{"id":36066,"date":"2019-03-28T18:05:57","date_gmt":"2019-03-28T22:05:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=36066"},"modified":"2019-03-28T18:05:57","modified_gmt":"2019-03-28T22:05:57","slug":"review-of-muse-of-nightmares-by-laini-taylor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=36066","title":{"rendered":"Review of Muse of Nightmares, by Laini Taylor"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Muse of Nightmares<\/em><\/p>\n

by Laini Taylor
\nread by Steve West<\/p>\n

Hachette Audio, 2018. 16 hours on 13 CDs.
\nStarred Review
\nReview written December 10, 2018, from a library audiobook
\n2018 Sonderbooks Stand-out<\/a>:
\n#3 Teen Speculative Fiction<\/p>\n

Wow. This book is wonderful. I confess, I listened to this book even though it\u2019s technically eligible for the Newbery Medal. Our committee had agreed not to listen to audiobooks of eligible books so as not to be swayed in either direction. But the book this follows, Strange the Dreamer<\/a><\/em>, was the book that gave me a crush on narrator Steve West (what a gorgeous voice!), and it\u2019s very long \u2013 way too long to indulge in reading the book \u2013 and that first book struck me as much more appropriate for young adults than for children.<\/p>\n

That continues to be my opinion. Yes, there are some teens in this book \u2013 but they are dealing with life as adults, deciding careers and where to live and yes, having sex. There are no parents telling them what to do.<\/p>\n

This second book is even sexier than the first. I would hesitate to give it to a 14-year-old. In fact, it would almost be a shame to give this to anyone who hasn\u2019t already had sex themselves \u2013 might give them the wrong idea. Our two protagonists have some special powers. Sarai is a ghost with a body \u2013 but she can do things like make her body light up when Lazlo kisses her. And they can go to fantasy locations in dreams \u2013 and it\u2019s all very amazing. And I wouldn\u2019t want to give anyone a misleading impression about what normal sex is like!<\/p>\n

Even setting aside that part, this book is amazing. We\u2019re set up at the end of the first book with what seems to be an impossible situation. Minya is keeping Sarai \u201calive\u201d as a ghost. But Minya also wants to destroy the people of the city of Weep. Lazlo is caught in the middle. If he doesn\u2019t let Minya get her vengeance, then she\u2019s going to let Sorai completely die.<\/p>\n

Can Laini Taylor pull off a satisfying and believable ending from that set-up? It turns out that yes, she can.<\/p>\n

To pull off that satisfying ending involves telling another story and giving us a bigger picture of worlds parallel to the one where our story is set. It\u2019s all intricate and well-worked-out and I am again marveling at Laini Taylor\u2019s imagination.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s also long. Yes, there\u2019s some repetition. Yes, there are some places where we get more descriptions of people\u2019s emotions than we necessarily need. But again, listening to Steve West\u2019s narration on my commute, I didn\u2019t mind the experience being prolonged.<\/p>\n

In the first book we found out about generations of abuse that happened to the people of the city of Weep. In the second book, we find out what was behind that abuse \u2013 and see realistic beginnings of healing from it.<\/p>\n

And the whole story is intricate and imaginative and beautifully told.<\/p>\n

lainitaylor.com<\/a>
\nstrangethedreamer.com<\/a>
\nhachetteaudio.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Buy from Amazon.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Find this review on Sonderbooks<\/a> at: www.sonderbooks.com\/Teens\/muse_of_nightmares.html<\/a><\/p>\n

Disclosure: I am an Amazon Affiliate, and will earn a small percentage if you order a book on Amazon after clicking through from my site.<\/p>\n

Source: This review is based on a library audiobook from Fairfax County Public Library.<\/p>\n

Disclaimer: I am a professional librarian, but I maintain my website and blogs on my own time. The views expressed are solely my own, and in no way represent the official views of my employer or of any committee or group of which I am part.<\/p>\n

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