Dreamland (School & Library Binding)

by Sarah Dessen (Author) "When I was four and Cass was six, she whacked me across the face with a plastic shovel at our neighborhood park..." (more)
Key Phrases: photography class, Mike Evans, New York, Eliza Drake (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
Strange, sleepy Rogerson, with his long brown dreads and brilliant green eyes, had seemed to Caitlin to be an open door. With him she could be anybody, not just the second-rate shadow of her older sister, Cass. But now she is drowning in the vacuum Cass left behind when she turned her back on her family's expectations by running off with a boyfriend. Caitlin wanders in a dream land of drugs and a nightmare of Rogerson's sudden fists, lost in her search for herself.

Why do so many girls allow themselves to get into abusive relationships--and what keeps them there? In this riveting novel, Sarah Dessen searches for understanding and answers. Caught in a trap that is baited with love and need, Caitlin must frantically manage her every action to avoid being hit by the hands that once seemed so gentle. All around her are women who care--best friends, mother, sister, mentor--but shame keeps her from confiding in any of them, especially Cass, her brilliant older sister, whose own flight from home had seemed to point the way.

Dessen has here created a subtle and compelling work of literature that goes far beyond the teen problem novel in a story rich with symbolism, dark scenes of paralyzing dread, quirky and memorable characters, and gleams of humor. With the consummate skill and psychological depth that brought her praise for Keeping the Moon, she explores the search for self-identity, the warmth of feminine friendships, and the destructive ways our society sets up young women for love gone wrong. (Ages 14 and older) --Patty Campbell --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Publishers Weekly
Caitlin's perfect sister runs away from home and she finds herself trying to fill the gap the absence creates. "The characterizations have an unmistakable depth," said PW. Ages 12-up.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• School & Library Binding
• Publisher: Rebound by Sagebrush (July 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0613606388
• ISBN-13: 978-0613606387
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (180 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #5,992,391 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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• This item is part of The Sarah Dessen Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Through the eyes of the victim, June 10, 2004

By	QUEEN_OF_EVERYTHING (Outside Philly) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dreamland (Mass Market Paperback)

Caitlin O'Koren already must deal with the fact that her sister, Cass, who is supposed to be at Yale soon, has run away. And, for all she and her parents know, Cass may never return. To Caitlin's shock, she is a staff member on the Lamont Whipper show, a fictional Jerry Springer type talk show.

Enter Rogerson Biscoe, a dreadlocked hunk who takes Caitlin's mind off of her family's ordeal. He is able to perfectly fill the void Cass left behind. His lifestyle of smoking and partying is wild, something new and exciting to Caitlin. That's why when he pulls her into his world, she doesn't hesitate to come along for the ride. As she gets deeper and deeper into the relationship, she comes to understand Rogerson is bruised and badly broken, both in the literal and figurative sense. He has a father who hits him and to heal his own pain, he begins taking his anger out on Caitlin.

Soon, Caitlin changes, switching gears altogether. She used to be a B student, a cheerleader, and a loyal best friend to Rina, who is fiercely loyal in return. Now, she incessantly blows Rina off when she tries to make plans, she's quit cheerleading, she's become withdrawn, she's smoking weed, taking Rogerson's beatings, and plummeting further and further into the abyss. Those who try to reach out, friends, family, and worried peers, have no success. It's as if there is a wall between Caitlin and the rest of the world. Really, there is. That wall is her dreamland.

Dessen's best novel to date is realistic and totally believable. When people question why victims choose not to escape their relationship abuse, they don't always understand things can't be so easy. Dessen also demonstrates the driving forces in one's life that can cause a person to lose their grip on reality, as well as their sense of security. DREAMLAND is more than a mere YA novel. It's about a horrid thing that actually happens to thousands of teenage girls today.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Vivid portrayal of dating violence, September 25, 2006

By	K. A. Mills (Greensboro, NC United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Dreamland (reissue) (Paperback)

Dessen's "Dreamland" is probably one of the most accurate portrayals of dating violence that I've read in fiction. People often wonder why victims don't leave their abusers, and how they could continue to love the person who hurts them. Dessen vividly portrays how Caitlin understands that what Rodgerson is doing is wrong, but she is afraid to leave. Her self-esteem is so fragile that she assumes everyone will blame her for getting into such a dangerous situation.

One of the strengths of this book is Dessen's shaping of Rodgerson. We find that he has led an affluent life and has a brilliant mind, but he has been a victim of his father's abuse. Dessen makes him human and allows us to have sympathy for him before he begins abusing Caitlin. Unfortunately, once he turns on Caitlin, Rodgerson's voice in the story becomes almost absent. He has very little dialogue, and we hear about most of his and Caitlin's interactions (positive and negative) only through Caitlin's recollections. I would have loved to have seen more dialogue from Rodgerson throughout the book.

Nevertheless, I highly recommend this book for young adults and even adults. I'm 37 and found I couldn't put this book down.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Here's a book I don't think you'll soon forget, January 10, 2001

By	Hank Wyborney (Desert Aire, WA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dreamland (Hardcover)

Several weeks ago I stayed up most of the night to finish reading this haunting story. I've read some good books since then, but Dreamland has stayed with me. It's a strangely gripping mixture of the poetic and the realistic. I couldn't help but believe this is how life is for many teens. For one thing, the author caught the intelligence and frivolity of being a teen so vividly. One moment the narrator is making a breathtaking observation about life, and the next she's ignoring danger signs practically screaming at her. The story somehow maintains a feeling of hope even as it deals with drugs and self-destructive choices. And yes, this did remind me a bit of last year's TV show FREAKS & GEEKS, since the main character is a girl who changes her choice of friends and style of life. However, Freaks and Geeks (pretty good show that is was) didn't pack near the punch of this book. I rank this book five stars because it's an good book and it's one that stays with you. It will probably stay in your mind long after you're finished reading.