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4.3 AVERAGE
4.3 AVERAGE
"Do you still think i'm a... A singularly unhorrible demon?"
"No," he said smiling. "I think you're magical, and brave, and exquisite. And I hope you'll let me be in your story.”
In a plethora of fantasy books, this books singularly stands out with its amazing writing, the plot, the narrative, the characters and the emotions they portray - all the while still being magical.
The story started with Strange being captivated by books and by the mysteries of the city of Weep - the Unseen City. Through the first few chapters, we realize that Strange is possibly the only person who is still interested in the city of Weep, more than anything else, so much so that he doesn't even care if he gives the secret of alchemy away to someone else. Also solidifying the fact that he's a selfless person who helped someone without ever looking for a 'thank you'. The author really makes him grow as a person in the short time-skip we get before reaching the city of Weep.
Sarai's narrative was very lonely and sad to read through. She could do that dream thing that Inan from [b:Children of Blood and Bone|34728667|Children of Blood and Bone (Legacy of Orïsha, #1)|Tomi Adeyemi|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1516127989s/34728667.jpg|55911580] could do, on a different level. So all the times they called her the 'Muse of Nightmares' made me feel a bit annoyed at the people (looking at you, Minya) who made her think her powers were a curse. She could control people's dream, good or bad. She has powers over the Dreamscape, not just nightmares.
All the other characters in the book were also very interesting to read. The story was told in bits and pieces by both the sides - Humans and Godspawns. So until halfway we were trudging around this morally grey area where it was hard to discern which party was the villain, and which the victim. As the story progresses, we realize that both parties have been victimized by the other, both having done good and bad, none have moved on from the past and know no other way to resolve a situation than a Carnage.
Eril-Fane and Minya were two very interesting characters to read. The way the story unfolded for the both of them - the horrors they both went through, the horrors caused by the dead Gods, and the horrors that one of them was ready to cause as revenge.
The dreamscape sequences between Strange and Sarai were so cute. This book had one of the best kiss scenes I've ever read :) The relationship between the both of them was amazing, and the way they grew and opened up to each other was very realistic and didn't seem forced or just to advance the plot. The way everything just flowed together at the end of the book was so seamless, starting with Strange's revelation to the freaking cliffhanger that I expected during half way in the book. I cannot believe that this whole time the ending of the book was in the prologue. Who does that?! I remember screaming really loudly when I finished this in the middle of the night. October 2 cannot come fast enough.
The ending was heart wrenching to read. Starting from the description of the fall to the death to visiting the Citadel, and the final trade that was made. The amount of possibilities this opens for the next book are limitless, but I can't help but hope that they can undo this ending somehow. At least, I think it's hinted in the summary for the next book [b:Muse of Nightmares|25446343|Muse of Nightmares (Strange the Dreamer, #2)|Laini Taylor|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1518636521s/25446343.jpg|45210112]
A list of things that made this book a joy to read:
- The book's hardcover, which enticed me to buy it.
- The protagonist being a librarian who lived and breathed books.
- Strange's witty replies to the people who tried to insult him or make him feel bad about himself
- Sarai's powers
- Strange and Sarai's date inside his dreams :D Favorite part!
- Did this book just give me the best proposal line ever?
- The way Strange could control his dreams so vividly that at one point I thought his powers were gonna be related to the that girl they mentioned in the beginning who could bring things out of her dreams. I still feel like he's gonna have more than one power, because he could control his dreams, and he was not blue like the others.
- The book's narrative
- I liked Eril-Fane more than I expected. He was such a complicated character who had gone through so much that he had become a shell of his former self, who still wanted to do right by his people while trying to make up (?) for the Carnage he caused. I wanna read an account of the Carnage and how he started it all from his perspective. Fingers crossed for this in part two.
- Ruza and Strange's small interactions.
- How at the big revelation at the end of the book, people are conflicted if they should still be seeing Strange as a friend or a threat because they had become close to him in the short time they all spent with him.
"No," he said smiling. "I think you're magical, and brave, and exquisite. And I hope you'll let me be in your story.”
In a plethora of fantasy books, this books singularly stands out with its amazing writing, the plot, the narrative, the characters and the emotions they portray - all the while still being magical.
The story started with Strange being captivated by books and by the mysteries of the city of Weep - the Unseen City. Through the first few chapters, we realize that Strange is possibly the only person who is still interested in the city of Weep, more than anything else, so much so that he doesn't even care if he gives the secret of alchemy away to someone else. Also solidifying the fact that he's a selfless person who helped someone without ever looking for a 'thank you'. The author really makes him grow as a person in the short time-skip we get before reaching the city of Weep.
Sarai's narrative was very lonely and sad to read through. She could do that dream thing that Inan from [b:Children of Blood and Bone|34728667|Children of Blood and Bone (Legacy of Orïsha, #1)|Tomi Adeyemi|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1516127989s/34728667.jpg|55911580] could do, on a different level. So all the times they called her the 'Muse of Nightmares' made me feel a bit annoyed at the people (looking at you, Minya) who made her think her powers were a curse. She could control people's dream, good or bad. She has powers over the Dreamscape, not just nightmares.
All the other characters in the book were also very interesting to read. The story was told in bits and pieces by both the sides - Humans and Godspawns. So until halfway we were trudging around this morally grey area where it was hard to discern which party was the villain, and which the victim. As the story progresses, we realize that both parties have been victimized by the other, both having done good and bad, none have moved on from the past and know no other way to resolve a situation than a Carnage.
Eril-Fane and Minya were two very interesting characters to read. The way the story unfolded for the both of them - the horrors they both went through, the horrors caused by the dead Gods, and the horrors that one of them was ready to cause as revenge.
Spoiler
The dreamscape sequences between Strange and Sarai were so cute. This book had one of the best kiss scenes I've ever read :) The relationship between the both of them was amazing, and the way they grew and opened up to each other was very realistic and didn't seem forced or just to advance the plot. The way everything just flowed together at the end of the book was so seamless, starting with Strange's revelation to the freaking cliffhanger that I expected during half way in the book. I cannot believe that this whole time the ending of the book was in the prologue. Who does that?! I remember screaming really loudly when I finished this in the middle of the night. October 2 cannot come fast enough.
The ending was heart wrenching to read. Starting from the description of the fall to the death to visiting the Citadel, and the final trade that was made. The amount of possibilities this opens for the next book are limitless, but I can't help but hope that they can undo this ending somehow. At least, I think it's hinted in the summary for the next book [b:Muse of Nightmares|25446343|Muse of Nightmares (Strange the Dreamer, #2)|Laini Taylor|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1518636521s/25446343.jpg|45210112]
A list of things that made this book a joy to read:
- The book's hardcover, which enticed me to buy it.
- The protagonist being a librarian who lived and breathed books.
- Strange's witty replies to the people who tried to insult him or make him feel bad about himself
- Sarai's powers
- Strange and Sarai's date inside his dreams :D Favorite part!
- Did this book just give me the best proposal line ever?
- The way Strange could control his dreams so vividly that at one point I thought his powers were gonna be related to the that girl they mentioned in the beginning who could bring things out of her dreams. I still feel like he's gonna have more than one power, because he could control his dreams, and he was not blue like the others.
- The book's narrative
- I liked Eril-Fane more than I expected. He was such a complicated character who had gone through so much that he had become a shell of his former self, who still wanted to do right by his people while trying to make up (?) for the Carnage he caused. I wanna read an account of the Carnage and how he started it all from his perspective. Fingers crossed for this in part two.
- Ruza and Strange's small interactions.
- How at the big revelation at the end of the book, people are conflicted if they should still be seeing Strange as a friend or a threat because they had become close to him in the short time they all spent with him.
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I was hovering between a three and a four. The first about 50% was super fun and I really enjoyed it, but then about 30-40% was straight romance and it just brought the mood down so badly for me. It tried to pick up again in that last 10%, but I was already gone. It made me a lot less inclined to pick up the next book, which really sucks because the writing style is on the pretty side.
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
W H A T.
ok i mildly predicted the twist but also WHAT
ok i mildly predicted the twist but also WHAT
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
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
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
I really enjoyed this, although it was a bit of a slog to get through it. I have to know what happens next though.
"Good people do all the things bad people do. It's just that when they do them, they call it justice."
Surprised by how much I liked this! I didn’t know it would be good lol, it had me quite enthralled. The “love” between the two of them became bit much at times, had to roll my eyes, I don’t have much patience for heterosexuality at this point (I thought this book was gonna be gay in the first few chapters before I realised Theyon was just an antagonist of sorts) but I had fun!!