I recently finished Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor and I have been trying to organise my thoughts into something of a review.

I have read books by her before. Her Daughter of Smoke and Bone-trilogy is one of my favourite book series, so I was of course thrilled that she was releasing a new book this spring.

I had no expectations on it, I had barely read the synopsis when I sat down to read it, and I have to say I was immediately swept up in the story. The story is about orphan Lazlo Strange (Strange because of his orphan/foundling status). Who by luck or determination goes from being a monk’s apprentice to a librarian to a secretary to … whatever he becomes at the end.

This is the first book in a 2-part series, I’m very interested in finding out what happens to Lazlo and to his co-protagonist Sarai who I can’t really talk about without spoiling too much of the story. But given that it is a love story you can make some educated guesses I think.

Laini Taylor writes a beautiful language. She has the ability to paint a picture with words so you see what she sees. She’s also good at only telling you what you need to know, making you picture one thing, then giving you more information, making you have to adjust your picturing to face your preconceived notions.

I gave this book 4 stars on Goodreads where I had previously given Daughter of Smoke and Bone 5 stars, but that was only because I figured out many of her plot twists in advance. I usually don’t do that if I’m too caught up in a story but here I did and I’m not entirely sure it was because I’m getting better at it or if she was a bit too heavy handed with the foreshadowing. Or if she simply meant for the reader to figure it out just seconds before her reveal.

Whatever it is I really enjoyed this book and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys fairy tales and love stories in a fantasy setting. I felt very finifugal reading it and I found myself putting the book away when I normally would have ploughed through it because I didn’t want it to end.

Book 2 is supposed to be released in 2018.