glitterbomb47's review against another edition
4.0
What a strange, delightful book.
I don't think this should be YA.
I don't think this should be YA.
bunnieslikediamonds's review against another edition
3.0
There is so much I like about this book (and its prequel): the concept of dreamcatching, the writing, the atmosphere. The ending, and the explanation of the Place, was clever and surprising. And yet the characters don't quite come to life. I was startled every time Laura burst into giggles or tears because she seemed so distant and unemotional most of the time. I found the golem the most interesting and appealing character, which says something about the rest of the cast. There is so much potential here, and things only hinted at but never fully explored. It could have been great.
ecandrews0's review against another edition
3.0
Alright, first off, SPOILERS MIGHT BE CONTAINED IN THIS REVIEW. I'll post a spoiler alert before any spoilers, but you have been warned.
Okay, so Dreamquake by Elizabeth Knox. This is the second book in the Dreamhunter duet.
Overall, this was a pretty decent series. The plot is extremely fresh and original. I've never read any other books that involve catching dreams as a commodity. The whole idea of the Place, with only a few people being allowed in, was very intriguing, and that's what drew me to these books in the first place.
But now, the problems with the series.
The biggest problem I had: I felt NO emotional connection WHATSOEVER with these characters. To be perfectly honest, I really didn't care what happened to them. The character development happened so quickly that it felt as if characters were just changing overnight. I think Laura could have been a really interesting character if she was more relatable. Actually that would have been true for anybody… I just really didn't give a dang about what happened to any of these characters. The only exception was ***SPOILER ALERT*** the fire during the "coming-out ball", or whatever it was called. ***END SPOILER*** That scene was written so well that for the first (and only) time, I actually cared about what was happening with the characters.
Next problem: Nown. Nown was a really creative and clever idea. I mean, a sandman made by her singing? That's pretty cool. But he was just kind of… there. I don't really know how to explain it, but it felt like he just kind of appeared out of nowhere and suddenly became a key character. I never felt like Nown and his past selves were ever really explained, even at the end. Maybe that's how he was intended to be, but I wish that maybe his existence had been rounded out a little bit? Or maybe just explained more about this ability that apparently only the Hames have? I'm not really sure what I wanted with Nown…
Last problem (that I'm going to write about, anyways): The romance. THIS WAS THE MOST OUT-OF-THE-BLUE ROMANCE I HAVE EVER READ. I'm still unclear as to what exactly happened. I mean, did they just start working together and suddenly like each other or what? I don't think this was necessarily intended to be a romance novel, but I feel like if you're going to add romance in there, at least develop it a little. Maybe it was just me, but it seemed like they were just suddenly… in love… with nothing particularly leading up to it. I just wish maybe a little more time would have been spent on their relationship.
Alright, enough with the bad stuff. Here's what I enjoyed about the series.
The plot was so freaking original. Seriously. If you're looking for something fresh that you haven't read before, these are definitely some books to try. Some of it is a little confusing, but it all (mostly) makes sense in the end.
I also liked how there would be some random little event that didn't quite make sense (especially in the first book), but then a few chapters later, you see that it was actually really important. That was kind of cool for me.
The ending was a real twist!!! I don't know, I definitely didn't see it coming. It's kind of the opposite of what you would expect, at least after finishing the first book.
Overall, I'd give this series a 3.2 out of 5 stars. The plot was very original and enjoyable, and I was really surprised by the twist ending. But I didn't enjoy the series as much as I would have if there had been some character development, some more thought into the romance, and a little more explaining. Maybe if this had been a trilogy instead of just a duet?
Okay, so Dreamquake by Elizabeth Knox. This is the second book in the Dreamhunter duet.
Overall, this was a pretty decent series. The plot is extremely fresh and original. I've never read any other books that involve catching dreams as a commodity. The whole idea of the Place, with only a few people being allowed in, was very intriguing, and that's what drew me to these books in the first place.
But now, the problems with the series.
The biggest problem I had: I felt NO emotional connection WHATSOEVER with these characters. To be perfectly honest, I really didn't care what happened to them. The character development happened so quickly that it felt as if characters were just changing overnight. I think Laura could have been a really interesting character if she was more relatable. Actually that would have been true for anybody… I just really didn't give a dang about what happened to any of these characters. The only exception was ***SPOILER ALERT*** the fire during the "coming-out ball", or whatever it was called. ***END SPOILER*** That scene was written so well that for the first (and only) time, I actually cared about what was happening with the characters.
Next problem: Nown. Nown was a really creative and clever idea. I mean, a sandman made by her singing? That's pretty cool. But he was just kind of… there. I don't really know how to explain it, but it felt like he just kind of appeared out of nowhere and suddenly became a key character. I never felt like Nown and his past selves were ever really explained, even at the end. Maybe that's how he was intended to be, but I wish that maybe his existence had been rounded out a little bit? Or maybe just explained more about this ability that apparently only the Hames have? I'm not really sure what I wanted with Nown…
Last problem (that I'm going to write about, anyways): The romance. THIS WAS THE MOST OUT-OF-THE-BLUE ROMANCE I HAVE EVER READ. I'm still unclear as to what exactly happened. I mean, did they just start working together and suddenly like each other or what? I don't think this was necessarily intended to be a romance novel, but I feel like if you're going to add romance in there, at least develop it a little. Maybe it was just me, but it seemed like they were just suddenly… in love… with nothing particularly leading up to it. I just wish maybe a little more time would have been spent on their relationship.
Alright, enough with the bad stuff. Here's what I enjoyed about the series.
The plot was so freaking original. Seriously. If you're looking for something fresh that you haven't read before, these are definitely some books to try. Some of it is a little confusing, but it all (mostly) makes sense in the end.
I also liked how there would be some random little event that didn't quite make sense (especially in the first book), but then a few chapters later, you see that it was actually really important. That was kind of cool for me.
The ending was a real twist!!! I don't know, I definitely didn't see it coming. It's kind of the opposite of what you would expect, at least after finishing the first book.
Overall, I'd give this series a 3.2 out of 5 stars. The plot was very original and enjoyable, and I was really surprised by the twist ending. But I didn't enjoy the series as much as I would have if there had been some character development, some more thought into the romance, and a little more explaining. Maybe if this had been a trilogy instead of just a duet?
foggy_rosamund's review against another edition
5.0
Set in 1906, in an alternative version of New Zealand, called Southland, this duet of novels focuses on the Hame family and a strange area within a valley, called simply "The Place". A small number of people can enter The Place, a barren landscape in which dreams can be "caught", and brought out to the rest of the world. The fantasy elements of this story are imaginative, but the strength of the novels is the politics, geography and characters within the real world. The cities, schools, valleys and sea-side are beautifully described, as are the meals and the clothes. This world is so vivid and, while I was reading, felt more real to me than my own life.
The main characters, cousins Rose and Laura, are 15-year-old girls, but I wouldn't class these as YA novels, as the political and emotional themes feel more like those of adult novels, and they don't follow the usual structure of YA novels. The girls, especially Laura, feel very authentic, act rashly and impulsively, and are wonderfully self-reliant. Though Laura may cry through much of the plot, her desperation never removes her agency. The narrative gives her space to be emotional and afraid, but also gives her room to be brave and to grow. The plot is complicated, but never overly involved, and the novels move swiftly. I was engaged all the way to the satisfying conclusion, and I'm already considering rereading them.
I would recommend these books for their characters, their plot, and the imaginative and clever fantasy elements. These books are surprising and really don't feel like anything else that is currently on the shelves. They are hugely enjoyable and refreshing.
The main characters, cousins Rose and Laura, are 15-year-old girls, but I wouldn't class these as YA novels, as the political and emotional themes feel more like those of adult novels, and they don't follow the usual structure of YA novels. The girls, especially Laura, feel very authentic, act rashly and impulsively, and are wonderfully self-reliant. Though Laura may cry through much of the plot, her desperation never removes her agency. The narrative gives her space to be emotional and afraid, but also gives her room to be brave and to grow. The plot is complicated, but never overly involved, and the novels move swiftly. I was engaged all the way to the satisfying conclusion, and I'm already considering rereading them.
I would recommend these books for their characters, their plot, and the imaginative and clever fantasy elements. These books are surprising and really don't feel like anything else that is currently on the shelves. They are hugely enjoyable and refreshing.
missprint_'s review against another edition
5.0
I don’t make a habit of rereading books. And yet I have wanted to reread not one, but two books in the past month almost as soon as I completed my first reading. They were that good.
The first of these two extraordinary books was Dreamhunter by New Zealand author Elizabeth Knox (alternately known as The Rainbow Opera in the UK). The second, and perhaps this isn’t a great surprise, was Dreamquake also by Elizabeth Knox. Together, these titles create The Dreamhunter Duet.
Dreamquake (which I believe is more appropriately called The Dream Quake in England) is the second book of Knox’s Dreamhunter Duet and was a 2008 Printz Award Honor Book and an ALA Best Book for Young Adults in 2008.
There is a lot I want to say about this book, but first I have to say a bit about how the duet actually works. Some readers feel strongly, and fairly, that the Duet cannot be read in isolation (that is the two books cannot stand alone). Other readers, also fairly, feel that the books can and do work well as individual pieces of prose. I actually agree with both viewpoints.
Personally, I think both books stand alone. Knox is a good enough writer that either book feels like a complete read. The opening of Dreamquake adequately explains the events of the first book so that readers won’t be lost or bored. At the same time, having seen both parts of the Duet in person, I have to say they really are one book. Just looking at the book design–the first book has a prologue while the second includes the epilogue and a glossary–I realized that Dreamhunter and Dreamquake are more like two parts of one story (what I often call companion books in this blog) than two stories directly following each other (what I would call sequel books).
Just a bit about the basic plot of Dreamhunter: I’m not all that familiar with New Zealand but a review from the New Zealand Listener tells me that Knox’s novels are set in “something like the New Zealand of a century ago, but with a twist, in that social life revolves around a traffic in dreams.” The rare people who can catch dreams (dreamhunters) perform them for the social elite at dream palaces like the Rainbow Opera. Dreams are also often used for the public good in hospitals around Southland.
Some dreamhunters also capture nightmares which readers learn in Dreamhunter are used for the public good, but in a much more sinister way. Laura, our protagonist, discovers this fact when she begins investigating the disappearance of her father, one of the greatest dreamhunters Southland has ever seen. Outraged by what she has seen, Laura sets out to inform the public of the governments use of nightmares. Dreamhunter ends with the disastrous results of this attempt.
It is therefore no surprise that Dreamquake opens with the chaos following the execution of Laura’s plan as Southland and Laura’s family are thrown into a state of disarray. Adrift with only her creation Nown and a nightmare, Laura has to find a way to earn back her family’s trust while negotiating an entanglement with a fellow young dreamhunter. All this while continuing to investigate the corruption of the sinister Dream Regulatory Body created to control the Place and its invaluable resources.
I could actually talk for hours about the nuances of this novel’s plot and how Knox ties everything together at the end, but if you read the book you’ll probably see what I mean for yourself.
Dreamquake is every bit as good as Dreamhunter while also being even better because it expands on characters who don’t get as much time to shine in the first novel. Sandy and Rose (and to some extent Nown) are back and much more engaged in the central plot than they were in Dreamhunter to great effect.
Knox’s prose is unique in that it is well-paced while also being high action. Knox takes her time to explain terms like “Soporif” and “Novelists” but never to the detriment of the story. The action here is so intense and gripping that, at several points in the novel, I found myself skimming ahead just to make sure that everything would turn out all right in the end.
The Dreamhunter Duet is a rare thing in contemporary literature. Both books are rich enough that, were the main characters not teenagers, no one would question its place as an adult book–but I’ve made that argument about other books on this site. More to the point, Knox is an amazing writer. Dreamhunter and Dreamquake are populated by a wide variety of characters, each unique and fully realized on the page.
Instead of creating a world and characters and even this story, it feels instead like Knox is introducing readers to old friends, reciting a familiar tale–everything within these novels seems so real, the details are so concrete, that it feels like folly to consider it fantastic or even fiction. And that is why Dreamquake (and Dreamhunter) will surely take their rightful places among the canon of great fantasy novels.
You can find this review and more on my blog Miss Print
The first of these two extraordinary books was Dreamhunter by New Zealand author Elizabeth Knox (alternately known as The Rainbow Opera in the UK). The second, and perhaps this isn’t a great surprise, was Dreamquake also by Elizabeth Knox. Together, these titles create The Dreamhunter Duet.
Dreamquake (which I believe is more appropriately called The Dream Quake in England) is the second book of Knox’s Dreamhunter Duet and was a 2008 Printz Award Honor Book and an ALA Best Book for Young Adults in 2008.
There is a lot I want to say about this book, but first I have to say a bit about how the duet actually works. Some readers feel strongly, and fairly, that the Duet cannot be read in isolation (that is the two books cannot stand alone). Other readers, also fairly, feel that the books can and do work well as individual pieces of prose. I actually agree with both viewpoints.
Personally, I think both books stand alone. Knox is a good enough writer that either book feels like a complete read. The opening of Dreamquake adequately explains the events of the first book so that readers won’t be lost or bored. At the same time, having seen both parts of the Duet in person, I have to say they really are one book. Just looking at the book design–the first book has a prologue while the second includes the epilogue and a glossary–I realized that Dreamhunter and Dreamquake are more like two parts of one story (what I often call companion books in this blog) than two stories directly following each other (what I would call sequel books).
Just a bit about the basic plot of Dreamhunter: I’m not all that familiar with New Zealand but a review from the New Zealand Listener tells me that Knox’s novels are set in “something like the New Zealand of a century ago, but with a twist, in that social life revolves around a traffic in dreams.” The rare people who can catch dreams (dreamhunters) perform them for the social elite at dream palaces like the Rainbow Opera. Dreams are also often used for the public good in hospitals around Southland.
Some dreamhunters also capture nightmares which readers learn in Dreamhunter are used for the public good, but in a much more sinister way. Laura, our protagonist, discovers this fact when she begins investigating the disappearance of her father, one of the greatest dreamhunters Southland has ever seen. Outraged by what she has seen, Laura sets out to inform the public of the governments use of nightmares. Dreamhunter ends with the disastrous results of this attempt.
It is therefore no surprise that Dreamquake opens with the chaos following the execution of Laura’s plan as Southland and Laura’s family are thrown into a state of disarray. Adrift with only her creation Nown and a nightmare, Laura has to find a way to earn back her family’s trust while negotiating an entanglement with a fellow young dreamhunter. All this while continuing to investigate the corruption of the sinister Dream Regulatory Body created to control the Place and its invaluable resources.
I could actually talk for hours about the nuances of this novel’s plot and how Knox ties everything together at the end, but if you read the book you’ll probably see what I mean for yourself.
Dreamquake is every bit as good as Dreamhunter while also being even better because it expands on characters who don’t get as much time to shine in the first novel. Sandy and Rose (and to some extent Nown) are back and much more engaged in the central plot than they were in Dreamhunter to great effect.
Knox’s prose is unique in that it is well-paced while also being high action. Knox takes her time to explain terms like “Soporif” and “Novelists” but never to the detriment of the story. The action here is so intense and gripping that, at several points in the novel, I found myself skimming ahead just to make sure that everything would turn out all right in the end.
The Dreamhunter Duet is a rare thing in contemporary literature. Both books are rich enough that, were the main characters not teenagers, no one would question its place as an adult book–but I’ve made that argument about other books on this site. More to the point, Knox is an amazing writer. Dreamhunter and Dreamquake are populated by a wide variety of characters, each unique and fully realized on the page.
Instead of creating a world and characters and even this story, it feels instead like Knox is introducing readers to old friends, reciting a familiar tale–everything within these novels seems so real, the details are so concrete, that it feels like folly to consider it fantastic or even fiction. And that is why Dreamquake (and Dreamhunter) will surely take their rightful places among the canon of great fantasy novels.
You can find this review and more on my blog Miss Print
jasmyn9'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
augie_'s review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury and Death
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Pregnancy and Sexual assault
verysillygoose's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury and Death
Moderate: Pregnancy and Sexual assault
Minor: Incest
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.