Review: Dreamland by Robert L Anderson

Dea Donahue has been able to travel through people's dreams since she was six years old. Her mother taught her the three rules of walking: Never interfere. Never be seen. Never walk the same person's dream more than once. Dea has never questioned her mother, not about the rules, not about the clocks or the mirrors, not about moving from place to place to be one step ahead of the unseen monsters that Dea's mother is certain are right behind them. Then a mysterious new boy, Connor, comes to town and Dea finally starts to feel normal. As Connor breaks down the walls that she's had up for so long, he gets closer to learning her secret. For the first time she wonders if that's so bad. But when Dea breaks the rules, the boundary between worlds begins to deteriorate. How can she know what's real and what's not?

I was excited to read this book from the moment I picked it up! The idea of walking through other people's dreams intrigued me as it seemed similar to the movie Inception which I really enjoyed. Dreamland perfectly weaves together themes of loyalty to family and teen friendship into a fantasy world parallel to our own. It was so cleverly written that despite the intricate layers to this world, nothing was so outlandish it can't be imagined.

The countless plot twists and revelations throughout the entire story kept me gripped and the mystery of everyone's true identities meant that this book was never boring. With every new piece of information revealed to us as readers, there's always something else just out of our reach that keeps us guessing and turning another page. I equally love mystery and fantasy novels so luckily Anderson has combined these two  genres into an incredible YA book. The mystery of what really happened to Connor's mother and brother kept me hooked for the whole book.

The ever present question of what reality is and whether the world we live in is any more real than our dreams definitely gave me food for thought. The rules of the dream world were so realistic and ingrained in the book that I still shivered for a few days after finishing the book every time I glanced at a mirror or heard a ticking clock!

Every character in the book was well developed with many sides and all seemed relatable enough that you either know someone like them or could picture them in your own neighbourhood. Dea was an interesting protagonist and I really enjoyed watching her character develop from someone with a lack of friendship and many difficulties to a loyal, caring person who makes decisions independently yet selflessly. It was refreshing to have a female protagonist who was the right mix of self-sufficient and strong willed but realistic enough to be vulnerable and possess the ability to show emotions and break down as well, which was completely understandable considering the roller coaster of events Dea experiences. I think other teen readers like myself will find Dea quite likeable as she's got a fun personality thrown in with her signature sarcasm and dry remarks. However, she's also got an ounce of realism that many YA characters occasionally lack, particularly in the fantasy genre. Her passion for doing the right thing not only for those she cares about but also for herself was quite inspiring.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it's definitely worth a read. If you loved Mind Games by Terri Terry, I'd recommend this book to you.
8/10 stars