The Absolute Book

Reviews / Votes

An INSTANT CLASSIC, a work to rank alongside other modern masterpieces of fantasy such as Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials series or Susanna Clarke's Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell. Everything fantasy should be: original, magical, well read, compelling * Guardian * Intricately plotted and gorgeously written, THE ABSOLUTE BOOK has something for everyone: the search for a mysterious book, talking ravens, police detectives and academics, gods and demons, a giant saltwater crocodile, the bucolic English countryside and magical gates to hidden worlds. Here is a cinematic tale that is by turns dark and dreamlike, yet ultimately hopeful -- Deborah Harkness * author of A Discovery of Witches * An angelic book, an apocalyptic book, an astounding book -- Francis Spufford Gripping and hugely ambitious, the broad narrative flood sweeps us on to an extraordinary conclusion * Daily Mail * Gorgeous. The payoffs and reveals are mind-blowing -- Laini Taylor * author of Daughter of Smoke and Bone * A marvellous argument for stories. There are Norse gods, references to Merlin, a tour through purgatory and a strange parallel world where magic is real and humans are bit players in the clash of supernatural realms. Bewitching * The Times * A magical book; doors between worlds; talking birds, vicious fairies and a trip to Purgatory. Stuffed with literary allusion and mythic echoes from the Norse legends to Alan Garner, straddling dimensions and hopping genres with ease, this is a one-of-a-kind fantasy novel that's worth getting lost in * Guardian, 50 Hottest Books * Epic, imaginative and exquisitely written, this is a feat of fantastical world-building * Daily Express * Reminded me of how I felt reading Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell or His Dark Materials - this is a masterpiece -- Dan Kois * Slate * A triumph. Book where the best hearts meet the best minds meet the best imaginations are few and far between -- Pip Adam An enchanting weaving together of mythologies and a meeting of worlds, all bound up with the power of stories and the fate of the ultimate book. Far-reaching and profound, this is a novel to lose yourself in -- Alison Littlewood * bestselling author of A Cold Season and The Hidden People * Every page is a declaration of love for story, for literature, for libraries -- Maria McMillan Savour and absorb the world Knox conjures * Sunday Times * An ambitious, gripping, and multifaceted [novel], animated by a sharp imagination * SFX * A murder, a mysterious library and something called the Absolute Book feature in this fantastical new outing * The Times * A book about books, a psychological crime novel, a romance, a portal fantasy, a technothriller, a historical fantasy, and an allegory - this melding of modes and mixing of genres, this surfeit of stories, is The Absolute Book's greatest strength. Accomplished, exuberant, generous, original . . . readers will have few regrets -- Matthew Keeley * Tor.com * A tour de force. Ursula Le Guin would have loved this book -- Jane Stafford The power is in the skill and pace of Knox's storytelling, the perfect spinning of the intricate plot, the sharp dialogue and luminous evocation of place -- Charlotte Grimshaw A bibliophile's daydream * Scotland on Sunday * A propulsive parallel-worlds fantasy epic about the power of stories and storytelling * Guardian, 'What to look forward to this year' * Contains multitudes, spanning the geographies of Canada, Britain and New Zealand; the cosmologies of fairies, demons and angels; and the genres of thriller, domestic realism and epic fantasy. Reading the book is like holding folds of shot silk to the light, finding green flash in something that looks purple, and appreciating how thoughtfully the warp and weft embrace each other. I'm in awe of it * New York Times Review of Books * A mind-blowing optical illusion of a novel. This grand ode to Story itself is one that begs for a reread * Booklist * Full of intrigue, mystery, magic, and history, this is a fascinating read that is hard to put down * Buzzfeed * If you love a little supernatural magic and mystery, you will love this clever blend of myth, religion, folklore and reality, as the story draws the reader into the realm of faerie and demon, immersing us in a fantasy world where bliss can be found * Living Edge * One of those books which will never let you go. A beautiful, fantastic, ride that travels from one end of the earth to the other and beyond, Knox takes you on a journey that will amaze and astound you . . . The Absolute Book takes readers on a journey they won't soon forget. Fantastic and wondrous, it is a delight and will leave readers wistful for a world as magical as the one she's created * Blogcritics * Epic and exquisitely written, this is a feat of fantastical world-building * Sunday Express * The dream for any book lover - a story about the importance of stories and all the ways we pass them on * Foyles * Where better to get lost than a mighty, make-believe kingdom reminiscent of Swift * i * Enchanting . . . Knox hits the mark * Herald * Reminded me of how I felt reading Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell or His Dark Materials - this is a masterpiece -- Dan Koi * Slate * Every page is a declaration of love for story, for literature, for libraries -- Maria McMillan A tour de force. Ursula Le Guin would have loved this book -- Jane Stafford The power is in the skill and pace of Knox's storytelling, the perfect spinning of the intricate plot, the sharp dialogue and luminous evocation of place -- Charlotte Grimshaw An angelic book, an apocalyptic book, an astounding book -- Francis Spufford, bestselling author of 'Golden Hill'