A review by kleonard
The Lost Dreamer by Lizz Huerta

4.0

This is a great story, told in a clever way, that is a compelling fantasy novel as well as a book that models consent, compassion, and ways of leading and providing guidance without violence. There's a ton of body knowledge and characters who are very cognizant of their emotions and physiological responses to things. The much-needed non-Eurocentric world-building is strong, although many aspects of the world are slowly revealed and readers will need to be patient with things that remain unexplained at the beginning. The book clearly has a sequel coming; what's here are two backstories conveying what readers will beed to know before they read the next book in the series, which promises more action. The writing was sometimes clunky, with short sentences and awkward phrasing, perhaps because the author is writing for YA audiences and thinks this is necessary, but the imagery and ideas are more than enough to overcome reader reluctance that might come up because of the writing seeming too simple.