Muse of Nightmares: Strange the Dreamer, Book 2

Kids say
Based on 2 reviews
Common Sense is a nonprofit organization. Your purchase helps us remain independent and ad-free.
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this book.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Muse of Nightmares is the sequel to the absorbing best-selling fantasy Strange the Dreamer. As with the first book, this mature story is best for high school readers ready for difficult subject matter. Trauma over past rapes and murders dominates Muse of Nightmares, and some characters are so overcome with trauma that they seek out vengeful violence. They attempt to destroy whole towns and teams of soldiers with an army of ghosts and magical powers. One bloody scene shows two characters impaled over and over again. Characters are imprisoned and nearly choked to death, two others are drowned, and a character jumps to death out of grief. A woman remembers being hit and verbally abused by her stepmother and then sold by her father to an old man when she was just a teen. Readers of Strange the Dreamer already know that, less than two decades before that story began, girls had been taken from their homes, raped, forced have children, and then sent home again with their minds wiped of their memories. They also know about the babies murdered in the nursery. One character relives this scene over and over again in her nightmares. Sexual content is also mature: Main characters share beds naked, with descriptions of touching and talk of doing more intimate things in dreams. Older characters have sex, but it's not described. The main character, Sarai, tries to help characters grapple with their trauma. She finds there is no easy path back to a sense of peace.
Community Reviews
There aren't any reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.
What's the Story?
In MUSE OF NIGHTMARES, Lazlo is relieved that Sarai can remain in the citadel as a ghost, until he realizes that Minya can control her. Minya, the girl who saved Sarai and three more "godspawn" from slaughter 15 years before, has a vendetta against the man they call the "godslayer," Eril-Fane, and the whole town of Weep. She plans to force Lazlo to fly her and her army of ghosts there and will allow Sarai to evanesce if he doesn't comply. In a last, desperate attempt to save Weep, Minya is drugged and falls into a restless sleep. Sarai, Muse of Nightmares, follows her into her dreams hoping to get through to Minya. It's a place where Minya and Sarai relive the day of the slaughter over and over. It's both horrible and confusing. As Sarai tries to help her push through her trauma, she finds Minya has been keeping secrets for years about that day.
Is It Any Good?
There's a lot to love in this absorbing page-turner, but the three fierce women at its center drive this sequel to a deep place where they reckon with trauma and healing. And if that's too heavy for you, there's also the tender romance between a god and a ghost, a shape-shifting airship, alternate worlds, and more mythology and mysteries.
But back to the fierce women. Only one, Sarai, Muse of Nightmares, is easy to root for. She gave up her scary profession when she met Lazlo. Minya and Nova take work to root for. Author Laini Taylor puts in this work, showing their vulnerabilities, suffering, and fears. Then their nearly all-consuming drive for revenge makes sense, and adds so much unsettling tension to the story. Minya and Nova may annihilate everyone in their path to get the vengeance they seek. And Sarai and her dreams are the only weapons to stop them. Muse of Nightmares is ambitious and cerebral, and so worth the dreamy trip.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the disturbing content in Muse of Nightmares. How do characters cope with sexual violence in their past? Is it tough to read about, or a little easier because it's a fantasy novel?
What do Minya and Nova have in common? Both are strong adversarial forces in the story -- not quite villains, but it's complicated. How many books do you read where women have this role?
The story wraps up in two books here, but there are other worlds that could be explored. Would you be in for a spin-off series? Who do you think should have a starring role?
Book Details
- Author: Laini Taylor
- Genre: Fantasy
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy, Princesses, Fairies, Mermaids, and More, Adventures, Brothers and Sisters, Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires, Pirates, Space and Aliens
- Book type: Fiction
- Publishers: Little, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
- Publication date: October 2, 2018
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 14 - 18
- Number of pages: 528
- Available on: Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: September 27, 2018
Our Editors Recommend
For kids who love fantasy
Themes & Topics
Browse titles with similar subject matter.
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate