The Lost Library

One of the novel’s narrators, Mortimer is an orange cat who lived in the Martinville Library before a fire destroyed it. He is kindhearted and caring, not harming the mice who enter the History House as one might expect a cat would. Instead, he goes out of his way to keep them safe from harm, even feeling guilty when he learns they struggle to find food. Mortimer is fiercely protective of the library books that survived the fire, asserting that they comprise “his” library. He takes his self-assigned duty of guarding the books very seriously, even refusing to go indoors at night in favor of sleeping at the foot of the little free library.

Mortimer is deeply saddened by the loss of his sister, Petunia, who once lived in the Martinville Library with him. He has fond memories of playing together as kittens and often feels guilty that he survived the fire while she, presumably, did not. None of the humans around him know his name—each calls him something different—and Mortimer realizes that he has not heard his name aloud since Petunia called out for him. This causes him to long for her even more and to feel alienated from the world around him.

In the end, Mortimer becomes one of the novel’s heroes, revealing to the humans the true cause of the fire. In this way, he too illustrates The Importance of the Truth. In the process, he also reunites with Petunia, whose whereabouts prove another of the novel’s resolved mysteries.

The former assistant librarian of Martinville Library, Al is given this moniker (an abbreviation of “assistant librarian”) by Edward, Evan’s father. Her true name is unknown, signifying the importance of her job to her identity. She is a warm and kind person, caring for Ms. Scoggin and Mr. Brock in the History House in a way that demonstrates her reliability and her nurturing nature. As an orphaned child, she discovered that books and reading connected her to the greater world in a way that had been absent throughout her life, and as a librarian, she made fostering that sort of connection her vocation. She came to understand her gift for bringing knowledge to people and for connecting them to books—a role that brought Al great joy and purpose. Without the library, Al therefore feels lost and aimless—so much so that she considers herself a living ghost. It is in part this loss of purpose that inspires her to construct the little free library, thus setting the novel’s plot in motion.

Indeed, it is books that lead Al to the meaningful relationships in her life: with Ms. Scoggin and with Edward. Al appreciates how Ms. Scoggin (despite her gruff manner) nurtured and encouraged her, helping Al to find her life’s purpose as a librarian. Al demonstrates her gratitude by in turn supporting and nurturing Edward when he is a child. Through this, a friendship develops that creates meaning in both of their lives. Al consequently feels deep sadness and guilt after the fire—not only because Edward is blamed for it but because she failed to thank Edward for helping her escape. When she is able to express her thanks to him at the end of the novel, Al achieves a sense of completeness and well-being.