Dreams of Gods & Monsters

Gr 9 Up—Eliza Jones, a research fellow at Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History, wakes from a recurring nightmare to the discovery that angels have appeared in the sky above Uzbekistan. Unbeknownst to Eliza, she is the linchpin upon which the salvation of worlds depends. The battle is well and truly on in this finale to the "Daughter of Smoke and Bone" trilogy (Little, Brown). Star-crossed lovers Karou and Akiva have fleeting moments together as their worlds threaten to implode in a power struggle hemmed by uneasy alliances and surprise players. Jael, the psychopathic emperor, has made good on his threat to invade the human world, and human authorities, ecclesiastical and political, struggle to make sense of the shining angels negotiating for human weapons of mass destruction. With the soul of Karou's friend Siri sealed into the body of chimaera leader Thiago, the slim possibility of alliance and survival exists. Revelations and betrayals, multitudinous characters and fulfilled prophecies speed past in a blur of action and intensity. The introduction of Eliza this late in the game is convenient but useful, since she provides the knowledge that gives victory to the rebellion. Characterizations serve the plot and do not achieve any notable depth, but the momentum is more than enough to keep the pages turning. The obstacles between Karou and Akiva multiply exponentially and finally dissipate. The conclusion promises resurrection, renewal, and long-postponed love happily resolved, and that should satisfy even the most meticulous fans.—Janice M. Del Negro, GSLIS Dominican University, River Forest, IL