Customer Reviews

Alphabet of Dreams

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Blurbs and book descriptions can be great. If you see, for example, an enticing cover in the bookstore, blurbs have the power to make or break your potential purchase. If the description sounds remarkable, the blurb is the book's friend. If the description sounds deathly deadly dull, the blurb and book are foes. But you see, I don't read blurbs. I like books to surprise me. To have stories and plots that jump out of nowhere and throttle my attention soundly. In short, I like to know as little about a book as possible before I read it. And since my focus in life is to concentrate wholeheartedly on children's books, blurbs are avoided at all times at all costs. Good thing too. Had I known the plot of "Alphabet of Dreams" beyond the initial premise I might have labeled this book too soon. As it was, my slow realization of what this story was about liberated me to feel especially proud of myself and proud of author Susan Fletcher for so skillfully drawing out the story's elegant elements. If you're anything like me and you'd like to unravel the mystery behind "Alphabet of Dreams" on your own, stop reading this review and know only this: Excellent book. Excellent plot. Excellent characters. A classy affair through and through. Nuff said.

First sentence: "When we lived in the City of the Dead, my brother dreamed mostly of food". Little wonder. Mitra and her little brother Babak are displaced members of a Persian royal family. Due to their father's failed plot to overthrow King Phraates, the two have been separated from the rest of their family and live as beggers in the city of Rhagae. That is, until fourteen-year-old Mitra (dressed as a boy and going by the name of Ramin) discovers that Babak has a dangerous gift. Simply place an article of clothing under his sleeping head and in the morning he'll dream a portentous dream for the owner of that material. Always on the lookout for a way to return to the life she once knew, Mitra uses Babak's power to restore them to the city of Palmyra, where she hopes to find their kin. Unfortunately, knowledge of this dreamer reaches the ears of the powerful everywhere. Now Babak and Mitra are in the possession of a magus with dreams of power. And as the boy's dreams concern a birth, stars, and a king, it becomes clear that there is something at work far greater than either child could fathom. Something so great that it may kill Babak to dream of it.

At what point did my slow moving brain realize that this story was concerned with the three Magi? You see, that's the caravan that Mitra and Babak eventually end up with. Somehow I could have caught on right from the start if I'd looked more closely at the map at the beginning of the book. Yup. There's Bethlehem clear as clear can be. But somehow I missed both that clue and the moment when the first Magus (clue #2, I suppose) was introduced as Melchior. It really wasn't until Babak had a dream about a Jewish king with sores that I began to get clued in. Then when they met up with a second Magus named Gasper... well you can imagine how pleased I felt with myself. Kids who haven't been immersed in "Amahl and the Night Visitors", however, may not get what's going on until the crew meets up with King Herod or enters Bethlehem proper.

By and large Fletcher is just an out-and-out good writer. At one point the story's heroes are hiding under some blankets on a camel to avoid detection from their enemies. As they sit there they hear a sound like "Pok!". It becomes clear to Mitra that this is the sound of someone sticking a dagger through the blankets. "I held my breath. Pok! Pok! To my left. Pok! Pok! Somewhere in front of me". Delicious stuff. Then there are the characters themselves. Mitra, our heroine, is not likable in the least at the story's start. She works for her own gain, fooling herself into believing that using her little brother is for his own good as well. She's obsessed with royal blood, to the point where she'll sacrifice everything to return to her station in life. And like the rat Roscuro in Kate DiCamillo's, "The Tale of Despereaux", Mitra craves light at all times. I liked that Fletcher covered her bases. Whenever a character in a book disguises herself as a boy, some inevitable questions come up. How does Mitra pee? What about her period? What happens when she gets that? And her breasts? What about those? Fletcher handles each question in a manner befitting of Tamora Pierce's, "Alanna".

Not that the book doesn't have any flaws, of course. There's a whole subplot involving Mitra's attraction to a boy named "Pacorus" that is supposed to help show how she's evolving into a young woman. Unfortunately it comes across as more of a distraction than anything else. About the time Mitra says, "And Pacorus. What did I want from him?", you, the reader, don't really care all that much. Besides, Pacorus seems like a nice enough fellow, but he's not fleshed out enough to care for. Ah well. Other readers I've discussed this book with have also found it a little slow moving. I, personally, felt the pace suited the style of the book, but I agree that I wouldn't hand, "Alphabet of Dreams" to a reluctant reader. As long as you can get through Mitra's constant yearning for Palmyra (which does get a little old after a while) you'll be okay.

Ms. Fletcher isn't the first children/teen author to tackle a Biblical story from an alternate point of view. Anne Provoost's, "In the Shadow of the Ark", for example, took on Noah's Ark, to say nothing of Madeline L'Engle's, "Many Waters", and the too little lauded "The Garden" by Elsie V. Aidinoff. These were all based on Old Testament stories, however, and think as I might, I couldn't come up with a single children/teen title that used The Nativity as its focus. Plus one of the nice things about this book is that it doesn't foist any particular religion on the reader. Yes, it's about The Nativity. But for those who see divinity in the story, that element is there for them. For those who just want a good story without a overt Christian theme, that's there too. This book has something for everyone. It balances out its storyline with its subject matter delicately. Hats off to Ms. Fletcher for her restraint. If there's a theme to this book, it concerns itself with a newfangled concept: Do good things and regardless of your station in life you can still attain heaven.

Fletcher, for that matter, has done her research. The "Note From the Author" at the back of the book details how Fletcher went about researching her tale, to say nothing of why she chose to include some elements and not others. It's here that readers will learn how much of this book is based on historical fact, how much on the Nativity tale alone, how much on the Book of Matthew, etc. Did you know that there was a conjunction of two planets, Jupiter and Saturn, that could easily have been the "star" referred to? Or that the Magi fit beautifully as Zoroastrians? Then she intricately plucks out the geography of the region, citing the locations as they were known in the past and as they are known now. The Works Cited page is beautifully displayed, and it's clear from her Acknowledgments that Ms. Fletcher was not afraid of legwork. It's all very impressive.

In a way, this is a Christmas story of an entirely new sort. One that goes to the actual event itself and shows the world at that time and how dangerous it was. There's magic here and fighting. Escapes and death. Miracles and treachery. All in all, an exciting take on an old tale, and one that's never been done before. Consider me a fan.

This story pulled me in deep and wouldn't let go. It got richer and thicker as it went along. The best of it to me was the love story at the heart of the book. The main character, Mitra, goes around as a boy for safety reasons. Then a boy meets her and instantly knows she is a girl, even though no one else has seen through her disguise. And he loves her. This idea, that someone who loves you is someone who can see you, and how good it is to be seen, are beautifully and convincingly rendered.

What an original take on an old, old story! I literally could not put it down, until the end! Even then, I devoured her explanatory notes afterwards.

This is a topic I teach frequently, and while I may differ on some minor points, the author has done an outstanding job of fictionalizing characters we wonder about so often.

This book is so powerful, that I doubt another Christmas in my life will ever transpire without my looking at the creche and considering Melchior's pride, that tiny scrap of linen in the boot, etc.

Well done!

I am the type of reader who can't settle for just a good story or just good writing or just good characters. I have to have it all to truly lose myself in a book. With this book, I lost myself in the language first, loving the sentences and the voice of Mitra. Then I fell in love with Mitra and Babak, and then I grew to appreciate and love the secondary characters because they felt real, their motives complex and the changes that happen to them believable and wonderful. Then the story swept me up completely, and I loved how simple things like the coming of Mitra's "monthly courses" bring a tension that Mitra herself doesn't understand until they happen. I checked this out from the library and can hardly wait to buy my own copy.

Susan Fletcher seems to be a master at writing quality children's books. When I say quality, I mean her work is beautifully written and, while appealing to the young audience she writes for, it can also inspire and make them think deeper about the world around them.

"Alphabet of Dreams" is the story of Mitra, a displaced Persian noble of about 13 or 14, and her younger brother Babak. As the story begins, Mitra (who poses as "Ramin," a boy) and Babak live hand-to-mouth and Mitra longs for her family, supposedly in far-off Palmyra, and the genteel life she used to know. When by chance Babak's talent for prophetic dreams comes to life, Mitra uses his ability to help them gain money for food. But the talent proves treacherous when Babak and Mitra are forced to accompany a caravan of scholars on an enigmatic journey across the desert, while the king's spies try to track them down.

While Babak is the "dreamer" in the family, Mitra is the one with grandiose longings and an inability to accept the truth of their situation. Most of her actions are spurred by her desire to go to Palmyra to find the rest of their family, and she eventually learns the meaning of home and true, attainable dreams.

In fact dreams are really what drive this book. Most of the main characters have some dream that drives them, whether it's to find a family, move beyond their station in life, or - subtly interwoven in the story's fabric - to find the Christ child. You suspect early on that this is a retelling of the story of the Magi, but Fletcher lets you piece it together on your own.

She does a great job of sticking to the Biblical and historical record, as well. There were several times when I would refer to the Biblical story in Matthew, thinking that what I had read in "Alphabet of Dreams" wasn't right. But it was - Fletcher did a very good job in challenging this reader's preconceived notions of the Magi story. Historical notes at the end are also a nice touch for readers who might be interested in learning more.

Overall, a beautiful book, and one that stays with you after you've read it.

"'And are your dreams . . . true, Babak?'
Babak looked back at me confused.
'That is a difficult question?'
Babak hung his head. 'I dream,' he mumbled, 'of dreams.'"

Give five year old Babak an article of your clothing to sleep with, and he will dream for you. A good dream. About something you've been wishing for. And sometimes the dreams come true.

Mitra, Babak's 14 year old sister , knows she should keep his gift a secret, but news seems to seep out in spite of her. And then . . . and then people are willing to pay for dreams. And money means food. And maybe enough money would mean passage to Palmyra.

Palmyra where her hunted family may have gathered. Where she and Babak would be loved and honored once more as the royalty they are. Where she'll never again have to dress as a boy or steal or go hungry.

But her dream of Palmyra gets swept aside by the dreams of others. Some are cruel, some are callous, some are compassionate. But together, the dreams lead, step by step to the greatest dream of all.

This is a well-written, though somewhat slow-paced book. Susan Fletcher did an excellent job with her historical research (see the notes in the back). There's plenty of heart, action, suspense, and humor. But I think what I like best is the way Mitra learns to see herself, and the way her self-examination leads her to be a new person with a new dream. This is called growing up.

This is a hauntingly beautiful story. The settings are fabulous. The characters are heartbreaking and original. The ending lifted my spirit like a dream you can't explain but that makes you feel wonderful for days. Just read it.

I am an adult who has two just-teen daughters that wish to expand into more "grown-up" literature. This can be tricky water to wade into - I want them to continue with their love of reading, but have found so many "YA" and "Teen" novels contain situations I am a bit leery of at this stage. Try finding novels in which the females are strong, smart, interesting and NOT sleeping around... tough to do when your kids are reading well above grade level in today's market. To get to the point, Alphabet of Dreams reviewed like the kind of story I might be looking for. It started off well, and I empathized early on with the heart-sick nature of an older sibling caring for a younger brother while fighting to survive as orphans when they were once well-loved and wealthy. I almost didn't mind the petulant voice of the narrative, taking into consideration the age of Mitra, who tells the tale. My main complaint with the story is that Mitra seems more 21-st century teenager worrying about having the most up to date cellphone than a disposed Persian "princess"(my word, Mitra refers to herself as 'royalty'). Perhaps the intent was to create a character modern girls would recognize and identify with, but in doing so the real meat of the story is merely skimmed over. Mitra often fondly recalls her grandmother saying "Remember who you are", and uses it to pull herself out of difficult situations - which would be fine, if she actually did behave with dignity and grace. I would have liked to see Mitra as an adult, living the life of singularity and determination who rose above what she and her brother endured, but the book never fully realizes this path. Mitra is selfish, self-absorbed, and worried about which boy she might like more, and to that end the conclusion of the story is trite and predictable.

My daughters did read Alphabet of Dreams - and once read, have not picked it up again. This is very telling to me, as they will both read a book they like over, and over, and over, until the covers fall off and the pages wear out.