The Guardians of Dreamdark: Windwitch
Laini Taylor
Amulet Books
Published September 23, 2025 (Orig. 2007)
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About The Guardians of Dreamdark: Windwitch
From New York Times bestselling author Laini Taylor comes a new edition of her first cult favorite series, Guardians of Dreamdark, about a devil-hunting faerie and her quest to save her world
For centuries faeries have lived safely in their ancient forests, but now their peace is under threat. Devils are escaping the prisons that have held them since the Dawn Days, and only one faerie stands in their way. Magpie Windwitch is the greatest—the only—devil-hunter of the Age. Together with her trusted band of crows, she tracks down and recaptures these ravenous beasts that devour everything in their path.
When the hunt leads them to the legendary forest of Dreamdark, Magpie finds herself outmatched. Facing the greatest foe her kind has ever known (not to mention an imposter queen, a disgusting imp, and a young faerie warrior as infuriating as he is brave), one thing is If she’s to save the world, she’ll need all the help she can get.
Bestselling author Laini Taylor’s thrilling first novel is now available for the first time for a new generation of fans.
My Review
I’ve read both the “Daughter of Smoke and Bone” series and the “Strange the Dreamer” duology, but I had never read “The Guardians of Dreamdark” duology. This first book is both like her other work and different. I can definitely see how she went from this series to writing Daughter of Smoke and Bone.
It feels a little like the 1994 movie Thumbelina. The story has definitive stakes and danger, but Magpie faces it all bravely along with her crew of crows and faerie allies.
This series is written for a younger audience than the author’s other books. It’s got a lot of adventure and danger, but very lightly brushes by romance, giving us the impression of characters who maybe feel some attraction for one another. It’s a longer book, coming in at about 400 pages, so that will certainly intimidate some upper middle grade/lower YA readers.
Because Magpie isn’t truly a child (she’s still young by faerie standards), I could see this being a great crossover series and appealing to adults, especially those who grew up with the author’s other books. Readers who like faerie adventures will enjoy the world-building and high stakes of the adventure.
Content Notes
Recommended for Ages 10 to 14.
Profanity/Crude Language Content
A few made up curses.
Romance/Sexual Content
Some blushing and attraction between characters.
Spiritual Content
Some characters are faeries. 7 powerful Djinn created the world through their dreams. Faeries can choose to leave the world for the Moonlit Gardens, a different realm, sort of like an afterlife space. If faeries are killed in battle, they also appear in the Moonlit Gardens. Other creatures like imps and scavenging devils appear in the story and cause trouble. Magpie and her family have spent years tracking down these devils and imprisoning them in bottles.
Violent Content
Situations of peril. Brief battle scenes and scary imagery. A monster made of darkness swallows up some characters.
Drug Content
Reference to social drinking and smoking tobacco at a community celebration.
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