Strange the Dreamer has managed to be the most magical and also the most pure book I’ve read so far this year. I think I need to adopt Laini Taylor as one of my queens, because her writing just cuts through me in a way that leaves me feeling so good even though I’m in pieces. So where should I start?

The writing – It’s no secret that I’m into slow burn books, which is nice because this is one hell of a slow burn book. If you can make it through the first part of the book, with Lazlo’s introduction and back story then you will be more than fine with the rest of the book. Once we get to part two, and start to get introduced to the Godspawn, we just get so much world building and history that the story moves faster, until we’re at part 3 and it’s moving too fast and I can’t breathe because I’m an emotional mess trying to savor literally every word in this book. The writing is incredibly vivid, it makes it so easy to picture this entire book like a movie playing out in my head. It’s poetic and emotional, even though it is fantasy it is realistic enough to make me believe that this could happen, and most importantly the writing makes you think not only about the story but about the message between the lines.

The characters – To keep it simple and spoiler free: Lots to love, lots to hate, but the most amazing/incredible thing about these characters is there is no black and white/good and evil about them. Even those who appear to be mainly good or mainly evil are so clearly more dimensional than that. Motives are clear, even when I can’t relate I can understand them, so it is easy to sympathize even with those I want to dislike. The character growth in this story was amazing, I genuinely felt like a proud mom watching them grow and figure themselves out.

The plot – Honestly? Incredibly unique for a YA fantasy. Now I’m sure that there are other stories out there that are similar to this one, lets be real there are only so many different ways to tell YA fantasy stories. But this was just so refreshing compared to most of the other hyped up books right now? Despite the predictability in some of the plot twists, the story was told (thanks to the writing) in a way that had me not 100% sure I had it figured out.

So now that I’ve behaved myself here are some spoilerish thoughts that we need to talk about because WOW (these completely leave my review format and we step into my shouting feelings/questions/hopes for the next book)

Spoiler

FIRST OF ALL HOW DARE LAINI TAYLOR MAKE IT SO CLEAR FROM THE PROLOGUE HOW THIS SHIT WAS GONNA GO DOWN. I had my suspicions obviously, but I was like nah she can’t put that on the first page if it’s going to be about the current characters, this must be a blast from the past that will get explained at some other point. BUT LIKE NOPE RIP TO MY HEART.

Secondly – fuck Minya. Yeah yeah you’ve given everything to the other Godspawn and you’re stuck as a child because of it but like fuck you and your controlling attitude YOU SHOULD HAVE FALLEN NOT MY BABY SARAI.

Can we just talk about how Lazlo is literally just a beacon of hope?? Not only did he free weep from being in the shade of the Mesonfojotrh (the one thing that won’t stay with me past this story is the name of this place) but also they couldn’t cry and then he broke their curse?? They all cried at the end??? WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR THEIR FUTURE?

Also lets talk about all the missing Godspawn? Who else is like Lazlo? Who else will we find like him? Fingers crossed for my girl Calixte being a chosen one!! I want more of her in book 2!!! (actually, my only complaint is the lack of “page time” for the secondary characters who came to Weep…I get that their purpose was pretty much voided out by Lazlo being Lazlo, but I’m hoping they have a bit more relevance in the rest of the series. I’d hate to see them just disappear!!)

Sarai and Minya were fun but I wanted more from Sparrow, Ruby, and the dude whose name I can’t remember? Farrow? Ferral? Too lazy to check my book. I low key hope they man up and push Minya off the citadel in book 2.

ERIL – FANE I hope he has a beautiful redemption arc!!!!! His regret and pain over his actions, even though he genuinely believes he had no choice is just so raw and beautiful. I want to see him get some closure

Well okay I think that’s it for now. I’m sure I’ll come up with more over my next six rereads before book 2, because I’m already ready for more of this world.