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4.3 AVERAGE
4.3 AVERAGE
Oh well I adore this book, We can admit now that lazlo and Sarai are one of my fav couples in modern literature.
3,5 stars
"He knew that, but the dream chooses the dreamer, not the other way around."
Strange the Dreamer has everything going for it - imaginative and magical world-building, a sense of mystery and intrigue, complex characters with layered relationships and rich concepts and themes. The writing is stunning, with moments so gorgeous I would pause just to appreciate the beauty of a single sentence. The way the author captures emotions and crafts imagery is truly masterful.
"For what was a person but the sum of all the scraps of their memory and experience: a finite set of components with an infinite array of expressions."
The first quarter of this book had me convinced it would be a new favourite. Lazlo is a fascinating, lovable and relatable character and the story felt immersive. Unfortunately, once the narrative shifted to Weep, I lost interest and my engagement in the story started to wane. Maybe it was the pacing, maybe the story lost the spark that initially made it so captivating, maybe it's Weep itself, but whatever it was, I found myself having to push through to finish the story.
Despite all its beauty, or maybe because of it, this has turned out to be my most disappointing read of 2024. There's so much that I absolutely love, but for some reason, the story didn't fully connect with me.
"And that’s how you go on. You lay laughter over the dark parts. The more dark parts, the more you have to laugh. With defiance, with abandon, with hysteria, any way you can."
"He knew that, but the dream chooses the dreamer, not the other way around."
Strange the Dreamer has everything going for it - imaginative and magical world-building, a sense of mystery and intrigue, complex characters with layered relationships and rich concepts and themes. The writing is stunning, with moments so gorgeous I would pause just to appreciate the beauty of a single sentence. The way the author captures emotions and crafts imagery is truly masterful.
"For what was a person but the sum of all the scraps of their memory and experience: a finite set of components with an infinite array of expressions."
The first quarter of this book had me convinced it would be a new favourite. Lazlo is a fascinating, lovable and relatable character and the story felt immersive. Unfortunately, once the narrative shifted to Weep, I lost interest and my engagement in the story started to wane. Maybe it was the pacing, maybe the story lost the spark that initially made it so captivating, maybe it's Weep itself, but whatever it was, I found myself having to push through to finish the story.
Despite all its beauty, or maybe because of it, this has turned out to be my most disappointing read of 2024. There's so much that I absolutely love, but for some reason, the story didn't fully connect with me.
"And that’s how you go on. You lay laughter over the dark parts. The more dark parts, the more you have to laugh. With defiance, with abandon, with hysteria, any way you can."
I wasn't sure if I was going to finish this AND THEN I hit the fourth section. This is a book of love of all kinds (of family, of country, of others, etc.) and I enjoyed that.
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
ABSOLUTE PERFECTION! ♾️⭐️
I am equal parts speechless and not having enough words to describe what this book means to me. It was spellbinding, lyrical, evocative, poignant, transcending…seriously, the list of adjectives I could give this story knows no bounds. It’s really rare to come across a story that is so beautifully written while also telling a story so vivid that transports the reader into the pages. Strange the Dreamer offers both of those qualities with perfection.
“It might have been brief, but so much of a kiss - a first kiss especially - is the moment before your lips touch, and before your eyes close, when you're filled with the sight of each other, and with the compulsion, the pull, and it's like...it's like...finding a book inside another book.”
The world was lush with imagery that made you as the reader feel like you were living within the story. The setting, especially the town of Weep, comes alive with the author’s descriptions; and it is easily visualized through the eyes of the characters. Every nuance of the story was naturally revealed, with hints that kept your mind active in trying to determine the mysteries. Even if your assumptions were correct, there was enough detail that left you questioning the validity of your thoughts until the reveals occurred. Strange the Dreamer offers a spellbinding realm that is brimming with magic, devastating history and a desire of hope for the future of these characters.
“It was impossible, of course. But when did that ever stop any dreamer from dreaming.”
I’m always drawn into stories that have a deeper meaning, and this novel develops the concept of generational trauma and the hurt and hate that carries forward with it. The story captures the emotional turmoil of hating the “enemy” while still recognizing the pain that shaped them. It also demonstrates the ability to step away from the trauma and shape a better future; leaving hate, prejudice and anger behind.
“He looked him right in the eyes and saw a man who was great and good and human, who had done extraordinary things and terrible things and been broken and reassembled as a shell, only then to do the bravest thing of all: He had kept on living, though there are easier paths to take.”
Strange the Dreamer is a hauntingly beautiful exploration of survival, and the deep-rooted desire to break patterns and behaviours that keep you suspended in emotional stasis. Each character has their own blend of hope and hopelessness, yearning for a world that offers them what they long for. Each of their individual journeys explores the varied exploration of how people navigate the weight of the past and their perception on change and healing.
“And that's how you go on. You lay laughter over the dark parts. The more dark parts, the more you have to laugh. With defiance, with abandon, with hysteria, any way you can.”
The characters are richly drawn - multidimensional, vividly alive and emotionally resonant. Lazlo, in particular, embodies hope and the conviction that better things lie ahead. He explored the world with awe and wonder, yearning for magic and the unknown. Sarai is the embodiment of empathy, recognizing the necessity of moving forward, and liberating oneself from the burden of past trauma and pain. Together, they formed an endearing and tender bond, friendship and romance that transcended the hate and heartache within their world.
“I think you’re a fairy tale. I think you’re magical, and brave, and exquisite. And I hope you'll let me be in your story.”
“If you're afraid of your own dreams, you’re welcome here in mine.”
There are very few books that make me wish I could read it again for the very first time. This story creates a universe that lingers in the mind long after the final page. The only possible solution is to dive right into the next book of this tale.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
OMG! Laini Taylor, I wish I could be a moth on your brow when you dream and in your writing room when you create. The world building here is stupendous and is topped only by the lyric prose, specificity of description, and tension-filled plotting. So glad I waited to read the first book until the second book was already published. I'm hooked.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
slow-paced
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-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
This one took me forever to finally complete - but so, so glad I did. The writing is beautiful and the first half of the book I was fully invested - but I got a tad... annoyed (I don't know if that's the right word?) with the love story when it started to take over the pages. Taylor's writing is lush and poetic and velvet - the world building was *chef's kiss*. I'm fixing to jump into Muse of Nightmares now, since that ending left me unsettled.