Do all monsters need to be killed?

In the sequel to Strange the Dreamer, Sarai and Lazlo are left with little to hold onto but their love for one another. The great citadel in the sky had almost fallen, and with it went a blue skinned girl. Facing off against Minya, the little girl god that holds Sarai’s very being in her hands, Lazlo must make a choice. Save her or the entirety of Weep down below them.

But Minya is not their only foe. Entwined with the story of Lazlo and Sarai, Weep and the godspawn is another tale. That of two sisters, Kora and Nova, swept up in the tide of the gods that sweep across worlds, taking whatever they wish. The sisters hold answers that the godspawn have been looking for – why they were born in the first place, what did the gods want with magical children, and where did they take them? But those answers will not be given gladly, or without losses on both sides.

Oh Laini Taylor, breaking my heart again with her words. She’s so good! I was worried I wouldn’t enjoy this one as much as Strange but it was just as excellent. To throw in a seemingly unrelated story at the beginning with Nova and Kora could have been risky, but the way Taylor does it makes you care about these strangers from the get-go. I was also expecting Minya to be their main threat, and so to have that change was both welcome and refreshing.

I was totally caught up in and believed in Lazlo and Sarai’s love story and I wanted nothing but a happy ending for them. Actually I wanted a happy ending for everyone, even the ‘bad guys’ which shows how well Taylor fleshes out her characters. You understand all of their motivations, even if you don’t agree with their actions.

And the subtle nods to the Daughter of Smoke and Bone trilogy showing that the stories exist in the same universe thrilled me. I am eagerly awaiting a book or trilogy that brings all the main characters together. “Someone who makes new bodies for souls who need them” indeed.

If you’re a fan of Taylor’s work this is a must-read and if you haven’t been sucked into her world yet then this duology is the perfect place to start.