Dreamhunter & Dreamquake by Elizabeth Knox
Julie: I shouldn't be starting our conversation about Elizabeth Knox's DREAMHUNTER and DREAMQUAKE (together, the DREAMHUNTER duet) right now, because I don't have the books nearby. I'm usually obsessive about flipping through the books we're recommending when I write my parts of our reviews, making sure I have facts right and doing my best to convey the tone and other qualities of the books. But in a way it's perfect that I don't have DREAMHUNTER and DREAMQUAKE at hand. Because what I love most about them is how powerfully their story has stayed with me in the weeks since I finished the books. I remember these two books far better than most, even though their pacing is slower than many of the fantasies I've loved, and even though they lack the kind of distinctive voice that I'm typically drawn to. Mia, did DREAMHUNTER and DREAMQUAKE cast the same lasting spell for you?
Marirosa Mia: DREAMHUNTER did and didn't, Julie. Let me explain. I enjoyed reading it. The language was lush and descriptive. It had a certain leisurely tone that I quite enjoyed, and I could see the thought behind it. The plot chugged along, and it wasn't until I finished that I realized that I was missing something. But what? It wasn't until I read DREAMQUAKE that it all came together for me, that it felt like that big moment - that crescendo if you will - when everything works. A lot happens in DREAMHUNTER, but at the same time not a lot does. It really does need DREAMQUAKE to feel fully formed and have impact. Am I making sense, Julie?
Julie: I agree wholeheartedly. DREAMHUNTER sets the stage for the far more compelling action and satisfying resolution of DREAMQUAKE. I was intrigued by DREAMHUNTER--its ideas, tone, characters, and world--but the book is a prelude. The foundation built in DREAMHUNTER allows DREAMQUAKE to excel. DREAMQUAKE is a Printz Honor book; DREAMHUNTER is not; and that is fitting.
But we haven't even summarized the story yet! Let me give that a shot: Laura and Rose Hame are cousins and friends who live in a world much like ours, except for its proximity to the Place, a land wherein a select few can "catch" dreams. These dream hunters can then share those dreams with the rest of the community. At the start of DREAMHUNTER, Laura and Rose are eligible to determine whether either qualifies as a dream hunter. Their relationship becomes strained when one of them qualifies and the other does not. At the same time, Laura's father--like Rose's mother, an acclaimed dream hunter--disappears under circumstances suggesting dark forces at play in the Place. The girls' efforts, and those of their family, to set right what has gone very wrong continue in DREAMQUAKE.
I'm not sure I just did the story justice, but it's not easy to sum up a new world and its rules. How'd I do, Mia?
M: Very well, considering my reaction to the book's back copy was, "I'm sorry, but what?" Ha! But back to the books and particularly Rose and Laura, whom I cared for dearly. I was first very attached to Rose and her fiery nature, but by the end of the first book I was with Laura all the way (not to say that I started to dislike Rose, but just that my concern for Laura increased exponentially). By the end I wanted Laura to succeed in all her endeavors and become the greatest heroine in the WORLD...or at least pretty darn good. What about you, Julie?
J: I also care deeply for both Rose and Laura--and their parents. All of these characters are flawed, but all of them (whether gifted with dream-hunter powers or not) are heroic. Knox does a terrific job of bringing them to life and making us sympathize with them and root for them. (Though I did find Rose's ultimate treatment by her parents a bit mysterious. Do you know what I mean?) I also like that the book made me think in a different way about dreams and their effects. I suppose it would be quite powerful to be able to inflict nightmares--or dreams of contentment--night after night, on a significant percentage of the population. Though I'm not sure it would be as powerful as Knox contends. What do you think?
M: Well, as a person who often suffers from incredibly vivid nightmares after which I can't go back to sleep until the sun is up...I might be with Knox on this one, Julie! And I suppose there's something to be said for the lack of sleep accumulation!
J: So true! (Just remembering my nasty, sleep-deprived self when my girls were infants...yeesh.) But what about the effects of contented dreams?
M: I think I might be just the person to ask these questions since I'm always affected by my dreams (as they tend to be very vivid and also have giant back stories). I always have a bit of a hop in my step after a really lovely dream. So in my case I can see what Knox is getting at. I should probably be in some sort of sleep study program...
J: Huh. Turns out I'm a wimpy dreamer. How sad.
M: Depends on the dream I suppose. Not sure you’d ever want to experience one of my nightmares!
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