A review by andrearbooks
The Dreamers by Karen Thompson Walker

4.0

The Dreamers by Karen Thompson Walker was mesmerizing. This is the second of the author's books that I have read (the first being The Age of Miracles), and she has a gift for creating captivating stories around (literal) world-altering happenings. She writes the kind of stories that you keep reading because you want to know what happens next, but also, they make you wonder what you would personally do in the same situation. For this one, there is a mysterious illness that is impacting a college town in California. It starts in a residence hall. One student falls asleep and she doesn't wake up. She's still alive, but nothing can wake her from her slumber. Then, another person is impacted, then another, etcetera. With no clear answers, options for solutions emerge. This is where the ethical dilemmas begin. What do you do to help those who are impacted, while protecting those who aren't? The book follows a variety of residents of the town and students of the college to show how they react and how their various interactions with the illness are addresses. Y'all, this one was beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time. Karen Thompson Walker draws you into the worlds she creates like no other author can. They bring you into the dilemma of the world she has created, while making you ask so many questions of your own life. She also does a really amazing job of showing the variety of options that are available, but never emphasizes one of these as the best way to handle. She really helps you see these are complex issues through the beautiful character stories she also builds. This was an advanced read I got thanks to NetGalley, and y'all are going to want/need to check this one out once it's released into the world in January.