This is a mash-up of the short story "The Masque of the Red Death" by Edgar Allan Poe and various vampire legends. A young Jewish girl, Seraphina, is a look alike for the recently deceased princess Imogen. Imogen's sisters take her to the castle where Seraphina must know pretend to be a princess to save her life. The years pass and the plague (the reason the king shut them into the castle in the first place) appears to be subsiding, but the king's health is failing and so the noble residents are unsure of what to do. In the other part of the novel, Nico Mott was saved by Lord Crane and now Nico works for him. Nico comes to discover that Crane is a vampire. Eventually, Nico arrives at the castle and meets Seraphina. Together they work to help the rest of the survivors and try to figure out how to deal with the child vampires they find. I appreciate the author's desire to include a Jewish protagonist, but beyond that aspect of the novel, it was not a very original story or an original take on the source materials.

Thank you to Netgalley and Inkyard Press for a copy of this e-arc in exchange for an honest review

My rating: 3-3.5 (rounded to 3 for goodreads sake)

I thought the premise of this book was incredibly interesting, and it was part of the reason I requested it, but unfortunately, for me, it didn’t quite live up to the expectations. I will say that this is the second time I’ve been duped into reading a vampire book, and I’m really not sure how to feel about that. Overall, I felt a bit misled by the description. The stakes here were not enough to keep me engrossed, and that resulted in me being kind of bored during this book and what I felt was an anticlimactic ending. Additionally, several of the characters were shallow or caricaturized (Branson, Crane, Giselle, etc) when they didn’t need to be.

However, this is not a fault with the writing. This may be the perfect book for someone who’s just not me. The vibes were definitely gothic and mysterious, and the main character’s backstory was interesting. The concept itself is also really cool. The use of Jewish representation rooted in real history was fascinated, although in some places, the use of words like “Jewish”, “english”, and “kosher”, took me out of the fantasy a bit. I didn’t understand why this book wasn’t just set in a fantasy medieval England in that case.

I will say, the romance felt forced, especially by the end, and in addition to the flat characters, the inclusion of vampires felt ridiculous to me. A book that I expected to be about a plague-ravaged country, political intrigue, and a mad king, turned into some humans vs vampires something.

Overall, while I was incredibly interested by the concept, I felt disappointed by the execution of this book. It wasn't great, but it wasn’t awful.

Thank you again to Inkyard press and the Netgalley for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Inkyard Press for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book is a retelling of Poe’s Masque of the Red Death. If you enjoy gothic, dystopian YA fantasy, give this book a try. It was a fun and quick read. I was not the target audience of this book and I was left with so many questions, but it is a unique book that will appeal to YA readers that like a moody vibe with monsters.

I thought this book would be more like Naomi Noviks writing. The concept seemed really interesting to me but the execution/story arcs fell short for me.

This blood curdling tale takes place in a fantasy world that is much like the Middle Ages in Europe. The plague has decimated the countryside besides those who are immune. Nico lost his whole family and now works for a Lord on his property with others who were saved. Seraphina is pretending to be Princess Imogen while trapped in the castle because the king is too scared to open its doors. All of this with an undercurrent of the antisemitism that took place around this time period.

I really enjoyed this. The story became a lot more interesting when Nico and Seraphina meet, and the real bulk of this tale takes place. I had fun and also loved the horror, including the vampires, which were a great surprise.

Out August 29, 2023!

Thank you, Netgalley and Publisher, for this Arc!

I really enjoyed reading this one. A little predictable, but in a good way.

A plague, a King who freezes his kingdom in time by not allowing anyone in or out of the castle, a Princess who is not really a Princess and a Prince who is not really a Prince. Mixed in there are a few vampires, immunes and some immaculate who have never been exposed to the plague. All combine to make a very interesting story.

When I first read the synopsis of this book, I couldn't wait to dive in. I mean, how can you go wrong with an Edgar Allen Poe retelling? Even though this story is a retelling, I found it to be unique and refreshing. I loved the idea of a gothic tale featuring a plague, a fake princess, vampires, and a forbidden romance.

A Multitude of Dreams has all the makings of a great read, but it just didn't work for me. As much as I enjoyed the creepy and gothic vibe of the story, the pacing was too slow for my liking, and with a plot that has a lot of moving parts, the slow pace was a major distraction for me. I really struggled to stay connected to the story and the characters. And while I do appreciate the world this author created and all of the fantasy elements, it just wasn't enough for me.

In the end, I think this is one of those books you're either going to love or you're going to hate.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Caution: Some slight spoilers (but no major plot spoilers) follow.

This book, at first glance, had everything I could want. A beautiful cover, a deadly plague, it's (loosely) based on one of my personal favorite Poe short stories, it has Jewish representation... but it also has vampires, for some reason? Which, at first, I was a little leery of, as the YA vampire craze of the 2000s-2010s wasn't exactly my favorite literary trend (as much as I love Anne Rice), but it was actually surprisingly well included here. The plot moved along at a decent pace, the characters were decently well developed, and the tone was creepy enough to keep me engaged. Overall, a fun read for fans of atmospheric YA stories with a touch of fantasy and just enough horror to keep you interested, but not enough to keep you up at night.

3.5*, rounded up.

Thank you to Inkyard Press for this earc

Unfortunately this book was not for me.

First, let me just point something out. If you’re an author who’s writing a book about a hated Jewish person, please write a religious background. Don’t just make an assumption everyone knows what you’re talking about. Especially when you’re also kind of writing in a paranormal subplot. And honestly speaking, if you take away main character being Jewish, this story would not have changed whatsoever.

As a Jew, I would love to see accurate representation. This book is not an example of that. If you’re telling Seraphina was raised in a Jewish family and suffered so much with living in the palace full of gentiles, I very much don’t want to read about her falling in love with a not Jewish boy she just met.

For the rest of plot, everything was incredibly flat and predictable. Nothing about the writing made my heart bit faster.

It’s promoted as a retelling. But I would tell you to skip this one.

*I received a free copy of this ebook from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*

Maybe 3.5 stars.

This book was somehow different from the expectations I had for it, though I admit I don’t even know what expectations I held. But I still enjoyed it. I was reminded of Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Masque of the Red Death,” which makes sense since the author’s acknowledgement at the end says that story inspired this book. Perhaps what surprised me was the more fantastical element of the large predators that came about because of the mori roja (and I’m not talking about wolves).

I liked Seraphina (17) and Nico (19). They were both strong and gentle at the same time, and I was glad when their secrets were our and their masks came off. I think, however, that their relationship turned from “shyly interested” to “completely involved” rather quickly. For the record, I have no problem with quickly evolving relationships; my husband and I were engaged less than two months after our first date and have been married 18 years now. But the change between Seraphina and Nico was a lot all at once considering their interactions up to that point. It felt out of place to me, despite my desire for them to be together.

The conclusion itself was also a but rushed, and maybe that contributed to the rush for Seraphina and Nico—I don’t know. I’m still left with a few questions. I suppose it leaves the book open for a sequel, but I’m it sure exactly where it would go. An epilogue might have made more sense.

Overall, I did enjoy the book. Having read and enjoyed other books by Mara Rutherford, I’m not sure I feel this one was her best work, but it does not dissuade me from reading books she will publish in the future.

Note: Some mild language. Some gruesome deaths. Possibly an off-page sex scene, but possibly not.

I had my author's mixed up and requested this ARC from NetGalley. I have read a book by this author, but it wasn't the one I thought.

Princess Imogen lives in a castle, hiding from the plague. The castle boarded itself up several years ago, stock-piled food, and the rich inhabitants--and their servants--have lived life as normally as one can with boarded up windows and not knowing anything beyond their own walls. Imogen wants the boards to come down for her birthday, she begs the king. They encounter a beautiful sunrise for the first time in years, only to see some dead wasted-away skeletons on the lawn as well. Quite the reality check. Imogen may be the king's favorite of his daughter, but she still must walk on pins and needles. The king has a terrible temper and refuses to consider reality. In truth, Imogen died. Her sisters found a "look alike," named Seraphina who has been impersonating Imogen while locked away.

The situation becomes dire, as the food withers to nothing. The king demands a feast for Imogen's birthday. How did the storage go from empty to full? Where do the servants get the food? Is there a way out of the caste? Can Seraphina leave to find her family and hope they are still alive? She used to see her best friend in the woods, but she hasn't seen Dalia in a while. More than likely, everyone is dead. She will be dead as well if she doesn't get out.

Nico digs graves and helps take care of Master Crane's home. Crane takes in people he finds who didn't die from the plague and have no place to go. Some people move on while others stay. Some people have proven to be immune to the plague. When a young woman arrives and the situation turns strange, Nico begins to have doubts about Crane. He and two others are told to go to the castle and see if people are really living there, for there are rumors of seeing lights in the windows for the first time in years. After discovering dead men and a fancy carriage, Nico dons some warm, really nice clothing that obviously belong to someone of station. He ends up pretending to be the prince whom the king has sent for to marry his favorite daughter, Imogen. Finally, our lovers meet.

Nico and Seraphina, both pretenders, seek to change their current situations. Imogen wants to open up the castle and go out into the world. Nico, however, wants to warm the inhabitants. He explains that they can't go out into the world. There are dangers. They will mostly all die. It's a battle for survival with Nico leading the charge and winning the lady's heart.

Is this a well-written novel? No. If you can suspend your disbelief, it IS rather amusing and even fun. There is a very serious comment about Jews. Seraphina is a Jew, taken to impersonate a non-Jew. If everyone knew, she would be judged and determined less than others. People hate Jews. They are blamed for the plague. Once her truth is revealed, will anyone care for her? Honestly, she just wants out and will take her maid with her who cares for her deeply. To return to the frivolous side of the novel, it is a campy novel. It's almost not meant to be serious. It's overdramatic, almost like a melodrama. Just be amused by the campy-ness. I suspended disbelief and just had a good time. I rolled my eyes several times because it was such a ridiculous plot and so "expected," which is why I compare it to a melodrama. I've had a rough week at work, and this novel put a smile on my face and took from away from reality! Far, far away.

Thank you so much Inkyard Press and Netgalley for sending me an eARC of A Multitude of Dreams to read early and give an honest review!

Like all of the other Mara Rutherford books I've read, this one is nothing to write home about but was definitely entertaining and unique. I loved the elements that showed Rutherford's inspiration from the Masque of the Red Death by Edgar Allen Poe, however, there were some elements that took me from the story.

The inspiration taken from the Masque of the Red Death was very prominent in the story. Between the multi-colored rooms during "Imogen's" 20th birthday celebration to the ebony clock that heralded death, the touches of Poe's infamous tale inspired by the tuberculosis epidemic of the 18th and 19th centuries made this story feel gothic and filled me with dread (because I'm sure we all know how Poe's story ends).

However, the two biggest problems I had with this book were the characters and the inclusion of the age-old discrimination against Jews (that, as the author pointed out in the author's note, started in the Middle Ages and led to the Jews being blamed for diseases, starting with the Black Death). Rutherford, of course, is not the first author to include the latter in her books (Naomi Novik notoriously did it in Spinning Silver, which I also didn't enjoy), but every time it happens, it pulls me out of the story. I know that the best way for authors to make fantasy worlds realistic to readers is to reflect real things in our world into the fantasy world, but something so specific as a religion is too real. The major plot point of antisemitism and its role during plagues led me to believe that this story would have been much better had it been historical fiction rather than fantasy. In regards to the characters, I found them flat and honestly didn't care what happened to any of them.

I also found the addition of vampires an interesting, if unnecessary, part of the story. I don't quite know WHY Rutherford included them, as they felt out of place in the post-plague world of this book, but they definitely ended up playing a huge role in the end.

The ending also left something to be desired, as the main conflict was wrapped up rather quickly, but there were still questions needing answering (like, how are they going to save the ? Are they going to try to contact other survivors of the plague in order to fix society?)

Overall, A Multitude of Dreams was very mediocre, but also memorable for Rutherford's attempt at retelling "The Masque of the Red Death".

I loved the story, the world building and meeting the different characters. I felt completely immersed in the story and couldn't stop reading it.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book! A Multitude of Dreams is a gothic novel based loosely on the works of Edgar Allen Poe. This novel has a lot going on - fake princesses, a plague, vampires (which were a surprise), political intrigue, and a romance between two caught in the middle of all this and struggling to survive. I think the novel struggles a bit from having all of this going on, with none of the aspects really receiving a full and complete development. The political intrigue and the dynamics of a shuttered away court at the beginning of the novel really pulled me in, but that was only a small portion of the book. I still enjoyed the book (I love a good spooky gothic book) and thought the premise was very intriguing. I always enjoy the opportunity to read anything that offers up a unique plot or ambiance, and the book certainly delivered in that aspect.

All I saw was that this was a Poe retelling (Masque of the Red Death no less!) and that's all I needed. However, I think this time I may have hyped myself up too much because this book was simply meh for me. I did not hate it...but I absolutely didn't run through it. I had to put it down several times. It has gothic vibes ( which I love), vampires (which I love), found family (which I love), but still I found myself not really caring about anything or anyone.

This book has such a captivating story. I was truly enchanted by the characters, while also feeling a little dissuaded by the setting. The dystopian aspects really pulled through in this story. The characters were really the star for me, as the plot was a bit slow to start. Once it started, though, dang did it go. There was romance, a plague, VAMPIRES? This book had quite the combo of things and I wasn’t sure what was coming next.

I really enjoyed this book. While I wouldn’t say it is the authors strongest book, it was a fun time.

A MULTITUDE OF DREAMS, by Mara Rutherford, is a reimagining of Edgar Allan Poe's "The Masque of the Red Death". If you haven't read this story, it doesn't take away from the novel, but I do feel that it made it "more" for me, knowing the original tale.

Princess Imogene is the youngest of the Mad King of Eldridge Hall's four daughters. Or rather, she was, until she died before a strange plague set upon the world. Fearful of their father's erratic mental state, the remaining daughters find a "replacement" for their sister--Seraphina Blum, a jewish girl who's resemblance to the dead princess is uncanny. Taken away from her family and forced to play the roll of the King's favorite, spoiled daughter, the new "Imogene" is filled with guilt over what she sees as abandoning her family. Not long after, the King locks the nobles and servants in the castle, in a feverish attempt to keep the disease from reaching them.

"Eldridge Hall was a castle built on lies."

Nico was the son of a noblewoman who married a laborer. When disease came for them, all but he perished. Near death from starvation and the elements, he is found by Lord Crane, and taken in as a servant in his household.

Two very different people, wanting to escape their own "new" realities.

"Death truly was the great equalizer . . . "

The fantasy world created almost feels like historical fiction in parts, and yet other elements are introduced to make this tale unique on its own. I loved how the beginning set the stage by showing us how two different sets were existing after the plague. It was inevitable that the two eventually collide, but the revelations and how it comes to be were the best action parts.

". . . Anything could be a cage under the right circumstances, even a castle."

While there were many characters introduced, only a handful felt fully fleshed out to me. However, in the way the story went about, these ended up being the ones that we truly needed to know about.

Overall, a nice twist on one of Poe's classic stories, with a unique blending of history and fantasy.

Recommended.

*Thank you to NetGalley for the arc of this book. All opinions are my own.*

A beautifully written plague tale /reimagining of Edgar Allen Poe’s The Masque of the Red Death.

Our story centers on two groups, one of nobles all locked away in their fortified castle during a deadly plague, the other a generous lord that provides shelter and work to survivors. Seraphina , was forcefully taken from her family and forced to impersonate the kings favored daughter , Imogen. Nico is the son of a popular butcher with dreams of being a doctor , when the plague claims everyone he knows but leaves him unscathed he is saved by a generous lord but not everything is as it seems and soon Seraphina and Nico’s worlds will come together to fight against a peculiar and unexpected common enemy,

Overall it is a fantastic read and as a fan of EDP myself ( my name is Raven after all ) , I was so excited to read this story. I loved learning more about Jewish culture as well as it is not my own background. But it also highlights how they were often blamed for any issues within their respective societies.

If you are ready to get into spooky season , then pick this one up. It is a great blend of sorrow, spooky, romantic , and a glimmer of hope for the future.

4 stars

***Warning, contains spoilers***

If you’re looking for a creepy (but not too scary) gothic read for the Fall, definitely give this one a try.
A Multitude of Dreams blends an Edgar Allen Poe retelling with actual history (the black plague) and . . . vampires. The vampires bit was supposed to be a big twist, and I guess it kind of was, but more for the characters than for me, since I figured out what was going on pretty early on in the book. I do think Mara Rutherford had a pretty clever way of adding vampires into the story in a way that made sense, so well done on that front.

I instantly loved Seraphina and Nico. Seraphina’s opening line in her first POV had me instantly hooked on the story, and I liked how Nico was the perfect combination of innocent and jaded. Nico’s part of the story also gave me very strong Year of the Reaper vibes. I really loved the exploration of their “survivor’s guilt” and how they found forgiveness together. Plus the slow burn between them was really sweet.

The parts I didn’t like as much . . .

The political intrigue angle of the story started off strong with Seraphina desperate to keep her identity hidden while secretly plotting to escape the mad king, but then her identity was revealed and . . . nothing bad happened? That part of the story kind of got lost once the vampire angle heated up. Also, some of the vampire parts of the story felt too convenient, but I don’t want to go too far into them because of spoilers.
The other part that felt jarring to me was her decision to write a second-world fantasy, but then include the real-world name of a religion (one of my pet peeves when people do this in books). I 100% get that including Judaism was important to her because of her own heritage, but I wish she would have just set the story in medieval France or Italy instead of a second-world. Antisemitism was rampant in Europe during the Black Plague (and pretty much every significant event like that since then) and is often glossed over in historical texts on it, so I really love her decision to call that out. But since the book is second-world, I wish she would have done something like Allison Saft did in A Far Wilder Magic, where the themes of antisemitism and xenophobia are clear, but they’re blended better into the second-world.

Thanks to NetGalley and Inkyard Press for the early copy!

This is a very loose retelling of Edgar Allen Poe’s Red Masque of Death. It takes place in a vague pre-plaque anti-Semitic Europeanish country. There is a sequestered king and his lavish court among the death and suffering of the common people. The tale has a twist, with some suffering the plague undergoing a transformation that renders them vampiric. The story offers some horror mixed with interpersonal dramas including some romance. Although drawing on the tale of Poe, it is only the outline of the plot and the gothic nature of the tale that resemble the original story. I did not initially love the characters at first but I came to be involved in the story and would recommend it.