*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.

I am always looking for my next dark, gothic fantasy and this book hit the spot.

What to expect:
- Edgar Allen Poe with a twist
- Royal family and court intrigue
- Vampires
- Hidden identities
- Jewish representation
- Dual POV

I have always enjoyed Poe’s work, so when I saw that A Multitude of Dreams was loosely based on “The Masque of Red Death,” I knew I had to read it immediately. The plot moved well and even though some parts were a bit predictable, I still couldn’t put this down!

The setting that Mara creates is so atmospheric and eerie and I just loved it!

I’d recommend this book for fans of Gallant, Belladonna and One Dark Window.

Thank you NetGalley and Inkyard Press for the opportunity to read this e-ARC!

This book is a loose retelling of Edgar Allan Poe’s the Masque of the Red Death, following the youngest of the princesses who have been isolated from the rest of the world during the plague, and a grave digger who was lucky enough to be immune to it. This book has deception, mistaken identities, amazing characters, and practically everything a lot of people could want in a fantasy book. One of the main characters is also Jewish, and her identity plays a role in the story in many ways, despite the fantasy setting, so the story includes references to Jewish prejudice, especially how they were attacked during times of plague and often blamed for it. I loved it, and read the whole book really quickly because of how much I wanted to find out what happens next.

5 Stars! Excellent retelling.

I try to go into books knowing as little about them as possible and I'm glad I did. I was not disappointed at all. I also had no idea it was a retelling until the authors note at the end.

A Multitude of Dreams was the vampire novel I didn't know I needed. One where the vampires are the bad guy. Full stop. I loved the dark atmosphere and the setting. It was a fast paced story that hit all the right buttons.

The only thing that I could have done without was the scene near the end of the book where the two protagonists "make love". It felt out of place and unnecessary. The story would have been fine, if not better, without it.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The concept of the story was very unique and atmospheric. The pacing was a bit on the slower side for about 40% of the book but I did enjoy getting to know the characters and am a sucker for a duel pov. What immediately captivated me was the mori roja and the Jewish mc! I don’t feel like I see a lot of stories centered around a Jewish person so being Jewish this immediately caught my attention! Even though the story felt slow for a good chunk of it there was enough suspense and build up that had me curious. It was a very unsettling contrast between the inside of the castle and what was happening in the outside world. I also liked the romance, I’m glad it wasn’t an insta love relationship as I feel like I have been seeing that a lot more. I want the build up and the angst and this was a good sprinkling of both. I do feel like the ending was slightly rushed and felt like the story was left with sort of an open ending but other than that I don’t have any complaints. I loved the story and will definitely be checking out Mara Rutherford other books!

This book’s premise is loosely based on Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Masque of the Red Death.” It’s no surprise then that Seraphina’s POV, where she is trapped inside the castle similar to Poe’s short story, was also the most enjoyable. The pacing of the story was rather slow in the beginning especially since the two main characters don’t meet until the 40% mark and even then, they spend a lot of time doing nothing prior to the villain’s arrival.

There is sort of an attempt at adding political intrigue, considering that Seraphina is pretending to be Princess Imogen and most of the story takes place within the castle, but this subplot seems to be sort of an afterthought. There is never any real resolution and the entire subplot gets dropped as soon as the main plot heats up.

This leads into the second issue which is how the story builds tension. The political intrigue subplot seems designed to heighten tensions going into the final confrontation but it actually distracts from the main plot by introducing new characters that seem important but never reappear again. This subplot also conveniently negates the main hurdle faced by Seraphina and Nico in protecting the inhabitants of the castle, namely that the King has lost touch with reality and is prone to extreme bursts of anger. Essentially, the story includes interpersonal “drama” for a momentarily tense scene to the detriment of the actual stakes.

I totally understand why they didn’t mention vampires in the blurb since it is written as a plot twist reveal in the middle of the book. However, I think a lot of readers are going to be surprised and then turned off by the introduction of paranormal/supernatural elements in an otherwise realistic world. The vampire element is foreshadowed pretty heavily in Nico’s POV for the first part of the book so I personally wasn’t caught by surprise.

One of the issues that arise when including vampires in a story is delineating which vampiric traits apply in your world. In this book, vampires have no aversion to sunlight (or garlic!) which was pretty disappointing since that is perhaps their most well-known trait and a significant weakness to counterbalance their supernatural abilities. What is kept is the requirement that vampires can only enter when invited into a house that opens up a huge can of worms in terms of plot holes. This is certainly true in this case.

Thank you to NetGalley and Inkyard Press for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

A Multitude of Dreams
By Mara Rutherford
August 3, 2023

A Multitude of Dreams is roughly inspired by Edgar Allan Poe’s Masque of the Red Death with a world ravaged by plague with some very messy twists and turns.
I was so engrossed in this atmospheric, eery beautiful novel. I loved the main characters.
This book was creepy and delicious and I loved every bit of it!

Thank you to Inkyark Press and NetGalley for the E-Arc in exchange for an honest review.

A Multitude of Dreams by Mara Rutherford is a retelling of Poe's "The Masque of the Red Death" and follows a (fake) princess named Seraphina (who's secretly Jewish) and a grave digger named Nico during the plague. Nico works for this super suspicious guy named Crane (but somehow Nico isn't very suspicious of him at first despite that very obviously suspicious name) and has to leave his little commune in the woods to find some other living people, preferably all of the royals and noblemen who have locked themselves up in a castle a few miles away. Anyway, I'm sure you can guess how this story goes. Nico finds Seraphina and there's a bunch of issues that they have to sort out because... the plague. I really don't have much to say about it. I mean, it was fine I guess, but just very mediocre (sorry, no rants today).

The book takes place in a fantasy world that was very similar to Europe during the Black Plague which makes sense. It was very simplistic to be honest but also kind of confusing at times. It was hard for me to really feel present in the story because I couldn't quite visualize where it was taking place. Most of the book happens inside a closed off castle in some random kingdom somewhere and it was just... weird? I mean, there was no political intrigue or anything like that despite the fact that Seraphina was a (fake) princess and her kingdom was falling apart. I really just didn't understand why the king boarded everyone up inside this castle and didn't actually do any sort of actual ruling. The book basically went like, "Oh no, there's a food shortage! We're all gonna die! Oh no, disease! We're all gonna die!" There were also *vampires* but we'll get to that later.

Both Seraphina and Nico were decent characters to follow overall, and I really appreciated the Jewish representation which isn't very prominent in fantasy novels. I thought that Seraphina was a much more complex and developed character than Nico and I also thought that she was the only one who really had any significant character development. Despite that, they were both funny and I enjoyed reading their povs.

I loved Rutherford's writing and that was probably this book's major high point. It flowed nicely and the word choice was really nice as well.

Now, as promised, the vampires. Going into this book, I had read a few reviews that mentioned this and I was super confused. How is a book about the plague going to incorporate vampires? It turned out that it wasn't actually that hard. The only real magical element in A Multitude of Dreams was that people that weren't immune to the plague (there are immunes and then there are normal people like me called immaculates) can drink the blood of healthy immaculates to... well, I'm not quite sure. I think that maybe it made them temporarily immune or something but there were also dead people walking around that weren't really dead so there's that too (not a spoiler, mentioned early on). I'm just super confused about this and vampires give me the icks.

Oh, and there was also a romance which I thought was nice. At first. This was kind of introduced as a minor subplot and didn't really go anywhere until the end where they were having sex for the last two chapters which felt very out of place. Their relationship overall wasn't bad and I thought that they were kind of cute together, but the ending chapters made it seem like the book had a romantic focus which wasn't the case.

Speaking of the ending, it was way too rushed, especially given that the beginning was the slowest start to a book that I've ever read. Our mcs don't even meet until like 30% but the ending just resolved everything in just a few sentences which is NOT a resolution.

Overall, it wasn't terrible, but just very mediocre and unmemorable. If you are a big fan of Edgar Allan Poe and similar dark fairy tales, you might enjoy this, but it's not high on my list. 3 stars.

This book was unlike anything I would've expected!

I will say, I was a little apprehensive going into this read because I'm not normally a fan of gothic themes. But I was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed this book.

For this book not being in my normal wheelhouse, overall, I did enjoy it. I thought the plot moved nicely, and I found myself enjoying the characters. Both POVs were interesting, and I think they worked very well together. Overall, I thought the story itself was simple, but still rather intriguing. Once I was into the story, I finished it in one setting.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I think it's the perfect read for anyone who's not super into that horror/gothic or for anyone looking to start reading those specific elements. This book is a great starting place for that.

A big thank you to Netgalley and Inkyard Press and the author for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

Overall Rating: 4.2/5

First and foremost, thank you Netgalley and Inkyard Press for allowing me access to the digital arc in exchange for an honest review!

A Multitude of Dreams was a journey I did not expect. And it was a thrilling Gothic journey I relished through clenched toes, fidgeting fingers, and bated breaths.

A plague has crippled the kingdom, leaving few alive in its wake. Princess Imogen is one of those who still lives, thanks to being sheltered in a boarded up castle. But as provisions begin to dwindle and the King’s madness deepens, unrest finds a hold. Nico Mott enters the picture, a young man who lost everything and everyone to the plague and now works as a servant to a local lord. As circumstances thrust the two together, webs of lies woven by them and those around them begin to unravel and alongside the truth, come unspeakable horrors.

I went into this story blind, with only the official blurb as my guide as to what and who the story is about. I never would have guessed vampires and post-apocalyptic world would arise. It. Was. Delicious.

Writing Style: The author has a talent at keeping what seems to be an ordinary tale, interesting and not so ordinary. There was an air about her words that lended to an atmosphere of a broken and haunted world. Of things not quite as they seem. It kept me going, devouring the book in two sittings. Her descriptions are beautiful, masterfully crafted to pull you deeper into the tale.

Plot: It was very, very well done. There is a part of my mind that recognized how slow going the story was, but the author was so masterful at dropping little tell-tale signs of things not being all they seem, that the slower pace didn’t bother me. It especially didn’t bother me as it began to ramp up - again, not at a hurtling pace, at a nice slow canter, leading me on until suddenly everything has gone upside down and I’m clutching my blankets and forcing myself not to start skimming the pages in desperation to find out what happens next. Excellently done. It’s very clear a lot of planning and forethought went into this story.

I can also see how real world experiences influenced the story. I understand from the author’s note at the end, that before the COVID 19 crisis, the author already had this book in the planning stages. Even still, the hardships we faced as an entire world, the hurt and pain and fear - it was written across the pages. In addition, the fact that she made the conscious choice to add Judaism to her fantasy world, I thought, was a beautiful outspoken choice - making the heroine a Jew who is feisty and self-confident, and gentle and kind. I personally loved it. Books are a form of art. And art is meant to send messages. This one from the author is condemning of anti-semitism and throws into light the fact that repeatedly through out human history, with plagues comes a vitriolic wave of anti-semitism. It was true in the Middle Ages, and it was true again the past several years.

I applauded you, Mara Rutherford.

Characters: We have our two main characters - Princess Imogen and Nico Mott. Imogen is a strong young lady, with thoughts of her own, stubborn, and family oriented. While yes, at times her choices land her in trouble, she doesn’t loose her spark. She still keeps trying and continues to rise above the low expectations society placed on her. As mentioned previously, the author made the choice to have Imogen come from a Jewish family and I believe she did justice to them, portraying one of there’s as a fierce and beautiful young lady with a loving heart and fierce determination.
Nico is caring, full of emotion - is human. With Nico, the author not-s0-subtly gives a hero who subverts toxic masculinity and is shown to be desirable, that men with a strong healthy connection to their emotions IS healthy. Both characters have a special place in my heart.
Alongside the main characters, we have a host of supporting characters, all who do a splendid job of complimenting their designated MC. Even the antagonists were a pleasure to read. And that’s always a sign of a good writer to me.

Enjoyment: Oh my lord, I loved this. More than I ever expected. It wasn’t at all what I was expecting and I loved every single second of this book. It was exhilarating. Well earned 5 stars.