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A review by brooke_review
Dream Girl by Laura Lippman
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I have discovered through reading Laura Lippman’s more recent books that she is fast becoming a favorite author of mine. I love her observant style of writing and how she so uncannily and casually uncovers truths about people and society. Her novel Dream Girl almost reads more like a novella, throwing the reader into the midst of a situation and letting them discover what may.
In this case, the reader is introduced to Gerry Andersen, a best-selling author who finds himself laid up in a hospital bed in his home in Baltimore after an accident. The story is told in both the present and past, with the reader learning more and more about Gerry’s unsavory, predator-esque personality, while also revealing how Gerry has come to find himself in his current situation. Readers will soon discover that not all is as it seems because Gerry is receiving phone calls, letters, and visions about a character in his most popular book - his “dream girl,” Aubrey. Just who is Aubrey, and what does she want? It’s a race against the clock to find out …
The ratings for Dream Girl are a mixed bag, and.I generally feel the same, although I find myself viewing the novel more favorably than many. However, I am sticking with 3 stars because when compared with other 4 star novels that I have read and reviewed lately, I find that Dream Girl doesn’t quite hit as high of a mark. Dream Girl’s storyline is certainly intriguing; its characters despicable; its twists and turns outlandish. It just feels a bit all over the place in its storytelling, and I had to suspend disbelief several times throughout the novel to continue forward. In all, it is a worthy read if you are a fan of Laura Lippman, but if you have not read any of her other books, give one of those a try before this one.
As for the audiobook version of this novel, Jason Culp’s narration is believable and spot-on. I felt like I was listening to Gerry Andersen himself. Culp does a fine job of fleshing out Andersen in all of his idiosyncrasies and machinations.
In this case, the reader is introduced to Gerry Andersen, a best-selling author who finds himself laid up in a hospital bed in his home in Baltimore after an accident. The story is told in both the present and past, with the reader learning more and more about Gerry’s unsavory, predator-esque personality, while also revealing how Gerry has come to find himself in his current situation. Readers will soon discover that not all is as it seems because Gerry is receiving phone calls, letters, and visions about a character in his most popular book - his “dream girl,” Aubrey. Just who is Aubrey, and what does she want? It’s a race against the clock to find out …
The ratings for Dream Girl are a mixed bag, and.I generally feel the same, although I find myself viewing the novel more favorably than many. However, I am sticking with 3 stars because when compared with other 4 star novels that I have read and reviewed lately, I find that Dream Girl doesn’t quite hit as high of a mark. Dream Girl’s storyline is certainly intriguing; its characters despicable; its twists and turns outlandish. It just feels a bit all over the place in its storytelling, and I had to suspend disbelief several times throughout the novel to continue forward. In all, it is a worthy read if you are a fan of Laura Lippman, but if you have not read any of her other books, give one of those a try before this one.
As for the audiobook version of this novel, Jason Culp’s narration is believable and spot-on. I felt like I was listening to Gerry Andersen himself. Culp does a fine job of fleshing out Andersen in all of his idiosyncrasies and machinations.