Dreaming Anastasia: A Novel of Love, Magic, and the Power of Dreams [Paperback]

Joy Preble (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 9 Up—This convoluted and contrived story shuttles between contemporary Chicago, Russia during the reign and downfall of the Romanovs, and the enchanted world of Baba Yaga. Ann, 17, who lives in Chicago, and Ethan, a handsome 18-year-old who mysteriously enters her world, share the narration. She is attracted by his beauty, and she soon develops strange magical powers. Ethan has powers as well; he can protect people and places. Readers eventually learn that he is actually a man who died in 1918 during the Russian Revolution. Ann begins to hear Anastasia's voice in her dreams and sees Baba Yaga and her frightening antics. Supposedly Ann is the one who can save Anastasia Romanov from Baba Yaga's clutches, where she has been since her family was brutally murdered by the revolutionaries, and Ethan has come to enlist her help. After a great deal of mystery about Ann's connection to the Romanov legacy, readers learn that she is the great-great granddaughter of Victor, Anastasia's illegitimate brother who has also survived since 1918. He is trying to stop Ann and Ethan from rescuing Anastasia; if she is found, Ethan and Victor will become mortal and die. In spite of the confusing back and forth, persevering readers might forge ahead to see how the story concludes, but it is a difficult read. Also, the contemporary scenes between Ann and her friend Tess contrast sharply with the book's main focus, and Tess's bitterness over the loss of her virginity awkwardly intrudes on the main plot.—Renee Steinberg, formerly at Fieldstone Middle School, Montvale, NJ
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Review

A very entertaining and original story. (Wendy Cueto The Book Lush 20090901)

The novel is cleverly written in alternating points of view (Anastasia, Anne, and Ethan) and takes you on a ride of paranormal fantasy, contemporary and historical fiction, with a little bit of romance. It's the perfect blend that will attract a variety of readers. (Lori Calabrese Examiner.com 20090922)

I really enjoyed this book. It made me want to research the Romanov family and the fairy tale character of Baba Yaga... DREAMING ANASTASIA is easy to read and an enjoyable story. Thank you, Ms. Preble, for a great read. (Marta Morrison TeensReadToo.com 20090924)

Dreaming Anastasia is a story of love and loss on many different levels. It was a wild, fun and sweetly romantic ride. (Michelle Franz Galleysmith.com 20090917)

Dreaming Anastasia is a fun young adult fantasy that takes the reader back and forth from current-day Chicago to the time of the Romanovs, and throws in elements of a Russian folktale for added chills. (Belle Wong MsBookish.com )

Joy Preble has given readers an intriguing tale of magic, tragedy, love, and betrayal... Be prepared to fall into this story; your heart will ache for the characters and what they've suffered, especially Anastasia. Lovers of fantasy and romance will not be disappointed, and a sudden twist at the end will leave readers eyes wide and mouths agape... Dreaming Anastasia will most definitely be gracing my shelves from now on. (Noel Furniss YABooksCentral.com )

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Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky; 1 edition (September 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1402218176
• ISBN-13: 978-1402218170
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (50 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #750,807 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars An interesting premise with a bad execution, January 9, 2010

By 

La Coccinelle - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dreaming Anastasia: A Novel of Love, Magic, and the Power of Dreams (Paperback)

I didn't really know what to expect from this book. I'm drawn to books about the Romanovs, so I thought I'd like this story.

Unfortunately, this is a badly edited book that uses the currently popular YA theme of the very-old-but-smokin'-hot man lusting after a teenage girl. The plot had promise, but the characters were so one-dimensional that they all but killed my interest in the story.

I liked the inclusion of the Baba Yaga element, but that sort of fell flat for me, too. For a much better novel that incorporates this folk tale, try Orson Scott Card's Enchantment.

After reading this book, I'm left with a fairly sour taste in my mouth. But at least I know that Ethan's eyes are blue. How could I forget that fact, after Anne mentions it more than 30 times?

29 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Needs an editor in the worst way, December 9, 2009

By 

Lena (TX, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dreaming Anastasia: A Novel of Love, Magic, and the Power of Dreams (Paperback)

Singularly bad--if this was a book for younger children, the quality might be more understandable, but no excuses on this one. There's too much beautifully written YA out there nowadays for that.

Someone suggested this book to me because I have an advanced degree in Russian Studies, so it seemed like it would be up my alley. From the description on the jacket, it sounded promising, but alas, it was not to be. For the people who are liking the Russian culture lesson...eh. Almost every single Russian word or phrase she used in the book was misspelled to the point of changing the meaning of the word, mistranslated, or misused...unfortunately, all three in some cases. Here are two off the top of my head: it's matryoshka, not matroyshka. "Ya khachu videt'" means "I want to see", not "I want." And Etanovich? Really????

The Russian folklore and culture bits read like she pulled them off Wikipedia and for Romanov history, I suppose she probably read "Nicholas and Alexandra" (or watched the movie). There's no deeper understanding of any of the Russian cultural bits that she tries out, it's all very American and very, oh, it's Russia, let's throw in some gratuitous mentions of the ballet and Tolstoy!

Leaving history and culture aside, the writing is not good. The characters are complete cardboard (except maybe Anastasia, but it's hard to tell, because reading the impossible cursive font that most of her entries were written in was just too annoying after a certain point). Tess and Anne's dialogue is a sad approximation of how adults think teenagers speak--it all comes off stilted and unfunny even when it's trying to be witty. And it never ends--the plot is heavily reliant on dialogue, and the dialogue is the worst part! The story pacing is just...weird. The plot was ridiculous and it didn't have to be. The ending might have been poignant (which is what I think it was going for) if it were written a little better.

It's not all terrible. I really feel like there were the components of a good story here...some individual elements of the story had real potential, and I think the basic premise of weaving "Vasilisa the Beautiful" with the legends surrounding the Romanovs could have worked beautifully. I don't think the writing necessarily had to be bad, either...there were paragraphs that were beautifully worded in places (like the first paragraph of the first chapter). It was just that those bits were so few and far between. I think the main problem for me is that it needed an editor desperately (first-time author???).

The way the book as a whole came off was wooden, stilted, and at times bizarrely offensive to the actual Romanovs, who were decidedly not fairy tale characters and were actually all murdered...exploitation through snuff fiction non-withstanding. Even that awful animated movie with the singing bat seemed less egregious of an offender, I think because that movie didn't dwell on the executions and the author of this mess is obsessed with them...she lovingly describes the shootings approximately 34575897854 times in this book in just as many different varieties of romanticized purple prose. Ugh. Those are real people's deaths!!!

For a much better book featuring variations on Russian folklore motifs (including a version of the same Baba Yaga tale mentioned here), try "Enchantment" by Orson Scott Card (now this is meticulously researched). I wasn't the biggest fan of "Firebird" by Mercedes Lackey, but it's along similar lines to the Orson Scott Card book and written at about the same reading level as this one...and a much better book all around.

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Courtesy of Teens Read Too, August 20, 2009

By 

TeensReadToo "Eat. Drink. Read. Be Merrier." (All Over the US & Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dreaming Anastasia: A Novel of Love, Magic, and the Power of Dreams (Paperback)

Anne is a typical American high school student. She is more worried about what college she will get into than Russian history.

But she keeps having a strange dream over and over again. This dream is about Anastasia, the youngest daughter of Tzar Nicholas. Nicholas was the last reining Tzar of Russia and his whole family was gunned down in the basement of their house.

Then in walks Ethan. He is an attractive stranger who seems to know Anne and is stalking her.

Add a lacquered box that depicts the fairy tale of Baba Yaga along with the mention that her mother used to enjoy the stories of Russia as well, and you have a compelling story full of romance and mystery.

Oh, and did I mention the blue light coming off Anne's hands, or the arms that come from the sky to try to take Anne away, or the house on chicken feet?

I really enjoyed this book. It made me want to research the Romanov family and the fairy tale character of Baba Yaga. I loved the characters, especially Anne's best friend, Tess, who seems to be in the right place at the right time. She defines the expression, "I've got your back."

DREAMING ANASTASIA is easy to read and an enjoyable story. Thank you, Ms. Preble, for a great read.

Reviewed by: Marta Morrison