Strange the Dreamer

Book Title: Strange the Dreamer

Author: Laini Taylor
Series: Strange the Dreamer #1

Date Started: April 16th 2017

Date Completed: May 1st 2017

Genres: Fantasy, Romance
Quality Rating: Three Stars
Enjoyment Rating: Four Star

Final Rating: Four stars

Review:

I've been waiting for another book of Laini Taylor's to sink my teeth into for a long time; was it as beautiful and stunning as I'd hoped it would be? Oh yes, and more. But did it live up to Daughter of Smoke and Bone in all over respects? Sadly, not.

I've always loved Laini's writing; Daughter of Smoke and Bone was my favourite book for a very long time partly because of it. There's so much wonder and magic and beauty in her prose, and she can make even the most boring object seem visceral and real. But I found that in Strange the Dreamer, there was a tone (or I guess attitude) on the edges that got on my nerves a little bit - when Taylor was reminding us of things again and again, despite the fact she'd already shown us their importance. Yes, I already understand the gravity of the situation because you've so compelled me to pay attention and be engaged, please stop putting things in italics to remind me of obvious things, I know they're important you don't have to be so direct about it and pull me out of the story.

Then again, regardless of Laini's desire to make us know what's happening (and overcompensation as a result), it does allow you to take in the stunning world again and again. And, oh, it's beautiful. The imagination, the imagery, the wonder Lazlo feels that of course extends to all of us reading. I was thrown off at the start when I didn't quite know where to place my imagination in terms of time: was it a historical version of our world? They were talking about humans in a seventeenth century sort of cutlure, but we don't hover around long enough to really know, and it was hard to draw a line between the fantastical and the technology of the time.

Strange the Dreamer has a lot of repetition. That's not a great way to start talking about it's story but... it's my lingering impression of it; a lot of repetition. The middle of the book is basically the same thing written five different ways five times over. I get what happened fifteen years ago, you don't ned to tell me again, I get what it means to the people, you don't have to show it again, I get what's happening now, you don't have to remind me. Please, stop telling me the exposition a million times and tell me THIS story. This story is ruch and wonderful and exciting, don't waste it!

In the end I feel kind of cheated. And it breaks my heart to say that - and maybe it's a bit dramatic. I still really enjoyed this book and couldn't put it down, but the end just left me feeling void. Nothing was resolved... at all, and I kind of wonder what was the point of anything that happened past being its own exposition for the next book? It had a bit of Allegiant syndrome: the initial story was abandoned and something else came out of the blue instead. I'm very much of the belief that every book should be able to stand on its own, part of a series or not. It's great to build on themes and plot lines over multiple books, but if you aren't giving me a story in one volume then why is it there? This book had so much potential - and Laini has so much talent and ability - but it fell into the trap of wanting to tease your audience along for book after book after book without any pay off.

There's a nice selection of characters in Strange the Dreamer, though I would've actually liked to get to know some of them. For a moderately long book we don't really get to follow anyone but Lazlo and Sarai. As lovely and interesting as our protagonists are, I was really intersted in some of the faranji. I would've read a small book dedicated just to Nero and his relationship with Lazlo, but the romance definitely dominated time we could've had given to them (the romance and the repetition). Eril-Fane and Azareen and their past fascinated me too, but we barely got to see anything because everything was head first for the romantic storyline since it was really the only thing holding together the progress in the second half of the book.

Lazlo was a lovely protagonist, of course. A book-lover always makes a good protagonist. Maybe I expected more from Laini than to make him stereotypically attractive and more than he seems, but looking back on Daughter of Smoke and Bone it's not exactly spilling with other evidence. It was nice having a peace keeper as a hero though, we don't have enough of those - and a peace keeper who doesn't go to violence as a last resort as well.

Sarai was just as good, though I sensed a fair amount of favouring by Laini towards her. She seemed to get the dramatic moments and affection while Lazlo looked on or helped her. Again, the peace keeper aspect was nice, and Laini demonstrated her vivid imagination by giving her a very unusual gift (that I won't reveal because spoilers). Together, they made a nice pair, but I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't give up their romance in order to see other characters more.

I enjoyed it, yes, I thought it was beautiful, but I should feel more than just intrigued after a 500+ page book, and I should have at least had a full arc of a story. Even as a book that depends on sequels go, Strange the Dreamer is more than unfinished without having to read more books - the story has barely started. And yes, that's exciting for the future, but its also really disappointing for now after waiting so long for another Laini Taylor book.