Review: 'The Book of the Most Precious Substance' by Sara Gran

Rare books? A mysterious 17th century manual of the occult arts?? Risking everything in the search of said manual??? I have secret suspicions that The Book of the Most Precious Substance was written for me, since it ticks literally all of my boxes. While I needed to get into the tone of the book initially, I was gripped by it quickly. Thanks to Faber & Faber and NetGalley for prodiving me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Special gratitue for the stunning hardback version! 

Pub. Date: 11/3/2022
Publisher: Faber & Faber Ltd.

A book with all of life’s answers, if only you can find it...

Rare book dealer Lily Albrecht has just been given a tip-off about The Book of the Most Precious Substance, a 17th century manual rumoured to be the most powerful occult book ever written, if it really exists at all.

With some of the wealthiest people in the world willing to pay Lily a fortune to track it down, she embarks on a journey from New York to New Orleans to Munich to Paris.

If she finds it, Lily stands to gain more than just money. This could erase the greatest tragedy of her life. But will Lily’s quest help her find some answers, or will she lose everything in search of a ghost?

I am not so low-key obsessed with the rare books world. As a teenager I spent hours, and probably an unreasonable amount of money, at my favourite second hand/antique bookstore in Utrecht, called Aleph. Even though I was there at least once a week, I could pore over the bookshelves forever, picking up books at random, discovering topics, themes and authors I'd never have dreamed of, and always walking away with at least one book. As such I have collected quite an array of curiosities, in my eyes at least, which probably aren't worth a whole lot but all have a fascination for me. Some are also quite old! Now that I am a Medievalist by trade I also encounter quite a few manuscripts and really old books and so my passion and my job have come together. As such, the world that Sara Gran creates in The Book of the Most Precious Substance holds a major seductive attraction for me. I love browsing book fairs, I love rare books, and I am intrigued by the people behind it. (As a Medievalist I am however not a fan of rich people buying up special books and manuscripts because I'd much rather we could study them and preserve them properly in an archive!). Anyone with a love for books, an understanding of the magic of words, and a desire for adventure will enjoy Gran's book.

Lily Albrecht's life has turned into something she hardly recognises. Or perhaps she hardly recognises who she used to be. Once, she was a successful author, with an exciting life, and a partner with whom she shared a deep love and understanding. Now she is trying to keep her head above the water by selling rare-ish books so she can afford his 24-hour care. So when she receives a tip that someone will pay the big bucks for a rumoured occult manual called 'The Book of the Most Precious Substance', she grasps the chance to change her life. Only 'The Book' is much more than she imagined and she is drawn into a world of big money and big stakes. I was immensely, but delightfully, surprised by how sensuous and sexy the book is. What the most precious substance is I won't tell, but you may want to read parts of The Book in private, with a glass of wine. Between the eroticism and high stakes of the rare book world, however, is the story of a woman who has completely lost touch with herself. Without being entirely aware of it, Lily has entirely shut herself off from life, just so she can forget the hurt and grief. As she gets closer and closer to 'The Book', however, she also gets closer to the answers about who she is and what she wants.

This was my first time reading Sara Gran and initially I had to get into the writing a little. Gran is very straightforward in her writing, in the sense that she doesn't stray away from the point she is making or add florid details where they don't fit. As such, we get to know Lily in an almost blunt way, confronted with her rather unhappy outlook on life. But as Lily opens up, as she gets closer to 'The Book', the writing becomes more expansive, includes, to use a cliché, more colour and vibrancy. It is so subtly done that I have to assume Gran did this on purpose and I majorly enjoyed the experience. As Lily finds herself exploring the world, traveling from city to city, meeting people, and re-assessing her own life, she also takes more of a shape for the reader. Once she begins to notice details and put things together, who she used to be comes to the forefront and the tragedy of that loss also feels sharper. I also enjoyed the sense of foreboding that hangs over The Book, done through some more and some less obvious hinting and foreshadowing. Although I saw parts of the ending coming, I was nonetheless utterly intrigued and read most of the book in one sitting. Striking a balance between sensuous mystery and contemplative self-discovery feels impossible, but yet I think Sara Gran has managed it very well!

I give this novel...

4 Universes!

The Book of the most Precious Substance is a delightful read, full of mystery and eroticism, but also with a deeper message to be uncovered. Join Lily on a book hunt where the stakes are constantly rising!

Do you want a sneak peek at the writing? Hop over here to get a taste!