Review: Somniare by D.T. Dyllin

SOMNIARE

Somniare, Book One

by D.T. Dyllin

Tik Tok Press

YA Fantasy

234 pages

Remy Novem was murdered…

But she didn’t die.

Forced to escape to Somniare, a dream landscape, Remy must somehow survive living nightmares, and endless torment without using her magic. Her only hope for freedom is to hitch a ride with a human back into reality, tricking the poor creature into believing no harm will befall them.

Remy isn’t troubled by the fact that she must kill to live…

Until love changes everything.

MY TIDBITS

In a dream world, anything can be expected, and this story takes that to a new and somewhat dark level. 

Remy, a witch, was murdered but manages to save herself by transporting her spirit into a dream landscape. It's a place she knows well, one she visited for fun before. This time is different. Nightmare creatures are out to get her, and she can't use her magic to stop them. 

Remy isn't exactly a cookie-cutter heroine; she has edges and corners sharper than a chainsaw. Her lack of compassion and self-centered attitude hits head-on like a bulldozer, making her easy to dislike. . .yet, in a really weird way, she's still likable too. Although her attitude is harsh and completely against the 'good girl' mold, there's something about her which lures in. 

The entire book has a feeling all of it's own reminding a bit of the strangeness found in Alice in Wonderland but with much darker twists. The plot shifts as quick and suddenly as the scenes themselves, offering surprises which are as varied as people's dreams.

Although Remy was murdered in the real world, the book is set in Somniare from start to finish. How her life was before her leap into the dream world is only described in occasional flashbacks, and the circumstances surrounding her death are uncovered in a layered mystery, which grows deeper every time one more aspect is uncovered. The entire story takes a slightly off-kilter angle, while still offering an engaging plot and great character development.

The romance is strong but as layered and unclear as the rest of the plot and carries twists and surprises all of its own. The hero is as original as everything else in this tale. 

By the end, everything finally starts to take form and make sense. But that's also where this book drops off. Although it's not a complete cliff-hanger ending (several main problems are tied up),  the unfolding mystery leaves many more questions unanswered. It will be interesting to see where the second book takes Remy next.