Review: Dreamland

Dreamland by Sarah Dessen

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



This book took me by surprise. I have read many of Dessen’s novels, I will review them soon, and this one was very different.

Caitlin has always lived in the shadow of her older more ambitious and seemingly ‘perfect’ sister Cass. Months before Cass is to start at Yale she runs away, leaving Caitlin with the burden of filling in the hole left behind.

Caitlin finds a calling in wanting to be everything Cass never was. When she meets Rogerson (not my favorite name, I found myself thinking of Karate kid and ended up just calling him Roger) her self destructive calling is answered.

Dessen can be very mild in her characters and not push the boundaries of self exploration beyond talking, she stepped outside of the mold in this novel. It must be said I knew nothing of this novel before I read it. There was drugs, sex (very PG) and abuse.

I felt the relationship between Caitlin and Rogerson evolved fluidly and in a vary believable way. I was scared for Caitlin and felt for her, I actually finished the book in one sitting.

I believe there is a strong message in this story than teens everywhere should be aware of.

I recommend this book and applaud Dessen for taking another route in her writing.



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