Commencing just minutes after the shocking events that rounded out Strange the Dreamer, everyone is reeling. Sarai can’t fully comprehend her existence and Lazlo endeavours to stay true to not only himself but the people of Weep. The remaining Godspawn continue to fight between themselves about whether they can trust the man who Sarai effectively betrayed them to save.
Meanwhile, the citizens of Weep must come to terms with their shattered existence. The northern anchor has been ripped away and their little town teeters on the brink of annihilation should the damage be made any worse.
Continuing the story of Weep that gripped readers worldwide, Muse of Nightmares is the epic conclusion to Laini Taylor’s Strange the Dreamer duology. Can the Godspawn save their fallen brethren? Can the citizens of Weep rebuild or is their precious township lost forever?
Muse opens on a pair of hunting girls, waiting for an incoming ship to scoop them up and whisk them away. Their mother had been of exceptional strength and therefore they expect their gifts would be of similar magnitude. The ship arrives and then… end scene here. The focus of events then goes back to Minya and Lazlo in the battle of the egos over Sarai.
Events relating to the Godspawn recommence literally minutes after Minya pulls her trick on Lazlo, determined to exert her will regardless of the wishes of the other survivors of The Carnage. Using Sarai as a pawn in her quest for revenge, Minya requests the worst thing possible that could happen to Weep: for Lazlo to animate Rathalas so she can annihilate all those who have done her wrong. This single exchange sets the stage for the entire of Muse of Nightmares with everyone taking sides before the final ‘battle’.
Taylor once again hits the mark when telling the story of the fantastical Weep and the events inside the great godsmetal seraphim in the sky. Her exceptional world-building skills allow the reader to be immersed in their surroundings. Due to the majority of events occurring upon the flying citadel, what could have felt repetitive was instead seen with fresh eyes. The various nooks and crannies of the ship were explored from the perspective of Strange, a character who had previously only seen the gargantuan construct from the ground beneath it.
As occurred within Strange the Dreamer, the narration jumps between the various characters, all telling their point of view. Within Muse, the POV is also that of occurring throughout history, a fact that I didn’t realise until I made a rather integral connection between certain characters and the occupants of the citadel in the sky.
The old faves of Ruby, Sparrow, Feral, Sarai, and Minya return (if Minya hadn’t, I would have boycotted the entire thing to be honest). While their story had sort of previously been told, Muse adds on to the existing personalities by giving each of them an arc which allows them to grow as the adults they have now become. While all bets are off in relation to Sarai and her wellbeing, everyone still has their place in things, discovering not only themselves but also new facets to their abilities.
Initially the inclusion of new characters seemed a little left field, adding new personalities to the previous cast feeling slightly uncalled for. By around halfway, it was blatantly obvious that Kora and Nora were so far entangled in the story of how the citadel came to Weep that the narrative would have been less complete if they had not been included.
As is the fact in everything Taylor writes, the story is impeccably thought out. Twists and turns are not as abundant in Muse, but due to the fact that all the massive revelations occurred throughout the previous instalment, they didn’t need to be. However, there were Taylor’s signature tear inducing and novel throwing moments that just tear you to pieces. At one point during reading, I actually had to stop and take a breather relating to events involving the Godslayer. This reader then proceeded to spam message the other people I know who have already read Muse, just to get some justification that I wasn’t the only one torn apart.
How did it feel overall though? It was an enjoyable and fitting end for the duology however, it could have been more, more action, more heartbreak, more something that the author of this article cant quite put their finger on.
Lengthwise however, Taylor probably could have cut out various events and still had the same novel. Some portions felt long-winded and the first 20% was a battle to endure. The ending also felt a little forced—around the 94% mark of the ebook, the story felt finished as everyone had grown as a character and they had made their respective sacrifices. This reader’s heart hurt the right amount to feel closure. But then there were another 3-4 chapters of just fluff and feelgood moments, with the remaining characters having a happily ever after moment that left a bad taste in my mouth.
Muse of Nightmares will available on October 2nd from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers.
Are you excited for Muse of Nightmares? Tell us in the comments below!
Synopsis | Goodreads
In the wake of tragedy, neither Lazlo nor Sarai are who they were before. One a god, the other a ghost, they struggle to grasp the new boundaries of their selves as dark-minded Minya holds them hostage, intent on vengeance against Weep.
Lazlo faces an unthinkable choice–save the woman he loves, or everyone else?–while Sarai feels more helpless than ever. But is she? Sometimes, only the direst need can teach us our own depths, and Sarai, the muse of nightmares, has not yet discovered what she’s capable of.
As humans and godspawn reel in the aftermath of the citadel’s near fall, a new foe shatters their fragile hopes, and the mysteries of the Mesarthim are resurrected: Where did the gods come from, and why? What was done with thousands of children born in the citadel nursery? And most important of all, as forgotten doors are opened and new worlds revealed: Must heroes always slay monsters, or is it possible to save them instead?
Love and hate, revenge and redemption, destruction and salvation all clash in this gorgeous sequel to the New York Times bestseller, Strange the Dreamer
