Lair of Dreams by Libba Bray Review

Lair of Dreams by Libba Bray

“We are made by what we are asked to bear”

Lair of Dreams is split into different 2 different plots, the sleeping sickness mystery and the Project Buffalo one.  Theta, Memphis, Henry and Ling are trying to work out how the sleeping sickness occurred whilst Evie, Mabel, Sam and Jericho are finding information on Project Buffalo.

The first plot is the sleeping sickness in which people fall asleep and never wake up which eventually leads to their bodies burning up and them dying. It sweeps through Chinatown and foreigners are blamed for it. Ling is a dream walker who can also talk to the dead and one night she meets Henry who’s looking for someone from his past, they both decide to help each other. In the first book the main plot was about Naughty John it was creepy and evil but in this book the main plot is more mysterious. Though there is the creepy atmosphere with the ghosts in the tunnel most of it is figuring out who the women in the veil is and what her motive is.  Memphis sort of picks up some pieces with the help of his brother but his and Theta’s characters are mostly focused on their relationship

The second plot follows Sam as he tries to find his mother with the help of Evie who is now the ‘Sweetheart Seer’ after revealing her gift and becoming popular. After Evie comes out many people start coming out as Diviners – most of them being liars but people pay great money – she gains a lot of attention and gets a slot on a radio show reading objects.  Sam and Jericho are still working at the museum but with no income it’s soon going to fall apart so they decide to open up a Diviners exhibit with Will’s past being revealed and his link to Sam’s mother. 

Evie after the events of the first book is really broken and spends most of the book drunk. She isn’t seen as much as in the first book because the story is more focused elsewhere and her story focuses on the love triangle between Jericho and Sam and how she tries to be strong but her breakdown seems inevitable. 

Mabel wasn’t seen much either but her character does change a lot – she grows a backbone after being used by Evie and Jericho. The ending of the book leaves a cliff-hanger to what her character might do towards her friends.

Theta and Memphis’s story mainly focuses on both of them struggling with their powers and how most people disapprove of their interracial relationship.

Sam spent most of the book figuring out how to track down his mother but similar to Jericho he did talk a lot about Evie which isn’t as boring as it sounds.  I really liked the conversations between Sam and Evie – it was a love/hate relationship and they just had so much chemistry. I like Jericho fine enough but he’s so self pitying about Evie and I don’t think him and Evie are suited to be. One of my favourite things about this book is that though both boys liked Evie they never hated on each other – sure they teased each other but their relationship was just funny and relaxed which was nice as they weren’t pitied against each other.

Henry and Ling are probably my favourite duo from this book. The only set back is that Henry kept on hurting Theta unintentionally when he kept in dismissing her.  But they are like complete opposites – Henry’s really lively and dramatic whilst Ling is straight forward and blunt and their relationship is really nice.

I like the diversity in this book as it has a lot of main characters from different backgrounds from different places around the world, religions, disabled characters and different sexualities.

My favourite aspect of this book is when all the characters all meet and help each other. It’s like finally all of them together – talking about being Diviners and the bad things going on in NYC.

There are other smaller plotlines in the book and they’re kept short to keep the mystery like the two men following Sam and their other work, Will and Mrs Walker’s trip, Project Buffalo’s history, Sam’s mum, Blind Bill, Evie’s brother, Theta’s past and Memphis and the crow . Also I think the big overall plot for the saga is hinted at as well involving the King of Crows.

I also enjoyed how the author put in aspects of history from the time period like the KKK, acts on the people of China town, women forced into prostitution and inventors and science.

★★★★☆