Customer Reviews

The Passion Dream Book

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The Passion Dream Book is really like a dream, I felt the highs and lows of the characters unlike any other book I have read. It's easy to devour books and say I couldn't put it down...but sometimes there are just no other ways to describe it. I read How To Make An American Quilt many years ago, and enjoyed it as well, but this one, is completely in a different league. It is absolutely beautiful and so well written. If you are wondering if you should buy it or not, wonder no further, you won't be sorry you did.

From when I first started reading this book, I couldn't put it down. Otto brilliantly described a world of art and love in an impressive blend of history and fiction. In what appears to be a story merely about art, it is instead something that everyone can relate to. It explores the relationships that make up our lives, and brings up many ideas. I found myself wondering what I want from my life and my relationships with others. Wonderfully written.. A must-read.

I must say that The Passion Dream Book has to be one of my favorite books. Romy's quest for finding herself in the roaring twenties was beautifully written. I would recommend this book to anyone who dreams of becoming an artist, or wishes to follow their dreams. I couldn't put it down.

This book beautifully tells the story of an "artist"
While Ms. Otto nevers go in exact detail about a lot of
the points of the book you still get the exact meaning
of what she wants to say. You "feel" what it's like to
be an artist, woman of that time period,in a biracial
relationship. You want to be a part of this book.

I would definately recommend this book.

I found the Passion Dream Book to be a moving and unusual read. With a feminist (or rather "woman-centric") outlook, Otto explores history, art, creative women AND men, and the importance and pain of being faithful to your true self. After I finished, I felt like I had awoken from a dream - and I wanted to fall back asleep and continue dreaming

The ending to this book left me feeling that something great had been started, and lost track of partway through the journey.

I picked this book up with no clue as to what it was about (the back cover gives no hints), but was intrigued by the title, and what I saw when I glanced at a few pages.

Early on, we're provided with back-story some generations prior to the main story of would-be artist Romy, her ambitions and meanderings, and romance with more successful artist Augustine. This back-story follows Romy's ancestor, Giulietta, living in the time of Michaelangelo, and is quite fascinating. Yet, Otto fails to properly return to Giulietta later on in the book. Instead, we end up focussing mostly on Romy (who I found a good bit less intriguing, perhaps because she's the same thing as Giulietta, but less fresh the second time around). Giulietta's life is wrapped up in an incredibly meagre referenace late on in the book, so insignificant I nearly missed it when I sneezed.

For such an intriguing title, I was left feeling like 'The Passion Dream Book' was little more than a needlessly extended love story with some interesting art history tossed for good measure. I enjoyed the journey in places, but ultimately left feeling gypped.

I loved this book. I plan to read it again and again. It is the kind of book that you can find something new in each time that you read it. It challenges your imagination and inspires you to dream as you read it.

This book is in itself a work of art.

I disagree with the book reviewer who said that the actual romance between Augustine and Romy was flat and unreal. Not so! True, unconditional love transcends the mistakes of the two people, it runs deeper than that... it just sometimes takes a lifetime to figure that out.

Liz

I have read this book over and over again and each time I take away something different. It is the type of book that lets you see something about your own life each time you read it. If you are into art you will enjoy picking out the real life artists that she has woven in to her story. I love the little biographies in the middle of the book, it is a wonderful celebration of artists as real people and not just their most famous work. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has the soul of an artist.

I absolutely loved this book! Got it at a tag sale last summer and just picked it up to read last week. It's very rich and filled with subtle insights into what life is really like. I love the writing style and the characters too. Especially Romy, the main female of the story - she's wonderfully strong and true to herself. It starts with a bit of personal history from Michaelangelo's day then jumps to the story of the love of Augustine and Romy in the 20s, the 30s, the 40s and even into the 50s. It carries me along on the wings of the hearts of artists. I read it in small bits easily and hungrily, absorbing every word. I didn't want it to end. It's simple and stunning the way events are related. Definitely the best book I've read so far this year.