Scan barcode
A review by journeythroughthechapters
Muse of Nightmares by Laini Taylor
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Thoughts
This took me forever to read. I don’t know if it was a slump or if it was the book. I was just bored. The story took a long time to get going. While the book took off where the first one left off which was a major cliffhanger it took a while for anything to really happen.
Things I liked:
- The atmosphere. This world is stunning and super vivid. This is one of the few books that I really can visualise what it would look like and generally for me this is hard. So that is a testament to the writing
- The characters. I feel like some of the character developments were a bit unrealistic and the changes from the first to the second book were fairly drastic but I didn’t mind that. The two that come to mind are Minya and Nero. Minya’s development I can understand but Nero’s does a complete 180 but he’s minor so I didn’t really care. So while they are not my favourite characters I liked them.
Things I didn’t like:
- The writing. On this a lot of people will disagree with me on but I don’t like floral writing. I like straight forward writing that is to the point. Laini Taylor’s writing is beautiful it’s just not for me personally
- The plot. Deary me did this book drag. The first 200-250 felt like it went on forever. Things happened but I was captivated or intrigued which I’m sad to say. It gets more interesting in the last quarter but that doesn’t make up for the rest of the novel. I am both a plot and character driven reader and for me the characters couldn’t carry this book for me.
I’m definitely the unpopular opinion in this instance. But I Strange the Dreamer as well wasn’t a favourite so I’m not that surprised.
Content Warning: Death/Dead Body, Sexism, Suspected Self Harm, Suicide, Grief
Representation: Lesbian - Side Character, POC
This took me forever to read. I don’t know if it was a slump or if it was the book. I was just bored. The story took a long time to get going. While the book took off where the first one left off which was a major cliffhanger it took a while for anything to really happen.
Things I liked:
- The atmosphere. This world is stunning and super vivid. This is one of the few books that I really can visualise what it would look like and generally for me this is hard. So that is a testament to the writing
- The characters. I feel like some of the character developments were a bit unrealistic and the changes from the first to the second book were fairly drastic but I didn’t mind that. The two that come to mind are Minya and Nero. Minya’s development I can understand but Nero’s does a complete 180 but he’s minor so I didn’t really care. So while they are not my favourite characters I liked them.
Things I didn’t like:
- The writing. On this a lot of people will disagree with me on but I don’t like floral writing. I like straight forward writing that is to the point. Laini Taylor’s writing is beautiful it’s just not for me personally
- The plot. Deary me did this book drag. The first 200-250 felt like it went on forever. Things happened but I was captivated or intrigued which I’m sad to say. It gets more interesting in the last quarter but that doesn’t make up for the rest of the novel. I am both a plot and character driven reader and for me the characters couldn’t carry this book for me.
I’m definitely the unpopular opinion in this instance. But I Strange the Dreamer as well wasn’t a favourite so I’m not that surprised.
Content Warning: Death/Dead Body, Sexism, Suspected Self Harm, Suicide, Grief
Representation: Lesbian - Side Character, POC
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Grief
Moderate: Sexism and Suicide
Minor: Self harm