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A review by surbhi_reads
Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor
5.0
More reviews at- https://bemusedb.blogspot.com/?m=1
“It was deep and ravishing landscape and a daring and magnificent dream. Too daring, too magnificent for the likes of him. He knew that, but the dream chooses the dreamer, not the other way around.”
Wow! Absolutely wow! I will not say where do I even begin with because I know exactly what I want to write and say about this wonder of a book. Recently I have had a very lucky stroke with books and [b:Strange the Dreamer|28449207|Strange the Dreamer (Strange the Dreamer, #1)|Laini Taylor|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1519915549s/28449207.jpg|48158509] might easily be one of the best novels that I have read so far this year. Yes! This book was nothing less than a marvel, it was magical, it was stupendous and I was in the awe of its story from beginning to the end. I wanted to curl up, be a part of this wonderful, spellbinding and enthralling world, and never ever leave it.
He was an orphaned child, who collected stories like treasure and pretended to be a Tizerkane warrior. Now, He is a junior librarian, with his head full of dreams and nose always buried in books. Meet Lazlo Strange, also called Strange the Dreamer. Ever since Lazlo was a little boy, he was fascinated with the stories of the mythical city, which has been lost to the world for some two hundred years now and the real name of which wiped from everyone’s memory. Now the city is just called Weep.
“Somewhere across its emptiness lay a city that had never been seen. It was a rumour, a fable, but it was a rumour and fable from which marvels emerged.”
Lazlo wants nothing more but to cross the great desert and find the unseen city, as he likes to call it. As luck would have it, a thrilling prospect to travel to the unseen city presents itself and soon Lazlo is on his way to accomplish his one true dream. You see, Lazlo believes it was magic that plucked the name of the city from the world. He wants to solve the mystery and to help in any way possible. As Lazlo crosses the great desert to reach the city of Weep with the famous Tizerkane warriors and their leader, whom they called god slayer, nothing could have prepared him for the sight it beheld. The mysteries of the unseen city only deepens with their arrival in the city and so does Lazlo’s dreams, which is now frequented by a beautiful blue skinned girl. Who was this blue-skinned girl? Moreover, how was Lazlo supposed to help the city of Weep from the problem it faced?
“The last night of wondering. Lazlo looked to the cusp, subtle in the starlight. The mysteries of weep had been music to his blood for as long as he could remember. This time tomorrow, they would be mysteries no longer.”
Easily, [a:Laini Taylor|324620|Laini Taylor|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1224474224p2/324620.jpg] is one of the finest writers of our time. I cannot begin to express how marvellous and remarkable her world building was. I was drawn immediately to this world of myth and science, alchemy and legend, mysteries and magic, gods and humans and above all dreams and dreamers. Everything from the mere concept to the extraordinary description this novel was a melodious music in itself. It was exceptional, lavish and completely ethereal, it keeps you invested in the stories of each character either the gods or the humans. The plot is solid as a rock and even though its moves slowly somehow through Taylor’s poetic and amazing writing, the mystery and intrigue is maintained throughout the story.
The characters of this book are another story in itself. They may be easily some of the best characters that I have come across. Oh! Lazlo you sweet boy! I cannot begin to express how endearing and sweet Lazlo was. His character’s growth was indeed splendid and stunning. We see him as an orphan dreamer boy, conflicted and supressed, who sheds his inhibitions, goes on the journey of his dreams, and somewhere along the way discovers himself and his strengths. He was selfless, brave, thoughtful and so compassionate.
“Sarai was seventeen years old, a goddess and a girl. Half her blood was human, but it counted for nothing. She was blue. She was godspwan. She was anathema. She was young. She was lovely. She was afraid.”
Then, of course, there is Sarai, how I loved her and felt her insecurities, fear and self-consciousness. Trapped in the citadel for 15 years, she showed immense bravery, resilience and resolve. The romance between Lazlo and Sarai, even though felt a little insta-lovey, it was undeniably unique and I will have to say it again but Taylor did such an amazing job in writing their relationship, it made me root for them. They represented optimism, unconditional love and were an epitome of selflessness.
“They were so nearly unchanged, and yet that one thing--- the colour of their skin--- would, in real world, change everything.”
The other major as well as minor characters were so unforgettable and left considerable impact. Even the ghosts and those sweet little moths were no less than a wonder. I cannot wait to see what Taylor does with Calixte, Thyon Nero, Eril Fane and Azareen in the sequel. Taylor astonishingly blurred the lines between the victims and the survivors, you cannot just root for any one of them because both Gods and humans suffered significant pain and you feel for each one of them. The only character who gave serious villainous vibe was Minya and with that marvellous open ending, I can very well feel the conflict awaiting us in the sequel.
Metaphorically, this book speaks volumes and addresses some serious issues like judging people from the colour of their skin/ race and prejudices against certain sections of society because of what their ancestors did.
“I think you’re a fairy tale. I think you’re magical, and brave and exquisite. And… his voice grew bashful. Only in a dream could he be so bold and speak such words. I hope you’ll let me be in your story.”
Overall, this book was brilliant, captivating, extremely riveting and sets a great groundwork for others in the series. I know we are getting a sequel but I want many more books from this marvellous and charismatic series. It is because of books like this that makes reading so fun and so pleasurable. I loved every single moment of this novel and honestly, I cannot wait for [b:Muse of Nightmares|25446343|Muse of Nightmares (Strange the Dreamer, #2)|Laini Taylor|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1518636521s/25446343.jpg|45210112] to come out already.
“He was a god, and she was a ghost. A page had turned. A new story was beginning. You had only to look at Lazlo to know it would be brilliant.”
“It was deep and ravishing landscape and a daring and magnificent dream. Too daring, too magnificent for the likes of him. He knew that, but the dream chooses the dreamer, not the other way around.”
Wow! Absolutely wow! I will not say where do I even begin with because I know exactly what I want to write and say about this wonder of a book. Recently I have had a very lucky stroke with books and [b:Strange the Dreamer|28449207|Strange the Dreamer (Strange the Dreamer, #1)|Laini Taylor|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1519915549s/28449207.jpg|48158509] might easily be one of the best novels that I have read so far this year. Yes! This book was nothing less than a marvel, it was magical, it was stupendous and I was in the awe of its story from beginning to the end. I wanted to curl up, be a part of this wonderful, spellbinding and enthralling world, and never ever leave it.
He was an orphaned child, who collected stories like treasure and pretended to be a Tizerkane warrior. Now, He is a junior librarian, with his head full of dreams and nose always buried in books. Meet Lazlo Strange, also called Strange the Dreamer. Ever since Lazlo was a little boy, he was fascinated with the stories of the mythical city, which has been lost to the world for some two hundred years now and the real name of which wiped from everyone’s memory. Now the city is just called Weep.
“Somewhere across its emptiness lay a city that had never been seen. It was a rumour, a fable, but it was a rumour and fable from which marvels emerged.”
Lazlo wants nothing more but to cross the great desert and find the unseen city, as he likes to call it. As luck would have it, a thrilling prospect to travel to the unseen city presents itself and soon Lazlo is on his way to accomplish his one true dream. You see, Lazlo believes it was magic that plucked the name of the city from the world. He wants to solve the mystery and to help in any way possible. As Lazlo crosses the great desert to reach the city of Weep with the famous Tizerkane warriors and their leader, whom they called god slayer, nothing could have prepared him for the sight it beheld. The mysteries of the unseen city only deepens with their arrival in the city and so does Lazlo’s dreams, which is now frequented by a beautiful blue skinned girl. Who was this blue-skinned girl? Moreover, how was Lazlo supposed to help the city of Weep from the problem it faced?
“The last night of wondering. Lazlo looked to the cusp, subtle in the starlight. The mysteries of weep had been music to his blood for as long as he could remember. This time tomorrow, they would be mysteries no longer.”
Easily, [a:Laini Taylor|324620|Laini Taylor|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1224474224p2/324620.jpg] is one of the finest writers of our time. I cannot begin to express how marvellous and remarkable her world building was. I was drawn immediately to this world of myth and science, alchemy and legend, mysteries and magic, gods and humans and above all dreams and dreamers. Everything from the mere concept to the extraordinary description this novel was a melodious music in itself. It was exceptional, lavish and completely ethereal, it keeps you invested in the stories of each character either the gods or the humans. The plot is solid as a rock and even though its moves slowly somehow through Taylor’s poetic and amazing writing, the mystery and intrigue is maintained throughout the story.
The characters of this book are another story in itself. They may be easily some of the best characters that I have come across. Oh! Lazlo you sweet boy! I cannot begin to express how endearing and sweet Lazlo was. His character’s growth was indeed splendid and stunning. We see him as an orphan dreamer boy, conflicted and supressed, who sheds his inhibitions, goes on the journey of his dreams, and somewhere along the way discovers himself and his strengths. He was selfless, brave, thoughtful and so compassionate.
“Sarai was seventeen years old, a goddess and a girl. Half her blood was human, but it counted for nothing. She was blue. She was godspwan. She was anathema. She was young. She was lovely. She was afraid.”
Then, of course, there is Sarai, how I loved her and felt her insecurities, fear and self-consciousness. Trapped in the citadel for 15 years, she showed immense bravery, resilience and resolve. The romance between Lazlo and Sarai, even though felt a little insta-lovey, it was undeniably unique and I will have to say it again but Taylor did such an amazing job in writing their relationship, it made me root for them. They represented optimism, unconditional love and were an epitome of selflessness.
“They were so nearly unchanged, and yet that one thing--- the colour of their skin--- would, in real world, change everything.”
The other major as well as minor characters were so unforgettable and left considerable impact. Even the ghosts and those sweet little moths were no less than a wonder. I cannot wait to see what Taylor does with Calixte, Thyon Nero, Eril Fane and Azareen in the sequel. Taylor astonishingly blurred the lines between the victims and the survivors, you cannot just root for any one of them because both Gods and humans suffered significant pain and you feel for each one of them. The only character who gave serious villainous vibe was Minya and with that marvellous open ending, I can very well feel the conflict awaiting us in the sequel.
Metaphorically, this book speaks volumes and addresses some serious issues like judging people from the colour of their skin/ race and prejudices against certain sections of society because of what their ancestors did.
“I think you’re a fairy tale. I think you’re magical, and brave and exquisite. And… his voice grew bashful. Only in a dream could he be so bold and speak such words. I hope you’ll let me be in your story.”
Overall, this book was brilliant, captivating, extremely riveting and sets a great groundwork for others in the series. I know we are getting a sequel but I want many more books from this marvellous and charismatic series. It is because of books like this that makes reading so fun and so pleasurable. I loved every single moment of this novel and honestly, I cannot wait for [b:Muse of Nightmares|25446343|Muse of Nightmares (Strange the Dreamer, #2)|Laini Taylor|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1518636521s/25446343.jpg|45210112] to come out already.
“He was a god, and she was a ghost. A page had turned. A new story was beginning. You had only to look at Lazlo to know it would be brilliant.”