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li_bbrary's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Reading Strange the Dreamer was a completely immersive experience. Over the few days it took me to read it, every page sucked me further into the Unseen City. Taylor’s writing was descriptive without being flowery, it was creative, it was SMART. Everything about it was thought out to the letter, to the comma. The characters’ voices were so clear it was like I could hear them in my head. Lazlo and Sarai were absolutely incredible. Their whirlwind, tragic romance was absolutely gut wrenching.
This whole book was something I wish I could review and review well. But all I can say is that to understand, you need to read it. You need to read about the boy with his head in the clouds and the girl who lived in them.
Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, and Blood
Moderate: Gore, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, and Murder
maeverose's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
The story was fun. The writing is super pretty and atmospheric. So many quotes i wanted to highlight. It was very easy for me to imagine what was being described, and i loved that. I like Lazlo a lot as a character. I like anything to do with dreams so I loved that that was a big part of the story.
Things I didn’t like:
Sarai’s chapters/the citadel chapters felt super repetitive, at least in the beginning. I was often pretty bored during those chapters. As much as I love the writing, it is overwritten at times. I think this book should’ve been about 100 pages shorter, the pacing is very slow for most of it. Also the reveals were pretty predictable but I guess that’s not super surprising for YA. It’s also very instalove. Very mild spoilers for this next part (it doesn’t have to do with the main romance, just side characters): I didn’t like the non consensual kiss played off as funny because it was a girl doing it to a guy. If the roles were reversed I don’t think it would’ve gone down the same… It’s still sexual assault no matter who’s doing it. And then when it happens again later it was still very dubious consent at first. Idk it made me feel gross.
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Rape, Slavery, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Confinement, Gore, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
There was frequent mention of female fertility and ‘becoming a woman’ once you bleed. Personally it made me uncomfortable, as an afab non binary person with zero desire to ever get pregnant.cookiecat73's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child death, Kidnapping, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Misogyny and Pregnancy
maddiebusick's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death, Blood, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child death, Rape, Trafficking, Kidnapping, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Confinement, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
bethy_joy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Racism, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Gaslighting, and Abandonment
buckydotson's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
msradiosilence's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Read my full review at: https://www.rainyreader.com/single-post/strange-the-dreamer.
Graphic: Child death, Death, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Kidnapping, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
bookcaptivated's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Grief, and Murder
Moderate: Child death, Confinement, Genocide, Sexual content, Xenophobia, and Death of parent
Minor: Rape, Suicidal thoughts, and Kidnapping