Dream of Gods and Monsters - Book Review

Dreams of Gods and Monsters - Book Review

Laini Taylor

YA Fantasy

Book #3 in the Daughter of Smoke and Bone Trilogy

UK Publisher: Hodder and Stoughton

Synopsis:

By way of a staggering deception, Karou has taken control of the Chimaera rebellion and is intent on steering its course away from dead-end vengeance. The future rests on her, if there can be a future for the chimaera in war ravaged Eretz.

Common enemy, common cause.

When Jael’s brutal seraph army trespasses into the human world, the unthinkable becomes essential, and Karou and Akiva must ally their enemy armies against the threat. It is a twisted version of their long-ago dream, and they begin to hope that it might forge a way forward for their people.

And perhaps, for themselves. Toward a new way of living and maybe even love.

But there are bigger threats than Jael in the offing. A vicious queen is hunting Akiva, and, in the skies of Eretz … something is happening. Massive stains are spreading like bruises from the horizon; the great winged storm hunters are gathering as if summoned, ceaselessly circling and a deep sense of wrong pervades the world.

What power can bruise the sky?

From the streets of Rome to the caves of the Kirin and beyond, humans, Chimaera and seraphim will fight, strive, love and die in an epic theatre that transcends good and evil, right and wrong, friend and enemy. 

At the very barriers of space and time, what do Gods and monsters dream of? And does anything else matter…?

Review:

As a whole this trilogy has been magnificent. A real pleasure to read,  this final book takes the reader on a journey of war, peace, friendship and betrayal while every character walks the thin line of life and death. It was a fantastic conclusion to the series.

Beginning immediately where the last book left off, we find Akiva and Karou facing the ultimate challenge of uniting their people against the greater evil presented to them by the emperor. But after hundreds of years of war, can the angels and chimaera put their differences aside, or will their long bred hatred of one another be rooted too deep? But as destiny and prophecies are fulfilled what shape will the future take as lives are lost and the end of days draws nearer. Can Karou and Akiva win against the empire or will the world be changed forever…?

I finished the second book of this trilogy “dreams of blood and starlight’ well over a year ago so it took a couple of chapters for me to get back into the story, to remember the characters, their names and histories - and their past meetings and who had conflicted with who. Still it didn't take me too long to recall everything and I was quickly hooked back into the story.

I love Laini Taylor’s writing style. Her prose is magical and lyrical to the point it almost flows of the page. The descriptions are vivid and bring each scene to life with a breathtaking onslaught of sensory images which continued through all three books to astound and amaze me.

The old characters were all as loveable as I remembered and I liked the splash of drama and intrigue the new ones added to the story. The connections between each person (man/angel and beast) also read genuine and I was sad to say goodbye to these amazing characters when the book ended.

In terms of the story the plot was action packed and fast paced. There were many surprises, some ‘oh my god’ moments and ultimately, a very satisfying ending with a twist that I hope will one day lead to a further/spin off story.

Overall words cannot express how much I have enjoyed reading these books and they will forever have a prized place on my bookshelf. Liana Taylor is a first class storyteller and I look forward to reading her future books. I give a Dream of Gods and Monsters 5 stars!