Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 514 pp.
Published October 2, 2018
DISCLAIMER: I received a free physical ARC of this title from the publisher for review purposes. This did not inform or influence my opinion in any way.
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?
You'll LOVE it if...you're dying for a satisfying end to Lazlo and Sarai's story.
With such a lengthy page count, I'd hope to draw out the experience of reading Muse of Nightmares over several days. Unlike its predecessor, however, this sequel spends very little time on the meticulous world-building that set Strange the Dreamer apart from other fantasies. With the mythology of Weep and the godspawn hovering above it well established, Taylor plunges headfirst into conflicts new and old. There remains plenty of ground to cover, from the personal relationships between Lazlo and Sarai, Eril-Fane and Azareen, or Thyon and...himself, to heartbreak that spans across countless worlds. The scope remains grand yet never overwhelms. Most satisfying of all, Taylor doesn't tease with lingering mysteries. Although these characters emphatically have lives beyond the bounds of these pages, this particular journey is given a fitting, emotional conclusion.
You'll STILL LOVE it if...there's room in your heart for new characters.
Taylor builds on Strange the Dreamer in such a way that events both past and present take on a new emotional depth with the introduction of sisters Kora and Nova. They encounter the Mesarthim on their home planet (not the same one on which Weep is located), where the beings regularly recruit locals into their service. The clash of mythology and reality gradually connects back to the floating palace above Weep, while continuing the themes of love, sacrifice, and fate that inform so much of Lazlo's own journey.
You MAY NOT LIKE it if...you're expecting a change of pace from Strange the Dreamer.
The luxuriant prose and emphasis on setting that distinguished Strange the Dreamer return in full force for the sequel. Readers who struggled with Taylor's writing style in the first novel will find much of the same here, while those who fell in love with it will be amply satisfied. Despite a faster pace and emphasis on plot over world-building, Muse of Nightmares still takes its time unspooling. If you hoped for a significant change from Strange, you won't find it here. As a counterpoint, however, established fans should delight in the focus on plot and action, while still indulging in a beautiful style of story-telling.
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