The Book That Wouldn't Burn

The book referred to in the title of the novel is the one Livira writes throughout the story, which she wrote into “works of non-fiction, and boring ones at that, book whose authors she felt would be scandalised and outraged rather than wounded by it” (301). It is also the book that Evar brought into the Mechanism with him when he was lost and later rediscovers after his fight with the Escape. It represents the connection between the two of them, and it also highlights The Transformative Power of Fiction, illustrating the ability that stories have to create a bridge between people.

For Livira, the book is a literal and metaphorical record of her memories, dreams, and self-expression. She begins writing it to make sense of her world, filling pages upon pages with fragments of her imagination and experiences. For her, the act of writing fiction becomes an form of rebellion and agency, giving her control in a world that constantly attempts to silence or confine her. She also uses the book to rewrite her own life with Evar, giving them more time together than they had in reality.

Because of the unique nature of the library, Livira’s book also becomes a circular object in time, weaving past, present, and future into a single

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