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.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this ebook.

This book was everything you could hope for and more.
Dark and sinister are the words that come to mind the most.
The story and characters were developed perfectly and I thoroughly enjoyed the backstories presented.
I could definitely see this book becoming an amazing upcoming horror movie, as there were "jump scares".

Highly recommend this read!

I really enjoyed this gothic novel! Spooky castles, conniving nobles, a deadly plague, and a Jewish girl disguised as a princess. I think the romance was a little rushed, but otherwise I enjoyed the story and the characters! Seraphina was a great character and I loved the Jewish representation.

A Multitude of Dreams
by Mara Rutherford
Pub Date: 29 Aug 2023

Wow this was amazing gothic tale, loved it!!

The bloody plague is finally past, but what fresh horror lies in its wake?

Princess Imogen of Goslind has lived a sheltered life for three years at the boarded-up castle—she and the rest of its inhabitants safe from the bloody mori roja plague that’s ravaged the kingdom. But Princess Imogen has a secret, and as King Stuart descends further into madness, it’s at great risk of being revealed. Rations dwindle each day, and unhappy murmurings threaten to crack the facade of the years-long charade being played within the castle walls.

Nico Mott once enjoyed a comfortable life of status, but the plague took everyone and everything from him. If not for the generosity of a nearby lord, Nico may not have survived the mori roja’s aftermath. But does owing Lord Crane his life mean he owes him his silence?

When Lord Crane sends Nico to search for more plague survivors in the castle, Nico collides with a princess who wants to break out. They will each have to navigate the web of lies they’ve woven if they’re going to survive the nightmares ahead.

#AMultitudeofDreams

Thank you NetGalley and Inkyard Press for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This is my favorite Mara Rutherford book to date! A Multitude of Dreams is a gothic YA reimagining of The Masque of the Red Death by Edgar Allen Poe and comes out just in time for anyone looking for a slightly spooky, and atmospheric tale for the coming autumn season. I loved the idea of this castle that is completely cut off from the world, and it was a perfect mix of creepy and dark. The setting was definitely my favorite part of this book! I’m also a big fan of standalone books and I appreciate the story this book tells in such a short amount of time without feeling like it was too short. I’d definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a quick and mysterious read!

A Multitude of Dreams by Mara Rutherford is a fun gothic fantasy that manages to tie in relevant social issues alongside a vampirism storyline. Beautiful, striking cover art, and enough mystery to keep you turning the pages. I thoroughly enjoyed this!

This was a fairly solid YA quick read (3.5/5). There was light-horror, palace intrigue, a bit of slow-burn romance, and a touch of social issues all woven into this fantasy retelling. I was initially drawn to this book based on the cover art which is 5-star.
I had not read the authors prior works so did not have any expectations on that front, but any homage to Edgar Allan Poe piques my interest. I say "homage" as this is not a retelling of The Masque of Red Death. Though Mara Rutherford starts with elements of gothic castle, shut-away nobles, with a mad king (like Poe's prince), plague, and masquerade; her focus is more on other characters and social issues. There are princesses with lines of succession, and romantic interests. There is a spotlight on how Jews are targeted and blamed for outbreaks. (If you do not believe this true in our current world just look at the recent accusations that RFK Jr. was spouting.) And then, there are vampires. Much as I enjoy a good vampire-horror, this was my biggest issue with the book. I'm not sure that this element was something I really needed in this story. That said, I still enjoyed the narrative and the dual-POV writing style.
I received advanced digital access to this book thru NetGalley (for which I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher, Inkyard Press) for an honest review. The opinion expressed here is my own.

This was a well-written story. I enjoyed the plot and the characters very much! Great book and definitely recommend!

This book was what I thought it was going to be. It just feels that since this authors other series ended she has lost the spark that made her stories amazing. This book had the same issues as Luminous had that it felt like the author was holding something back. I wish that she would have just gone full dark with this one. It just felt like it was lacking.

This was such a great book. It is filled with mystery, romance, fantasy, hidden identities, and more. If you enjoy creepy stories with great twist you will love this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Inkyard publisher the opportunity to read and review this ARC.
There is no doubt in my mind that the author Mara Rutherford is an excellent story weaver. Her characters were complex and dimensional. I loved the dual point of view, and how the stories converged so seamlessly once the main characters finally met. The plague-ridden atmosphere was full of emotions ruled by the deep stress of a difficult situation where no matter what path our heroes take, it will lead to danger. It helped keep my interest, and I was eager to find out the conclusion of each of these characters.
There were a few things which kept me from loving this story. The first was the introduction of the true character of the villain’s post plague illness, and why they did what they did. There were hints from a children’s song and other speckled moments alluding to the fact that the “monsters” in the story were changed by the plague. It still somehow lacked that monster thriller moment, the “ah-ha knew it” horror flash and felt slightly strange when it was confirmed.
I’m not Jewish, and so I cannot comment on the representation, however, I do feel sometimes the context in which references were included did not flow with the story. I stopped numerous times while reading just because the way things were mentioned felt so out of context with the rest of the writing, that it was hard to continue; completely breaking up the flow and had me questioning “why did the author throw that in there??” I’m all about celebrating heritage and acknowledging community histories, it just didn’t weave in well with the rest of the story the way it was done.
Overall, I enjoyed reading this tale, with its unique twist from the words of E.A. Poe. I’d give it a 3.5 rounded to 4 stars. I would read other stories from this author.

Seraphina is a young Jew that was chosen to impersonate the Princess Imogen of Goslind who died from the mori roja plague. With food supplies dwindling and rumors and the plague dying out, Seraphina longs to find a way to escape the confines of the castle she, and other elite, have been hidden away in for the past four years.

Nico Mott, survivor or the plague, is trying to find his place in a healing world. When he begins to suspect his savior, lord Crane, of nefarious deeds, he resolves to warn the survivors locked away in the castle of the darkness that awaits them outside their doors.

This was a fun, fast paced retelling of Edgar Allan Poe's The Masque of the Red Death. The story was easy to follow and somewhat predictable but it didn't stop me from enjoying it.