Do you dream in color? You will after reading this. The story is about a lineage of female seers who clash with a new king. The world building in this story was outstanding! I really felt like I could see, hear, smell, and touch everything in this book. The two main characters are seers. Indir is also a dreamer who can dream the truth. Saya is a seer but not a formally trained dreamer. The description of the dreams in this book are so vivid and vibrant! I read a physical copy of the book but I will go back and listen to an audio version of it. This was an experience I want to close my eyes and be transported into this world. It is so difficult to write this review because I don't want to spoil anything. This book would make a great book club selection. There is just so much to talk about! Get this book!

The Lost Dreamer is a great YA book inspired by ancient Mesoamerica. The main character Indir is a Dreamer, while the other Saya, is not. The story has great world-building and a unique style to it. It took me a bit to get into it, but once I was, it flew by. It is a unique story with strong characters.

This book slaps. 11/10. I am absolutely going to have to reread it because it was so good that I read it too fast.

First off, The Setting: Ancient Mesoamerica? In a totally unique and incredible culture, with rich history, prophecies, and an incredible magic system? Yes please!! The vivid imagery of the Dreams was stunning and I’ve never read anything quite like it before. I’m picky about both worldbuilding and writing styles, and The Lost Dreamer has my seal of approval.

The Plot: This isn’t your cliche YA “Princess goes on quest to save kingdom with two cute boys, which one will she love” plot that I’ve read a hundred times before. This is something entirely new and unique. You follow two girls, one of them a Dreamer, living in the temple and hiding the fact that she can no longer Dream, and the other a wanderer who hides the fact that she can Dream for her own protection (or so she thinks). The story is rich and complex, with high stakes and plenty action, and with a fullness that is often lacking in YA fantasy.

The Characters: The main two girls, Saya and Indir, are both fully worthy of carrying the story. Indir is a girl trapped, hiding secrets that could destroy her, and trying to live a life in a world that is crumbling down around her. Saya is finally free, able to make her own choices for the first time and realizing in her freedom just how little she knows herself. I appreciated how they each chose to face their own story, and while they had help and support, they never fell into the trap of simply following a guide character around and being useless.

The supporting characters were well done; I felt they each had more of a story and personality than we were shown. I would read a full book on each and every supporting character in this book. There was a slight romantic subplot for Indir, but it never detracted from the plot. The love interest was a very respectable choice (no “I can fix him!” trope here!) and I appreciated the way it was worked into the story. It was an important aspect of the book, but it wasn’t the focus.

Conclusion: Overall I loved this book. It has all of the best aspects of the YA genre without any of the negative ones. Really my only complaint is that there isn’t more. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for more books by this author, and I have high hopes of more in this world.