Muse of Nightmares

Received the book with a tear at the spine, I guess the fault was during production. Should've wished the supplier could've given me a better copy. Though it's not a big issue as the book is enjoyable and the font is readable.

From the first page of Strange the Dreamer, I knew that I had stumbled upon a book that was going to challenge everything that I thought a book could be. That book altered me in some magical way and Muse of Nightmares was no different. In the short time that it took me to finish Muse, I felt like I’d found myself in a dream and when the ending came, I was reluctantly kicked out of it. For me, the magic of these books far surpass their pages. This series had this ability of finding its way to me, like the Universe wanted me to read it and, most remarkably through no expense of my own. My first encounter with Strange the Dreamer was an audiobook that I got for free for Independant Bookstore Day. And then I unbelievably won Uncorrected proofs of both Strange and Muse of Nightmares. And if this wasn’t enough to make me believe that these books were bound to me in some way, both covered in magic and mysticism, than the stories themselves and their prose was the final decider.My expectations for this book were high and so I was riddled with nerves, when I set my eyes on the first page. However I can safely say that this book completely shattered my expectations in every way. The story starts with the introduction of two new characters, sisters Kora and Nova, and as is Laini Taylor’s way, I fell in love with them immediately. I never imagined that it would be possible to introduce new characters and have me feel so deeply about them as I do with those from Strange, but inevitably it happened. I cried for Kora and Nova, laughed with them, hated them, rooted for them, raged for them and just loved them, all in a never ending loop.Being given chapters from the past and then the present, following Kora and Nova and then the original cast just made everything so much more intense. It takes sheer genius to be able to create stories, within stories, within stories and for each one to fully hold it’s weight and all come together in such a bittersweet way. Something would occur in the past and then you’d be flung into the future and your mind would start making the connections of how this led to that and so on. It was truly the mark of great craftsmanship and was endlessly fascinating to have realisation dawn on you time and time again. Kora and Nova’s story was just so mesmerisingly haunting and yet filled with the purest love, that I couldn’t help but clutch their chapters a bit closer to my heart.The dynamics between those in the Citadel had me on the edge of my seat the whole time, Minya as expected was as unpredictable as ever, which led to others acting in the most uncharacteristic of ways. These scenes were some of the most tense I’ve ever read and were an mini echo of the whole novel, as everyone had valid arguments for and against, valid reservations, valid feelings, no matter how unnerving, and were all suffocating in the shadow of their own pasts and of those who came before them. This book had the most complex characters and it truly put my heart through the ringer to see them trying to figure, not only each other, but themselves out. I found my self weeping for characters that I’d despised no more than a minute ago, reflecting in the most honest way, how good and bad lives in all of us and that second chances are always there if we want them.This book was such a tangle of relationships; family, friends, enemies to friends? Humans and godspawn, lovers and fighters, the living and the dead and those on the cusp of forming relationships. With all these complex interactions, Lazlo and Sarai’s relationship was such a safe haven for me, and them, amid everything that seemed to be going wrong. It was so beautiful to read and this really was where the author showed off that wondrous prose, that seemed to exist solely to document this relationship. I also loved the little hints at a certain romantic relationship that was slowly materialising (it’s my favourite of the whole book), concerning Thyon and someone no one could have guessed, I just wished there was more of it because it was so unexpected but so stinking adorable!Speaking of Thyon Nero, the character development in this book was amazing and for so many of them. Thyon’s transformation was so funny and endearing to read and I love him…just like a little bit, it was done in such subtle ways, progressing at such a believable pace. Minya’s was by far the most monumental for me, I mean she was my favourite character before this book, but this just confirmed it for me. I was so glad that Laini Taylor allowed us to explore why Minya is the way she is, because hand on heart she deserved it. I can’t believe some of the things that came to light about her, I really couldn’t handle the way that she’d been showing them all along how she cares for them ,without even herself realising. You’ll know exactly what I mean when you read the book, trust me it will touch your heart and make you rethink everything you thought you knew about her.Another aspect that I was so grateful to the author for, was the ‘history lesson’ we were given about, well everything. It felt so good to finally know what on earth had been going on in the citadel for all those years, that so few now recalled. There were so many backstories that were finally revealed, that allowed us to see just how much the characters’ pasts and presents overlapped.Not only were we fed the history of Weep, but offered the history of their whole Universe, it was spellbinding and clearly a different class of storytelling, given the sheer detail in everything. Learning more about the lost godspawn, Skathis, the rest of the Gods and how they got their powers is what I desperately wanted from this book, and I got what I wanted, no matter how disturbing. This book definitely had a darker tone to it than Strange the Dreamer, but I enjoyed it quite a lot, as it made the story unbearably honest and raw. I can’t think of a story as greatly weaved and constructed as this. It had everything; complex characters, emotive, hypnotic language, a seamless plot, rich setting, the purest romances, easy and strained friendships, enemies, magic and action. There were so many battles in this book of all shapes and sizes, but each was completely enthralling.To conclude, I doubt I’ll ever read anything like this duology again, or have any story or cast of characters mean so much to me, give so much to me. These stories offered themselves to me without me giving anything in return…literally. Although I’m making up for it buy collecting every edition I can and I can’t wait for the audiobook of Muse, as the Strange the Dreamer one took the story to a completely different level. It was utterly phenomenal!! I plan to re-read this duology many a time as I’m sure there’s things that I didn’t fully appreciate, it was epic after all. I don’t know what force brought them to me but I’m so grateful, these books will forever be apart of my heart and I hope they find their way into yours too! And judging by the ending, I’m not quite sure that this story is finished being told.

Overall/Enjoyment: ★★★★★★★★★☆ 9/10Writing style/ language: ★★★★★★★★★★10/10Plot: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 8/10Characters: ★★★★★★★★★☆ 9/10Dialogue: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 8/10Worldbuilding: ★★★★★★★★★☆ 9/10Overall enjoyment:After reading Strange the Dreamer this summer, I was delighted to find out I did not have to wait long for the sequel. As has been the case with all Laini Taylor’s books so far, I was not disappointed by the result. I only put down Muse of Nightmares when my overall life left me no other choice but to do so and even then, I could not wait to get back to it as soon as possible. I read it in pack of hundred pages at a time, something that is quite rare for me nowadays, I must admit. If you’ve liked Laini’s previous books, you will also love this one.Writing style/ language: Whoever is already familiar with Taylor’s work and writing knows how ethereal and fairy tale like her stories can be and the language she uses reflects this in the most perfect manner. Lyrical in all the right places without becoming overly pretentious or too complicated to read, her prose and word choices enthralled me and did not let me go. Why I couldn’t put Muse of Nightmares away before getting to the end, you ask? Well, the wonderful quote-ready writing was a huge part of it.Plot: For me, personally, the plot was the weakest point of Muse of Nightmares which very likely has to do with my personal distaste for romance in parts. In the beginning, the focus was too much on Sarai and Lazlo’s relationship and therefore it dragged a bit to pick up the actual plot. However, the stronger focus on other characters like Eril-Fane, Thyon or even Minya was something I thoroughly enjoyed since it really brought the story forward on a character-driven basis as well. The introduction of new characters was also tastefully done, without hasting anything and therefore not overwhelming the reader with too much information at once.Also, did I mention how much I love the Daughter of Smoke and Bones-trilogy? Well, I do, and Muse of Nightmares only reminded me of that fact. Everything is in a nice continuity and I think I’m going to reread the series as soon as I’m done writing this.As for the general suspense-arc, it has been quite some time since I’ve enjoyed one as much as this one. In a society in which we are nearly saturated with ideas and stories which constantly remind us of one another, it is difficult to find anything truly new or enjoyable for the reader which they haven’t seen before. Taylor however reminds us that everyone was once human (well, somewhat at least), no matter how awful their actions are and that despite these actions, they have their reasons to do so. This is something I’ve greatly missed the last years and I am delighted to find back to this type of antagonist-without-being-a-villain which I’ve learned to love.Characters: As mentioned before, Muse of Nightmares is quite character driven, focusing on a larger picture than Sarai and Lazlo only. The chapters from new point of views offer a fresh inner and outer perspective on the situation which are finally told through different eyes and show us a more facetted face of everything happening.Furthermore, the new characters that are introduced in the very first chapter are what brought this story from Good to Great. Alone, the group around the Citadel would have been a bit too weak to carry around a whole book of this magnitude and they give a new insight to family, loss, motivation and, maybe most importantly, to a whole magnitude of worldbuilding which is and will be great fun to explore as a reader, while drawing important parallels to our modern society and how we view the rest of the world.Dialogue: The dialogue is something I noticed very little, neither in the good nor in the bad sense. Of course, there was everything romantic said between Sarai and Lazlo which failed to grasp my interest, but that is not due to a possible lack of quality itself but simply my personal lack of interest for anything this type of dialogue represents. For the rest, Taylor manages to write dialogue with the appropriate tone meant for each scene, with great humour when appropriate and in a manner which in a simple style manages to enhance every context it is placed in.Worldbuilding: I must admit, in comparison to how vast the story-Universe of the Strange the Dreamer-Duology is, the worldbuilding is kept to a minimum. And that is what makes the whole genius of it. There is no need to overload the reader with information which makes for a more detailed and thought through universe in which everything is placed, but that would take away from the story that is being told. The wonder about the world of Weep and everything around it is how magical and not detailed-to-the-last-pebble it is. Lazlo lives through the myths and fairy tales he has read about, and so does this book. There is just enough to know to tie everything together and make the reader understand everything. More is not needed and would only hinder the flow of the story.Conclusion: Laini Taylor has once more proven what a master of storytelling she is. A good plot with good characters and a writing style to match, it was a delight to read Muse of Nightmares and engulf in everything I was presented with.

Muse of Nightmares picks up pretty much right after the cliffhanger that was the ending of Strange the Dreamer and we are immediately thrown back into everything, which I appreciated because I was desperate to know how things would work out. I think my favorite things about this book is Taylor's balance of action and non-action scenes. This isn't really what I would consider a fast-paced, high-action story, yet I couldn't turn those pages fast enough. There are some more fast-paced scenes, but there's also much that focuses on other components and really adds a nice balance to the pacing. If you didn't like the slower pace as much in Strange the Dreamer, then you will probably like this one a bit more because there is not quite as much meandering as the first book had, but it still has Taylor's vivid writing that breathes life into each page.Although we spend plenty of time in Lazlo's head, this book does branch out a bit more and we seem to spend more time in Sara's head (which is why I assume this one is titled Muse of Nightmares), as well as some in Minya's and Thyon's, and a few others. Lazlo is still perfectly adorable and innocent, as well as passionate about what he knows he wants, and Sarai is still determined and as selfless as Lazlo. These two are beautiful together and I'm not sure the last time I rooted for two people are much as I did for these two.As much as I love the worldbuilding of this duology, the rest of the characters are easily one of my other favorite components. They are all such an eclectic, mixed variety of people that bring so much life and enjoyment to the story. Some of our favorite supporting cast return such as Eril-Fane, Tizerkane, Ruza, Thyon, Feral, Ruby, Sparrow, Calixte, and so many more. Thyon and Minya were two that had rather prominent roles in this installment, and I loved how Taylor portrayed their personalities and sentiments. Both undergo momentous changes throughout this book, some of which were initiated in the first book, and Taylor did this in an understandable and steady pace. She didn't make either character undergo unnecessary changes or have abnormally quick changes of heart, but she instead made it a gradual process that makes sense. I particularly liked that we got know more about Minya's backstory and why she is the way she is now, as it shed so much like on the general backdrop of the plot as well.In addition to our beloved returning characters, we also meet two new characters, Kova and Nova. I don't really want to tell you how we know these characters or why they are important, but they end up being pivotal to the events of Muse of Nightmares and I found they added a really interesting dynamic and storyline.I really can't go into detail about the major plot twist (?) direction this story took, but my god was I not expecting this book to go in the direction it did! As soon as I realized what might be happening, I was so blown away and impressed by what Taylor made this book. It's brilliant and truly momentous and I am still excited just thinking about it. I definitely plan to re-read Strange the Dreamer sometime in the semi-near future to see what I can pick up in that book that may have hinted at what happened in this book.I desperately need more from this world and these characters. I have so many new questions that I want to explore and I will sacrifice anything (and look, I'm willing to make my morals a little grey, so honestly, anything) needed in order to get more from Taylor. It's not that things aren't wrapped up, because they definitely are; Taylor answers all of the main plot questions and wraps up everything we've wondered, but because of what happens and how big this world gets, there's just so much more that my imagination wants to explore. I honestly can't put into words how much I have loved this duology. I just love these books.

If Strange the Dreamer ran then this book galloped it's way into my heart. I didn't think I could love it more than Strange the Dreamer but I did. It took all the way to the last few pages but it clutched its way inside me and didn't want to let go. I almost ALMOST shed tears.I have to admit, I started this book reading about Kora and Nova and was so instantly lost and confused that I thought i'd picked up the wrong book. But it soon becomes clear just how important they are to this story and they were FASCINATING. We get so much more world-building in this book that is just so intriguing and so damn clever. It is spread throughout the entire book and never once feels boring or flat and just constantly kept adding bricks of information to what we already knew about the world. I love how well thought out this world is and just praise Laini for how well she weaves threads together. I loved the information about the world we get from them and the backstory for The Wraith as well! Oh just fascinating and so well done.“I would have chosen you, if they had let me choose”They also teach us so much more about Skathis and if we thought he was cruel in Strange the Dreamer we understand just how cruel he can actually be. One of the main questions running through me in the first book was, why the children? where do they go? and we find out in Muse and my god do I wish we hadn't. It's quite horrifying how simple the reality is, that no matter that they are gods, some are simply dark and evil. I figured out quickly that their first chapter was in our characters past but didn't realise they'd come to a full loop with our character. I have to say, I did want to scream at Nova a little bit for her inability to pay any attention to what was going on around her BUT she has spent all her life seeing vengeance and justice and the safe return of her sister so I understand why she just, imploded.The characters are so incredibly well developed in this book; everyone of them is complex and intriguing and isn't just how they started. The stand out character for me was Minya. I hated her in book one and just didn't get why she was the way she was. And then we get to Muse and we learn about her nightmares and my heart just broke for her. She is a child who watched all her kin slaughtered and she saved the few that she could and never felt it was enough and did everything in her power to save them and ensure it would never happen again. She was 6 years old when this started and she never got the chance to just be a child. No wonder she holds so much hate in her heart constantly reliving the day trying to work out just how to save her family. By the end of it she is so well developed and so real and I just really appreciate her character.For real tough, with the amount of time Sarai and Lazlo spending thinking about kissing, talking about kissing, actually kissing, they could have solved world peace. We don't need pages and pages of them talking about how much they love kissing and how Sarai is the only one for Lazlo to kiss... blah blah. That is my only downside of this book!! That and the flowery OTT language that Laini seems to love at times. I couldn't even take a star off for it though because I loved the rest of the book that much.The ending was so good and did not disappoint AT ALL. It also leaves it very wide open for future stories about the characters we know and love already, but other Godspawn who are out in the world just waiting to be saved. I for one, would be thrilled for many more stories about this world. OH and we learn the true name of Weep.OH AND BEFORE I FORGET. Page 125 - the page Lazlo began to grow on me.

This is a fairy tale. No, that's not right.This is a mythology tale. No...This is a love story. Hmm. Not right either.This is a story of gods and heroes. Well, not...quite...This is a story of boy meets girl, with a touch of mistaken identity.This is a story of....This is a story of everything.I would like, very much to sit inside Laini Taylor's brain. I don't want to affect anything, I don't want to give her nightmares or for her to see me. I just want to live in there for a couple of hours once in awhile. I feel like this is something I may have said while reading Daughter of Smoke and Bone.This is so gorgeous. This book is beyond words incredible. The story, the characters, the world. This world. I was reading steadily all day and I didn't feel like I was rushing through it because this book refuses to be rushed through. The words and the characters will not let you plow through them. They stand in your way and demand to be seen.I don't want to give too much away, because in typical Taylor style, the synopsis tells you everything and nothing. I didn't know what I was heading into with this.Lazlo is our main character. He's your typical orphaned monk librarian who teaches himself a language no one's heard spoken aloud and also has an understanding of alchemy. You know the type.It is because of his 'head in the clouds, nose in a book' persona that he ends up on the most amazing adventure, the stuff of which he's only ever dreamed of. He's picked, along with some of the smartest and most accomplished people in all the land, to go to The Unseen City to help solve A Problem.I mean, that sounds simple enough, right?Wow. Wow. wow wow wow.I cannot over emphasize how beautifully Taylor writes. This language that Lazlo has taught himself is described as sounding like calligraphy, if calligraphy were written in honey.Just sit with that a moment. And understand what I mean when I say I want to eat beautiful words.I haven't even talked about Sarai yet. I can't talk about Sarai. I can't. I just can't. Read the book, understand why. She's so amazing, and wonderful, and through her eyes you see not only the story of the gods, but the story of the people of Weep. You see how hatred and vengeance can be taught, how it can fester, and how a person can overcome it and have great empathy for those who have wronged them.I just love this book so much. Picture me pulling down my cheeks and sobbing that to the heavens, because so much wow.I cannot stress enough that everyone needs to go read this book. Take your time with it. Let it drown you.