Muse of Nightmares - Liani Taylor

"Sarai has lived and breathed nightmares since she was six years old.

She believed she knew every horror and was beyond surprise.

She was wrong.

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?"

I’m so impressed by how Taylor deftly dances across genres, careening between fantasy and science-fiction. Even more inspiring is how she sprawls out from her story’s already expansive beginning to an even broader canvas of magic and war and divinity, brilliantly tying the myriad threads of her story together by the end. It’s something that can be so easily abused and leaned on like a crutch, but in the hands of a skilled author like Taylor, the world of the book only manifolds, unfurling like concealed pages of a map, and uncovering a future full of terrible, unguessable magic. It's like falling into a nautilus shell: every time you think you've reached the end, another chamber opens. 

I know a lot of us were expecting Muse of Nightmares to be good, but I have to say, this book actually exceeded my expectations. I have a lump in my throat and I can't stop thinking about it. Taylors use of symbolism, poetic writing and grandeur is astounding to read. However it never feels inhuman and distant. 

No spoilers, of course. The beginning opens by introducing us to two new characters - Kora and Nova - and their compelling story eventually becomes deeply-entwined with the main plot in ways that were unexpected, thrilling, and sad.

If you are that sort of reader, this is definitely a crying book. There is one scene - you'll know it when you come to it - that was so heartbreakingly emotional that I had to put the book down for a few minutes to organize my feelings. Taylor creates such strong ties between characters that it feels like a physical, painful thing when those ties are broken.

The story at the heart of Muse of Nightmares continues Strange the Dreamer in that it's about discovering the origins of Weep and the floating citadel. What really happened all those years ago? How did five half-human children survive the Carnage and become trapped in a secret prison?

Finding out opens up doors to horrors and, let me tell you-- some parts of this are really creepy. Every single villian in this duology gets a redemption arc, which RIPPED MY HEART OUT. They all had tortured pasts and were forced to do awful acts in order to empower themselves, which was so heart-breaking to witness. There was so much rage and pain and moral grayness. 

The faranji! My beloved faranji! They were amazing! Calixte and Tzara, Thyon and Ruza. Ah, their dynamics warm my heart. The sass…the humour! And to think I hated Thyon in Strange the Dreamer! His character development was honestly amazing and everything I ever wanted! My only complaint is that they had such small and insignificant roles here. I was definitely left wanting more! Eril-Fane, Azareen, and Suheyla were also highlights for me. I’m so happy with how their storylines wrapped up. It was beautiful.

Age Rating 16+. Adult content. Rape, forced marriages, child slavery...