Muse of Nightmares: the magical sequel to Strange the Dreamer (Strange the Dreamer, #2)

by Laini Taylor

'Muse of Nightmares is a philosophical fantasy adventure, an epic love story, a daring quest that demands to be read and reread and deserves to be remembered forever.' Katherine Webber

The first hardback print run of Muse of Nightmares will have beautiful sprayed edges. Available for pre-order only! Don't miss out on this extra-special version of the book.

AN ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY UNMISSABLE YA NOVEL FOR AUTUMN 2018

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Sarai has lived and breathed nightmares since she was six years old.
She believed she knew every horror, and was beyond surprise.
She was wrong.

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 the 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 was afraid to read too quickly because I didn't want it to be over . . . Laini has done something so special with this duology . . . It will leave you changed forever' Samantha Shannon

'Coming off a boatload of recognition for that series-starter, the author is promising an even richer read . . . Taylor asks big questions about life and death in the new book, as humans and godspawn reel in the aftermath of the Citadel's near-fall.' Entertainment Weekly

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Praise for Strange the Dreamer

AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES AND SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER
AN AUDIBLE BEST YOUNG ADULT BOOK OF 2017
A GOODREADS CHOICE BEST BOOK OF 2017
A PASTE MAGAZINE BEST AUDIOBOOK OF 2017
AN NPR 2017 RECOMMENDED READ
AN AMAZON BEST SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY YOUNG ADULT BOOK OF 2017

'Magical' Grazia

'Prepare to be enchanted' Sun

'Pulls you into its dreaming world and makes it hard to leave.' SciFiNow

'Reads like a dream. One for you, your best friend, and any lover of myths and monsters you know' Heat

'Leaves the reader enthralled, enchanted and entirely entranced' New York Journal of Books

'Laini Taylor is so damn good and like no other' Leigh Bardugo, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom

'Laini Taylor set my imagination on fire so hard that it spontaneously combusted . . . This is the kind of story that paves dreams.' Roshani Chokshi, author of The Star Touched Queen

• ISBN10: 1444789031
• ISBN13: 9781444789034
• Publish Date: 2 October 2018
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 29 March 2021
• Publish Country: GB
• Imprint: Hodder & Stoughton
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 528
• Language: English

Reviews

[Kelly]

Lazlo Strange perches high above the city in the Citadel where the body of Sarai lies, her soul consumed by the malevolent, warmongering Minya and tethered to the Unseen City. The citadel continues to conceal the history of the Mesarthim and their offspring, the humans of the metropolis enduring captivity and enforced to procreate. Thousands of Mesarthim were slain throughout the Citadel, an eternally preserved mausoleum above the City of Weep.

Siblings Novali and Korako Vasa are interesting characters and indispensable to the narrative. The Mesarthim journeyed provinces and communities pursuing exceptional young individuals for servitude. Novali and Korako are the offspring of Nyoka, a Mesarthim combatant. Korako is a superior being, collared and separated from her sister. The nonlinear narratives converge spectacularly in an abundance of breathtaking revelations.

Lazlo Strange is Mesarthim, orphaned and his identity concealed and now feeling a sense of acceptance and belonging. Lazlo, a child of thousands conceived within the Citadel, created by coercion and a nonconsensual relationship. The abuse is addressed and condemned within the narrative, reiterating the importance of consent. Sarai is tethered to Minya and the Citadel and although her physical body is cremated, her spirit remains corporeal and able to interact with her environment. Including Lazlo. Lazlo and Sarai continue their relationship, able to explore one another within the safety of Lazlo's conscious, lucid dreaming.

The blue of her skin, the silver stars and moon. She was the sky. Heavy, bewitched, he leaned forward and brushed his lips over a star.

An adult captured within perpetual juniority, Minya is an intriguing character and often misunderstood. A tender child as the Citadel was decimated by the Godslayer Eril Fane, Minya is resolved to protect her family, the surviving offspring of the Mesarthim and is acrimoniously vengeful. Although appearing heinous, Minya is a causality of her environment and has nurtured the Godspawn children since infancy. Throughout the narration, Muse of Nightmares touches upon learning from our ancestral transgressions, resolution beginning when we absolve others. Warmongering is not our only recourse.

Minya's conviction was absolute. The humans has slain her kind. She had stood in the passage and heard the screams dwindle, baby by baby, until silence has reigned.

Laini Taylor is a remarkable author, weaving imaginative and atmospheric narratives. The lyricism is breathtaking, intricate and incredibly enchanting, transcending fantasy literature. Absolutely exceptional.

I anticipate the beginning of a new adventure.

[nightingalereads]

3.75 stars

Like Strange the Dreamer, this book is hard for me to rate. Objectively, the writing and scope of the story deserve at least 4 stars, but I personally have to dock off a bit in terms of enjoyment.

Strange the Dreamer left off with the plot running in full gear. Our characters were ambushed with shocking revelations and seemingly insurmountable odds. Strange's introduction had started slow, but now things were finally moving. Going in to Muse of Nightmares, I expected the plot to keep that same momentum we left off on. Unfortunately, while this installment moved at a quicker pace than its predecessor, I had to wade through nearly half the book before the story really held my attention.

Weirdly enough, I enjoyed the secondary plots in this novel more than the main one. While I love our two main protagonists, the romantic part of their relationship had me gagging a few times. Their dialogue was just a little too saccharine for my tastes. There is also a fair bit of waiting around that happens in this story, where you feel as if you're watching a timer slowly run down. Fortunately, Laini Taylor's writing is so evocative and lyrical that you enjoy the wait enough to see what happens.

Events do get a little crunched in the last third or so of the story, but I ended up happy with the turnout of the novel, and in awe of how beautifully and accurately Laini conveyed themes of revenge, hope, and forgiveness. If you're struggling to get into Muse of Nightmares, I encourage you to push through. This story is so rich and intricately woven that it's worth the effort.