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A review by nataliealane
Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor
5.0
I absolutely loved this book! Honestly, it's probably one of the best books I've read in a long time, and I'm already predicting maybe one of the best books I'll read in 2018. As an important note, I'm rating Strange the Dreamer as between a 4 and a 5, but higher than a 4.5 (hence the official GR rating of 5 stars). I highly enjoyed this book, but I did find some issues. For this review, I'm going to break it down into the different aspects of the book, rather than by pros/cons like I normally do.
First, the writing. It’s beautiful, poetic, and just sucks you in. There is a lot of emotion in this book, and I think the writing style emphasizes that and its complexity. It also pairs well with Lazlo’s vivid imagination and perspective, as well as the dream sequences. I could really get a feel for what was going on and what things looked like, and I think it worked well to capture the complexity of the situations and emotions. If you've read the Grisha Trilogy by Leigh Bardugo, I think the writing style is similar (Strange the Dreamer is better written, though, in my opinion). Some specific similarities I fond were in Taylor's use of sentence fragments, italicization, and those long sentences that don't use commas correctly? I didn't mind it here; the style fit the book, and I was less "aware" of the particularities of the style than in the Grisha Trilogy. However, there were some times when I was more "aware" of it. I was aware that it was maybe a bit overdone or you could tell the author was really trying to make it sound poetic or whatever; there were a few things written that didn’t really add to the situation or story-telling---mainly just a few added phrases here and there, again to make it sound poetic and deep and stuff, but it didn’t lend anything, it didn’t advance or expand on anything already there. Sometimes the humor felt forced or fell flat, too. There is some talk or mentions of sex and sexual relationships, and every now and then the way they approach the subject or how they refer to things is weird. Not graphic or anything, just plain weird or awkward. However, it may give more insight to the characters. Considering Lazlo and Sarai are very inexperienced, it makes sense on their part. I'll update the review with some specific examples from the book (it's a lot to go through).
The dream sequences: Usually people are annoyed by dream sequences, and for good reason. They are usually used as a crutch for foreshadowing/prophecy, or a really intense/climactic or character-developing scene ends up disappointing because the character wakes up, and all that awesome stuff never took place. However, dreams are kind of crucial (considering the title), and they are fairly well done. Once the romantic sub-plot really comes into play, it mainly happens in dream sequences,
The worldbuilding. Was absolutely amazing. It’s something Laini Taylor really excels at. Character-building can also fit into this category. A common complaint about Strange the Dreamer is how slow it is at the beginning of the book, during which a lot of the world building and introduction to the characters is taking place. Personally, I didn’t mind this, and I actually enjoyed a lot of it. My only issue is one particular scene that I had trouble understanding, although that may be due to the writing style. I re-read this scene several times throughout my reading the book as a whole, just to make sure I wasn’t just tired or not paying attention when initially reading the passage, but no, the transition from modern-day to that passage and back to modern-day was consistently confusing.
The plot twists. They were very innovative to me. Most of them were really good, and I was not expecting where they ended up going. However, one of the last major twists I totally saw coming. There had been inklings of hints here and there throughout the book, little strange pieces that made me think “Now, what’s going on here?” But then, some time before the plot twist, we get this new information, this new thought process from Lazlo, and all of those little strange things come together, and I was like, “OOOOOH, I think I know what the plot twist is.” I say this because another review on Booktube (I think from Thoughts On Tomes) said she saw the plot twist coming, which was a big let-down for her, and I now know what she meant by that. I wasn't quite as disappointed as her; mainly it was soul-crushing and left me with a lot of questions about what might happen in the finale to the duology.
The characters: I think I wanted Feral, Ruby, and Sparrow’s characters to be fleshed out a bit more. They are side characters, but Laini Taylor likes to jump around in points of view, so we do get their perspective a fair amount. I think I would have liked to see more from Feral on other aspects of life in the citadel, especially the book he was trying to decipher, his personal curiosities about human life and Weep, his own desires (other than sex, like any other adolescent male. That’s definitely present). There is sex in this book, but it’s far from graphic. It’s written in a very figurative style. Anyway, there’s this book he obsesses over, and I felt like it represented a big part of his character and what made him unique, and I just have a lot of questions about his character that were never satisfied. Just in general, I would have liked to see more in the side characters. I think we get enough Minya that’s compelling. We rarely get her perspective, in fact it only happens a couple times, but what we do get reveals a lot about her character. She could have easily been this one-dimensional character that was bitter and vengeful all the time, and she still is bitter and vengeful all the time, but there’s more depth and motivation behind it. There was one scene in particular from her perspective that just about made me cry. She’s supposed to be this crazy, evil, bloodthirsty child. And I got teary-eyed. Like, that’s good stuff there. I connected a lot to Lazlo (I think many fellow bookworms will). He also seemed different from typical male characters in fantasy novels, especially when it comes to main characters, although there may be bias in this since he resonated so much with me. He's humble, compassionate, and thoughtful. He has big dreams. He's selfless, even when it might cost him becoming a legend or being the great hero he wants to be. He still retains a sense of childlikeness and whimsy. He's not perfect, though. Although physically intimidating, especially after the caravan across the Elmuthaleth, he is clumsy and not very athletic. He makes mistakes, and sometimes his curiosity gets the best of him. Although "Strange the Dreamer" is this epic book full of adventure and magic, gods and monsters, it's a coming-of-age tale as well. Lazlo is an orphan and doesn't know where he came from or who he really is. Over the course of the novel, he finds love, starts discovering answers about himself, and has to find courage to pursue his dreams. The story is also very grounded in reality. Heroes aren't always the people you think they are; characters are steeped in emotional complexities; the effects of traumatic experiences are explored. I also really liked Sarai and think she was a beautifully-developed character. She, too, has big dreams and is struggling to find her place in the world. It's so heartbreaking to see her empathy with the people of Weep conflict with her loyalties to the other godspawn, especially when it comes to her relationship with her father.
The really, really minor characters: The other faranji, to be specific. There’s a lot of them, and it’s hard to keep track of them. In terms of the delegations and the possible needs of the citizens of Weep, such as their lack of a library, knowledge on certain areas, etc., it seems somewhat necessary, but as the story went on, it didn’t do much for me. There were some characters in this group that are more important, but some of them it seemed were just forgotten about. The metallurgist twins, I forget their names, but literally the only times we see them, they are being arrogant about their perceived talent and importance, or they’re complaining about something. I don’t hear about their work, how they are contributing to bring down the citadel. And I think the author is aware of this. Whenever she mentions them, it is always as “the Fellerings/the Fellering twins” and that they are metallurgists. I think she is aware that they play such an unimportant role in this book that she always has to remind the readers who they are and what apparent purpose they have in the plot. Which is to say, almost none at all.
Final Thoughts:
I really, really enjoyed reading this book. When I find out the sequel comes out this October, I was maybe half-way through the book, but I already knew I was going to pre-order Muse of Nightmares. I have a lot of questions I’m excited to see how MoN addresses, such as what the original name of Weep was. What will Minya do next, and how is she going to prioritize dealing with Lazlo vs. fulfilling her vengeance on the people of Weep? How will Weep react to their new revelation of Lazlo? I’m excited to see how Sparrow, Feral, and Ruby will develop in the second half of the duology. I want to see sweet Sparrow grow in her confidence and stand up for her strong convictions; I want to know more about the strange book Feral obsesses over, and how his character develops in this aspect. Does it connect to a larger issue or revelation? Will we ever know where the Mesarthim came from? What happened to the other godspawn? I’m expecting a ton of character growth on Lazlo’s part, considering everything that happened in the last few chapters of "Strange the Dreamer". I aso want a little more Thyon? I still don't know how to classify this book genre-wise. I know Laini Taylor has written both sci-fi and fantasy, so I wouldn't be surprised to see elements of each in here. It could easily be taking place in this made-up fantasy world with magic and monsters and mythology, but at the same time it could be on another planet in the future. Highly enjoyable and highly recommended read, and I’m so excited for "Muse of Nightmares"!
First, the writing. It’s beautiful, poetic, and just sucks you in. There is a lot of emotion in this book, and I think the writing style emphasizes that and its complexity. It also pairs well with Lazlo’s vivid imagination and perspective, as well as the dream sequences. I could really get a feel for what was going on and what things looked like, and I think it worked well to capture the complexity of the situations and emotions. If you've read the Grisha Trilogy by Leigh Bardugo, I think the writing style is similar (Strange the Dreamer is better written, though, in my opinion). Some specific similarities I fond were in Taylor's use of sentence fragments, italicization, and those long sentences that don't use commas correctly? I didn't mind it here; the style fit the book, and I was less "aware" of the particularities of the style than in the Grisha Trilogy. However, there were some times when I was more "aware" of it. I was aware that it was maybe a bit overdone or you could tell the author was really trying to make it sound poetic or whatever; there were a few things written that didn’t really add to the situation or story-telling---mainly just a few added phrases here and there, again to make it sound poetic and deep and stuff, but it didn’t lend anything, it didn’t advance or expand on anything already there. Sometimes the humor felt forced or fell flat, too. There is some talk or mentions of sex and sexual relationships, and every now and then the way they approach the subject or how they refer to things is weird. Not graphic or anything, just plain weird or awkward. However, it may give more insight to the characters. Considering Lazlo and Sarai are very inexperienced, it makes sense on their part. I'll update the review with some specific examples from the book (it's a lot to go through).
The dream sequences: Usually people are annoyed by dream sequences, and for good reason. They are usually used as a crutch for foreshadowing/prophecy, or a really intense/climactic or character-developing scene ends up disappointing because the character wakes up, and all that awesome stuff never took place. However, dreams are kind of crucial (considering the title), and they are fairly well done. Once the romantic sub-plot really comes into play, it mainly happens in dream sequences,
Spoiler
with Sarai using her moths to enter Lazlo's dreamsThe worldbuilding. Was absolutely amazing. It’s something Laini Taylor really excels at. Character-building can also fit into this category. A common complaint about Strange the Dreamer is how slow it is at the beginning of the book, during which a lot of the world building and introduction to the characters is taking place. Personally, I didn’t mind this, and I actually enjoyed a lot of it. My only issue is one particular scene that I had trouble understanding, although that may be due to the writing style.
Spoiler
It was right after Thon Nero requests Lazlo’s book collection. There’s a flashback to the start of their complicated relationship, when Lazlo decides he will help Thyon find the secret to azoth and making gold by delivering him "Miracles for Breakfast."The plot twists. They were very innovative to me. Most of them were really good, and I was not expecting where they ended up going.
Spoiler
For example, I feel a lot of authors would try to make the whole "Weep is still under a shadow of its past darkness" probably this mystical, supernatural things or really complex, but Laini Taylor made it a LITERAL shadow. It's so ridiculously obvious that it's a pretty genius move in terms of fantasy and sci-fi fiction (I still don't quite know how to classify this book).The characters: I think I wanted Feral, Ruby, and Sparrow’s characters to be fleshed out a bit more. They are side characters, but Laini Taylor likes to jump around in points of view, so we do get their perspective a fair amount.
Spoiler
There is a relationship between Feral and Ruby that develops. It’s largely sexual, and although I can see how it can emphasize the complexity of dealing with life in the citadel, loneliness, etc., I didn’t get very much out of it, and I don’t think it did much for the characters and their development. Mainly when we get Feral’s perspective, it’s about Ruby.The really, really minor characters: The other faranji, to be specific. There’s a lot of them, and it’s hard to keep track of them. In terms of the delegations and the possible needs of the citizens of Weep, such as their lack of a library, knowledge on certain areas, etc., it seems somewhat necessary, but as the story went on, it didn’t do much for me. There were some characters in this group that are more important, but some of them it seemed were just forgotten about. The metallurgist twins, I forget their names, but literally the only times we see them, they are being arrogant about their perceived talent and importance, or they’re complaining about something. I don’t hear about their work, how they are contributing to bring down the citadel. And I think the author is aware of this. Whenever she mentions them, it is always as “the Fellerings/the Fellering twins” and that they are metallurgists. I think she is aware that they play such an unimportant role in this book that she always has to remind the readers who they are and what apparent purpose they have in the plot. Which is to say, almost none at all.
Final Thoughts:
I really, really enjoyed reading this book. When I find out the sequel comes out this October, I was maybe half-way through the book, but I already knew I was going to pre-order Muse of Nightmares. I have a lot of questions I’m excited to see how MoN addresses, such as what the original name of Weep was. What will Minya do next, and how is she going to prioritize dealing with Lazlo vs. fulfilling her vengeance on the people of Weep? How will Weep react to their new revelation of Lazlo? I’m excited to see how Sparrow, Feral, and Ruby will develop in the second half of the duology. I want to see sweet Sparrow grow in her confidence and stand up for her strong convictions; I want to know more about the strange book Feral obsesses over, and how his character develops in this aspect. Does it connect to a larger issue or revelation? Will we ever know where the Mesarthim came from? What happened to the other godspawn?