review + discussion: strange the dreamer by laini taylor

Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor
Series: Strange the Dreamer
Published March 28th 2017 by Hodder & Stoughton
Genre: fantasy, young adult

links: Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

rating: 5/5★

summary:

The dream chooses the dreamer, not the other way around—and Lazlo Strange, war orphan and junior librarian, has always feared that his dream chose poorly. Since he was five years old he’s been obsessed with the mythic lost city of Weep, but it would take someone bolder than he to cross half the world in search of it. Then a stunning opportunity presents itself, in the person of a hero called the Godslayer and a band of legendary warriors, and he has to seize his chance or lose his dream forever.

What happened in Weep two hundred years ago to cut it off from the rest of the world? What exactly did the Godslayer slay that went by the name of god? And what is the mysterious problem he now seeks help in solving?

The answers await in Weep, but so do more mysteries—including the blue-skinned goddess who appears in Lazlo’s dreams. How did he dream her before he knew she existed? And if all the gods are dead, why does she seem so real?

Welcome to Weep.

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Totally and utterly fell in love with Strange the Dreamer. I was filled with so much hope and wonder, and then my heart was ripped apart into million pieces within a couple of seconds.

Anything related to gods/ goddesses/ myths always intrigue me, and the history behind the gods in Strange the Dreamer was wonderful. I can’t wait to know more about the gods and their powers.

Laini Taylor’s style of writing is amazing, extremely beautiful and enchanting. The way the world and the architecture, the people and their outfits are so well descried. Her vocabulary is impeccable. While it fascinates me, the words also made me feel a little overwhelmed. It can be quite distracting and is slightly over the top for me.

Lazlo Strange is inquisitive, earnest and hardworking. I love that Lazlo was a librarian and that he spent ages in the Great Library sifting through old books that even scholars don’t bother taking a look at. His love and curiosity for the Unseen City/Weep is simply amazing. I was immediately intrigued by the Mesarthium. They are practically the Rapzunels of Weep.

The story moved quite slowly most of the time, normally that bothers me but this time, I needed that pace. The world is so rich that I wanted more of it. For it to be described with such beautiful way was all that I need.

Strange the Dreamer wasn’t initially in my must-read-2017 pile but after that gorgeous cover release and that synopsis, I was captured. Not only does it have a beautiful cover, the writing is one of a kind, the plot and characters are unique. It’s a must read if you are thinking about picking it up!

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the spoiler section is coming up! there’s not much i can say without spoiling you. i hope you will like strange the dreamer as much as i do!

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Reading about Lazlo blushing at every exposed skin of Sarai was hilarious. As much as I like Lazlo and Sarai’s friendship/relationship, it felt that their attraction towards each other was because they’ve never interacted with the opposite gender before.  it was quite insta-love. I wasn’t expecting myself to be so fond of their relationship that the ending made me sob and my heart was clenching for Lazlo’s loss.  Did anyone of you read the prologue? I wasn’t thinking much about the scene until the end when it then came to me that Sarai was the one with the moths and the one who was going to die. I WAS IN PAIN, THE WHOLE SCENE. I WAS FEELING LAZLO’S HURT AND DESPAIR. I can’t even handle it now. and I have to wait till next year.

side note: drave was an idiot.

i remember reading the part where lazlo was reshaping the wings that freaking shadowed the whole of weep for decades with such grace and ease. my eyes were just scanning the words rapidly.  it was incredible. i predicted that maybe lazlo is some part of the mesarthium but i never expected him to be skathis’ son/ minya’s brother. i was totally in shock. subsequently i read the book with wide eyes, and my jaw couldn’t close. until i closed the book, then i basked in the awesome-ness of that twist.

i would have never expected to see things from minya’s point of view, until that little part which made me sympathize with her situation a little pit more. i love how strong and powerful she is, because she’s the daughter of skathis, and even though she has her grim and horrendous side, it’s because she wants to protect the people she came to love. her hate for humans was understandable, but what the gods and goddesses did to humans were unforgivable as well. i love the contrast between her and sarai. unlike sarai, she’s so invested in her hatred and disgust for humans that she has no empathy for them. the way she bounds ghosts to her will is horrifying but it also amplified her character so much. and the thing is, it gives me chills every time i imagine a little girl with dead eyes, with an army of the undead. wow.

oh, and poor sparrow. the scene when feral and ruby were going to do the deed, i was terrified that once sparrow finds out she would go absolutely ballistic and crazy on them. but i was also surprised that she got over it so quickly.

did anyone else had an intense urge to punch thyon nero in the head? he was such a horrible human being. he’s like the project group member who doesn’t do anything but gets credits for the project. initially, i thought he would be an ally to lazlo but nope, it took a 180 degree change. i can’t forget that.

my heart breaks for azareen and eril-fane. they were ripped apart after only five days of happy marriage. now thanks to isagol, azareen has a husband who thinks he can’t love. and eril-fane didn’t even have time to actually talk to sarai. whyyyyyyyyyyyy?!

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that’s the end of my review! let me know what you think about strange the dreamer in the comments. i need someone to talk to about this book, if not i’m going to burst. ugh.

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“When it steals a boy, we let it keep him.”

love.belle.

(my aesthetic for strange the dreamer)