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kanncarlson's review against another edition
4.0
I am not usually a fantasy reader, but when I am, I want the book to be like this one--a book where things are so fantastic at every turn that I have to disconnect from the world around me in order to try to immerse myself in the other world . I was completely drawn in by the title and cover of this book and then by the story. I think the magic of the story lay, for me, in the wild descriptions Taylor gave of just about everything. I can imagine that some people will think of it was flowery but I thought it was so a part of the main character that I totally bought in and ate it up. I have never read the other wildly popular series by this author and I am not sure I will, but I will definitely read the second installment of Strange.
I wish I would have listened to it in audiobook on a long drive. This is one of those books that I think needs to take real time (and audiobooks force me to slow down) to really enjoy it. I'll be keeping my eye out for a copy!
I would give a summary but I guess I don't really know how. My imagination pales in comparison to one like Taylor's. I guess the way I'd describe the plot is that your main character is a runt of an orphan boy, Lazlo, who is being raised by monks and who has a wild imagination. He lacks connection in the real world with anyone besides a half-senile monk who tells fantastic stories. His dreams take flight and his passion for stories is finally channeled into books when he encounters the opportunity to become a librarian. It is lovely to read a book about someone in love with books and this one meets that mark for a chunk of the first half. Lazlo is particularly taken with tales of a lost city and he learns all he can about it while everyone else has forgotten. One day, he is able to travel to that city to solve a mysterious problem with a number of scholars of various specialties. Once Lazlo reaches his city he discovers that many things have changed and the delegation's mission is to return things to the way they were before. But it gets complicated. There's a girl. Dreams happen. Plotting happens. Drama happens and then "to be continued."
I look forward to seeing what happens next.
I wish I would have listened to it in audiobook on a long drive. This is one of those books that I think needs to take real time (and audiobooks force me to slow down) to really enjoy it. I'll be keeping my eye out for a copy!
I would give a summary but I guess I don't really know how. My imagination pales in comparison to one like Taylor's. I guess the way I'd describe the plot is that your main character is a runt of an orphan boy, Lazlo, who is being raised by monks and who has a wild imagination. He lacks connection in the real world with anyone besides a half-senile monk who tells fantastic stories. His dreams take flight and his passion for stories is finally channeled into books when he encounters the opportunity to become a librarian. It is lovely to read a book about someone in love with books and this one meets that mark for a chunk of the first half. Lazlo is particularly taken with tales of a lost city and he learns all he can about it while everyone else has forgotten. One day, he is able to travel to that city to solve a mysterious problem with a number of scholars of various specialties. Once Lazlo reaches his city he discovers that many things have changed and the delegation's mission is to return things to the way they were before. But it gets complicated. There's a girl. Dreams happen. Plotting happens. Drama happens and then "to be continued."
I look forward to seeing what happens next.
thetogaparty22's review against another edition
5.0
edit: this series is so fucking good and i need everyone to read it
honestly this was so much better the second time around
i am trash for laini taylor
honestly this was so much better the second time around
i am trash for laini taylor
emcrem's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
such an original story and world!!! you can pry lazlo strange from my cold dead hands
liznylium's review
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.5
For majority of this audiobook I really did not want to be listening to it.. maybe I just wasn’t in a mood for this type of book, but I couldn’t help feeling incredibly bored most of the time. The ending was interesting so I will probably try the second book, but I was really hoping I would enjoy this one a lot more than I did. So many people seem to love it, but it just wasn’t for me. I didnt really connect to any of the characters, for good or bad :/
pondwyn's review
adventurous
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
viccore's review against another edition
5.0
unbelievable. this was so good but i’m also so sad. written incredibly well in terms of plot, writing style, narrative structure, character development, unique world, etc etc etc the list goes on endlessly. maybe book of the year so far for me? definitely best of this genre in my 2024 reads
liza_maria's review against another edition
5.0
This was definitely the best book I read this year. Reading it didn't just remind me why I love reading, it made me feel like I was falling in love with reading for the first time all over again. Everything about Strange the Dreamer was perfect, from the prose to the plot to the characters. I usually never write reviews, but it felt like a disservice to this book to walk away from it without writing at least a few words about all the joy that it gave me. I cannot recommend this enough, especially to fans of fantasy.
livemily1512's review against another edition
4.0
Went into this with big hopes as I am such a fan of Laini Taylor’s Daughter of Smoke and Bone series and (whilst not as totally captivating as that series) I really loved this book and the world it set up.
Lazlo was such a compelling character and I just wanted to see him find his dream city. He reminded me of Milo from the Disney film about Atlantis he’s just going on the adventure because there is nothing else in the world that would make him happier.
Sarai was very complex and I think the passages of her evaluating her existence and how she came into the world were heartbreaking. Her struggle to reconcile her desire for her and her family to survive but to also want to be human and amongst them was very sad and made her very sympathetic.
I liked the small glance into Minya’s mind we got to see a glimpse of the carnage. The smaller glances into Ruby, Sparrow and Feral weren’t enough for me to really support them and I hope there is more in the next book.
Eril-fane was a great character and shows how complex our histories can be. Hailed as a hero but feared totally by the surviving children you understand his motives and pity the way saving his city has torn him apart.
The glimpses into what life was like under the gods and their rule are devastating and help you fully understand the motivations and hatreds of the humans. The simple innocence of the children in the citadel makes you route for their survival.
The ending I found as with most Taylor books was devastating. Taylor does love a pair of star crossed lovers and writes their struggles beautifully.
I could have done with more development of some side characters. Thyon started out so big and then took such a backseat until the final third where he arrives for one pivotal moment. Ruza also felt underutilised and could have been used to understand the people more.
Lazlo was such a compelling character and I just wanted to see him find his dream city. He reminded me of Milo from the Disney film about Atlantis he’s just going on the adventure because there is nothing else in the world that would make him happier.
Sarai was very complex and I think the passages of her evaluating her existence and how she came into the world were heartbreaking. Her struggle to reconcile her desire for her and her family to survive but to also want to be human and amongst them was very sad and made her very sympathetic.
I liked the small glance into Minya’s mind we got to see a glimpse of the carnage. The smaller glances into Ruby, Sparrow and Feral weren’t enough for me to really support them and I hope there is more in the next book.
Eril-fane was a great character and shows how complex our histories can be. Hailed as a hero but feared totally by the surviving children you understand his motives and pity the way saving his city has torn him apart.
The glimpses into what life was like under the gods and their rule are devastating and help you fully understand the motivations and hatreds of the humans. The simple innocence of the children in the citadel makes you route for their survival.
The ending I found as with most Taylor books was devastating. Taylor does love a pair of star crossed lovers and writes their struggles beautifully.
I could have done with more development of some side characters. Thyon started out so big and then took such a backseat until the final third where he arrives for one pivotal moment. Ruza also felt underutilised and could have been used to understand the people more.
phoebe_f's review against another edition
5.0
This may have taken me forever to read, but if it wasn’t for school I easily could have read this in a week. This book was a beautiful fantasy and I absolutely loved the imagery and the flawed characters and the romance and the friendships and the different worlds. I highly recommend.
gaildeeann's review against another edition
5.0
Laini Taylor can write! This story was so beautifully written. One of the best books I have read in a very long time. I cannot wait for Muse or of Nightmares.