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graciegrace1178's review against another edition
4.0
Starting date estimated. 4.3 stars
WIL
1) Bold author decisions. I’ll admit I was v skeptical in the beginning. The decision to start off the whole book which is very decidedly a SEQUEL with brand new characters to whom the audience isn’t attached?? Bold move. Extra bold when you consider the fact that everyone reading this series now will want to binge read and latch onto characters they know right from the beginning of the second book. It’s not a choice I would’ve made, but Laini, genius that she is, made it work. There were a few later decisions that diverged from how I would’ve arranged it, but again they WORKED.
1.2) What I’m trying to say is that Laini has a very distinctive style and she OWNS it.
2) PRETTY WORDS. Laini writes like a whole goddess. Reading her stuff is the same sort of feeling as a ship cutting cleanly through deep blue waters or cracking open a geode and admiring the sparkles. God I love her. Almost no one writes like that anymore. She’s a treasure.
3) Quotable:
4) ✨glittery conclusions✨ yet again got that sparkly-on-the-inside feeling after finishing this one. Just wanted to stare at the cover for a bit to process the Emotions.
5) redemption for Minya. THIS POOR LASS MY GOODNESS. I love the way she treated the redemption. Like was Minya a tyrant for many many years? Yes definitely. But was she also still worthy of being loved and was she still capable of change? You betcha. That’s a difficult maneuver to pull off. I didn’t expect to actually appreciate Minya, but here I am. Appreciating her.
6) Archetypes abound (AGAIN!!). I’m in awe of the way Laini weaves the narrative together with so many archetypes. Amazing. Beautiful. My heART.
WIDL
1) the very last pages. Dunno what to make of them. The whole “the end...or is it?” Thing?? What!??? That- the end was mostly resolved?? And I thought this was a two book series?????????????? I am Confused. LAINI IS THERE ANOTHER BOOK OR NOT.
Neutral ground
1) took me ages to get through not because it was boring but because I didn’t have the mental energy or time to flip through and read the physical book.
WIL
1) Bold author decisions. I’ll admit I was v skeptical in the beginning. The decision to start off the whole book which is very decidedly a SEQUEL with brand new characters to whom the audience isn’t attached?? Bold move. Extra bold when you consider the fact that everyone reading this series now will want to binge read and latch onto characters they know right from the beginning of the second book. It’s not a choice I would’ve made, but Laini, genius that she is, made it work. There were a few later decisions that diverged from how I would’ve arranged it, but again they WORKED.
1.2) What I’m trying to say is that Laini has a very distinctive style and she OWNS it.
2) PRETTY WORDS. Laini writes like a whole goddess. Reading her stuff is the same sort of feeling as a ship cutting cleanly through deep blue waters or cracking open a geode and admiring the sparkles. God I love her. Almost no one writes like that anymore. She’s a treasure.
3) Quotable:
4) ✨glittery conclusions✨ yet again got that sparkly-on-the-inside feeling after finishing this one. Just wanted to stare at the cover for a bit to process the Emotions.
5) redemption for Minya. THIS POOR LASS MY GOODNESS. I love the way she treated the redemption. Like was Minya a tyrant for many many years? Yes definitely. But was she also still worthy of being loved and was she still capable of change? You betcha. That’s a difficult maneuver to pull off. I didn’t expect to actually appreciate Minya, but here I am. Appreciating her.
6) Archetypes abound (AGAIN!!). I’m in awe of the way Laini weaves the narrative together with so many archetypes. Amazing. Beautiful. My heART.
WIDL
1) the very last pages. Dunno what to make of them. The whole “the end...or is it?” Thing?? What!??? That- the end was mostly resolved?? And I thought this was a two book series?????????????? I am Confused. LAINI IS THERE ANOTHER BOOK OR NOT.
Neutral ground
1) took me ages to get through not because it was boring but because I didn’t have the mental energy or time to flip through and read the physical book.
accovino's review against another edition
3.25
I'm so bummed this didn't live up to the first. It tried to be too many places and didn't succeed in really connecting.
maddydaviesss's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
ebodi8pg's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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
vail484mro's review against another edition
5.0
My heart feels so full right now. This series... *deep breath*... is the most criminally, ignorantly, horribly underrated work of art in the entire YA/booktok/booktube world. It was SO GOOD that I read this 550 page long book in ONE SITTING. My soul is so full that I'm pretty sure the beginnings of tears are in my eyes. I think I this book cured every ailment of the soul I had, but unfortunately not my crippling anemia.
I would actually lay down my life for/ marry Lazlo (heyo is this a main character that isn't a pain in the ass???), and for pretty much every character in this series. I- I love them. Iasdflkjsadflkk. Ugh. AND THE PLOT! I actually was gasping throughout both books!! It's SO unpredictable, and I am an amazing predicter (trust).
GUYS I THINK ITS EVEN ON PAR WITH THE INFERNAL DEVICES????? I THINK THAT LAZLO STRANGE IS AS GOOD AS JEM CARSTAIRS I'M NOT KIDDING THIS IS NOT A DRILL
okay I was able to compose myself and I have determined another amazing part of this series (other than the fact that if I met Lazlo Strange in real life I would marry him on the spot) is that Sarai is SO WELL WRITTEN. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you a female fantasy character who's entire personality isn't based off of her being battle hardened and tough (lookin at you, half of the women in the genre)! She's SO COOL. LIKE WHAT. And so relatable!! She has such real desires, and I love the way she looks at womanhood, and she's so strong, and I just love her so so much.
Also the pacing in this book is *chef's kiss* and the romance gives me butterflies just thinking about it (AND there aren't Scenes!) and I want to curl up in a ball and cry over the fact that I can't live in that world.
I would actually lay down my life for/ marry Lazlo (heyo is this a main character that isn't a pain in the ass???), and for pretty much every character in this series. I- I love them. Iasdflkjsadflkk. Ugh. AND THE PLOT! I actually was gasping throughout both books!! It's SO unpredictable, and I am an amazing predicter (trust).
GUYS I THINK ITS EVEN ON PAR WITH THE INFERNAL DEVICES????? I THINK THAT LAZLO STRANGE IS AS GOOD AS JEM CARSTAIRS I'M NOT KIDDING THIS IS NOT A DRILL
okay I was able to compose myself and I have determined another amazing part of this series (other than the fact that if I met Lazlo Strange in real life I would marry him on the spot) is that Sarai is SO WELL WRITTEN. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you a female fantasy character who's entire personality isn't based off of her being battle hardened and tough (lookin at you, half of the women in the genre)! She's SO COOL. LIKE WHAT. And so relatable!! She has such real desires, and I love the way she looks at womanhood, and she's so strong, and I just love her so so much.
Also the pacing in this book is *chef's kiss* and the romance gives me butterflies just thinking about it (AND there aren't Scenes!) and I want to curl up in a ball and cry over the fact that I can't live in that world.
artsbyjojo's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- 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
heiend's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
herdarklibrary's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
When I tell you I loved Strange the Dreamer, I’m saying it with my whole chest. It was a beautiful book that I devoured. So naturally I was very excited to pick up Muse of Nightmares and dig straight back in.
I enjoyed it.
Laini Taylor’s writing is so good that of course I enjoyed it. I still loved the world, the characters, the description. But this book just didn’t hit the same way the first one did for me and that’s mainly down to personal preference I think.
The first book gave me wonder and beauty, a world filled with mystery. The second book filled all the gaps I had about the world, it quite literally answered a lot of my questions but I think that wasn’t what I wanted. Not fully at least. Muse the Nightmare was filled with action and answers, it was fast paced and busy. Which is the total opposite of what I felt in the first book and unfortunately I didn’t want lots of action after the first book. I felt like I’d gone from being in a serene garden to a battle field.
That’s not to say this is bad, I still really enjoyed it. Out of the characters Lazlo was probably my favourite in Strange the Dreamer whereas Sarai was my favourite in Muse of Nightmares, which makes perfect sense since each book is named for that character. I think Taylor did an excellent job with their love story.
But overall Muse the Nightmare was just missing the same beauty and wonder that its predecessor had built and that for me made this book just a good book that wrapped things up.
I would still really recommend this duology to everyone as I think it’s very very good. But we all have a favourite book in a series, don’t we? Mine just doesn’t happen to be this one.
3.5/5⭐️
jibooty22's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0