Title: A Multitude of Dreams
Author: Mara Rutherford
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Gothic, Historical, Romance
Rating: 5 Stars
Description/Synopsis:
Princess Imogen of Goslind has lived a sheltered life for three years at the boarded-up castle—she and the rest of its inhabitants safe from the bloody mori roja plague that’s ravaged the kingdom. But Princess Imogen has a secret, and as King Stuart descends further into madness, it’s at great risk of being revealed. Rations dwindle each day, and unhappy murmurings threaten to crack the facade of the years-long charade being played within the castle walls.
Nico Mott once enjoyed a comfortable life of status, but the plague took everyone and everything from him. If not for the generosity of a nearby lord, Nico may not have survived the mori roja’s aftermath. But does owing Lord Crane his life mean he owes him his silence?
When Lord Crane sends Nico to search for more plague survivors in the castle, Nico collides with a princess who wants to break out. They will each have to navigate the web of lies they’ve woven if they’re going to survive the nightmares that lie ahead.
WARNING – SPOILERS MAY ENSUE BEYOND THIS POINT – REVIEW BELOW
I had so much fun reading this book. In a way, it was a bit of a fairytale – a princess in a high tower, a great evil attempting to take the throne – but don’t let that deceive you, because this story was so much more.
It was a story of plague, anti-Semitism, madness, and vampires. The setting was similar to our own, but set in a fantasy kingdom. In a way, I wish there had been a bit more to the fantasy side of things, but it blended well into the story, so I can’t complain too much.
The characters were fantastic. It was interesting to see the old proprieties and customs in a very familiar quarantine setting. I found Nico and Seraphina to be my favorite characters (no surprises there) in part because they were the most fleshed out, but also because their gender roles were not as clearly defined as you’d assume at first glance. I loved that Seraphina was brave, smart, and a bit naughty, while Nico was kind, gentle, and constantly blushing. It made for an interesting dynamic between the two.
Overall, the book was very well written and had a bit of darkness to it, but in the end, it was fun and explored what makes us human when we are stripped back to our basics.
Author Unpublished 