⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I'm not sure what I was expecting, but A Multitude of Dreams blew me away. Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and Mara Rutherford for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

The mad king, his four daughters, and the other nobels have been holed up in the castle for four years due to the mori roja plague that has decimated the population. The trouble is, they're running out of food, their staff is deserting, and nothing is entirely what it seems. Princess Imogen devises a plan to escape the castle since the plague is over. Unfortunately, since they haven't been outside the castle, they have no idea about the horrors that await them.

This book is labeled YA Fantasy, but it was much darker and creepier than I expected from a YA novel. The writing was excellent and atmospheric. I will most definitely be reading more by Mara Rutherford.

*Note this is a retelling of The Mask of the Red Death by Edgar Allan Poe.

A Multitude of Dreams comes out on August 29, 2023.

"A Multitude of Dreams" by Mara Rutherford is an enthralling Sci-Fi & Fantasy novel perfectly suited for the Teens & YA audience. The book's imaginative world-building and dynamic characters transport readers to a realm where dreams and reality intertwine. Mara Rutherford's skillful storytelling weaves a narrative filled with intrigue, magic, and self-discovery, making it a captivating read for young adults. "A Multitude of Dreams" offers an enchanting escape into a world where the boundaries between the ordinary and the extraordinary blur, leaving readers eagerly anticipating each twist and turn.

Thank you to NetGalley and Inkyard Press for this ARC of A Multitude of Dreams.

Princess Imogen has a secret. The Kingdom is bathed in secrets. And soon those secrets will find their way out. Imogen has lived for three years boarded up in a castle with the upper class of society and her royal family, including the king who is getting sicker and more volatile by the moment. Nico experienced the plague up close and personal, and when he finds himself in the castle, cloaked in lies, and with a warning, he finds the Princess Imogen he has met is quite different from the spoiled princess he believed her to be. Perhaps because all may not be what it seems.

A Multitude of Dreams strikes an important balance. As it centers around a plague, I found myself reflecting on my own experience of the Covid-19 pandemic, giving me the ability to empathize even more with the characters, while adding enough fantasy, mystery, and story to not make it feel like a covid novel. I enjoyed this read.

A big thanks to NetGalley and Inkyard Press for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

You had me at a retelling of "The Masque of the Red Death," but lost me with the sudden intrusion of vampires.

A Multitude of Dreams by Mara Rutherford is a young adult gothic fantasy about Princess Imogen of Goslind, who 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.

I really wanted to LOVE this book as it was compared to Dana Schwartz's Anatomy and The Poison Season. but it just wasn't doing it for me. This book was giving Spinning Silver vibes, but not to the extent that I wanted. But at the same time, the supposed "monsters" of this book. Was nothing than vampires that needed to be shipped back to the era of Twilight and all the other vampire-crazed books of the early 2000's YA genre.

Overall, I think this book just didn't match my expectations. Which is not the fault of Mara Rutherford. But my own.

A sinister and engaging gothic story with well developed and interesting characters. A really good Poe re-telling!

Overall, this book was a wild ride from start to finish that I enjoyed (for the most part)

A Multitude of Dreams is a dual POV that follows a charming grave digger and a Princess who is not what she seems in a world that has been ravaged by the Mori Roja - a plague known as the Bloody Three due to its method of killing. Seraphina has spent the past four years in a charade, pretending to be the king's youngest and favorite daughter Princess Imogen. In reality, she is just a Jewish girl who was essentially kidnapped from her family to put on this charade for the mad king by her "sisters". Every day that goes past makes her yearn more and more for the outside world and the life she once knew. Nico is a grave digger, servant, lackey, and whatever else he needs to be at his master's house. One other thing about him - he is immune to the mori roja. Everyone at Crane Manor is. When Lord Crane sends Nico out to find any survivors at the castle, Nico can't help but feel that his master has ulterior motives.

I really enjoyed this book. I was a little confused during Seraphina's first chapter before I knew what her situation was, why everyone was calling her the wrong name, and why she was having a 20th birthday party if she wasn't yet 18. However, once it was explained, it all made sense and I was fully on board with the plot again. I felt like she went through some real change throughout the book, as much as can happen to someone who has been trapped in a castle for four years. It wasn't as much as I would have hoped for, but she left the story different than how she started. She stopped using her planning for herself and instead started to help the castle and all the people in it.
Nico was easier to understand from the start, although I didn't quite get the undying loyalty to the man who "saved" him and then thrust him into his servitude. Not really giving benefactor vibes but sure. I will admit that he is charming and resourceful and all the things he is meant to be. However, it didn't really feel like he went through much change. He had the internal struggle over whether his master was really evil or not, and when that was over all that was left was what we had to begin with, minus that loyalty. I would have liked to see him trust Seraphina with her own safety more, or guide her on how to defend herself.

My biggest issue with this book is the ending, specifically the pacing. Right up until the last 20% is was hooked and enjoying the ride, it was a quick pace that was easy to understand and follow. However, once we got to the final conflict and resolution I was suddenly rushed through it and left wanting more. I feel like the final battle could have been drawn out more and planned better.

Overall, I did really like this book, I enjoyed the relationship between the characters and how they ended up helping each other. This was also my first book by this author, and it has convinced me to pick up her other books now!

I received this ARC from NetGalley and Inkyard Press in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Inkyard Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I have really enjoyed Mara's past work and this is no exception. This immediately caught my interest from the first chapter. A princess in a castle, but it all goes downhill very quickly. There is a plague, called the bloody plague, that has swept the world by storm and the King Stuart decided to bar the doors and windows and ride it out.

This book flip flops between Princess Imogen and Nico, a servant at a manor. His master, Mr Crane, is immune to the plague and has gathered others that are also immune and they live together there.

There were a lot of twists and turns to this book, and the outcome was really unexpected! The ending did drag slightly but overall I really liked this book!

I was super excited to read this, especially since I really enjoyed The Poison Season and while I didn’t dislike the story, it wasn’t as good as I had hoped for.

The characters were good but the story felt a bit lacking but also forced. If that makes any sense. Nico was a little bland but I could see him and Seraphina’s relationship growing.
Towards the end I was a little confused about what happened to Henry and then he appeared again at the literal end- but where was he?!

Again, I don’t think this was bad, just a bit meh.
But that cover is fantastic!

Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for the ARC!

A dark, mysterious, and gothic story, Mara Rutherford's A Multitude of Dreams deals with heavy topics such as identity, religion, and the aftermath of something as devastating as a pandemic. The story, coming on the coattails of the worldwide COVID pandemic felt poignant and necessary. The characters, all struggling to realize their goals and regain the identities in the wake of disease, felt very relatable. Many struggled with feelings of vulnerability and helplessness as they fought for solutions to their larger problems. Love this adaptation!!!!

I started reading this book at the perfect time. The autumnal air has been making its appearance this week, and that meant the perfect atmosphere to "crack open" a book about a plague called the Red Death. This is an ARC I got from NetGalley (so thank you!) and I've been really intrigued by the premise. For all who are curious, it comes out on Tuesday (the 29th). It is apparently a retelling of the Masque of the Red Death by Edgar Allen Poe, but I'm unfamiliar with that work of his. (So I apologize for not being able to go into that comparison!)

With that said, the beginning is a little confusing - in a good way! You're left intrigued by these odd situations and peculiar wordings. There are two view points: one is Nico - a scholar turned grave digger at an estate run by a Lord Crane - and the other is "Seraphina", a princess who goes by Imogen who is locked in a castle thanks to the mad king (her father). The king had barred the castle when he took refuge, thus imprisoning several hundred lords and ladies, and servants. For four years, they've all be trapped. If they were to leave, the King would have had them killed. In fact, the area just outside the castle is littered with bodies in various stages of decay.

But here, the real dilemmas begin to unfold. The food is running out inside the castle, and a new kind of predator appears to be on the loose in the woods.

While the beginning needs to be taken at face value, you do get everything sorted in good time! It made for an intriguing book, and I am so glad I was able to enjoy it all. It's been a long time since a book in this genre has held my interest. It's gothic with a bit of a romance. (But don't worry, the fade to black spice doesn't happen until the last few chapters.)

I cannot wait until this is officially released so I can buy myself a copy. I'm not inclined to read the original work by Edgar Allen Poe, just so I can see the references! (Well, the references beyond the Red Death, anyway.) If you're in the mood for a masquerade, an ole-fashioned plague, imposters, vampires, and impending starvation - then this is the book for you! (Lol)

Retelling of Masque of the Red Death with a Jewish take.

This book hooked me from the start. I love a gothic inspired setting with a hint of mystery! The kingdom has been taken over by the mori roja and the king refuses to believe it. He holes up in the castle with his 4 daughters and subjects. The problem is one of his daughters is not his read daughter. She died with the mori roja. This book follows Seraphina AKA princess Imogen.

After everything was let of of the bag I think the story started going a little downhill as well. It wasn't bad per say just not at entertaining as the beginning.

Actual Rating 1.5

Princess Imogen has spent the last three years of her life with other nobles who have boarded themselves up into a castle to avoid the plague. But Princess Imogen isn’t really a princess, and while her “sisters” know this, King Stuart doesn’t know the truth and they hope to keep it that way. Food runs short and rumors fly, causing tensions to rise. When they receive a visitor from the outside world who claims to be a prince, Imogen wonders if there’s more going on inside and outside the castle than she realized.

This story is told from a dual POV of Serephina and Nico. One thing I disliked was that the parameters of this world were so muddled. It begins reading like a traditional fantasy, likely pseudo-European. But then the Jewish people/culture are introduced as part of this world but just casually in passing. But then, there are also vampires? I enjoy it when real-world aspects can be incorporated into a fantasy setting in a way that is immersive and adds to the setting AND adds to the real-world aspect. However, I don’t think the author did a good job with either of these things.

First, the introduction to the fact that there are Jewish people in this world is jarring and comes from left field, then it’s hardly incorporated again until halfway through the book. And the way it was used, it felt like the author could have taken any cultural identity or minority that has been persecuted in the past and insert it – there was nothing that explored or added to the history or struggles of the Jewish people the way this was used. God was only mentioned once, and with no other mention of religion or deities, it left a large chunk of necessary information out. Side note, the author also used the word “pogrom,” which wasn’t really in use until the late nineteenth century, further confusing the world of this book.

Second, including vampires changed the story drastically, and not for the better. It made the plague itself less impactful, there was no real explanation of why vampirism and the plague were connected in some cases, and the author’s vampires basically could just do whatever they wanted. They weren’t a classic portrayal of the monster, nor was there a good explanation for why daylight didn’t affect them, they could just waltz in and out of wherever they pleased, and why their sense of smell was super heightened except when the author needed it not to be for the plot to move forward (these are just a few examples).

The characters were unfortunately not well written. They were lacking in depth and development, which made it impossible to connect emotionally to any of them. It almost felt like they were each given one trait and that was made their entire personality (there’s even an instance where the author lists out singular traits for some of the secondary characters, and it really is the extent of how they’re written). There were also several plot holes that led to an unsatisfying experience by the end of the story. I think I could have enjoyed this one slightly more if I hadn’t been told it was based on Poe’s story (and one of my favorites of his). But this interpretation lacked the atmosphere, tension, and immersive setting of the original.

I don’t mind suspending belief to enjoy a story, but this one was lacking in so many important places that it read like more of a draft than a finished work. Unfortunately, even if you tend to enjoy YA fantasy and retellings of classic stories, I don’t think this one would be enjoyable. The cover is lovely, though, so at least there’s that. My thanks to NetGalley and Inkyard Press for allowing me to read this work, which will be published August 29, 2023. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

SUCH a fun take on Masque of the Red Death. We have a tale of a fake princess, a gravedigger and a setting that very much feels like a medieval plague.

A Multitude of Dreams is definitely a very readable book and I found the POV characters to be engaging and move the story along in a good way. The beginning was a slow build but I found it to be very atmospheric and engaging.

Problems I had were that the ending to be extremely rushed and didn’t feel the fear or tension of the locked door scenario. The story ended up moving so fast that the build up and tension I felt in the beginning was totally lost.

Overall, a good read. I had a fun time and did enjoy the Jewish representation with a bit of a history lesson.

A Multitude of Dreams by Mara Rutherford

“She was cunning, and brave, and she was never going to hide who she was again.”

Rutherford creates a brilliantly dark story about how things are never as they seem. When a plague ravages the land people are forced to become something other as well, peasants can become gentleman, nobility can become gravediggers and a princess playing the part can become so much more. A Multitude of Dreams follows a kingdom plagued by the bloody mori roja, while a mad king who refuses to acknowledge it has been boarded up in his castle with his four daughters and his subjects for nearly four years. Only not everything is as it seems, to keep their father from falling farther into madness and despair the princesses covered the death of their sister by plague, stealing a jewish girl from a neighboring village to play the part. Seraphina who must hide who she is for fear of her life and prejudice becomes princess Imogen, she must live day to day with survivors guilt thinking everyone in her village is dead from the plague or massacre surrounded by the people who stole her life away and persecuted her people. Seraphina bides her time to escape knowing the clock is ticking and the food sources are dwindling, she must escape or starve. When Nico Mott, a grave digger who lost everything to the plague, is sent by his savior Lord Crane to investigate the castle and its inhabitants, he finds that he is there under false pretenses, and the man who he thought was the utmost gentleman is a monster, the blood sucking kind. Nico and Seraphina must find a way to work together to escape both the gilded cage of the castle and the reborn trying to drain them of life. Rutherford writes a stunning bloody reimagining of Poe’s The Masque of the Red Death with haunting twists and turns, jewish representation and gorgeous character growth. Seraphina is such a complex character who absolutely stole my heart away, she learns not to hide herself even after being forced to for so many years becoming her own hero.

A huge thank you to Netgalley for the eARC and a chance to read and review.

I have to be honest..this was not good. This started off really strong but the ending was messy and anticlimactic. The first half of this book was shrouded in mystery and suspense but once things started to be revealed it spiraled out of control and ended up falling flat. There were few things I really enjoyed but overall this WAS unique so I’ll give it that.

I really like Mara's writing style. I feel pleasantly confused at the start of the book as the layers of the story peel back like an onion. I love the slow reveal of different points that are slowly laid out. She manages to avoid the info-dumping that many fantasy authors fall into by slowly giving the reader an idea of what is going on. It makes it a lot more interesting to read this way. I feel smart when I finally clue into what is going on.

I appreciate the character development and the characterization of the people we follow. Both Nico and Seraphina are fun and intriguing characters but we also root for some of the bad guys like the king who were just trying to keep people safe. I also loved the Jewish representation. This was a big issue with the Black Death and Jewish communities being blamed for the plague and persecuted so I thought it was a cool way to show that sort of history and have representation in the book.

I wasn't a huge fan of the reveal later in the book about what the plague did to some people. It was borderline cliche. However, I did like all of the foreshadowing of this outcome and how it was depicted so I'm not really mad about it. It made it a little more interesting than people simply being looters and murderers for the sake of looting and murdering.

Overall, I enjoyed Mara's writing style and this was a really interesting book about a plague, politics and death. I definitely recommend it if that sounds like your sort of vibe. Be prepared to be a little confused in the beginning but enjoy every page of it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Inkyard Press for sending me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Mara Rutherford for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for A Multitude of Dreams coming out August 29, 2023. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

It was a little hard to get into this book. I enjoyed the two points of view, but the two main characters didn’t meet until halfway through the book. I think the dialogue was a little too juvenile for me. I didn’t really understand Nico’s motives and I didn’t care for his character. He thought she was an angel, but he wanted to hate her, but she was the most beautiful thing he’s ever seen. It’s a little too much too soon. It just wasn’t for me. I think there could’ve been a little more time together for them to get to know each other. I thought the Jewish representation was good and I was hoping there was a little more backstory with that. I think a little more explanation of the fantasy world and the vampires would’ve been helpful to me.

***ARC received from Inkyard Press and NetGalley in exchange for honest review, opinions are all my own. Thank you!***

Everything about this book sounds so interesting, the plague, secrets and secret identities, nightmares two characters that find each other will have to face. Yet, for all the things this book tries to do it doesn’t manage to execute any of them fully, leaving everything feeling nothing deeper than surface level. While it is not a terrible book, it leaves too much potential behind.

I felt like the story was trying to tackle three main plot points first being what happens when those shut away from the plague go through when they have to eventually open the gates. King Stuart locked away many of his people in a boarded up castle, letting the world die and live outside the gates but things have to change. Food is running out, servants are taking their changes outside the walls and the King’s hold on reality and the castle is slipping. This would have been an interesting story to follow, how those inside react to what happened outside the walls. To those left to fend for themselves when their King abandoned them yet while it is hinted at it never goes very far. While we follow the two leads in and outside the castle there is never much conflict between the two worlds but when its there it is really interesting.

The secondary plot line hints at the antisemitism that the Jewish communities face once the plague starts. This is rooted in historical fact, Jewish communities were quickly and easily blamed for anything that may have gone wrong and its not just historical, you can easily see it today. Yet, as with the other story line it never goes deeper than surface level. Most of the references to antisemitism are coming from Imogen real name Seraphina either her memories or just her thoughts. Other horrible things are just referenced briefly and happened off page leaving very little emotional impact on the story or the reader. Most of the people that know about who Imogen really is don’t seem to care that she is Jewish. The only real act of antisemitism on page that we as the reader witness is dulled when its explained that this character is just a hateful person to everyone. It makes it feel less antisemitic and more just mean. I wish that the story had explored this aspect more because when it does its really interesting but being trapped in the castle it can’t.

Finally there are the “vampire” which do not work at all in this book. Basically what happens when the plague changes someone and it just didn’t work for me which is a shame because I loved the concept. Just like the other two parts they aren’t exploring in any real depth so there is little buildup or them. When they do finally show up there doesn’t feel like much threat, no one is in any real danger and the people that aren’t don’t even have names. I think if this had been left out and the book focused on the prior two points it would have been a far more interesting story which I hate to say because it really was a great idea.

The book is told from two point of views, Seraphina and Nico, with Seraphina being the far more interesting of the two. She had far more depth as a character which I think is due to her being in the castle. More characters to interact with allows for more things for her to do while Nico’s story is just getting to the castle with little else. The secondary characters don’t really add much other than Henry, who I actually liked and wished we had gotten more of. The romance felt rushed and wasn’t well developed so it wasn’t much to cheer for.

I did like the writing, bringing the claustrophobic nature of the castle alive, the longing Seraphina has for the life that she left behind were so well done. There is just so much potential in this book and when its good it shines I just wish it hadn’t tried to do as much as it did.

🏰A Multitude of Dreams Review🏰

A Multitude of Dreams is my second book by Mara Rutherford. Once again, I was captured by the beautiful cover of this one. Princess Imogen has been sheltered in a boarded-up castle with the royal family and other inhabitants, staying safe from the plague that has been going through the kingdom. The King is rapidly descending into madness and Imogen has a secret that she must ensure is not revealed. As rations dwindle, the charade being kept up within the castle is crumbling. Nico had once lived a life of status but the plague took that from him and everyone he loved. He finds himself a home with the generous Lord Crane. Nico is sent out by Lord Crane to find more survivors. When he meets up with a princess desperate to break out, they both must navigate the web of lives they have been spinning.

This story was certainly an interesting one with many layers. Imogen and Nico were well developed and I enjoyed working through their journeys. The story is dual POV so you get a feel for both of them. Rutherford’s writing really shone in this one and kept me engaged. While the beginning was quite slow, the story shifted to a much faster pace towards the end of the story.

I don’t really want to say much more because I feel like this is one that you’re better off going into with less knowledge. I don’t know that it was necessarily a memorable story but it was an enjoyable one. If you’re looking for a story about surviving a plague full of secrets and suspicion with Jewish representation, you may want to consider picking this one up!

Thank you to @netgalley & @inkyardpress for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. A Multitude of Dreams is out on August 29th!

⭐3.5/5 stars⭐

I’ve enjoyed Rutherford’s previous few books so I was super excited to read this one! It’s inspired by the Red Mask by Poe and was such a mysterious and enthralling read!

I loved our two leads and really enjoyed the dual perspectives! A gravedigger and a princess are definitely very intriguing people to follow throughout the story. The complexity of both characters keeps you on your toes and it’s super fun to try to follow all the deceit and drama!

I especially loved how Judaism was included in the story and Jewish representation, as the author has wanted to include this aspect of her identity for awhile now! I think it’s awesome that she found a way that she liked to be able to dive into that part of her and it was really fascinating reading her thought process in the acknowledgments! She explained that Jewish folks have been blamed for plagues historically and wanted to have that history in her book, which is so cool. She mentioned not many people might know that fact, and I for one definitely didn’t and am glad to know it now.

This book is set in a fictional kingdom, mostly within a castle, and I loved the descriptions of everything. The author truly captures the feeling of isolating from a plague and the cabin fever that comes with being trapped inside.

The story is a YA supernatural fantasy and while there is a bit of romance near the end, it is definitely not the priority. There are also some mystery elements that I enjoyed and I found it fun trying to figure out what was really happening in the first half of the book!

Overall, I really enjoyed this one and sped through the second half in one sitting! I definitely recommend and cannot wait to see what Rutherford has coming next!