Muse of Nightmares (Strange the Dreamer #2) by Laini Taylor - Restarting March 14th 2023

[Sarah Elizabeth]

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.

[izzy]

Okay i'm struggling here
Chapter 1-7
(view spoiler)[
Okay, Minya is wicked as ever, Sarai is now a ghost, wait a minute, will sarai ever come back alive? I like the intro with the two sisters, Let's see how it goes, it can only get better (hide spoiler)]

[izzy]

End of Part 1
(view spoiler)[ Lazlo is ready to sacrifice all for Sarai, the ghost, or should i say trying to negotiate. Meanwhile, the ancient Library of weep is found,

I hope Minya stays unconscious. (hide spoiler)]

[izzy]

Part 2
(view spoiler)[ this is book is going back and forth, too many characters, i'm lost and then i am found.
Minya is the one parading as Great and Less Ellen. Lazio is still there, i'm sorry i'm not comfortable with Lazio dating a ghost
Looks like Minya isn't all that bad
The other parts, i'm still struggling there (hide spoiler)]

[izzy]

Part 3
(view spoiler)[ Eril-fane just came and died without doing anything alongside his wife,
Finally Minya is awake
Kora and Nova essence in this book, i don't know
Kora is dead and Nova is killing or trying to kill everyone, will that bring Kora back?

As much as i anticipated this book, i am dissapointed (hide spoiler)]

[izzy]

Final Thoughts

(view spoiler)[ so glad i'm done, will choose Strange the dreamer over this any day

At first nothing happen, then, all of a sudden everything is in a rush. So Nora just came shows off and jump into the sea, and Minya became considerate. Infact so glad i'm done. (hide spoiler)]

[Yogesh]

A unique book 1 but repitation of Daughter of smoke and bone in book 2..its petty that author used the same old material instead of thinking something new..

[Ari]

Up to chapter 25 (view spoiler)[I'm loving this! I love the tone of this series, it's so whimsical? I adore Sarai and Lazlo's relationship, I wonder what will happen with Minya and, subsequently, with Sarai's ghost. Ruby and Feral give me life. And Thyon! Can't wait to see what happens (hide spoiler)]

[Abi]

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Reading from the 1st of November 2018

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[Heather]

So excited to start this today!!

[Ari ☾]

Starting this today :)

[Jenn]

Chapters 1-6: (view spoiler)[ Ugh Minya drives me nuts! Girl is so broken that she doesn't realize how she's tearing her family apart. You don't enslave your family. And Lazlo is at a standstill because he just doesn't know what to do. (hide spoiler)]

[Jenn]

Part 1:(view spoiler)[ well Minya is down for now but for how long? I really dislike her. Also the lost library if Weep has been found! (hide spoiler)]

[Amanda]

end of ch 4 (view spoiler)[ I have a love/hate thing for Minya. For one thing her character is so complex and written so well. It really makes the story to have her as a part of it. But she can be so heartless and cold. She is so full of anger and hate that she doesn't see anything else. But she's also a child who has been through horrific trauma, isn't her hate understandable when you look at it like that? I feel for her, I really do, but at times I truly hate her. (hide spoiler)]

[Amanda]

end of ch 5 (view spoiler)[Oh Sparrow. Trying to heal Sarai really brought home the finality of it. Even I hoped that Sarai could be whole again and not have to live as a ghost. At the end of Strange the Dreamer I held onto hope that maybe she could return to her body. It still calls for grief even though she will remain as a ghost it isn't really the same thing. (hide spoiler)]

[Amanda]

end of ch 6 (view spoiler)[ See? Minya has serious PTSD. She blames herself every single day for not saving more of the babies. She needs to hate someone else and since there actually is someone else to blame, the godslayer, there is no stopping her hate. (hide spoiler)]

[Amanda]

end of 8 (view spoiler)[ The depiction of chaos as everyone is trying to leave is so vivid. I love Laini Taylor's ability to bring scenes like that to life. (hide spoiler)]

[Amanda]

end of 10 (view spoiler)[ I wonder if Sarai still has her gift. Can she still scream the moths and enter dreams? I hope so. It was such a magical part of the story. Although I guess there is no real need since her and Lazlo are together now.. (hide spoiler)]

[Amanda]

Jenn wrote: "Chapters 1-6: [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ She has massive PTSD though! She does take things WAY too far though. It's like she doesn't see that it's wrong. I would say that maybe it is a godspawn thing, but all the other godspawn have morals, so it's clearly just a Minya thing. (hide spoiler)]

[Amanda]

end of 11 (view spoiler)[ Oh damn Lazlo WOULD love to get in that library. Thyon is such a spoiled ass. It's good that someone like Calixte is around him, who doesn't look up to him. I'm so glad that he didn't wind up stealing Lazlo's dream in the end. (hide spoiler)]

[Amanda]

end of 12(view spoiler)[
At least as a ghost Sarai she can still make illusions like she could in dreams! Now Lazlo can make stuff out of Mesarithim too. It's like their dreams in real life.

OH MY GOD. Her elilith is so perfect! THE FREAKING MOON OMG how freaking romantic. I have never LOVED a romance so much. There is just so much symbolism between them, GOD I LOVE THEM.

Jeeze, Minya is BRUTAL! Can she not let anyone have a piece of happiness?
(hide spoiler)]

[Amanda]

end of part one (view spoiler)[ Did they just poison Minya?

It seems like so little has happened in part one. I mean lots of character relationship stuff, but not a lot of action.

I feel like the beginning of Strange the Dreamer was the same way. Slow moving in the beginning, but compellingly readable at the same time. I wonder if the action will pick up in part two?

I also just noticed that there are also photos in the back of the book like there is one in the front. Is it some code? Is it a puzzle to decipher? I can't wait to find out.

I am so glad that Sarai's elilith is the moon and stars, it is so perfect for her. I had no idea what it would be and of course it turns out to be something incredibly romantic like that.
(hide spoiler)]

[Amanda]

ch 16 pg 132 (view spoiler)[
I'm confused as to why we are getting this story. Will it be a part of Lazlo and Sarai's story or is it just history? I want a spin off series set in this same world. Like a origin story or a story about the gods. Or a novella even. I hope that Nova has a really cool power as well. (hide spoiler)]

end of ch 16 (view spoiler)[ Now that we've learned that Skathis was the captain of this ship, does that mean that Kora is Lazlo's mom or something? I'm still curious as to how this is all going to come together. (hide spoiler)]

[Amanda]

end of 18 (view spoiler)[ I want to know more about the book and it's code. It seems like a puzzle and I want to figure it out.

Also, I am so nervous to see if Sarai gets to keep her gift... (hide spoiler)]

[Amanda]

end of 19 (view spoiler)[ I LOVE the fox wings. I was told that my spirit animal is a vixen, a female fox, so it would be PERFECT for me to have fox wings. Their dreamscapes were SO incredibly romantic.

I am so happy that she didn't lose her gifft!!! (hide spoiler)]

[Amanda]

end of 21 (view spoiler)[ I'm actually starting to feel bad for Thyon, when all I used to feel was hate or disgust. Did he cut himself? Is that what the scars were? Or were they from being beat?

Also, since the opening chapter I have wondered... is the real name of Weep Rieva? (hide spoiler)]

[Amanda]

Jenn wrote: "Part 1:[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ Yeah, how long can they keep her down? I feel like they've just made things worse by angering her.
Lazlo would KILL for a chance to get in that library. He always loved Weep, but now he's a part of it, so he's living his dream. (hide spoiler)]

[Amanda]

end of 22 (view spoiler)[ I hope that Sarai realizes how damaged Minya is and how much that trauma really affected her. They should wake her. It's absolute TORTURE to keep her like this. Yeah, there will be consequences, but I've been the one with the PTSD dreams and to be stuck in them like that? It would be horror.
I hope they wake her soon... (hide spoiler)]

[Amanda]

pg 202(view spoiler)[ Okay so I love the dreamscapes and Laini Taylor's imagination and vivid descriptions. It's like it all comes to life so magically the way she describes it.

You ever look up images of descriptions to get a full feel of the scene? I did because I didn't know what a samovar is. I thought I would share... Here is the paragraph of a dreamscape and here is some images I found to go with it.

"They were in a tea stall in the marketplace of Dreamer's Weep, with hanging rugs for walls and a fantastical samovar in the shape of an elephant with opals for eyes and carved demonglass tusks. The tea was fragrant, the flavor dark. The glavestones were dark, too -- rare carmine stones that cast a red glow. They sat totherther in one chair, It was more like a nest than a chair, formed of two enormous, split agate eggs, one for the seat, the other for the back. Their crystal formations sparkled in the ruby light, and they were filled up with fleeces and cushions. Sarai's feet were in Lazlo's lap. HIs fingers played over her anklebones, traced her arches, trailed up her calves to the warm bends of her knees."

(hide spoiler)]

[Amanda]

If you can't tell, Strange the Dreamer is one of my all time favorite books.

[Amanda]

end of 23(view spoiler)[ OK HERE IS WHAT I THINK

I think that the reason that the Ellens can't talk is bc Minya controls what they say, like split personalities. I also think that every human has abilities...possibly, That probably isn't actually true tho, but they wouldn't know bc the abilities only work when touching the metal. I also think that it's very possible that Eril Fane didn't kill the babies? but he felt bad for it so that can't be it.. Minya is definitely not telling the whole truth or DOESNT REMEMBER the whole truth. Something is up with the Ellens, if they were really like every other ghost they would be talking. I think Minya picked them up bc they were a part of that day, but that she makes them talk all the time. (hide spoiler)]

[Amanda]

end of part 2 (view spoiler)[ I KNEW THAT THE ELLENS WERE PART OF MINYA! I hope that this shows the others that Minya is not all evil and that part of her is good.. (hide spoiler)]

[Amanda]

end of 30 (view spoiler)[ OH SO ROMANTIC OMG (hide spoiler)]

[Amanda]

end of ch 32
(view spoiler)[
So... there's going to be peace?
So here is what I'm wondering... It says "many had godspawn growing inside them when they went home." What did they do with THOSE babies? Did they kill them when they were born? Why doesn't it say? (hide spoiler)]

[Amanda]

END OF 33 OMG (view spoiler)[ OMG ITS A PORTAL THEY WENT INTO A PORTAL. The godspawn ARE all over the world aren't they??? OMG PLEASE TELL ME I'M RIGHT. omgggg (hide spoiler)]

[Amanda]

end of 34 (view spoiler)[ Thyon has become a better person. AND I KNEW IT WAS A PORTAL (hide spoiler)]

[Amanda]

end of 35 (view spoiler)[ I knew it was a portal! I thought that Wraith went through it before? Was that when Lazlo first opened all the doors? Or can she travel through at any time? Cause then whatever/whoever is coming over right now could have come anytime. So is this the home of the gods? They bred children and then sent them there? Or does the portal go to many places like the portals in Daughter of Smoke and Bone? (hide spoiler)]

[Jenn]

Part 2: (view spoiler)[ so Minya is trapped in a nightmare herself. Yet I still don't feel sorry for her especially since it looks like she killed the Ellen's. I'm also really liking the story involving Kora and Nova. Interested in seeing where that goes (hide spoiler)]

[Jenn]

Part 3: (view spoiler)[ oh Nova girl you need to take a breather. But now that she's taken Minyas power I'm a little worried as to what she's going to do with it. (hide spoiler)]

[Jenn]

Amanda wrote: "end of 35 [spoilers removed]"

Girlll this book is getting crazy!!

[Amanda]

Jenn wrote: "Amanda wrote: "end of 35 [spoilers removed]"

Girlll this book is getting crazy!!"

I KNOW OMG! I have updates that I'll post at my next chapter break.

[Amanda]

I'm up to chapter 51, where are you?

[Amanda]

end of 37 (view spoiler)[ All of this history... They have to be on a different planet right? Like one where everyone has some power? Or does EVERYONE have some power? They say the gods came to weep, but from where? (hide spoiler)]

[Amanda]

ch 39 (view spoiler)[ "A bold young queen in that distant world was even now training a legion of angels and chimaera to battle the darkness and hopefully destroy it. But that's another story.

As for the other Six, led by Thakra-- who knows? Perhaps they died long ago, or perhaps they're still going, far, far out in the infinity of the great All. That's another story too"

The first paragraph is clearly referring to DoSaB, I am wondering if the second story has anything to do with at the end how it says "The End (or is it?)" Is this the next story to be written? (hide spoiler)]

[Amanda]

end of ch 40 (view spoiler)[ Oh jeese. Nova is going to be PISSED when she finds out Eril Fane killed Kova!

So this is how it all comes together then. Oh and she did come from another world. She's what? 18 or so years too late? (hide spoiler)]

[Amanda]

end of 43 (view spoiler)[ OH no! If Nova takes Minya's power Sarai will be lost! (hide spoiler)]

[Amanda]

end of ch 44 (view spoiler)[ Oh no no no no. Is Sarai going to disappear? (hide spoiler)]

[Amanda]

end of ch 50(view spoiler)[Fuck. I knew if Minya's power faded that sarai would be dead for good. What are they going to do???? (hide spoiler)]

[Amanda]

end of ch 52 (view spoiler)[
Wow. I don't blame her for killing the Ellens now... does Minya know that they are a part of her? I think she is so broken that she doesn't understand (hide spoiler)]

[Amanda]

end of ch 54(view spoiler)[Funny how Thyon is the one to save Sarai. He was so haughty in book one. Becoming friends with commoners really humbled him. Besides Minya he is one of the characters who changed the most in this novel. (hide spoiler)]