Customer Reviews

Dreams of Gold

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

A delightful bit of escapism, "Dreams of Gold" might have been the result of a collaboration between Sidney Sheldon and James Clavell. The book's insights into the world of figure skating and life in contemporary Japan are fascinating, and the book is peopled with wonderful characters, although not in a roman a clef style. ( It would have been even more fun if real figures had been worked into the narrative.) "Dreams of Gold" isn't great literature, but it is a great escape. Its plots and subplots all tie up nicely, and I read into the night to see who was going to win the gold medal. It's frothy and fun. As a gay man, however, I did wish the gay characters weren't so swarmy, manipulative, and evil.

Maggie Campbell, the leading character in Dreams Of Gold, is a gem. She's smart (she's a sophomore at Harvard when the story opens), she's emotionally and physically strong, and she gives 100% in everything she does. This has made her one of the world's best figure skaters, and enabled her to overcome a devastating blow in her past, but it also means she commits totally to a relationship that the reader can see is a disaster waiting to happen (the author skillfully lets the reader in on things Maggie doesn't know). I found myself thinking, as I watched the spoiled, manipulative Clay using Maggie: "Maggie, Maggie, don't fall for that line!" Then I'd remember the times I'd made the mistake of falling for a charming, good-looking, self-absorbed, manchild's lies--and what woman hasn't?

I love skating, and this book will satisfy the most rabid fan, with a look inside world-class figure skating that feels 100% authentic. But while Maggie is very much part of this world, she's the wonderful character she is because she's also much more than that world. Maggie on the ice is a joy to "watch," but it was Maggie off the ice who kept me turning the pages.

As I read the book, I kept wondering: "How can a man know that a woman would think that way? The author gets Maggie so right, not only Maggie the young woman but Maggie as a young girl, and at every stage in between! I also admired the authenticity with which he draws Japan, and the Japanese, where I lived for several years. I felt I'd gone back! We see inside the corporate suites of the great Japanese companies, we learn what it's like to grow up in Japan, and we get intimate views of the Japanese underworld and the Burukumin, the Japanese "untouchable." Mr. Thomson obviously knows Japan, and has great fondness for it, but refuses to be blind to its flaws.

All the characters--American and Japanese--are skillfuly drawn, many are engaging and two, Hiro Araki and the formidable skating instructor, Madam Goto, are complex, multi-dimensional figures I couldn't get enough of. And Maggie Campbell--well, if I could have an older sister...

This is one beach book I won't mind re-reading!

I personally thought this book was very good. At the beginning, it was somewhat boring, but it instantly became magnificent. However, it was somewhat confusing because it went back and forth between settings, so I had to go back and check it. But, the relationship between maggie and hiro was VERY interesting...friends at first, lovers after that. And, the strive to become an Olympic Gold medalist was exhilarating.

I read Dreams Of Gold on a friend's recommendation. I wasn't sure I wanted to--I love watcing Olympic-level figure skating, but could it sustain a worthwhile novel?

I needn't have worried--Dreams is as much about culture conflicts--much of the story is set in Japan, and the scenes and people are rendered so skillfully that I feel as though I just returned from Japan--as it is about skating, though I certainly have a far better appreciation of what goes into producing a world class skater than I did.

Dream is also, and ultimately, about love. If you've ever wondered whether you're making a mistake about someone you think you love--and who hasn't--you'll identify with feisty, competitive Maggie Campbell, Dreams' delightful heroine.

A terrific read!

Megumi Campbell a girl of mixed heritage, fierce focus and relentless determination, is driven to be the best ice dancer she can be. The synergy of American competitiveness with Japanese acceptance of fate is drawn with an unflinching trueness. The biggest flaw is the pacing of almost one-fifth of the book. The jumps back and forth in time are jarring to say the least. And personally I intensely dislike dialogue that intersperses a foreign language, it's like watching movies in english where all the characters speak with heavy non-english accents when the intent is is that they are speaking their native language. But, if you've followed ice skating, if competative sports and Japanese culture interests you, this book is worth your time.

In Dreams of Gold, Thomson tells the story of a redheaded half Japanese figure skater,who dreams of the 2002 Olympics.Maggie is smart, determined but like most of us, encounters roadblocks on her journey.How she handles these hardships is told with,compassion,wit and style. One not only encounters an attractive,human heroine but learns much about the cultures of figure skating and Japan. I have become a Thomson fan.His metaphors and similes are graphic and most clever.

At first I found the book boring and I just didn't get into the story. Plus the author kept going back and forth through time...it was really annoying after a while. Luckily, at the end, the suspense is very good! The last 100 pages are great.

I was so delighted to find this book. I love figure skating and there aren't many adult novels written about it. The book started off interestingly enough but it quickly became apparent that Clay was manipulative and selfish and I lost interest in him completely. I wish his character had not been so transparent. Maggie was strong and likable, but her character was not enough to sustain my interest in the book. I ended up skipping about 100 pages in the middle just to find out how things ended. Overall, I was disappointed in this book.

Full disclosure: I know the author. So when I asked what his next book would be at a dinner party last November, and he told me about "Dreams of Gold" and that it involved competitive womens' figure skating, I tried to feign enthusiasm. Well, I'm here to tell you that I don't need to feign anything now! I just spent the weekend turning its pages as fast as I could. Needless to say, I found this book immensely readable and engaging. I've read all three of Thomson's books now and all are characterized by deft plot development, canny (if occasionally stilted) dialogue, and a respect for the reader's time. Readers might wish to check out Ruth Ozeki's "My Year of Meats" after reading "Dreams of Gold". Hai !

Thomson gives a breathtaking adventure/romance set in the fast-paced world of international figure skating credibility with his research. Advised by real champions, including American skater Tonia Kwiatkowski, Thomson has captured the good, the bad, and the ugly with a realistic view of what goes into the making of those spellbinding competition programs.

From the cruelty of politics to corrupt judging and the mind games played by rival competitors and coaches, Thomson leaves little out. Add a fascinating subplot about cross-cultures and Japanese organized crime, and you've got a fabulous adventure.

Readers can relate to Maggie Campbell's dreams of success, and even "villainess" Doe Rawlings gets our sympathy: she's really just spoiled, and being manipulated by her coach who stops at nothing to push his students to the top.

"Dreams of Gold" is of course entertaining for fans of "the queen of sports" but anyone else who enjoys sports novels or just a good adventure/romance can enjoy this one. Five stars.