somewheregirl7's review against another edition
3.0
Laura Haim and her cousin, Rose, are back in this sequel to Knox's Dream Hunters book. The first book was very long and a bit of a struggle to get through but I made it. The world building is well done. However, just as with the first book the pace is the major issue here. The book is just too long and there are large sections where very little happens. The events are painfully slow and the characters aren't strong enough on their own to carry the book. I discarded the book approximately 2/3 of the way through.
futurememory's review against another edition
4.0
Welp, this was all the Kryptonite for me. I really adored a lot of things about Dreamhunter - the concept alone is everything! - but Dreamquake was definitely the stronger of the two.
I won't get into spoilers, but if you know me, you know that
I just love the way everything in this book clicked together so intricately. Each piece falls into place, and even if you're not happy with the denouement, it's still amazingly constructed. I really love how difficult of a character Laura is. She's capricious, childish, impudent, impulsive, and passionate. She's not easy to like, let alone love.
I didn't appreciate the erasure of the native New Zealand Maori peoples (although I have read that Mortal Fire, a sort of companion book of sorts to the Duet, completely addresses this issue in spades and makes sense of why there aren't any indigenous natives). And there are probably some things in the novels that will squick some people out.
But for me? This was one oddly captivating, fascinating ride.
I won't get into spoilers, but if you know me, you know that
Spoiler
I'm a complete and utter sucker for time travel. Even absolutely horrific time travel that makes no sense. The concept is just shark bait for me. I can't stay away. And the lovely, sad, and melancholic way that time travel is handled here is just beyond gorgeous. Does it make no sense in places? Yes. But that's okay, because I forgive time travel for a lot of things.I just love the way everything in this book clicked together so intricately. Each piece falls into place, and even if you're not happy with the denouement, it's still amazingly constructed. I really love how difficult of a character Laura is. She's capricious, childish, impudent, impulsive, and passionate. She's not easy to like, let alone love.
I didn't appreciate the erasure of the native New Zealand Maori peoples (although I have read that Mortal Fire, a sort of companion book of sorts to the Duet, completely addresses this issue in spades and makes sense of why there aren't any indigenous natives). And there are probably some things in the novels that will squick some people out.
But for me? This was one oddly captivating, fascinating ride.
jessgock's review against another edition
5.0
I read this book and its companion, [book: Dreamhunter] after reading some enthusiastic praise from a librarian friend, and they didn't disappoint. The stories take place in early 20th century New Zealand but with a slight twist to reality: there is an area called the Place, accessible only to a handful of people, where dreams can be "caught" and carried back out to the rest of the public. These dreams can be broadcast by the sleeping dreamhunter to anyone physically nearby. Some are delightful dreams, some are nightmares, and people can earn fortunes by bringing back the best dreams and performing them at "dream palaces." However, the dreams often seem to share common elements or characters, leading to the question - who or what created these dreams, and what message are they trying to send? I found both books wholly engrossing and very well crafted. I would highly recommend doing what I did and getting both books from the library at the same time, as they pretty much read like one very long novel bound into two volumes.
cherushee's review
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
myeverskye's review against another edition
4.0
Awesome,awesome conclusion to this duet. I liked Dreamhunter & I LOVED Dreamquake. The whole time I was reading I was racking my brain trying to figure out how the author would explain everything & when she did I thought it was brilliant.
nogenreleftbehind's review against another edition
3.0
I read the first book in the Dreamhunter duet as part of the Most Underappreciated Book Contest earlier this year. It intrigued me enough that I went out and got the second. However, about half way through I almost put the book down. The characters seemed to be stuck in a loop trying to figure the same things out over and over again.
Things were just taking too long for me, but I stuck through it and the second half of the book made up it. The characters started to develop again and the plot become involved and was progressing once again.
Laura Hame is once again center stage of the story, and she has finally started to put things together about the mysterious Place. The pieces eventually fell together quite nicely and the story ended well.
3/5
Things were just taking too long for me, but I stuck through it and the second half of the book made up it. The characters started to develop again and the plot become involved and was progressing once again.
Laura Hame is once again center stage of the story, and she has finally started to put things together about the mysterious Place. The pieces eventually fell together quite nicely and the story ended well.
3/5
mangomari's review against another edition
3.0
Honestly, the ending with Nown ruined my day. I'm sad.
I dont care that Laura was a whiny childish girl. She's 15-16! Of course she is. I don't like that she didn't really grow much as a character though. She seems way too young to have a baby...book 1 had me so intrigued and interested. Book 2 left me sad.
I dont care that Laura was a whiny childish girl. She's 15-16! Of course she is. I don't like that she didn't really grow much as a character though. She seems way too young to have a baby...book 1 had me so intrigued and interested. Book 2 left me sad.
jessalynn_librarian's review against another edition
4.0
If I finish a book and then am vaguely dissatisfied with my other reading options, that's when I know I finished something good. This was definitely the case with Dreamquake, my little experiment in reading the sequel before the first book. Since it won a Printz Honor, and should thus be able to stand alone, I wanted to find out for myself. Would I still enjoy it without the backstory? Would the characters and world still be engaging? Would it feel incomplete?
It does feel complete. While the beginning was a little confusing, figuring out who is related to who, how old they all are, the parameters of the semi-historical, semi-fantastical world they inhabit - it was no more so than any good, demanding book that throws you into the action and lets you figure things out as you go along. This quality, plus the tone, tight plotting, reticent characters, sense of place, and the historical/fantastical combo, all reminded me of Megan Whalen Turner's books. So if you liked those aspects of her books - particularly The Queen of Attolia and The King of Attolia - then I definitely recommend this.
The ending was incredibly satisfying, and has been on my mind ever since I finished it. Things are wrapped up, but not too tidily. Now I get to go back and read Dreamhunter and find out if any of my guesses about it are correct - I avoided reading any plot summaries or reviews in the interests of a fair and balanced experiment. Overall, a success. Good for a somewhat patient reader looking for a story with good characters, an intriguing premise, and plenty of maps to consult.
It does feel complete. While the beginning was a little confusing, figuring out who is related to who, how old they all are, the parameters of the semi-historical, semi-fantastical world they inhabit - it was no more so than any good, demanding book that throws you into the action and lets you figure things out as you go along. This quality, plus the tone, tight plotting, reticent characters, sense of place, and the historical/fantastical combo, all reminded me of Megan Whalen Turner's books. So if you liked those aspects of her books - particularly The Queen of Attolia and The King of Attolia - then I definitely recommend this.
The ending was incredibly satisfying, and has been on my mind ever since I finished it. Things are wrapped up, but not too tidily. Now I get to go back and read Dreamhunter and find out if any of my guesses about it are correct - I avoided reading any plot summaries or reviews in the interests of a fair and balanced experiment. Overall, a success. Good for a somewhat patient reader looking for a story with good characters, an intriguing premise, and plenty of maps to consult.
hallieps's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes