Strange the Dreamer – Laini Taylor

It was impossible, of course. But when did that ever stop any dreamer from dreaming?

 

Summary
Lazlo Strange is nothing but a librarian with an impossible dream – to discover the mysteries of the lost city of Weep. But it would take someone much bolder to pass through the deadly, vast desert, that no outsider has ever crossed – Elmuthaleth – to get to this forgotten, magical place. It would take someone more special than a simple librarian.

Writing
Whoa. I am in awe. Laini Taylor is really someone out of this world. Her writing style is pure art. It’s indescribably beautiful. I just can’t get enough of it.

Still, I am aware that this might be a big problem for some people. The language Taylor uses is incredibly flowery and poetic. But because of that this book is muuuuch longer than it could have been. But I am a person who gets really frustrated with books that are overly descriptive and somehow in this case I wasn’t bothered by that at all.

Characters
The characters in this book feel very, very real. I had absolutely no problem with understanding what motivated and drove them, what are their hopes and dreams. It made me feel very connected to them, which in turn made everything that happened to them feel much more… personal.

Lazlo is… I don’t even know how to describe him. But I would die for that boy in a heartbeat. He’s one of the best written character I have ever seen in a book.

Plot
So this book is slow. Like really, really slow. And if it doesn’t grab you in the first 100-150 pages I feel like you should consider DNFing it to save yourself the trouble. Because it’s going to be this slow for the entire time and if you don’t feel the chemistry and the connection to the characters, it’s kind of pointless.

That said, I think that this plot is very solid. I like the way this world was set up and explained. There is not a thing that doesn’t make sense to me.

This book is slow, but it’s very engaging and surprising. There were actually a few twists I didn’t expect at all. Even though they were foreshadowed VERY CLEARLY. Or maybe I just didn’t want to see them.

Still, it doesn’t matter how good this entire book is. The beginning has a very special place in my heart. It’s the part I like to go back to from time to time. It’s beautiful and heartbreaking, and feels so, so real. I love it.

My only complaint is that I feel like the romance took a little bit too much space in the second half of the book. I feel like it kind of overwhelmed the story. I loved it, but I feel like it could have been balanced better.

Overall
I love fast-paced books. I have no patience for those drawn-out stories. And still, somehow, I completely feel in love with this novel. It stole my heart. For me it was one of these books that makes you feel worried that you will never find anything as good again.

So even if you are a fan of action-packed stories I encourage you to give this one a shot. It’s really worth it.

You can find this book on Goodreads, Amazon and Book Depository