Compared the the first book, there’s less intimacy but more violence and graphic description. With this in mind, I don’t recommend this for younger readers and believe it’s best meant for high school age and up (and those they let play). While this is a wonderful fantasy, it requires attention to detail and an appreciation for lyrical writing. Everything about it makes my fantasy loving heart sing. Like I said, it’s satisfying to finally see the truth of what had only been hinted at for so long. In Muse of Nightmares we dive into those ideas and finally see the truth of Sarai’s past and why she and her siblings were abandoned. Strange the Dreamer presents lots of ideas that we are given tantalizing glimpses of, but aren’t fleshed out enough to be well understood. One of the challenges of any sequel that ends the story is tying up all the loose ends of ideas presented in the first book.

Each element has been given loving attention so that it doesn’t only exist, it comes alive off of the page. That, in itself, is incredible.Īs a writer, I can see the sheer amount of work that’s gone into the development of this world and the characters, cultures, and history that makes it unique.

More than that, she’s created a complete world with depth and history that’s unlike anything that exists on earth or seen in other fantasy universes. Her use of poetic lyrical language is a delight and utterly delicious. I cannot say this enough, but Laini Taylor’s writing is glorious. These mysteries are slowly exposed as the past and present collide to create not only new problems, but present a new solution.Īll the critical elements come together, love and hate, revenge and redemption, salvation and destruction, to create a fulfilling story with a satisfying ending. The world of the Mesarthim is a mystery at best. It’s an unwinnable situation.īut, there are other forces at work and other questions that need to be answered. If he let’s her go, he can prevent untold carnage. If he saves Sarai, he allows his world and friends to be destroyed.

Should anyone wish to move against her, she’ll release Sarai’s ghost and let her disappear forever. Minya would destroy the world to save herself and the other blue-skinned godspawn and she’s holding Sarai as leverage to force obedience. Due to the events at the end of Strange the Dreamer, she is now a ghost held in the world by her sister Minya, a hateful, spiteful woman stuck in the body of a 6-year-old child. He is godspawn and has the rare magical gift that allows him to control mesarthium, the indestructible blue metal that makes up the citadel. At the end of Strange the Dreamer, we left the charmingly awkward Lazlo as he makes a life-changing discovery.

Laini taylor muse of nightmares sequel