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zeph1337's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I knew almost nothing about this book when going into. I pretty much read one glowing review, saw that it was by a German indie author and that it was included in Kindle Unlimited. So I decided to read it.
The core theme about this book is the MC Jespars struggle with mental illness and past trauma. All this constant struggling with himself, being plagued by nightmares and not being able to open up about it with others and carrying along his depression is displayed in an excellent way and really makes you feel with the MC. We see him forming and destroying bonds and relationships and there is a bit of a weird love triangle there which does make sense with the context of his state of mind but just wasn't something I was interested in.
There is another POV called "The Man" which is mainly used to carry along this books main Mystery which I thought was compelling overall but I thought its resolution was rather bland and disappointing which kind of made the overarching plot not being the greatest either.
On the side of worldbuiling I thought this is pretty creative and the author even went through the struggle to create his own language.
The soft magic system was fine and I especially loved how it was used with the context of dreaming. There is some Inception type thing where you can enter someone elses dream and I thought all the dream sequences were very well written and just fascinating combined with a fair amount of dread and horror that hit really hard.
So overall I really liked this debut novel with its strongest parts being display of mental illness and dreamy/horror ambience.
The core theme about this book is the MC Jespars struggle with mental illness and past trauma. All this constant struggling with himself, being plagued by nightmares and not being able to open up about it with others and carrying along his depression is displayed in an excellent way and really makes you feel with the MC. We see him forming and destroying bonds and relationships and there is a bit of a weird love triangle there which does make sense with the context of his state of mind but just wasn't something I was interested in.
There is another POV called "The Man" which is mainly used to carry along this books main Mystery which I thought was compelling overall but I thought its resolution was rather bland and disappointing which kind of made the overarching plot not being the greatest either.
On the side of worldbuiling I thought this is pretty creative and the author even went through the struggle to create his own language.
The soft magic system was fine and I especially loved how it was used with the context of dreaming. There is some Inception type thing where you can enter someone elses dream and I thought all the dream sequences were very well written and just fascinating combined with a fair amount of dread and horror that hit really hard.
So overall I really liked this debut novel with its strongest parts being display of mental illness and dreamy/horror ambience.
bored_desperado's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
okjaaaaa's review against another edition
5.0
Content warnings for Dreams of the Dying:
rape, depression, suicide and suicidal ideation, panic attacks in relation to PTSD, body horror, vomiting, child abuse, bugs.
Okay, let's finally tackle this one.
Dreams of the Dying is one of my favourite books of all time. It's based on the Enderal video game series and written by one of the writers from said series. Initially, this would make anyone sceptical. At least, it made me sceptical. But mark my words when I say, that scepticism was entirely unfounded.
The world of DotD and Enderal is alive and vibrant, and Nicolas Lietzau has done a fantastic job of translating it from game to book. Every word on the page feels like it's breathing, the archipelago of Kilay feels real in a way few books have managed to realise and pull off. It makes sense culturally, socially and politically - and the tensions that arise from this wonderfully crafted world are palpable and heart-racing. Its ebbs and flows are smooth and logical, and you never feel like you're being dragged along.
Jespar Dal'Varek has been tasked with saving this world from societal collapse and eventual civil war between the leeching bourgeoisie and the bleed-dry common people, all the while trying to save himself and not drown in past trauma. Jespar is painfully human and one of the few characters I've related so strongly to - I spent hours while reading, sobbing so hard I got a migraine because the words on the page were too real and too raw. Jespar's mental health and his struggle with depression, anxiety and PTSD throughout the book serve as both therapy (in a way) and a parallel to the political conflict and the main mystery.
This book will be hard to read, especially if you've struggled with the same mental illnesses that Jespar does. The portrayal is intimate, to such a degree it might become uncomfortable. At some points, it's so familiar and authentic, that it hurts to read.
All in all, Dreams of the Dying is one of the most well-crafted, well-rounded books I have ever read and I cannot recommend it enough.
[Original review]
"I'm sorry you have to put up with me."
I've spent my whole life feeling like this, a burden, in the way, destructive; and having it portrayed on-page was An Experience, to say the least. This book is so precious to me.
rape, depression, suicide and suicidal ideation, panic attacks in relation to PTSD, body horror, vomiting, child abuse, bugs.
Okay, let's finally tackle this one.
Dreams of the Dying is one of my favourite books of all time. It's based on the Enderal video game series and written by one of the writers from said series. Initially, this would make anyone sceptical. At least, it made me sceptical. But mark my words when I say, that scepticism was entirely unfounded.
The world of DotD and Enderal is alive and vibrant, and Nicolas Lietzau has done a fantastic job of translating it from game to book. Every word on the page feels like it's breathing, the archipelago of Kilay feels real in a way few books have managed to realise and pull off. It makes sense culturally, socially and politically - and the tensions that arise from this wonderfully crafted world are palpable and heart-racing. Its ebbs and flows are smooth and logical, and you never feel like you're being dragged along.
Jespar Dal'Varek has been tasked with saving this world from societal collapse and eventual civil war between the leeching bourgeoisie and the bleed-dry common people, all the while trying to save himself and not drown in past trauma. Jespar is painfully human and one of the few characters I've related so strongly to - I spent hours while reading, sobbing so hard I got a migraine because the words on the page were too real and too raw. Jespar's mental health and his struggle with depression, anxiety and PTSD throughout the book serve as both therapy (in a way) and a parallel to the political conflict and the main mystery.
This book will be hard to read, especially if you've struggled with the same mental illnesses that Jespar does. The portrayal is intimate, to such a degree it might become uncomfortable. At some points, it's so familiar and authentic, that it hurts to read.
All in all, Dreams of the Dying is one of the most well-crafted, well-rounded books I have ever read and I cannot recommend it enough.
[Original review]
"I'm sorry you have to put up with me."
I've spent my whole life feeling like this, a burden, in the way, destructive; and having it portrayed on-page was An Experience, to say the least. This book is so precious to me.
tales_through_the_pages's review against another edition
5.0
I’ve been meaning to read Dreams of the Dying for ages, with that gorgeous cover staring at me and some very friendly.. but continued encouragement to get it read
hemmylig's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
souperfelipe's review against another edition
2.0
I really wanted to love this book. There are so many things I appreciate about what it's trying to do. I want indie books to succeed and be taken seriously. I want more unique fantasy settings, exploring non European folklore. I want more fantasy books that explore mental health so in depth. Unfortunately, despite combining all these features, "Dreams of the Dying" failed in its execution.
Throughout most of the book, I found myself consistently rolling my eyes at a lot of the YA style writing and tropes, and it greatly hindered my enjoyment. Fortunately, the story really sticks the landing, with a realistic and satisfying ending. This has left me with a positive after taste now that it's all said and done, but I would still like to list the things that frustrated me about the book.
SPOILERS AHEAD
Things that annoyed me about this book:
- Love triangle
- Instant love (literally within a matter of hours)
- Jespar (the main character) ends up picking the young pretty boy with the personality of a chair based on what one can only assume is lust, over the girl with actual opinions, humour, and backbone.
- Multiple horseshit fakeout deaths
- Jespar constantly mansplains his r/atheist nihilistic opinions on human nature to Lysia.
- They frequently make correct conclusions about the mysteries they need to solve based on small hunches, gut feelings, and shoddy logic.
- It seems to advocate for "ethical" capitalism
- A speech from a politician manages to sway an adversary angry mob
- Everything about Kawu, the snivelling blow-up doll
Throughout most of the book, I found myself consistently rolling my eyes at a lot of the YA style writing and tropes, and it greatly hindered my enjoyment. Fortunately, the story really sticks the landing, with a realistic and satisfying ending. This has left me with a positive after taste now that it's all said and done, but I would still like to list the things that frustrated me about the book.
SPOILERS AHEAD
Things that annoyed me about this book:
- Love triangle
- Instant love (literally within a matter of hours)
- Jespar (the main character) ends up picking the young pretty boy with the personality of a chair based on what one can only assume is lust, over the girl with actual opinions, humour, and backbone.
- Multiple horseshit fakeout deaths
- Jespar constantly mansplains his r/atheist nihilistic opinions on human nature to Lysia.
- They frequently make correct conclusions about the mysteries they need to solve based on small hunches, gut feelings, and shoddy logic.
- It seems to advocate for "ethical" capitalism
- A speech from a politician manages to sway an adversary angry mob
- Everything about Kawu, the snivelling blow-up doll
tsuchinoko's review
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
mori_is_dead's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5