Strange the Dreamer

I just... really loved this. I loved in it a way that I am pretty sure means that it has somehow seeped into my soul and become part of me. This book is a fairy tale. Not in the sense that it is a traditional story with familiar elements. If a fantasy world somehow had its own myths and legends and somehow those stories were published into a book that book would be Strange the Dreamer. This book is the story of a shy young orphan boy who grows into a young junior librarian. The name of a strange city that was cut off from the rest of the world 200 years ago is suddenly lost. From one minute to the next and for no reason that anyone can name the whole world forgot it and so it comes to be known as Weep. Lazlo becomes obsessed with the city, and its fate. It is also about a young blue girl goddess who is growing up in hiding with her siblings. Lazlo is an interesting character. He is an introverted, even shy, male. Many of his qualities are traditionally feminine. He isn't powerful, rich, or handsome. He can't fight and sometimes is a victim. While reading this book made me very aware that there are still certain things that we expect from different genders especially in fantasy. Lazlo isn't dangerous. He never holds a sword. He is the dreamer of the title. His strength is internal and hidden away from the world. He doesn't have to be the big man to be the hero. He is content with being the hero of his own life rather than the hero of the world. I loved that Liani Taylor let that happen. There is a love story. It is central to the story but doesn't take over the story. You know how sometimes in romance there is a secondary couple? I usually like that couple more than the main couple because their love doesn't have to have the predictability of the main couple. The love story in Strange the Dreamer feels like that except it is also satisfactorily filled out. Fantasy is all about world building. Adult fantasy can get bogged down with this and sometimes YA fantasy hardly bothers with it. This book hits the perfect balance. The world is understandable and real, but the focus on the story is still on the characters and not in the world. I loved the writing. There are authors that you want to just get on with the story and writers that you want to describe every sounds, sight, and emotion. Liani Taylor is definitely the latter for me. She paints with words. There is some amazingly beautiful, disturbing, and powerful imagery in this book. For example, there is a statue floating a hundred feet off the ground the size of a mountain, the shadow of which covers an entire city. Strange the Dreamer is the first book of a duology. That is both the bad news and the good news. The good news is that we are going to be able to visit this world and these characters again. This prospect warms my heart and fills me with glee. The bad news is the wait. I don't have it in my hands at this moment, and that means that I have had to wait too long to start reading it. Unacceptable. Highly recommended.

Lazlo Strange is a young librarian who is obsessed with the lost city of Weep. The day the heroic Godslayer shows up from the city of Weep is the day Lazlo always dreamed about. The Godslayer is looking for people to join him to help him solve a problem Weep is facing. With limited details and no useful skills, Lazlo is desperate to join the small group of people headed to Weep, and convinces the Godslayer to bring him along. What ensues is a journey that Lazlo won’t soon forget. Why did Weep disappear two hundred years ago, what is the problem that needs to be solved, and who is the girl named Sarai that keeps showing up in his dreams…and why is she blue? I’d heard so many rave reviews about Strange the Dreamer, that I decided to pick it up (the gorgeous cover didn’t hurt) and I’m so glad I did! Lazlo is the most innocent little button, and I wanted to shield him from the nastiness of the world for the first half of the book. Ha! I love that he works in a library and has a love of books and storytelling, and I immediately connected with him as a character. Strange the Dreamer was unlike any other YA or fantasy book I’ve read. The story of Weep was so unique to me, and I loved that it was told in both Lazlo’s perspective as well as Sarai’s perspective. Often, I’m not a huge fan of books that have multiple POV’s because they can get confusing, but this one worked perfectly and added a lot to the background of the story. This book had it all – beautiful writing, wonderful storytelling, developed characters, action, and romance, and it far surpassed my expectations. I’m eagerly anticipating the next book in the series so I can see what happens next! I loved the way the first book ended. I felt like it made enough progress in the story to where I didn’t feel like I wasted my time reading a 500 page book where nothing happened, but ended at a point where a second book makes sense. It’s been a very long time since a book made me cry, but this one had tears streaming down my face! The writing was flowy and lyrical, and I really enjoyed reading the book. This was a 4 star read for me, and I recommend that all fans of YA Fantasy pick this one up!

In this novel, Laini Taylor aggressively shatters male stereotypes, and as someone who opposes gender discrimination, I love that. The male hero is a librarian turned secretary. He’s not physically attractive or muscular. He has a crooked nose, in fact, because it broke after a book fell on it from a library shelf. He’s been cast into a low socioeconomic class, so he’s poor and has no apparent economic prospects. His expertise is fairy tales. His passion is an area of learning that the scholars of his day consider dead. He’s selfless and service-oriented. He can’t help but show concern for others even if they don’t appreciate it or reciprocate. He’s utterly without ego, cooperating instead of competing. His greatest strengths are dreaming and loving. He doesn’t try to dominate any woman or man around him. He isn’t a professional killer, or in a profession that involves killing, or violence, nor is he driven to slay, or even prone to occasional, angry outbursts. He doesn’t drink or roughhouse, or think a great night out involves harassing women at bars. He isn’t trying to become wealthy through some impressive, high-flying career that might not actually accomplish much for the world, the way the novel’s Sisyphean alchemist is. Lazlo, in fact, tries to help another man become wealthy without expecting anything in return, specifically because he knows how much stress the pressure to “succeed” has produced in this acquaintance. So you should like Lazlo, right? He’s a great guy. He works diligently to protect and advance the bank of scholarship which serves society and provides it with hope. If he’s poor, it’s because others created a class, put him in it, and are trying to keep him there. He’s ever helpful and polite, doesn’t beat anyone or get into fights, and never stabs anyone in the back. The novel's heroine comes to love this man by entering his dreams. That is to say, she learns who he is on the inside, and discovers that his inner world is far more appealing than her outer one. That’s why their relationship grows into love before they ever physically touch. Lazlo may be contrasted with the character of his lover’s father, a testosterone-filled warrior who fought bravely for his people, and who committed atrocities in doing so that caused him to be estranged from his own daughter. Outwardly, he appears strong, brave, noble, and heroic, if repressed and a tad rough around the edges. In reality, his past experiences have left him broken and ruined inside. He is a tormented shell of the man he might have been had he approached life in a different way. This is healthy fare, then, for men thinking about who they are and what their values should be, and for women thinking about interacting with men and what makes for a good man. Wherever you may come down on these matters as a reader, there is plenty to consider, because in the end Lazlo is revealed as a complex person who demonstrates as much genuine heroism as any hero in literature. Strange the Dreamer is categorized as a young adult novel, but it’s suitable for adults of any age. The lovers are Lazlo and Sarai. Lazlo is the main character, but it did not surprise me to learn that Laini Taylor originally envisioned a different main character for this book, and presumably that was Sarai. Sarai is the daughter of the Goddess of Despair and of a human man whom the goddess raped. The author stresses that one cannot learn about strangers by looking at them; Sarai has the gift of being able to look inside them, and it is this which drives the story, so I can see why Sarai would have made a compelling main character. Personally, I happen to love complex supernatural characters, so I am sure I would have liked that. But I think Ms. Taylor had to shift the focus more to Lazlo, because some of the most entrancing and beautiful parts of the book take place inside his dreams, where Sarai is a visitor. So instead of focusing on the trials and tribulations of a supernatural being whose existence is altered when an unusual human appears, this is presented more as the story of a man’s gradual self-realization and personal growth. I can also see why the author expanded the book, which she initially planned as a standalone novel, to a duology; having created a world so beautiful, one would want to allow one's readers to linger in it. That is, after all, one of the reasons why we sometimes choose to read an extended story when we could have watched a two-hour film or seen a television show. I would advise you not to worry if it initially feels like you’re not following the story. Go with the flow as in a dream, and you'll be rewarded as the events and characters coalesce and the story becomes clearer. Then you won’t want to put the book down. The novel has a certain Romeo and Juliet-esque quality in that the lovers become progressively divorced from their own societies as they grow closer to one another. There are strong messages about control and freedom; the more certain characters seek to control others, the more rapidly the social orders upon which their control depends erode. This leads to some satisfaction as certain selfish or dysfunctional characters get their comeuppances, but it produces a running tension generated by hatred on both sides which goes unresolved. There are clear messages about the futility of ongoing conflict, war, and hate, as contrasted with the transcendence (and sometimes the tragedy) of love. The author goes out of her way not to trivialize death, and characters do not die for entertainment in this novel. Death has consequences, and the consequences play a major role. Naturally, dreams also play a major role: When societies collide, whose dreams control? Who dreams whom, and why, and how? This is a “Western society-meets-other society” fantasy, so as I was reading, it called to my mind the Adventures of Esplandián, the myth of El Dorado, and tales of the Fountain of Youth in which Europeans invented fairy tale creatures and fanciful places while pondering life beyond the horizon. Initially, Lazlo is destined to be a monk, presumably within Christendom, but as he heads east he encounters a polytheistic world. The pantheon there is complicated. Deities have their ups and downs, and strengths and weaknesses. The eastern city is enmeshed in an ancient conflict which seems incapable of resolution. Its populations live in close proximity, but separately, and look upon one other with mutual hostility stemming from horrific events they experienced during early conquests. In this respect the fantasy has a clear basis in reality, providing food for thought and reflection. The neglected city that Lazlo is driven to see for himself has been stricken by the Goddess of Oblivion, who has devoured its name. Now that no one can remember the city's name, its people call it Weep. This resonates with me in the context of colliding cultures, where conquerors have often sought to erase indigenous societies and cast them into oblivion. Again, what happens to the dreams of the invaded? My favorite quote from this novel encapsulates much of what it is ultimately about: “For what [are people] but the sum of all the scraps of their memor[ies] and experience[s]: a finite set of components with an infinite array of expressions[?]” In Strange the Dreamer, personalities are malleable, dreams are strange, strange is good, and the passions and obsessions that spring from our dreams are our destinies, not our choice.

**Original review on Goodreads and My Blog** This book is amazing! That's just all there is to it. When I got this beautiful book from UPS I about fell over. It is so freaking beautiful. The cover is so shiny and no amount of pictures can do it justice. You just have to see it for yourself. This book is so full of everything. How do I even review a book that is all over and made me sad and took me to a strange and mystical world. Lazlo Strange, whom I love, was an orphan boy who went on an errand to The Great Library and never returned. He loved books and was lost in them until he was found and they just kept him on instead of sending him back to the home. He became a librarian. But he was obsessed with the story of Weep and what happened there. He spent years writing his own journals about the place. Lazlo was know as "Strange The Dreamer" or Lazlo Strange. But he wasn't strange at all and the things he found out helped him later on. Sometimes dreams can come true. **********EXCERPT********** I'm going to Weep, he thought, and could have laughed at the pun, but he kept his composure, and when the Tizerkane warriors rode out of the Great Library and out of Zosma, Strange the dreamer went with them. **********END EXCERPT********** I'm not going to give out any kind of spoilers because this is a book you need to discover on your own. It's freaking amaze balls! Did I already say that? I will say there are a good bit of characters in the book, nothing confusing, but my favorites are Lazlo and Sarai. ❤ Laini Taylor can write some beautiful words. **********EXCERPT********** Weep slept. Dreamers dreamed. A grand moon drifted, and the wings of the citadel cut the sky in two: light above, dark below. **********END EXCERPT********** Sarai is something else but I'm not going to tell you what she is and there are others like her. There is a really sad story behind all of that as well. But Sarai is wonderful and kind and different. **********EXCERPT********** Streaming forth into the night, the darkness fractured into a hundred fluttering bits like windblown scraps of velvet. A hundred smithereens of darkness, they broke apart and re-formed and siphoned themselves into a little typhoon that swept down toward the rooftops of Weep, whirling and wheeling on soft twilight wings. Sarai screamed moths. Moths and her own mind, pulled into a hundred pieces and flung out into the world. **********END EXCERPT********** Seriously, if you have wanted to get this book, get it and I hope you love it. I didn't understand every little bit about the book but that's okay because I still loved it. ❤ Of course that ending . . . and there is so much more going on in the book but like I said, you need to read it and feel the magic. I don't even know where Laini Taylor comes up with this stuff. Just the way she writes is surreal. Now we have to a wait a billion years to get the next one. *Sob*

WOOOOOW!! What a beautiful story! This book has been on my "wanna read" list forever and I finally got to it, I could punch myself for waiting that long! This story is magnificent. From the first chapter I was completely hooked and by the fourth chapter I was soooo emotionally invested. I felt I could cry when Thyon first took the "Complete Works of Lazlo Strange" from Lazlo and I think that was by chapter four or five. This world is soooo magical and soooo far from the realm of normal - in the absolute best way. Like everyone else, books are my escape from reality and boy did this book rip me out of reality so hard and so fast. I felt completely submerged in this world with these characters. Each character is so well written and so fleshed out, and there is a large cast of characters, but it is amazing how the author separates each one and they have there own motives, desires, dreams, and nightmares. I love the main theme of this book which is to never judge a book by it's cover and that being kind, gentle, and forgiving is a strength all it's own. I loved all of the moral dilemmas in this book, so refreshing to read the characters personal struggles through all of them and seeing them choose right...or wrong. So so so so good, and what a horrible cliffhanger! And by horrible, I mean horribly good. I cannot wait to see how this story will wrap up!! Do yourself a favor and get this guy off the wanna read list and into your hands immediately!!

I'm going to start by saying this book is, to put it simply, beautiful. The prose is elegant, the descriptions are sublime, and the characters are so rich and full of depth. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this read, and managed to finish it in only a few days. It's always great when you can just get sucked into a story, and this is definitely one of those stories! But, as is true with almost all stories, this one does have some flaws. They are by no means fatal flaws, and many people I'm sure wouldn't even consider them flaws. But I do, so I feel it is worth pointing out. First, this is most definitely and instant-love sort of story. Granted, the circumstances are a bit peculiar, so they do get some leeway there. But our main character shows absolutely no interest in women until Sarai comes along, and instantly falls head over heels for her. Without even having an actual conversation first. I get that this is pretty standard for a long of YA novels, but it's also a little bit frustrating. It takes more than 3 days to fall deeply and truly in love with someone. I can understand why Sarai might (or at least think she's in love, since she hasn't had much opportunity to explore in that regard), but Lazlo was just a bit...too much for me. He's had chances, but brushes them off every time until Sarai comes along. It's too perfect for me, and that makes it frustrating. Along with the insta-love, there is also a lot of time spent on that aspect of their relationship. And I mean like, entire pages spent talking about kissing. I ended up skipping through a few sections because it just got too repetitive for me and didn't really add anything to the characters or the plot. My only other real complaint is that the pacing was a bit off. There was a LOT of time spent on character and relationship development, to the point that the actual plot seemed to be somewhat forgotten in the middle. There IS this big overarching plot, solving a problem, etc. Instead of even talking about that, we spend what feels like nearly 1/4 of the book in a single dream, with the two main characters just having fun. Granted, they're talking and kissing and working through a few minor things at the same time, but it mostly felt like they were having fun. And the actual plot was forgotten. But I'm the type of person who enjoys plot heavy books, so that might just be my personal opinion there! Overall, none of these "flaws" are really all that bad. They don't take away from the story while reading it, though once I noticed them they did start to get a little frustrating. However, they did not stop me from both finishing and enjoying the book. If you prefer character-focused stories more than plot-heavy ones, you'll definitely love this one! If, like me, you like your tight plots, you might end up a little frustrated in the middle. But is it worth the read? Most definitely. It's a beautiful story that's beautifully written, but, like all beautiful things, isn't perfect.

Y’all I can’t even begin to describe how much I loved Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor. I fell into this story and didn’t come up for air until it was over. It was everything I’ve come to love about fantasy. There was action, intrigue, mythology, and romance all tied together neatly to create a magnificent story. Lazlo Strange is an orphan raised by monks who escaped to the library to work as a young teen. Lazlo is a dreamer. He pictures the world around him differently. He believes in fairy tales. And he is inherently good. I don’t think there is a single bad thing about him. He’s meek yet strong, he’s kind and fair, he’s everything you would want in a leading character. Even his perfectly flawed features are endearing. But it’s his yearning for knowledge and willingness to believe in the extraordinary that sets him apart from the other characters and truly endeared him to me. Sarai is Godspawn and not even supposed to be alive. If you are going to feel for any character it will be her. She broke my heart. Her hatred and understanding, her willingness to forgive an atrocity she will never forget makes her a character worth championing. She is the product of evil and yet she is not evil, not even a little bit. My heart broke over and over for this character as she fights those she loves and comes to terms with her feelings over the humans. But what really made this book was the writing! I’m not one that typically enjoys so much detail and prose, however it was vital to this book. It helped to build the world to the point I felt I was living in it. And the dreams!!! Oh my word those dreams were fantastic. Reality blurs a bit when you read this book and it was perfection. Utter perfection! The world-building, the mystery, Gods and Monsters, and some instalove (but honestly it didn’t bother me because I shipped them so hard already!) made for a perfect read. Overall I loved Strange the Dreamer. I loved his reality and his dreams, his love for fairy tales and his belief in magic. It was just the fantasy read I needed. The vivid imagery put me on the streets with Lazlo and in the citadel with Sarai, I flew among the stars and caught the moon. I felt moth wings on my cheeks and smelled the sulfur of explosions. Y’all that isn’t possible except with a phenomenal writer which Laini Taylor is. I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys fantasy, a little romance, and magical worlds. Note: I alternated listening to this book and reading it. I absolutely loved the narrator: Steve West. This is the first I’ve heard of his and that accent *fans self* I’ll be listening to more of his soon 😉 Because of the detailed beginning, I’m glad I listened. I think I wouldn’t have been able to make it through the book otherwise. Not because it isn’t good but because I would’ve been distracted trying to read all those details on my own. BUT listening to Steve West read it to me I was able to picture the setting in my mind.

For more of my reviews visit my blog As The Book Ends (asthebookends.com) In the fall of last year, I was fortunate enough to meet Laini Taylor. Although I hadn’t yet read any of her books, her Daughter of Smoke and Bone trilogy had been sitting on my shelf for some time. While I met many authors that day, she really stood out to me – not only because she has bright pink hair, but because she was just such a joy to to talk to during my brief introduction. Now, having finally read one of her books, I am dying to meet her all over again so that I can gush like a total fangirl over Strange the Dreamer. Let me just start my review by saying this: Lazlo Strange epitomizes everything I look for in a narrator. From the beginning, he was just such a genuine, compassionate, and humble character. Somehow, Taylor made it feel as though I were reading a story told by my best friend. Amazingly, over the course of the book, he only got better – he treated those who looked down on him with kindness and understanding, remained humble, and was adorably innocent. Although I loved the book for many reasons, Lazlo’s narration was really what kept me coming back for more. While not every character can be as incredible as Lazlo, Taylor did manage to bring quite an eclectic cast to life. Sarai, the other primary narrator, spent the entire book conflicted. As a godspawn, she was hated by all of the residents of Weep, and spent her whole life hiding from them. While her companions in the citadel hated all humans, Sarai felt compassion towards them. The conflicting love and hate she felt for the residents of Weep made her a really relatable character. Strange the Dreamer was written in such a unique way that I doubt I will ever find anything similar. The best way to describe it is this: Taylor’s narration changes perspective in an almost conversational manner. Where most authors indicate a change in narration with a chapter change, Laini Taylor seamlessly shifted from view point to view point. It was like being part of a conversation, and jumping from mind to mind as each person spoke. I’ve never read anything quite like it, and while it took some time to get used to, it really was well done. Alright romance lovers, I haven’t forgotten about you. Strange the Dreamer contained not one, but three devastatingly beautiful love stories. The first, of course is between Sarai and Lazlo, who don’t even really interact until well into the 200’s of this book. Although the other two romances are more secondary, they are just as well written and heart-wrenching. At the risk of sharing spoilers, I won’t elaborate further. As is the case with most first books in a fantasy series, Strange the Dreamer was a little slow to pick up. The first half of the book was spent learning the characters and Weep’s rich backstory. I did pick up and put down the book multiple times, and didn’t really get sucked in until around the 300 page mark. However, I absolutely think that those first 300 pages were worth the read (as is the whole book of course). My Takeaway: Although it didn’t immediately suck me in, Strange the Dreamer is absolutely worth reading. With one of my favorite narrators of all time, and a rich new fantasy world to dive into, it is definitely one of my favorite YA books so far this year.

Taylor is a genius, there's nothing she has written that I haven't liked. Strange the dreamer is full of magic, heartache, and the ending had me in a chokehold. (Tears were shed) and true fear for the MC has me reaching for book 2 .

4.5 stars out of 5. It could easily have been a five stars but I had issues with a few things, mainly the insta-love and the ending that was a bit too traditional (I wouldn't say cliché because it wouldn't do it justice). Everything else was amazing. The pacing, the atmosphere, the unique writing style and the sketched-out-but-not-spelled-out characters. Contrary to what I've read in other reviews, I actually really liked the 100 first pages. The first two thirds of the book are in fact the best part of Strange the Dreamer. The characters were a really strong point for me : almost every one of them avoids classical tropes, except maybe Nero and, sadly, Sarai. I particularly liked Laszlo, who is a credible and likable in a not in-your-face way new model of male main character. Can't wait for the next one, even if, strangely since it almost never happens, I have absolutely no idea about what could happen in the next. The story could finish there. But it won't. And I thank Laini Taylor for that.

Lazlo Strange has dreamed of the mythical lost city of Weep since he was a young boy playing make-believe in the orchards of the monastery where he was raised. Now a librarian in the Great Library of Zosma, Lazlo spends his days still dreaming of journeying to the lost City, until that is the day arrives when his dreams look set to turn into reality. Suddenly he finds himself one of a group of delegates accompanying a mysterious stranger known as the Godslayer as well as a group of legendary warriors from the lost city. What awaits them there is even more extraordinary than anything even Lazlo could have dreamed! I found myself completely immersed in this imaginative and captivating read, drawn into the vividly described fantasy world that Taylor has created. From the Great Library of Zosma, to the vast desert plains of the Elmuthaleth, and to the lost City itself, it was a joy accompanying Lazlo on his voyage of discovery. Lazlo himself makes for a wonderful fantasy book hero, with his nose always behind a book and his mind full of wonder; he's gentle and kind and very easy to like. Yet I thought that Taylor did a really good job of portraying a whole host of more complex characters too. There's Thyon Nero, the arrogant alchemist, who early on in the story seems set on being a clear villain; yet I was surprised to find that it wasn't quite so black and white. The Godslayer too is another prime example, a hero who saved his City and its people from a reign of terrible tyranny, and yet at a great cost too;such that he is haunted by the blood on his hands. Minya, again, is an intriguing character; controlling and manipulative, she might easily have been painted a pure villain, but the tragedy of her past and the great trauma she has witnessed can but render her in a more sympathetic light. I don't want to go into detail regarding the ins and outs of the story, but I thought that Taylor touched upon some great themes within the book, re-working them in an imaginative way. Its a story about the aftermath of tyranny and war, about hatred and how hard it can be to forgive and reach a reconciliation. I thought that Taylor did a good job of portraying two sides of a story; as a reader it is easy to appreciate the suffering that the people of Weep have endured, but by allowing us to get to see things from the Godspawns' points of view, and Sarai's in particular, we gain an insight into what they - the orphans of war - have endured too. I personally found the idea of the Mesarthim and the Godspawn, with their mystical powers, intriguing; and there are still so many unanswered questions regarding them. Who were the Mesarthim, where did they come from, and what happened to all those Godspawn children over the centuries? Sarai's power is a particularly interesting one and obviously shapes a lot of the story; with dream elements becoming more prominent as the book goes on. I really liked the depiction of the dream sequences in which Lazlo and Sarai interact; and thought Taylor really managed to capture that whimsical and magical quality that dreams have. The romance between the two central characters was I thought sweetly rendered; and whilst some people have complained that it felt too instantaneous and also took up too much time I would disagree on both accounts. I think the secluded nature of the lives that both Lazlo and Sarai have lived, makes it believable that they might develop feelings so quickly for each other; and I think the ending of the book makes it quite clear why so much time was invested in their relationship.Certainly the book ends on a cliffhanger, with some very interesting dynamics being set up;such that I can't wait for the sequel. I did guess at the ending of the story, but that didn't at all spoil it. I would also say that the book starts off quite slow, but if you stick with the first few chapters, things soon start getting interesting. A beautifully written book, with exquisite prose and imagery, this is certainly a story I won't be forgetting in a while.

This is a 2 part series. It is one of the most beautiful reads I have had in a very long time. Every word, every expression, every detail is filled with magic. You enter into a completely different realm altogether so much so that you start wishing you were in it. If you want an escape from the daily life and dive into something extraordinary outwardly then definitely go for it. It won't have realistic issues of the world but it is full of intense emotions and feelings which we all go through at some point in our life.

Beautifully written, can't recommend any more highly. Buy it, read it, share it.