The Lost Dreamer is a sweeping fantasy inspired by ancient Mesoamerica. I have truly never read anything like it. The magic system was fascinating. I really wanted to love this book.
But it just fell flat to me. Indir and Saya were interesting characters, but their voices weren’t unique enough from each other. The world was so diverse and interesting, but there was so much going on with the magic and the peoples and the geography, and the on page worldbuilding just wasn’t up to par with the ambitious world Lizz Huerta had written. I often found myself confused and/or overwhelmed.
I couldn’t connect with any if the interpersonal relationships, the exception being Indir and her sisters. But friendships and romances always felt shallow to me. I was told that Saya felt like she was becoming a part of Ruta and Kinet’s family, but I couldn’t feel it. The same goes for Indir and [redacted]. I felt no chemistry between Indir and her chosen.
The writing, too, was a little rough on almost a structural level (I’m not sure that’s the right term). The way the sentences connected felt choppy. I read a paragraph where 7/9 sentences started with “It”, and not in an intentional way. The writing just didn’t flow at times.
This is a story and a book that had so much potential, the execution just wasn’t where I wanted it to be. I’m honestly not sure whether or not I will continue with the series. I’m interested in the premise and general plot, and I admit the big twist did catch me by surprise, but I’m not invested in the characters or writing. I feel some curiosity towards where the plot will go next, but I dont think I will be motivated enough to pick up book 2 when it releases in a year.
But it just fell flat to me. Indir and Saya were interesting characters, but their voices weren’t unique enough from each other. The world was so diverse and interesting, but there was so much going on with the magic and the peoples and the geography, and the on page worldbuilding just wasn’t up to par with the ambitious world Lizz Huerta had written. I often found myself confused and/or overwhelmed.
I couldn’t connect with any if the interpersonal relationships, the exception being Indir and her sisters. But friendships and romances always felt shallow to me. I was told that Saya felt like she was becoming a part of Ruta and Kinet’s family, but I couldn’t feel it. The same goes for Indir and [redacted]. I felt no chemistry between Indir and her chosen.
The writing, too, was a little rough on almost a structural level (I’m not sure that’s the right term). The way the sentences connected felt choppy. I read a paragraph where 7/9 sentences started with “It”, and not in an intentional way. The writing just didn’t flow at times.
This is a story and a book that had so much potential, the execution just wasn’t where I wanted it to be. I’m honestly not sure whether or not I will continue with the series. I’m interested in the premise and general plot, and I admit the big twist did catch me by surprise, but I’m not invested in the characters or writing. I feel some curiosity towards where the plot will go next, but I dont think I will be motivated enough to pick up book 2 when it releases in a year.