Lazlo Strange never fit in. His obsession with the mythical city Weep and dreamy demeanor leads to ridicule from children and adult alike. He grew up an orphan in a brutal and abusive monastery and found sanctuary in the library. Through a twist of fate, he is able to become a librarian and expects a quiet life of books and research on the city he is convinced is real. His world is flipped on its head when warriors claiming to be from Weep arrive and say they are recruiting people to join them on a quest to save their city.
This book hits so many of my buttons - a person who overcomes a difficult childhood, a reverence for books, and a high fantasy quest. It also won the 2018 Michael L. Printz Award so my expectations were rather high. I perhaps should have read the reviews bit closer because around page 400, it promptly shifts from a high fantasy epic quest to a Romeo and Juliet story. The repetitive descriptions of clumsy, teenage romance and physical intimacy was... awkward to say the least. While a lot of people love the awkwardness of first love, it is not for me. While longer than it needs to be, it is a pretty good example of YA romance high fantasy.
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