Book Review: Muse of Nightmares by Laini Taylor

It's my birthday today, so I'm reviewing one of my favourite books of last year.

Laini Taylor writes the most beautiful prose, and can spin the most magical stories. Her characters are complex, complicated and flawed. Muse of Nightmares is no exception. This follows directly on from Strange the Dreamer, with no time in between. We’re taken straight into the story, and almost hit the ground running as we see Lazlo and Minya face off for the first time. It’s Minya who’s the star here, especially during the first half of the book. She’s bitter and spiteful, using Lazlo’s love for Sarai for her own agenda. The subtleties she has over her power, the ability to hold and wield the souls of the dead, and the way these are exposed to her ‘family’ are wonderful to read. She’s an individual starved of love who’s witnessed an event no one, but especially a child, should ever witness and it’s changed her irrevocably. She’s an utterly unique and wonderful character to read. Her unpredictability combined with this immense sense of responsibility just makes for such an interesting girl. She’s vicious and unrelenting, yet fiercely loyal.

Muse of Nightmares also sees the expansion of the backstory we are first introduced to in Strange the Dreamer. We see Skathis and the other Gods before the beginning of their reign of terror over Weep, and we finally discover the horrifying reason for the Godspawn. The two stories interweave with a degree of subtlety that develops into a wonderful conclusion, and the introduction of new character’s Nova and Kora fit well into the already developed tale. I was particularly taken with the strong bond between Nova and Kora, and their persistent and ever present belief in each other. They’re another example of the irreparable damage Skathis has caused for his own greedy gain, but also of how strong the bond of love can be and the perseverance of both.

Towards the end of the novel we’re given a little hint of the wider universes and how they link to Laini’s previous novels, which was cleverly done (and made me do a little inward squeal). I really hope that the world’s we’ve been exposed to can be further developed as the conclusion to this story was left open ended enough to do that. I’d love to see Karou interact with these characters who have also been perceived as vile and unnatural, much like the persecuted chimaera of The Daughter of Smoke and Bone.

I really don’t think my review could ever do this novel enough justice. I just love Laini Taylor’s ability to take characters you wouldn’t expect to find as the ‘heroes’ and flip the idea on its head. The Gods are the antagonists, yet their reviled children are the innocents. It’s just such a unique concept, and I love it and will probably continue to love everything she writes.

 - 5 stars