The Book Censor's Library

"The Book Censor's Library is a rallying cry for bibliophiles everywhere." -Time Magazine, the 100 Must-Read Books of 2024

"Bothayna Al-Essa's The Book Censor's Library is a necessary masterpiece, proving that true fiction is not an escape into a dreamlike Wonderland but a cautionary excursion into the depths of the human condition. More than ever, we need Bothayna Al-Essa's rallying cry against censorship, be it political, religious or academic, because, as her novel so brilliantly illustrates, censorship is always an admission of intellectual cowardice." -Alberto Manguel, author of A History of Reading

"An urgent, sweeping call to arms for the protection of books and book lovers everywhere." -Kirkus Reviews

"Al-Essa (Lost in Mecca) riffs on Kafka with this canny story of a book censor who transforms into a reader. Throughout, Al-Essa lays out the supposed dangers of reading in coolly ironic terms. . . This allegory brims with intelligence." -Publishers Weekly

"Meaning, metaphor, and the material are all at stake in this sly fable of a near-future won by censors who ban not just books but imagination, dreams, and desire. Like the fluffy white creatures munching cabbage across these pages, I fell right down Al-Essa's rabbit hole--I'd follow these characters anywhere." -Emily Drabinski, president of the American Library Association

"Expertly infusing both comedic heart and dystopian warning, Bothayna Al-Essa reminds us how lucky we are to embody the stories we love." -Jade Song, author of Chlorine

"The Book Censor's Library was a riveting tale that was part homage to books and reading and part social commentary of the horrors of authoritarianism. Full of literary references, it's a treasure trove of Easter eggs for those keen to spot every mention and every metaphor. But it was also a captivating story as we follow the book censor through his journey uncovering the delights and dangers (at least in his world) of literature." -Nicki J. Markus, author of Time Keepers

"Bothayna Al-Essa's claustrophobic satire summons the spirits of Orwell, Carroll, and Kafka, serving as a sharp reminder to cherish free speech. . . . a fast-paced meditation on the power of language to stir us out of numbness." -Farah Abdessamad, The New Arab

"Time will tell whether The Book Censor's Library possesses the same kind of world-changing verve of, say, Orwell's 1984. . . . In the meantime, call all your friends, and especially your enemies, in Florida, and let them know that you've heard that Al-Essa's novel might, especially with its liberal use of unregulated rabbits, be even more dangerous than some already banned books." -Bruce J. Krajewski, Ancillary Review of Books

"At once fascinating and disturbing. Like other stories about books and writing, The Book Censor's Library drags the reader into itself, claiming to be one kind of book but unexpectedly (and imperceptibly) turning into another." - Rachel Cordasco, Necessary Fiction

"Al-Essa's satirical novel is fierce and unrelenting. . . . It's about critical thinking, creativity as an act of rebellion, the difference between resistance and revolution, and the lengths we'll go to protect the people we love." - Alex Brown, Locus Magazine

"More than just a surreal fantasy, The Book Censor's Library is also a fable of life and resistance under an oppressive regime. . . . bitingly satirical and engaging throughout." - Sanjay Sipahimalani, Hindustan Times