Sara's Reviews > Dreams of Gods and Monsters

The war between the chimaera and the seraphim takes a frightening final turn in Dreams of Gods and Monsters. Jael, the new seraph emperor, has brought the conflict to Earth - to implore humanity for help against the "Beasts." Now, Karou and Akiva find themselves on the same side again, and must maintain a tenuous alliance between their armies in order to defeat the enemy they share. Blood will be shed. Betrayals will unfold. Unfathomable choices will be made. And in the midst of it all, a mysterious stain bruises the sky, bringing a deep foreboding to Eretz - and a certain seraph might be its cause. Will Karou and Akiva's long-held hope for a world remade - and for a love rekindled - be enough? Or will it all be in vain?

In some ways, I'm not sure what to make of Dreams. I still love the characters, Taylor's writing is still breathtaking, and the humor is just as uproarious as before. I also like new POV character Eliza, who plays a much bigger role than being humanity's eyes to the "apocalypse." However, the literary style and frequent POV switches hindered the storytelling this time around. The first 100 pages dragged, later scenes were slow and overwritten, and some subplots seemed unnecessary. I also still can't grasp the godstars concept; it doesn't seem to affect the ending.

The parts of Dreams that did work, though, sparkled with magic. The paranoia on Earth as Jael's angel army descends, the tenderness and tension between Akiva and Karou, the quivering suspense between their allied forces and how it could break at any moment - and, most importantly, an ending that allowed my heart one final leap of joy. So, yes, I enjoyed Dreams of Gods and Monsters. Not as much as the first two books in the Daughter of Smoke and Bone Trilogy, but it doesn't change how grateful I am for reading - and falling madly in love with - this series.