Strange the Dreamer swept me away to a story and a world filled with magic and wonder.
Growing up an orphan, Lazlo Strange becomes a lowly librarian in the city of Zosma. But in his heart, he longs to discover the lost city of Weep. One day, an opportunity presents itself that opens the door to a world he had previously only dreamed of. Along the way, he'll uncover the mysteries of Weep, come face-to-face with magic, and find himself too.
This story reads like a fairy tale. The world that Laini Taylor creates is astonishing in detail and completeness. If feels so real, with mystical creatures, rich histories, and conquering heroes. It's easy to fall into this world and be swept away in its enchantments.
I thoroughly enjoyed its array of complex main characters. They are all likable, and I can relate to them and feel for them, even when they have to do bad things. The plot is so twisty and turny, leaving me at the edge of my seat. As the mysteries of Weep are slowly uncovered, there were surprises at every corner. And the ending left me stunned and amazed.
However, I did have a heck of a time getting into this book initially. I found the first 50 or so pages to be tortuously slow and confusing, and I often had to read sentences multiple times to understand them. Maybe it just took me a while to acclimate to Taylor's lyrical and descriptive prose. While her writing is beautiful, it isn't necessary to describe every building or hillside at depth. Or it could be that the initial pages tries to hint at all that is to come, and it's just too much when we haven't yet been properly introduced to the world. Whatever the cause, once I got over that initial big hump, the story grabbed me and didn't let go.
This is a duology, and I'm happy I don't have to say goodbye to this wonderous world just yet. I can't wait to see what magic the sequel holds.
0 comments:
Post a Comment