Muse of Nightmares by Laini Taylor Published by Hodder & Stoughton on October 2, 2018
Pages: 528
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher
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In the wake of tragedy, neither Lazlo nor Sarai are who they were before. One a god, the other a ghost, they struggle to grasp the new boundaries of their selves as dark-minded Minya holds them hostage, intent on vengeance against Weep.
Lazlo faces an unthinkable choice—save the woman he loves, or everyone else?—while Sarai feels more helpless than ever. But is she? Sometimes, only the direst need can teach us our own depths, and Sarai, the muse of nightmares, has not yet discovered what she's capable of.
As humans and godspawn reel in the aftermath of the citadel's near fall, a new foe shatters their fragile hopes, and the mysteries of the Mesarthim are resurrected: Where did the gods come from, and why? What was done with thousands of children born in the citadel nursery? And most important of all, as forgotten doors are opened and new worlds revealed: Must heroes always slay monsters, or is it possible to save them instead?
Love and hate, revenge and redemption, destruction and salvation all clash in this gorgeous sequel to the New York Times bestseller, Strange the Dreamer.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
My Thoughts:
Last year was my first introduction to Laini Taylor. I read Daughter of Smoke and Bone and absolutely FELL IN LOVE with the series and Laini Taylor’s beautiful, gorgeous writing. Strange the Dreamer was no exception and I was once again wrapped up into another beautiful story and wonderful characters. So it is no surprise to anyone that I have been dying for Muse of Nightmares! After that ending?? I was terrified but also just needed this next book! I was so excited to get a copy and meet Laini again at ALA this past June!
And I was NOT disappointed. Sometimes it’s scary to love something so much because what if that next book doesn’t meet your expectations?? There should be no doubt with Laini because oh my gosh, I loved it absolutely so much.
Laini’s writing is indescribable. I love her gorgeous writing! She has such a way with weaving these images, settings and invoking such strong emotions from the reader. The world here is so unique and wonderful and I loved seeing a bit more of what’s out there in this world. Also, it was so cool to get a bit more background of the Mesarthim – things from Strange clicked together as we discovered some new things. I also thought it was absolutely fascinating how certain things were revealed – I love crossovers and glimpses of things from other series! This series takes place in the same world as Daughter of Smoke and Bone so it makes me excited when things click. The Easter eggs are just really fun!
Another thing that I love about Laini’s stories is that she has a way of showing how many layers and sides a character can have. She can make you understand someone you hated and all of a sudden it’s this blend of different moral layers and there’s no straight answer, no plain black and white. It was the same with the DoSaB series and I love seeing how intricate she forms these complex characters and relationships. It makes every single character seem that much more real and makes you form such strong connections to them! What can I say, I guess I like having my emotions yanked around by a beloved author!
In Short…
Muse of Nightmares is one of my favorite books of the year. The writing is phenomenal, the story riveting and characters one of a kind. This fantasy world is one that I desperately hope we will see more of as this particular story comes to a close. If you love fantasy, complex and multi dimensional characters and gorgeous writing, you need to try this duology! It’s ridiculously good!
You know my relationship with this series – but I am SO happy you loved this one and it lived up to your expectations.