Lizz Huerta

A stunning YA fantasy inspired by ancient Mesoamerica, this gripping debut introduces us to a lineage of seers defiantly resisting the shifting patriarchal state that would see them destroyed—perfect for fans of Tomi Adeyemi and Sabaa Tahir. Indir is a Dreamer, descended from a long line of seers; able to see beyond reality, she carries the rare gift of Dreaming truth. But when the beloved king dies, his son has no respect for this time-honored tradition. King Alcan wants an opportunity to bring the Dreamers to a permanent end—an opportunity Indir will give him if he discovers the two secrets she is struggling to keep. As violent change shakes Indir’s world to its core, she is forced to make an impossible choice: fight for her home or fight to survive. Saya is a seer, but not a Dreamer—she has never been formally trained. Her mother exploits her daughter’s gift, passing it off as her own as they travel from village to village, never staying in one place too long. Almost as if they’re running from something. Almost as if they’re being hunted. When Saya loses the necklace she’s worn since birth, she discovers that seeing isn’t her only gift—and begins to suspect that everything she knows about her life has been a carefully-constructed lie. As she comes to distrust the only family she’s ever known, Saya will do what she’s never done before, go where she’s never been, and risk it all in the search of answers. With a detailed, supernaturally-charged setting and topical themes of patriarchal power and female strength, The Lost Dreamer brings an ancient world to life, mirroring the challenges of our modern one.

The Lost Dreamer

Elizabeth Hagenlocher

I haven't been this excited about a series since Raybearer and Legendborn. This book has it all: compelling protagonists and side characters, a magic system that feels like a breath of fresh air, and a beautifully written story that keeps you hooked the whole way through. 

The Lost Dreamer follows the parallel stories of two girls: Indir and Saya. Both girls are born with the incredible gift of being able to enter the Dream. The Dream is sort of like a Spirit Realm, yet it's so much more than that too. I don't want to oversimplify the beauty of the Dream, but as you read you'll come to understand how incredible it is. 

The difference between Saya and Indir is that Indir has been trained to use her gift her whole life, surrounded by other Dreamers in the city of Alcanzeh. Saya, on the other hand, has grown up hiding her gift, not understanding the full extent of her power. And the abusive environment she's grown up in hasn't helped. 

Both of the girls face a life-altering event that sets them on a collision course toward each other. Huerta has done something powerful with the dual perspectives in this book. Both girls have an incredibly strong voice and compelling narrative (which can be difficult to pull off...I'm looking at you, George). The action is constantly moving forward, and the ending of each chapter makes it impossible to put the book down. I always felt like I had to know what happened next for BOTH characters, which meant I was eager to read each and every chapter, and the dual narrative actually created the reading equivalent of a perpetual motion machine. I was never slogging through one chapter just to get to the next.

I've covered that I adore both Saya and Indir, but I also want to talk about the host of side characters. I mean, each person that is introduced is a delight to get to know. They're delightful, interesting, and bursting with personality. 

This book also explores the topic of family from just about every angle. Huerta covers blood family, the good and the bad. She also explores the depths of found family and deep friendships in a profound way, especially how choosing your family can help you heal from trauma and explore yourself more fully. 

I'd also be remiss if I didn't talk about how the author writes about a diverse range of body types. Women with thick thighs, wide hips, soft stomachs, and low-hanging breasts abound. The way Huerta writes about bodies is like a love-letter, and praises more what the body can do than what it looks like. Stretch marks are sacred, legs are meant to carry, and so on. It is a radical stance for body neutrality, and still manages to encapsulate the absolute beauty of bodies that don't fit the current Western beauty standards. 

The Lost Dreamer isn't your typical 3-act structure, either. It's something more lyrical and free-flowing with that. This book has not been confirmed as a series yet (to my knowledge, as of writing), though it certainly has the potential to be, and the story ends in a way feeling like things are just getting started. However, I think that's part of the beauty of the narrative. I hope that this story gets the opportunity to continue. It's one of the most compelling and interesting YA narratives I've enjoyed in a while, and it feels like it's just getting started. Huerta is an incredible writer and storyteller, and I'm on board for whatever she does next. 

Tropes and Things I Love:
- Body Positivity/Neutrality
- Found Family
- Non-binary character
- Queer relationships NORMALIZED
- Ancient Mesoamerican inspiration
- Complex and unique magic system
- Strong, likeable protagonists
- Antagonist is sorta intangible

TW/CW: abusive parent, mentions of blood sacrifice (including animal), character drugged, talk of infertility, death, scene of animal cruelty (gets resolved), grief.

The Lost Dreamer

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