Choosing The Lost Dreamer for the third week of YA Fest was easy once I saw that Lizz Huerta was going to be a part of the 10th Annual San Antonio Book Festival. Against the backdrop of a kingdom in the midst of change and chaos, one young woman will struggle to keep two secrets from a dangerous enemy, while another will attempt to discover who she really is.
The Situation: Indir is a Dreamer, and resides with her two sisters, her mother, and her two aunts in the temple, rarely leaving as the temple keeps Dreamers safe. With the death of King Anz, this means his son, Alcan is next to rule Alcanzeh. Saya may not be a Dreamer, but she does have power, and it is a power her mother has used for her own gain all of her life. According to Celay, Saya must not let anyone know what she can do, and she must tell her mother everything she sees when she sleeps. Saya cannot help but mistrust the only mother she has ever known, as she has an odd sense that she is hiding something, or at least from something.
The Problem: It appears that the next king of Alcanzeh does not hold the same respect for Dreamers as his father did. Before he has even officially taken the throne, Alcan has brought previously exiled people back to the land, and is bringing back old traditions that have not been practiced for some time, and for good reason. Indir fears that if Alcan learns her secrets - secrets she has not even told her family - his obvious thirst for power will reign unchecked. Meanwhile, Saya is learning more about herself and her own story, but this knowledge comes with a power and responsibility that she is not sure she wants. Her search for the truth may cost her what she knows, but may also be what saves everything she loves.
Genre, Themes, History: This is a young adult fantasy novel set in a time and place where people can be Dreamers, Healers, and even Fire Warriors with the gift to conjure flame with their hands. In alternating chapters, readers are given first-person accounts of the story as told by Indir, a Dreamer, and Saya, a young girl who is not sure what she is, but knows she has power. While Indir is attempting to save the world she knows from a new threat, Saya only wants to know more about herself and her own story, as well as what she wants that story to be. At the core of the novel is the power of family (sisterhood and motherhood), history, and tradition, as well as how quickly and easily outside forces and interests can threaten a close community. Many elements are inspired by ancient Mesoamerica, and the majority of the characters, including many of the warriors, are female.
My Verdict: I found myself much more drawn to Saya's story than I did to Indir's almost from the very beginning. If Alcan had more of a presence in Saya's story than he already did, then I would have been even more eager to move quickly through her chapters. There is something about Saya's search for truth and knowledge about what she can do (and what she should do) that was not only interesting, but also incredibly relatable and absorbing. And there was nothing about her journey that was predictable or boring, leaving me always eager to return to her story after each chapter. Those craving fantasy elements, as well as a story of adventure and self-discovery, will enjoy the world Huerta has built.
Favorite Moment: There is a moment when Alcan is put in his place with only a few words from a brave elder.
Favorite Character: Dua is a temple worker who is helpful, though a bit of a mystery. Indir trusts her, though she is not sure why, until her instincts are proven to be correct at possibly the best moment.
Recommended Reading: I have certainly read a good deal of YA fantasy this year, and 2022 is not even halfway done (it is only the end of April as I am writing this). A recent discovery was last week's A Magic Steeped in Poison by Judy I. Lin, and the follow-up will be published later this year in late August.
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