Review Detail

A MULTITUDE OF DREAMS is an atmospheric YA fantasy/suspense. Seraphina is living in the castle as the king's youngest and most beloved daughter, but she is actually a Jewish girl who was selected as a stand-in because she looked like Princess Imogen. She dreams of leaving and finding her family, but the castle is strictly boarded up and isolated due to the plague. The Bloody Plague or mori roja has swept through the country and left so many dead in its wake, with only a few survivors out in the world. The castle, due to being locked up tightly, has not been infected but the people within have no idea if their families or others they left behind are still alive with the king strictly holding the quarantine for his families and nobles.

Nico Mott is a gravedigger and servant of noble blood and one of the few who gained immunity to the plague when infected. He was the only one from his family to do so and now lives and works for Crane, who has collected those with immunities to his estate. Nico is happy to help Crane, as he feels like Crane saved him - at least until a mysterious visitor Elisabeth, who was never infected, arrives and begins to question Crane and his motives. Nico begins to realize that not everything as it seems, and that the plague may have left monsters in its wake.

What I loved: This book captures a gothic atmosphere well and really brings the air of horror and fear to life through both the captured princess/nobility with Seraphina's perspective as well as the things witnessed outside of the castle through Nico. The dual perspectives work well to present the world as it is and the ways different groups have coped in the aftermath.

There was a bit of romance, but it really took a backseat to the horror-type elements. This seemed to work well. Most relationships were built on a sense of utility with bonds forged out of a desire for something to be gained. This was related to the challenges of survival, when people are reduced to their barest selves. The ways that people seek and hoard power in the midst of this was intriguing as well. Despite food scarcity, fear of illness, and the cruelty of others being constant threats, there were still those who strove for power in politics first and foremost.

Seraphina's story was in part to show prejudice against Jews, with real historical context explained in the author's note. This glimpse into the past was given in small places throughout, with important implications. She herself was a character whose motives were easy to understand and empathize with, as her life is a forced lie that she struggles with each day while missing her family and desire to be herself. Nico was also a compelling character who evaluates the world critically and has a strong sense of morality. Together, their characters make for an easy pull into the story and this world.

What left me wanting more: The big twist became clear fairly early on, and I would have loved a bigger reveal and shock factor, but this also followed as the characters figure out what is actually going on around them. The ending plots also seemed to change the story into something different than it seemed at first - while the beginning was atmospheric, spooky, and moody, the later parts of the story were more suspense and battle type scenes with a revenge feel for disliked characters. I would have liked more of the gritty feeling from the first part to have stayed with the writing through the end, as the first really captured me, but this will be personal preference.

Final verdict: A MULTITUDE OF DREAMS is an atmospheric and gothic YA fantasy/horror that will work well for fans of LAKESEDGE, SMALL FAVORS, and DOWN COMES THE NIGHT.