Dream by the Shadows

given that i denied myself the right to dnf another book so soon, i managed to finish this. i really wanted to like it, and given the comparisons it garnered on tiktok- i should have. but it turned out to be the most nonlinear, at sometimes plotless, ring-around. the pacing was often stunted by the author choosing to use broken sentences and then immediately repeat them. this mechanic works for emphasis, but when used is excess it becomes just a endless game of smacking your skull into a concrete wall. i also found the character development generally lacking due to dream-like absurdist scenes taking priority. i was never able to connect with or care about any of the characters nor did any of their goals, motivations, desires become apparent until the second they exacted them. the general concept was intriguing, but due to the under developed and poorly explained magical universe, it felt like i was the one stuck in a dreamscape time loop instead of esmer. also it basically quoted batman/the dark knight twice... and that reeeeeaaally annoyed me.