A magical conclusion to the 'Strange the Dreamer' dualogy by the amazingly talented Laini Taylor.
Really, to reveal anything about the plot of 'Muse of Nightmares' would be a spoiler. I'll be not-so careful and say that the end of the adventures of Lazlo Strange and Sarai, and a lot of other colourful characters, might not be the end. Of the horizon, of an era, or of all their stories linking together, as if destiny plays a part.
For stories - like the ever-expanding universe full of undiscovered stars and worlds beyond our wildest dreams - never truly end. The lives of these extraordinary players - of gods, ghosts, scientists, warriors, thieves, urchins, elders, children, monsters, you name it - will never cease to be unpredictable.
Lazlo is as likable, adorable, selfless, optimistic, and altruistic as ever, even through new and horrifying tragic turns. He is too good for the city of Weep and the petty affairs of gods, passed down to the feared and frightened godspawn. His romance with the poor, tortured soul (literally) Sarai is even sweeter and more beautiful than in the previous book, now that they both have so much to lose, and desperately don't want to lose each other in the wake of an impending war between gods and humans. They are not children anymore, but there is still so much they wish to experience together, and not even death can break them apart and crush their hope. They make love in the form of dreams and imagination. It's overwhelming how pure and magical Lazlo and Sarai are, a match made for tragedy. Why have war and violence when these kids exist? It's a 'Romeo and Juliet' story that is actually worth caring about.
The lovely Mesarthim godspawn Sarai grows into her own character throughout the tale, by learning new ways to use her powers of entering people's dreams, and reaching far and wide in order to gain back her independence and freedom in an impossible existence that is not in her control. Sarai doesn't want to be the Muse of Nightmares anymore; how about the Goddess of Dreams instead?
Minya. Oh Minya Minya Minya. The little girl godspawn of hell continues to be deliciously malicious and evil. Though of course she thinks she is in the right. Completely obsessed with vengeance, she is just as much a tragic victim in this whirlwind story as Lazlo and Sarai are, if not more so. The reader will start off despising the menacing puppet mistress, and then deeply sympathizing with the ball of bloody pain that is her very essence. A fascinating and compelling villain, she is it. I won't reveal anymore, but Minya's character is one of the many examples of great writing in 'Muse of Nightmares'.
Other characters from the last installment, such as the acrobatic, lithe, no-nonsense lesbian Calixte Dagaz, are thankfully given their bright spots, through witty dialogue and actions. Calixte is so brave, multi-talented and funny, it's like a miracle in of itself.
Thyron Nero, the spoiled but abused and sheltered golden godson, who once thought the peasant librarian's assistant Lazlo to be so far beneath him as to be an ant (how wrong he was!), receives wonderful character development and a redemption arc here. Maybe even a male lover, in the form of a Tizerkane warrior named Ruza. So queer representation isn't limited to only a couple of characters in this fantasy series! Thyron discovers so many layers within himself that he never knew he was capable of before; like empathy, thinking of others, and getting his hands dirty, thanks to the worst circumstances bringing out the best in him. And Lazlo Strange.
I adore Thyron, the selfish, overprivileged prick turned free and woke ray of sunlight (and gay love), as much as I do the Dreamer.
The Godslayer Eril-Fane and his wife Azareen have their heartbreaking moments as well, though I admit I don't find them to be as interesting this time, at least compared to what's happening with the other characters. Eril-Fane's mother Suheyla is a comforting grandmother figure, much needed in dark times.
New(ish) characters are the sisters Kora and Nova. Again, to say anything about either of them would be spoilery. But basically, they start off as innocent young girls on a lowly faraway world, wanting to escape their miserable lives and become goddesses. They are abused by their father and by their equally and typically awful stepmother. They miss their birth mother, who was "chosen" to be taken away by godlike beings, the Mesarthim, years before. Kora and Nova have no one but each other. The girls' sudden separation under a disgusting patriarch rule, across the universe and centuries, will not diminish their love for one another, nor their steel hope of reuniting, even in the face of harsh reality.
The sisters' story is another brand of heartbreaking tragedy in a book brimming with it. Their background, not to mention a male villainous god who lived as a tyrant, murderer and rapist before the events of this series, provides feminist commentary - much needed and appreciated in today's society, and in fantasy novels. The famous movie line "Better to die a hero, than live long enough to see yourself become the villain" applies to one of the sisters elegantly and terrifyingly. She becomes a mirror of Minya, right down to how she treats her subordinates and "family", whom she saved and who owe her a debt of galactic gratitude.
I'm hugely thankful that the book acknowledges that the Mesarthim gods were rapists, and uses the word "rape" to describe their actions against the humans of Weep, to breed godspawn in their giant, looming metal angel, the citadel.
A downside to 'Muse of Nightmares', the highly anticipated sequel to last year's fantasy hit, 'Strange the Dreamer', is that the ending is too neat and tidy. Everything seems to be wrapped in a perfect, pretty bow, with nothing much lost, at least personally. Everybody, with one exception, gets what they want, or their lives are for the better now, and for a book built on tragedy, this is rather bizarre.
Coming from Laini Taylor's work, that is saying something.
Here is the end of all I will say of 'Muse of Nightmares'. It is like stargazing in book form, and I expected nothing less from Laini's writing. Fantasy and sci-fi unite in a perfume of delight, creativity and 'Games of Thrones'-style spiderweb manipulations. The ending might not be all that dramatic, and the high stakes are resolved a bit too easily, but it sets itself up for a voyage through multiple, angelic, magical, war-torn and broken universes. Thanks to so-called "gods", who are still dicks.
Life isn't a fairy tale, but everyone deserves to be happy, and to have a happily ever after. Except for the selfish, greedy, power-hungry tyrants who call themselves gods, who are just dicks.
A funny line from the novel to end the review, summing up leaders who are dicks:
"A practical handbook for making the rich richer and granting eternal life to greedy monarchs so that they can rule poorly forever."
Final Score: 4/5
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