Customer Reviews

Dreamland

5 star:		(151)
4 star:		(48)
3 star:		(16)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

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 Now, she incessantly blows Rina off when she tries to make plans, she's quit cheerleading, she's become withdrawn, she's smoking weed, taking Rogerson's beatings, and plummeting further and further into the abyss.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.

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.

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.

This book was a wonderful read that accurately depicts teenage love, and the consequences it brings. Caitlin has always lived in her older sister, Cass's, shadow. Cass was the super-daughter. She was good in every sport and every class. She was accepted to Yale. She was head of the student body. Caitlin was always standing behind Cass, trying to peek out, but not quite getting there. On the morning of Caitlin's birthday, they discover Cass has left. She has fallen in love over the summer, and decides to move to New York to be for her boyfriend, and work with him on The Lamont Whipper show (which is basically a Jerry Springer Type Show). Her parents are heartbroken; her father trying to deal with it in his calm, professional way, but her mother was just an emotional wreck. When Caitlin goes back to school, with rumors and hern ame buzzing through everyones mouth, she is determined to do everything her sister would not. She starts out by trying out for cheerleading, which she successfully nabs a spot on the squad. Her best friend, Rina, who is also a cheerleader, as well as gorgeous, pushes her constantly to go out with a boy named Mike Evans. But to Caitlin, Mike Evans was too plain. Too boring for her. One day, after a bad cheer in which she falls from the top of the period, her Rina, and another girl are at a gas station. Caitlin goes to get change when she spots him - Rogerson. She is taken away by him, and they exchange a few words, but Caitlin is pulled away by her friends, who are anxious to get to the party. When they get there, Mike Evans sits next to her the whole time. But, then, Rogerson walks in. Spending only a few moments there, he goes to leave, and Caitlin follows him. But, unlucky for her, Mike follows her. As Rogerson gets to the door, he sees her, and stops. Mike Evans runs after her, and he offers her his letterman jacket-- which means he is asking her out. But Rogerson cocks his head, and says "come on." And she goes. In the beginning, being with Rogerson is the greatest thing for Caitlin. It's so un-Cass like. She was forging her own path. And after watching Rogerson's father hit him, she feels even closer to him. However, the good never lasts long enough. As their relationship progresses, Rogerson starts to hit her. The first time it happens, she is in shock. Caitlin never thought he, her love, would do that to her. But he keeps doing it. Over and over and over. Caitlin doesn't want to think about it though. She wants to just think of the Rogerson she loves. The one who is sweet, kind, and tender. But the hitting gets worse, and her life takes a spiral. And although Caitlin wants to let go, she can't. Because how do you let go of the one you love?

This book is fantastic, and really gives you insight into what goes through a teens head as she deals with issues such as abuse and drugs. I highly reccomend it.

The book Dreamland by Sarah Desson is an excellent story about a young girl's life and the decisions she is faced with. It all starts on Catlin's 16th birthday, when she wakes up to find a unexpected note on the kitchen counter, that her older sister, Cassandra, has ran away to with her new boyfriend, Adam. Catlin's parents, who were very invovled in Cassandra's life, are devastated by this mishap. Catlin is now going insane, she doesn't even feel like a part of the family anymore. Her friends convince her to join the cheerleading squad, which wasn't easy for her. Next, she finds herself with a new boyfriend, totally opposite from her friends. He is out of school, a big partier and worst of all, a drug dealer. This however does not stop Catlin. Soon, she starts to drift way from her friends and is with him everyday. Her parents start noticing bruises all over Catlin and black eyes appearing out of nowhere. This is one book, you will not be able to put down, it keeps you wanting to know more and more "Is Cassandra going to call home?" or " Is Catlin's boyfriend really the sweet guy she thinks he is?" I would recommend this book to anyone. Especially teenagers, these are real life situations that can happen to an everyday teen.

Turning 16 year old Caitlin O'Koren wakes up on her 16th birthday to discover that her sister has run away with her boyfriend Adam. Caitlin isn't as sad as her mother who is sobbing in the kitchen reading Cass's note. Cass is 18 so she is not a minor anymore. She can go to China if she wants but Caitlin finds her gift which is a Dream Journal that her sister ,Cass, left. Caitlin writes in it.

Caitlin meets Rogerson for the first time at an "abandoned" Car wash and bumps into him. She is moved and quikly finds herself ditching her stupid cheerleading roll at school and getting into it with Rogerson. She starts to smoke pot (which Rogerson sells and is literally falling in love with him. With all this she finds a love for photography. She also spends so much time with Rogerson her grades drop and her sister missing just becomes a blur as caitlin gets bruised and beaten by him but she sticks through because she loves him. She feels shes invisivle and she can't talk to anyone in fear of "Full Contact". She feels she is sinking into the ocean, drowning. She wants to hit the bottom and become invisible so Rogerson doesn't hit her. When the police find out about all this Rogerson goes to Jail but Caitlin doesn't want anything except him. She screams his name and sobs for him. She wants him but can never have him again. She goes to Evergreen ,a recovery center. She lives there for the rest of the school year and soon her love for Rogerson fades. But everytime she thinks of him a huge hole in her heart is formed and she wants him all over again.

I ,personally, LOVED this book. I started crying when they took Rogerson away and I felt as if I was right there with Caitlin screaming his name wanting him to come back. If I could actually meet him, I would love him as Caitlin did. You really get into Caitlin's story and she is happy that she finally has one. Instead of always following her sisters roll being the second-place, also-ran, did-too. She did something her sister never did and is proud, not of being beaten or punched but because she loved Rogerson more than anything in the world at times and (so did I a little).

Dreamland by Sarah Dessen is about a girl named Caitlin. Caitlin is a fourteen year old whose sister ran away from home and her mom participates with love and joy in Caitlin's school activities. Caitlin's best friend is names Rina. She is a popular cheerleader that thinks like is all about boys, being pretty and skinny. Caitlin's life begins to have problems at the beginning of her freshman year.
Towards the middle of the book Caitlin spots out a guy named Rogerson Biscoe at a party. She immediately loves him. Caitlin and Rogerson start going out, but instead of dates they go to parties and Rogerson deals drugs. During one of their "dates," Caitlin meets a girl named Corinna with Rogerson that is married to a man named Dave. Dave and Corinna become good friends of Caitlin. Corinna grows to be a person that Caitlin can tell all her most valuable secrets to. They become great friends, but when Dave and Corinna get in a fight and move away Caitlin never sees either of them again.
Out of depression, Caitlin quits the cheer squad to spend more time with Rogerson and to think about her life ahead. She becomes attached to Rogerson and can not live without seeing him for a day. But she comes to find soon that being with Rogerson is actually a bigger problem than being without him.
My favorite character is Corinna because she is the most like me. Corinna is most like me because she loves bracelets and dogs. She also is friendly and she like watching game shows. Caitlin is great friends with her until she moves away and leaves her a little gift to remind Caitlin of her. Corinna is my favorite character.
I thought Dreamland was a very good book. There are many surprises and shocking moments. Something is wanted to cry and other time I wanted to laugh. This book is intriguing because there are parts of the book that are so exciting you never want to put the book down. Sarah Dessen is a fabulous author that had written many fantastic novels.

To simply say, "DREAMLAND is the story of a girl who has an abusive boyfriend," would be selling the book - and the girl - short.

Though the physical abuse is a large portion of Sarah Dessen's darkest story, that is not all. DREAMLAND is also about the dissolution of a family.

When the older daughter leaves, things start to change for little sis. She survives a forgotten birthday (think the Lifetime movie version of Sixteen Candles) and retreats into herself. When she starts dating the bad boy, who is involved in drugs, she hides the bruises. At the risk of sounding corny, it is a physical manifestion of her inner pain.

This is a heavy story. Due to the subject matter and the descriptions of alcohol, drugs, and abuse, it is not appropriate for the grade school crowd. Those who want to introduce a younger teen to Dessen's novels would be wise to start with a lighter story, like That Summer or Keeping the Moon, and wait for Dreamland until high school. Meanwhile, readers who have been through experiences similar to Caitlin's might find solace in these pages.

Overall, a good book which lends itself well to book discussion groups - and hopefully helps someone out there begin her own healing process.

I liked but didn't love this book. It kind of reminds me of a typical TV movie about teen relationships, drugs, and abuse...it wouldn't surprise me if it became one. Personally, I thought that the characters were under-developed, except for Caitlin. (Obviously, she's the most important.) I had no real sense of who anyone else was. Some of the moments of anticipated violence/abuse were powerful and scary. More should have been said about Caitlin's feelings for Rogerson so her actions could be better understood. Even she was a bit of a mystery.

Popular author Sarah Dessen has managed to write yet another book on "teenage issues" without sounding like the school's preachy guidance counselor.
This time, our protagonist is sixteen year-old Caitlin, who bares many characteristics of all of Dessen's leading ladies. On the morning of her sixteenth birthday party, she and her parents wake up to find her older sister, Cass, has run away to be with her new found love. All that's left is the present that Cass left for her sister and the note that was under the coffee maker. Caitin's structured family is in a tailspin. Her father is more withdrawn than ever and her mother becomes obsessed with finding her daughter. Caitlin shrinks into the background, living life as normally as she can.
Her attempt at normality leads to cheerleading tryouts, coaxed by her best friend, Rina. Caitlin manages to make the squad even if she is lacking the zest that the other members seen to have a never ending supply of. It's not long until she meets Rogerson, a student from the fancy prep school, Perkins Day. Rogerson takes a liking to Caitlin and it's not long before they're a "couple".
We watch as Caitlin changes from the good, B-average student to the chain smoking victim of an abusive boyfriend. Rogerson wants her to be with him at all times and if she takes a step out of line, she pays the price of a beating. The reader wants to scream, "Do something! Tell someone!" at poor Caitlin, but she can't. Anyone she could tell has their own problems to deal with.
Caitlin has entered a sort of dreamland. Nothing - the cheerleading, her sister's disappearance, her abusive boyfriend- none of it seems real. She lives for the "safe periods" after Rogerson hits her when he's especially nice to her. It's heartbreaking to watch, but so incredibly real. It's the secret story of many real relationships. Dessen's writing is compelling, often humorous, sometimes depressing, but always powerful. Dreamland is an excellent read for anyone seeking the story of a girl that could be any one of us.