic setting providing opportunity to create a grappling action novel. Lynne Stringer has expertly woven many social issues into the novel such as poverty, abuse and alcohol addiction, and the novel’s placement in the future indicates that many of these issues will continue to be present in future society if change is not made now, making for a subtle call to action.
The novel also explores the idea that character is so much more than appearance – meaning that somebody’s personality and motive doesn’t have to be dependent on how they look. This will make more sense when reading the book (I am unsure if I am speaking in riddles here), but I think the novel provides a strong basis for judging a person based on their inside, rather than their outside. Overall, The Keeper of the Archives is an amazing read, and I would recommend to ages 13+ due to some violence and complex themes.
Reviewed by Emily Woolnough
