The second book in The Glass Library fantasy series centers around the discovery of a book in code that might unlock some secrets about Sylvia's past. Sylvia came to London after the deaths of her brother and mother to try to find out about her heritage. Her mother kept the three of them moving from place to place all through her life and didn't share any information with her children about her own past. Her brother began to believe that they were the descendants of a silver magician. Sylvia wants to find out if this is true.

As a result of the influence of new friend Gabriel Glass, Sylvia is now working at a job she loves in the Glass Library which is a repository of books about magic. When a new book is discovered in the library's attic, Sylvia and her new friends try to find out the book's history and try to decipher its contents which are written in an unknown code.

This story is set in 1920 and does deal with a lot of the issues returning soldiers had. Shell shock and a sense of hedonism were just some of things soldiers brought home with them. And for women who had entered the workplace while the men were away, there is a sense of displacement as they lose their jobs and purposes when the men return. One of the characters mentions that he hadn't been sober since his demobilization, for example. Add in magic which has recently been rediscovered and which only a small percent of the population has, and this story becomes historical fantasy.

Gabriel is also in the process of ending his three-year engagement to the daughter of a magical family. He knows he made a mistake and isn't the man he was when he became engaged. However, his fiance Ivy isn't going to go quietly. Gabriel, the only son of a noble magical house, is quite a catch even though he believes that he has no magic himself.

When the book is stolen, Gabriel and Sylvia and their friends follow all sorts of clues and explore various parts of London before they manage to recover it. And an assortment of bright friends of Gabriel do manage a translation of what turns out to be medieval/early Renaissance gossip. Translating the book is sort of anticlimax since the key seems to be Sylvia discovering that she does have some sort of magic if not the silver magic her brother thought the family had.

This is the second book of a five-book series. It really doesn't stand alone well and needs to be read along with the other books in the series. I am eager to continue the series to find out what sort of magic Sylvia has and whether her budding relationship with Gabriel grows. ( )

As good as book 1 in the series, this time our newly minted librarian is on the chase of a medieval mystery—who wrote, who owned, & who made the magical silver clasps of the Medici Manuscript? And what does its symbols mean? One reason I loved it is because I previously read The Bookseller of Florence in anticipation of my trip there, in which I learned vasts amounts about the making and selling of manuscripts and the Medici libraries. This book seemed to steer near to real-life facts although it would have been awesome had they tracked it to the most famous bookseller at the time of the Medici’s (see book referenced above). Magic plays on the outskirts of this series. It’s important but magicians aren’t performing magic as part of the plot, and I like that different take on the magical world. I especially love historical research. This book definitely met that criteria. ( )

Sylvia found a book in the library that comes from the Medici family. She tries to verify that it is real. It is stolen and the gang goes looking for it. Gabe is once again the victim of a kidnapping attempt. Will they be able to find the book before it is sold on the black market?

I enjoyed this story. I like the cast of characters. Sylvia is quiet and dignified no matter what happens. Gabe reveals his secret to Sylvia. I wish he would decide what he feels for Sylvia instead of running hot and cold with her. Willie is crazy. Alex and Daisy get on each other's nerves. It would be nice if they decided to get together instead of insulting and ignoring each other.

I look forward to the next story in the series. I hope Sylvia gets closer to finding her family's history. ( )

Book 2 of the Glass Library series. A valuable manuscript is stolen ans Assistant Librarian Sylvia is determined to retrieve the book. ( )

The Medici Manuscript is the second book in the Glass Library series by C.J. Archer. I read this rather than listening and it was another fun fantasy romp with a little romance on the side, this time focusing on an old manuscript that Sylvia finds in the library attic. The clasps are magical silver and she hopes to break the code and learn more about her own family and possible connections to silver magic. The relationship between Sylvia and Gabriel Glass strengthens even as Gabriel struggles in her personal life. A nice balance of story and mystery. The next one comes out in September. ( )