Customer Reviews

Dreamers of the Day: A Novel

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(22)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

In her prior books, Russell has clearly shown that she knows how to delineate very real characters. With this book of historical fiction, centered around the events of 1918-1921, this attribute shows just as clearly, with a fine portrait of Agnes Shanklin, her protagonist, but perhaps even more significantly, her pictures of historical luminaries such as T. E. Lawrence and Winston Churchill.

Agnes has quite an inferiority complex engendered by her mother's constant criticism, a lack of self confidence about her looks and her abilities. The first section of this book details her upbringing and shows just who she is, a living, breathing person. Almost as a sidelight to this exemplary characterization, this section informs the reader of effects of the Great Influenza pandemic of 1918-9 and is a great depiction of the mores, customs, and daily life of that time, making some great commentary on just why that way of life disappeared so suddenly, to be replaced by the `roaring twenties'. But this first section of the book is merely an introduction, for when the flu kills off everyone else in her family, leaving Agnes the sole inheritor of various estates, she decides to take a trip to Egypt and the Holy Land, inspired by her late sister's forays in this area of the world.

The second section is the heart of this novel, as Agnes arrives in Egypt and through some fortuitous circumstances becomes a distant part of the group of people present at time in Cairo, from Churchill and Lawrence to Lady Gertrude Bell, who would eventually determine the political landscape of the middle east for many years to come, and the effects of which are still being felt today. It is a little bit unbelievable that such a relatively `minor' person such as Agnes would become part of this group (such things are always a problem when trying to insert a fictional character into a historical setting), but Russell does a good and somewhat humorous job of setting this up, and it must be remembered that the European `community' in Cairo at this time was quite small and insular. Once you accept that Agnes has been `adopted' by these luminaries, the rest follows quite logically, and this is where this book shines. Russell's depiction of the sights, sounds, smells, climate, and history of this region are remarkable, even if some of the history takes the form of essays - these blocks of expository material fit very well with the rest of the story, and give the reader a lot of context for current events.

Right alongside this travelogue is her depiction of the people surrounding her. T. E. Lawrence comes across as a far more complicated man than the character shown in the Lawrence of Arabia movie (although Peter O'Toole's finely nuanced depiction did much to hint at the depths of the man), and the Churchill shown here is not the famous Prime Minister of WWII fame, but rather the fairly lowly government functionary still trying to live down the debacle of Gallipoli. At the same time as this Cairo peace conference was making its way to becoming history, Agnes herself blossoms, becoming romantically involved with a local German, and finding that her thoughts, opinions, and actions are important, that she can be more than just a mouse.

The final section, which details some of Agnes' life after returning to America, is not as strong as the rest of the book, as it is told from a metaphysical viewpoint that doesn't quite jibe with the tone or feeling of the rest of the book, with a strong `message' component that is probably not necessary - Russell has already gotten this message across in the earlier sections, and much more effectively by `showing' rather than `telling'.

This book was clearly well and heavily researched, bringing to life a period of history that few Americans have any knowledge of, even though the events depicted here have a strong influence on our current involvement in the region. Russell provides a decent bibliography of her sources, a great aid for anyone wishing to find out more about this time and place.

An excellent book in many ways, perhaps not quite as strong as her The Sparrow, but definitely worth reading.

---Reviewed by Patrick Shepherd (hyperpat)

Mary Doria Russell's wonderful new novel "Dreamers of the Day" serves to remind us that much of what we rail against today such as lying politicians, "spin", jingoism, sloganism, manipulative advertising, fear of a flu pandemic and xenophobia, aren't new phenomenon at all. Yet we repeat the same mistakes. Ultimately this is an eloquent novel about our human addiction to war.

Speaking from somewhere beyond the grave, our protagonist, Agnes Shanklin, a very plain spinster schoolmarm from Ohio, takes us through WWI, the Spanish Flu pandemic and finally to Egypt on the brink of the Cairo Conference where, somewhat arbitrarily, the Middle East was divvied up and which set into motion the history that we are now experiencing. Of course we have perfect hind-sight, but that makes Agnes' observations all the more interesting. And then there is romance...just the right amount for this sweeping story and completely within context and character of our delightful narrator.

I've been a Russell fan since a friend urged me to read a novel she said was about "Jesuit priests who go to a distant planet"...and I thought to myself "is she KIDDING?" I agreed to give "The Sparrow" a try and then couldn't put it down and raced out to get the sequel before I was half-way done. Her novels get better and better, and though I tried to make this one last by slowing down...I couldn't. Now I'm sad because I have to wait for the next one which can't come soon enough for me.

It saddens me to give this book such a poor rating as Mary Doria Russell is one of my favorite writers. When I was only 100 pages into The Sparrow, I was hooked on this author. The sequel was even better, and then comes A Thread of Grace, a very different kind of story, but beautifully written, and very moving, with characters we come to care about. Like many fans, I waited with great anticipation for Dreamers of the Day, and purchased it as soon as it was available. But, alas, while informative, I found it disappointing and a very dull read.

It seems as if Russell couldn't decide if she should be writing a non-fiction history of the era and events that transpired, or a novel. In the end, this book fails on both accounts and just seems contrived. Agnes Shanklin, the main character, is "described" to us through her narration about herself and her life, but we never feel we really know Agnes. In fact, we don't really get to know anyone, nor invest any feeling in any of the characters. Each and every one of them, from the the nobodies, to the history makers, come off as nothing more than summaries of themselves and their world.

This is a very short book, and an easy read, but it drags, so seems much longer. Russell could have made this such a better book. Had it been 2, or even 3, times longer, with fleshed out characters and more fictional imaginings woven into the history, this could have been a truly great book. Clavell, McCullough, Rutherford, George, Penman, Follett and many, many more - all have written much more gripping and engaging stories that kept the reader involved, even riveted, against a background of very real historical facts.

Though this is Russell's 4th book, I consider it a first attempt in the historical fiction genre . I am very surprised by all the great reviews this book has garnered. I just hope Russell doesn't believe them all and gives us something more worthy next time.

In spite of some fine writing throughout the book, the ending is a disappointment. I certainly don't mind the dead narrator nor the main character's ability to "Forrest Gump" her way through history. Still, the ending (which I won't reveal) is annoying. Russell squanders the goodwill she has earned through some fine writing and character development in order to cast some retrospective foresight on current events.

Mary Doria Russell brings us a historical novel that takes place during the momentous Cairo Peace Conference of 1920, a three-day event that will change the world as we know it today. Three individuals --- the young Winston Churchill, then a mid-level cabinet officer; world traveler Lady Gertrude Bell; and Colonel T. E. Lawrence --- will carve Mesopotamia into Iraq, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon and Israel following the defeat of Germany during the Great War, ironically called the "war to end all wars."

The world was still staggering from the ravages of World War I and the Great Influenza Pandemic of 1918 that had cost millions of human lives. Agnes Shanklin, a single Ohio schoolteacher, had nursed her extended family through two waves of the deadly Spanish flu, only to lose them one by one. Still recovering from the effects of her own illness, Agnes settles her family affairs and with a modest inheritance decides to follow through on a suggestion by her late sister to visit Egypt and the Holy Land. Her sister, a missionary in Palestine, had written glowingly of good friend Neddy Lawrence and had urged Agnes to look him up if she ever got to the Middle East. Agnes signs on to a Cook's Tour and embarks on the long voyage with her faithful companion, a long-haired dachshund named Rosie, to trace the steps her late sister and family had followed.

Upon her arrival in Cairo, Agnes is swept up in street rioting by waves of protestors against Churchill. She was booked into the same hotel as the convening dignitaries but is unceremoniously and noisily ejected because of Rosie. Colonel Lawrence, who recognizes her from her sister's description, comes to her rescue and escorts her to a suitable hotel across the Nile River. There she meets Karl Weilbacher, a charming German spy, also in Cairo for the conference. Observing that Lawrence has taken Agnes under his wing, Weilbacher attaches himself to her through the affections of her dog.

Mary Doria Russell began her career as a paleontologist with a firm grasp of human relationships and theology, themes that run through her works of fiction. Her fans will remember the hauntingly beautiful story of THE SPARROW, her award-winning bestselling futuristic first novel. She wrote a sequel, CHILDREN OF GOD, and a third novel, A THREAD OF GRACE.

Here, Russell weaves a story of world-altering politics and history as seen through the eyes of the naïve, sheltered 40-year-old spinster. DREAMERS OF THE DAY is at once a fascinating and romantic travelogue and a spiritually challenging journey of self-discovery, especially in Jerusalem where Agnes experiences the clash of cultures in the ancient city.

--- Reviewed by Roz Shea

While reading this book, one is forced to wonder how much it is meant to be a commentary on the current situation in the Middle East. And indeed, the political and historical expositions can be a little heavy-handed. And yet I found these easy to forgive, due mainly to the engaging voice of Agnes, our narrator. She has a very fresh and conversational tone that allows the reader to take in the information without feeling bashed over the head with it. And, I have to say, a lot of the description of how the Middle East was divvied up after WWI was very interesting in light of what's happened since in that region.

Most of the book is just good narrative. Agnes tells us her story as though we were sitting down over a cup of tea, and her conversational tone draws the reader in right away. Her tales of meeting Winston Churchill, T.E. Lawrence (of Arabia), and the others at the Cairo Peace Conference are wonderfully told, and her descriptions of Egypt, Jerusalem, and the other places she visits make them come alive. And of course, the way she tells us about her beloved dachshund Rosie are simply delightful!

I've been a big fan of Mary Doria Russell's books since I discovered them, and this one did not let me down.

I consider Russell's "The Sparrow" to be the finest SF novel, and perhaps the best first novel in any genre, of the last 15 years. Her next two books were also excellent.

"Dreamers" is very different from any of the three, and defies easy categorization. But it has the same thought-provoking quality of content and consistently fine writing.

This book also helps to grasp how the Middle East came to be such a mess in the 20th Century.

Dreamers of the Day by Mary Doria Russell

3 stars
Ms Russell clearly set out to accomplish many things with this book. She had a history lesson to teach and some philosophical and political opinions to put across. It's not surprising that she would select an elementary teacher as her narrator and protagonist. (We do tend to be pedantic.) Agnes is a 40 year-old spinster fifth grade teacher at the time of the 1918 flu epidemic. The epidemic wipes out her entire family and leaves her with enough money to quit her job and seek personal liberation in Egypt and Palestine. Up to this point the book is probable historical fiction. The description of the great flu epidemic gives a clear picture of the devastation.
Once she arrives in Egypt, the story veers into the range of historical fantasy. How likely is it that a fifth grade teacher from Ohio would not only meet but socialize with T.E. Lawrence, Gertrude Bell and Winston Churchill? However, given that the author's goal is to insure that we are all smarter than a 5th grader regarding the history of our current mess in the middle east, the story is at least an entertaining lesson. I think Doria Russell chose the perfect narrator for her book. She wanted to teach and preach. Who better than a school teacher to tell the story?
This story did not measure up to Ms Russell's previous books, but taken on its own, it was an enjoyable read.

Oh, did I mention that the school teacher had a dog? A dachshund, called Rosie. I really enjoyed the dog.

Having enjoyed Maria Doria Russell's Thread of Grace, I was looking forward to her latest offering and wasn't disappointed. In "Dreamers of the Day", we are introduced to Agnes Shanklin, a 40 year old spinster schoolteacher living in Ohio at the end of the first World War. A tragedy in the form of the flu epidemic robs Agnes of all her family members and also brings her into an inheritance that sets the stage for her to realise her dream of visiting Egypt.

Agnes finds herself playing more than the role of a simple tourist as she gets a peek into the machinations behind the Cairo Peace Conference of 1921 with its interesting cast of historical figures [who happen to be staying at the same hotel as Agnes, the Semiramis]. Agnes finds herself hobnobbing with illustrious figures such as T.E. Lawrence, Winston Churchill etc, and also experiences romance as she is pursued by Karl Weilbacher, a German spy.

I loved how Ms Russell vividly captures the essence of the period with wonderful descriptions of the time and place, and of course characters. It is an absorbing read that will appeal to those who love historical fiction.

Nancy in Tacoma, WA : The time pre and post WW I laid the foundation for so many events that are impacting our lives even today. In this novel, bookended by the main character's life, are the few weeks time when the grounds for current wars were "set ablaze".
The main character, Agnes, is vivid and sympathetic. Snapshots of world renowned characters convey a sense of their role on the world stage.
I enjoyed this novel.