I thrifted this funky little book earlier this summer and figured that its structure -- relatively short and independent chapters, illustrations, and clear themes -- would make it a great read for my commute, which turned out to be true.

Other than that, however, my expectations were... not quite met. I assumed the author would highlight a selection of phenomena that would then be situated within a cultural and/or historical context, subsequently analysed, and ultimately discussed. Instead, the book consists of mere mentions of a plethora of indistinct phenomena. They are, frankly, listed and then moved on from, often so abruptly that it took me a second to realise the narration had moved on to a different matter. Ultimately, this approach made each individual phenomenon incredibly forgettable, and I regret to say that I will not retain a great deal of information.

As a result, I am unlikely to recommend, let alone fully reread this book. I would (and hopefully will), however, consult it in preparation for a trip to literally anywhere in Wales, because with how many legends are listed here, I am sure to find at least one for wherever I am going, and that's a rather fun thought.

Several unforeseen circumstances ultimately led to this being my very first experience with any of Samantha Shannon's writing, and while I do think it was an odd introduction to her work, I would not necessarily say it was a bad one.

The Pale Dreamer is a short novella that introduces the series' protagonist Paige Mahoney -- the Pale Dreamer -- as well as a few secondary characters that I am expecting will be relevant for the story going forward. It also provides a glimpse of the dystopian fantasy world the series is set in, including a first taste of the psychic abilities that exist within it and the crime syndicates that rule its underworld. It's safe to say that I've tasted blood -- I love the concept of the series and was interested in it from the get go, and now that I've gotten an impression of the execution (though I am unsure if the hard copy of this novella I read is the original or the author's preferred edition), I am eager to get into the story proper.

However, I will say that I do not think reading this novella first makes a great deal of sense. While it is one of those short and sweet introductions that are easy to commit to, it does demand quite a bit of knowledge from its ideal reader. We get a proper introduction to the characters, but all information about the world itself -- its structure, its magic system, its larger political issues -- is given almost off-handedly, certainly as if the reader is already familiar with it. As such, it seems that this might be a story best suited for those who have already read at least The Bone Season.

This being said, I am glad to have read this lovely little book and will make sure to prioritise reading this series whenever I get the chance.