Muse of Nightmares

I LOVED Strange the Dreamer so my expectations might have been too high for this one, but Muse of Nightmares fell a bit short to me.

The story picks up immediately after the events of the first book, introducing us to two new characters, while diving deeper into our beloved characters' and Weep’s pasts. Liani introduces in this sequel more dimensions to the world as well as connections with her previous series, which I haven’t read yet, keeping the exploration of themes such as love, revenge and redemption.

As in the first book, the writing is absolutely gorgeous and Liani does a stellar job creating emotional depth, complex character arcs, and intricate world-building, leading to an unforgettable read.

So, why didn’t this work as well for me as the first book?

• Muse of Nightmares, as foreshadowed by the title, is more focused on Sarai storyline and on her powers, leaving some of my favorite characters longer in the shadow.

• I probably wouldn't have noticed this if I hadn't read both books in a row, but this sequel was written a bit differently. Although we keep experiencing third-person omnisciente narration, the POV shifts more, resulting in something like internal dialogues, though the characters didn’t really know what the others were thinking. This is a pet peeve of mine because I don’t like to be told what to think and feel.

• Additionally, the story felt rushed, and some events happened in a too convenient way, creating in me the impression that this book was more focused on expanding the story for a future series/ sequel rather than for the sake of this duology.

Still, this was a satisfying end for the duology and I will wait expectantly to be back into this world. Both books were a very emotional read, and my heart was aching for the whole time (there were also many tears along this journey), so I definitely recommend this reading 🙂