Every now and then a book comes along that is written so beautifully it is really a piece of art as well as literature. Okay, so there are probably many out there who would argue that all literature is art, but there are some books which have been crafted to such a degree that you want to savour each word. That was certainly how I felt while reading Strange The Dreamer by Laini Taylor.
Having read Laini’s Daughter of Smoke and Bone trilogy I knew to expect something epic with vivid characters and a clever and unique plot. With Strange The Dreamer, she has gone one step above the previous trilogy. This book is beautiful in every sense of the word, from the gorgeous blue and gold cover, to the lovely, flowing prose on the page. It is imaginative and wonderful – like being in a dream; fitting really consider that dreams lie at the heart of the novel.
Our protagonist is Lazlo Strange, an orphan who has always been fascinated by the lost city of Weep. When Lazlo was young he felt the city’s true name disappear from his mind and ever since he has been obsessed with the mystery of the city. Chance brings him to the great library in the city of Zosma and there he finds every book he can about Weep. He dreams of travelling to the city and then one day a band of travellers ride into town. They are from Weep and they are seeking people to help them with their ‘problem’. Finally Lazlo has a chance to fulfil his dream.
It is hard not to warm to Lazlo. He is shy and naive, but he is also passionate and kind. He sees the world differently to others, believing in magic and the impossible. This is what makes him special and is also the reason he has been mocked by those around him for most of his life. In Weep, however, Lazlo will discover that there is a whole lot more to him than even he could have imagined.
Lazlo is not the only dreamer in this novel. Miles away, trapped in a citadel above Weep, is Sarai, a seventeen year old girl whose father was human and whose mother was a God. Sarai is what the people of Weep call Godspawn. Their skin is blue and they each have a unique magical ‘gift’. Some of these gifts are peaceful, such as the ability to make plants grow. Sarai’s ‘gift’ is to be able to go into people’s dreams. Like a spirit, she can enter a dream unseen and change it into a nightmare. This ability has earned her the title the Muse of Nightmares.
Like Lazlo, Sarai has a dream – to be able to leave the citadel and life a normal life. She yearns to be a human girl but she knows that she will never be able to life among the humans. They fear the Godspawn too much, haunted by memories of the time when the Gods ruled over Weep. Despite having four other Godspawn for company, Sarai is lonely and you cannot help but sympathise with her and hope that somehow she will find her freedom.
Strange The Dreamer is essentially the story of Lazlo and Sarai and how their lives and dreams alter when their paths cross. This is a novel filled with magic, adventure and romance. It deals with monsters and humans, good and evil and shows that there is not always a clear definition between these things.
Reading Strange The Dreamer is like being in a dream. Each sentence crafts a vivid picture in your mind. There are paragraphs that flow almost like verse and so many memorable quotes it is difficult to choose just one to stand out. Laini Taylor has created an intriguing world, one that will reel you in and make you fall in love. This is one of the best books of the year and I strongly urge you to get your hands on a copy. Be prepared to have your emotions put through the wringer and to be left eagerly awaiting book two in the series.
Make Your Own Fairy Tale 
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