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 that lie ahead.
Review:
A Multitude of Dreams by Mara Rutherford is a gothic fantasy retelling of The Masque of the Red Death by Edgar Allan Poe. This book is beautifully written. It was so easy to get pulled into the story and get hooked right away. You always know you have a good book when you struggle to put it down to do other life tasks. If you are looking for a story that is going to keep you on the edge of your seat with surprise after surprise, then look no further.
As the reader, we get to enjoy a dual point of view getting Imogene and Nico's side of the story. Imogene is locked up in a castle where her father the king will not let anyone leave due to a plague that is happening outside the castle walls. Then we have Nico. Nico has survived the plague due to a rare immunity to the disease. Nico used to be a gentleman once but now he is a servant just trying to survive. There are many secrets one being Imogene's. She is not who she claims to be. When the real Imogene died from the plague, a replacement was found to take her place. Enter Seraphina. Seraphina is a jew that is just trying to play the role that she has been given.
All the people that are locked up in this castle are starting to get restless as they are starting to run out of food. People are starting to venture outside to see what is left out there. There are worst things outside of the castle and those things are very hungry. Seraphina has quite the journey in front of her.
One of my favorite things about this book is getting to learn more about the Jewish culture. It was extremely interesting learning about how the Jews used to get blamed for the different plagues that would happen in the world. This was something I didn't know happen and now I can say that I know this little bit of information. I just loved how Rutherford wrote a little piece of her soul into this novel.
If you are looking for a great book with a gothic setting that keeps you on your toes, then this is the book for you. If you are a fan of Edgar Allen Poe then definitely check out this retelling. You will not be disappointed.
About the Author:
Mara Rutherford began her writing career as a journalist but quickly discovered she far preferred fantasy to reality. A triplet born on Leap Day, Mara has lived all over the world with her diplomat husband and two sons. She is the author of Crown of Coral and Pearl and its sequel, Kingdom of Sea and Stone; Luminous; The Poison Season, and A MULTITUDE OF DREAMS (September 26, 2023).
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