Dreamhouse [Import] [Paperback]

Alison Habens (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Minerva; New Ed edition (July 29, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0749317663
• ISBN-13: 978-0749317669
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 4.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Jammy New Twist on the Twisted Lewis Carroll Classic, February 1, 2001

By 

"lady_go_diva17" (Las Cruces, NM United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dreamhouse (Paperback)

Celia Small, the prissy Alice-wannabe protagonist, dreams only of her upcoming wedding which she has planned to every neurotic detail. However, events unfolding around her engagement dinner party explode in her face and backfire most miserably.

She shares a house with freaky, free-spirited roommates: Cath, in particular, has baked up a batch of sinfully psycho-tropic jam tarts and is also hosting THE ultimate dress-up theme party- WONDERLAND.

Celia, distressed at the failure of her dinner, escapes to the kitchen and is lured into Cath's world of jam tarts and altered reality. As Celia breaks through barriers by breaking her staid rules of living, she discovers a life worth living, all her own.

Allison Habens tells this "Alice" tale in a fresh, immediate perspective, at times as poetic as Carroll himself albeit not quite as convoluted. The plot, however, does turn as much as a turnstile, but always stylishly and with plenty of character description and dialogue to back it up.

With witty insights into modern, if fanciful relationships, "Dreamhouse" makes for a wonderful find...over tarts and tea...

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A new favorite for me!, June 26, 2006

By 

Jennifer Weeks (Oakland, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Dreamhouse (Paperback)

I was recommended this book by a friend and, being a fan of both Alice in Wonderland and the pastiche form, I ordered it. I have to say that I'm delighted that I did. The novel had so much to chew on, yet was so fast-moving that I devoured the entire thing in one night.

Some users have complained about the novel's "alternative" content, but the fact is that drug use, the transvestism, feminism, etc contribute a perfect structure to the novel's themes of transformation, surreality, and maturation. This is Alice for grownups, and I'm utterly smitten.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic book, but falls a bit short on its ending, September 28, 2004

By 

Dara - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dreamhouse (Paperback)

I'd love to give this book 5 stars, but the ending kills it for me. (no spoilers here, rest assured)

The story is beautifully crafted; Habens is so creative with her wordplay. It's rare to find a writer with such a tight grasp on double entendre; her wordplay is as entertaining as her plotline.

This might not be the best book for people who are strongly opposed to drug use, alternative lifestyles, and roleplaying parties; it takes an open mind to appreciate this novel. Being a fan of Lewis Carroll's work helps immensely; Habens' take on the classic is clever and amusing.

But for me, the ending fell short. It's in keeping with the surreal tone of the story, and it does not ruin the book...but it could've been handled better. Habens did such an incredible job with the entire story, yet the last 5 pages or so feel like a cop-out...I was more than a bit disappointed. All in all, though, a fun read.