I’m about to confess something that I don’t think will be a very popular opinion around here.
I just read Dreams of Gods & Monsters. And I didn’t love it.
I know, right? What’s wrong with me? How could I think such a thing?
Honestly, I just don’t know.
I loved the first book. LOVED it. And I really liked the second one, and definitely appreciated what a great set up it was for a third book. I found myself really drawn to these characters and caring about what might happen to them. I was so excited to read this book. When I got it home from the library, I sat down immediately, and got right to it.
And I found myself, more often than not, putting it aside. This is not something that happened with the first two books. Ever.
I can’t really put my finger on the reason why, but this book (at least for the first 400 pages or so) just didn’t suck me in. It wasn’t until the scene in The St. Regis Hotel in Rome that my interest began to be piqued.
And that’s not the fault of Laini Taylor. That woman can write. She can move from humor to suspense to tragedy at the drop of a hat. Her descriptions of Rome, Morocco, and Eretz were gorgeous, bringing to life realistic, beautiful places I could easily imagine.
But I just wasn’t engaged. And I’m sorry for it.
I really wanted to love this final entry in what is still one of the strongest trilogies out there. But I’m still glad I read it and happy that I stuck with it all the way through. I’m glad I got to know these richly drawn characters and spend a little time with them.
I’m not going to go into too much detail about the ending, but I do want to say that I didn’t really think it worked. It all seemed a bit too much like a storybook happy ending, which after three books filled with war and suffering and broken hearts, wasn’t quite what I had expected. I’m not saying I was hoping for Death and Destruction For Everyone!, because I certainly wasn’t. But I’m not sure I was hoping for this, either.
Anyway, thanks to Laini Taylor for these great books. I’m sorry this one didn’t do it for me, but I still loved them as a whole.
And I <3 Ziri. That’s all.
</end confession>
You can read more of my reviews on my blog.
I feel exactly the same time. Wanted to love it, adore Laini Taylor, but struggled to finish it. For me it came down to a few too many unnecessary characters resulting in short-changing characters who needed more time to have their stories fully flushed out. And I’m with you about the ending – it seemed pretty quick and neat after 3 books of buildup.
Laini – if you’re reading this I still love you and will totally buy your next book! Call me?
One of my best friends was also incredibly underwhelmed and disappointed with the final book. It would be incredibly boring if everyone loved all the same books, though. Different opinions are totally ok, and is usually what creates interesting discussions. The only exception to this rule on CBR seems to be Rainbow Rowell, which is only right and proper. Everyone should love Rowell.