Tuesday 30 May 2017

Teaser Tuesday: Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Ambrosia of The Purple Booker.
To play along just do the following:
  • Grab your current read
  • Open to a random page
  • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
  • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
  • Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor.

Strange the Dreamer – Little,
Brown Books for Young Readers

It was impossible, of course.
But when did that ever stop any dreamer from dreaming?
— Chapter 2

The end of wondering, he thought, but not of wonder. That was just beginning. He was certain of it.
— Chapter 15






This is not a one sitting book, at least not for me.Not because it is stale or hard to read or anything, but simply because it is filled with a language that demands to be appreciated, to be savoured, to be absorbed. This also doesn’t mean that one sitting reads aren’t beautifully written, just ... I can’t really explain it. Anyway, so far this hasn’t been the action laden adventure, but I’m only about a third into the story and there has already been enough drama and intrigue to more than make up for it. There is quite a bit of unfairness that is heartbreaking to read and to imagine.
As an avowed language-nerd I love the words Laini Taylor invents. There are words in foreign languages that express a complete complex concept or feeling and I always find them extremely fascinating. Like the Welsh word cynefin, which has no direct English translation. And the idea that there is for example a god so petty who if the offerings aren’t adequate grants your heart’s deepest wish to someone else, possibly your very nemesis. Wouldn’t that be horrible and awesome (in every sense of the word)?
Laini Taylor is a master wordsmith and I can’t wait to see where her magic will take me next. At the moment I’m in the middle of a hostile desert with fantastic, horrific beasts. And on the way to a fearsome, foreign city with a mythical problem and mysterious inhabitants. It’s a wonderfully exciting adventure.

Do you know a foreign word that has no known translation but which expresses a whole sentence in one word? Share loved words and teasers in the comments.

5 comments:

Vonnie said...

Laini Taylor is such a wonderful writer! I was not aware of this book. It is going on my list!

My TT

Unknown said...

I've yet to read this. My sister My TT from River Of Teethis reading it and really enjoying the story.

Majanka Verstraete said...

True. A dreamer never stops dreaming.

My Teaser Tuesday post.

JLS Hall said...

Nice teaser. Haven't heard of this one before. Sounds like a challenging read. But challenging in a good way. Hope you continue to enjoy it.

Here's my last Teaser for May

Laura said...

Good teasers! It sounds like an interesting book, but definitely not a one sitting read. Glad you're enjoying it. My Teaser

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