Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor

“You’re a storyteller. Dream up something wild and improbable," she pleaded. "Something beautiful and full of monsters."

“Beautiful and full of monsters?"

“All the best stories are.” 

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I've been a huge fan of Laini Taylor ever since reading Daughter of Smoke and Bone all those years ago, so Strange the Dreamer was such a highly anticipated read for me. I'm so happy to say that it didn't disappoint.

I've taken my time writing this review but, for those of you who haven't read this book yet, I'll be avoiding spoilers throughout this post!

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So, as always, Laini's writing was absolutely magical; Strange the Dreamer truly felt like a fairytale, and I could almost taste and sense the beautiful descriptions being weaved throughout this story. I didn't think it was possible, but I think Laini's writing has improved so much since DOSAB - despite that being such a beautifully written trilogy, she's somehow managed to grow within her writing and surpass it.

Although the story is fairly slow paced, the world building and character development means that this isn't an issue in any way. I have to admit that Lazlo Strange is definitely one of my fictional crushes now - the gentle giant trope, his love of books, and just the general fact that overall, he is a dreamer - he was a perfect main character, and that's coming from someone who often struggles to read novels with male main characters. Besides Lazlo, I adored all of the characters, and immediately fell in love with Sarai and her story. The way in which each characters path intertwines to connect each thread of the story together worked in the most perfect way, and although there weren't necessarily any huge plot twists or surprises in my opinion, Strange the Dreamer had such a wonderfully woven plot and left me craving the sequel. 

Without giving away too much, I also loved how easily Strange the Dreamer could be linked to the world of DOSAB, in terms of its mythical and magical aspects, especially within the world building (although I'm not sure if this was purposeful). irregardless, I enjoyed forming the connections between the two stories.

Overall, Strange the Dreamer is a story of gods and monsters, of an orphaned librarian and a half-human girl with dreams that they can't escape, of lost cities and lost histories, of long-standing prejudices spanning centuries, and of a dreamer who just wants to be the hero of the story, despite believing that he has no skill to ever achieve that goal. It brings together a strong social commentary on how grudges can be held against a group of people based purely on the actions of their predecessors and a simple overarching message to never give up your dream. If, deep down, you have a storytellers mind and a dreamer's soul, this is the book for you.

love Becky @