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A review by c_serpent
Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I am a sucker for a few things. One of them is a story about gods. But a story about a city tormented for 200 years by false gods? That then the Godslayer killed?
Please do tell me more.
I messaged my best friend at one point while reading this book (it's her favorite) and said, "I want to eat this book. Which is WEIRD but it's like it has a flavor." The voice in this novel is a gift. It is funny, moving, poetic, and taught me some new words. Ya girl was a former ~*~ gifted child ~*~ reader and still rates shamefully high on vocabulary quizzes, and I learned words, bruh. That takes some work.
Lazlo is a gift. Sarai is a gift. I would do terrible things in the name of love for Ruza. I want to be Calixte's best friend. I want to kick Thyon in the teeth and if I had words for how much I hate Minya, my mother wouldn't let me use them.
It's hard to find a novel written in poetic voice that doesn't overdo it or make things needlessly obscure. Nothing was needlessly obscure here, and the prose sang. Moreover, I don't trust many people to do omniscient third person, but Taylor pulls it off. It never felt weird or contrived to me. I think I was about 50% of the way through the book before I even realised it was third person omniscient. The twists weren't completely unforeseeable but nor were they so obvious that everything was boring. And I appreciate that kind of foreshadowing.
This book deals with heavy issues (as in literal sex trafficking and the murder of babies), but it does so bearably. This book could have been completely grimdark, and it wasn't, and I love it for that. It is laced through with hope. And even though it ended on a cliff-hanger that made me yell, I know everything will be okay, and that is, I think, one of the most endearing qualities a novel can have.
Two stars have been awarded for the poetic voice, a star has been awarded for Sarai's brave little pacifist soul, a star has been awarded for Eril-Fane's tears, and a star has been awarded to Lazlo and Ruza's banter about mushrooms. Then I took all the stars away and gave them all to Ruza, because wow. What a guy.
Total score: 5/5 stars
Please do tell me more.
I messaged my best friend at one point while reading this book (it's her favorite) and said, "I want to eat this book. Which is WEIRD but it's like it has a flavor." The voice in this novel is a gift. It is funny, moving, poetic, and taught me some new words. Ya girl was a former ~*~ gifted child ~*~ reader and still rates shamefully high on vocabulary quizzes, and I learned words, bruh. That takes some work.
Lazlo is a gift. Sarai is a gift. I would do terrible things in the name of love for Ruza. I want to be Calixte's best friend. I want to kick Thyon in the teeth and if I had words for how much I hate Minya, my mother wouldn't let me use them.
It's hard to find a novel written in poetic voice that doesn't overdo it or make things needlessly obscure. Nothing was needlessly obscure here, and the prose sang. Moreover, I don't trust many people to do omniscient third person, but Taylor pulls it off. It never felt weird or contrived to me. I think I was about 50% of the way through the book before I even realised it was third person omniscient. The twists weren't completely unforeseeable but nor were they so obvious that everything was boring. And I appreciate that kind of foreshadowing.
This book deals with heavy issues (as in literal sex trafficking and the murder of babies), but it does so bearably. This book could have been completely grimdark, and it wasn't, and I love it for that. It is laced through with hope. And even though it ended on a cliff-hanger that made me yell, I know everything will be okay, and that is, I think, one of the most endearing qualities a novel can have.
Two stars have been awarded for the poetic voice, a star has been awarded for Sarai's brave little pacifist soul, a star has been awarded for Eril-Fane's tears, and a star has been awarded to Lazlo and Ruza's banter about mushrooms. Then I took all the stars away and gave them all to Ruza, because wow. What a guy.
Total score: 5/5 stars
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Murder, Rape, Sexual violence, Child death, Trafficking, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Sexual assault, and Slavery
Moderate: Pregnancy and Confinement