This is probably my favorite Sarah Dessen book!

Probably the most orginal of Sarah Dessen's, and the most emotionally resonant.

I have read Dreamland quite a few times over the past ten or so years that I have owned it (wow, time flies), and I can honestly say that it has and always will be one of my FAVORITES. Every time I pick this book up after some time has passed, I feel like I am seeing it in a completely different way. Maybe it has to do with me getting older and appreciating beautiful writing as it is, or maybe it is life experiences that I have encountered that have given me an even deeper connection to it. But really, the most amazing aspect of this entire book is this: no matter your age or your experiences in life, it is near impossible not to feel a deep connection or understanding to the characters or events that take place in this story.

Caitlin has always felt like she was living in the shadow of her perfect older sister Cass. But when Cass runs away on Caitlin’s sixteenth birthday, Caitlin is left to deal with the emotional turmoil it leaves on their family and to fill the place of her older sister. As Caitlin and her family start to live their lives without Cass in it, Caitlin tries to forge her own path in life without following in Cass’s perfect footsteps. Soon Caitlin meets Rogerson, a mysterious guy that at first seems to be Caitlin’s perfect match. But too soon their relationship turns from beautiful to ugly, and Caitlin slowly starts to withdraw from everyone and everything around her.

Though I have read this book many times over the years, I feel like this time I feel COMPLETELY different about it…in a good way. When I was in high school, I connected with the character of Caitlin easily because she was young and trying to figure out who she was and what she wanted out of life. Not only was she trying to become her own person, but she was trying to be something different than her older sister. Back then I saw this book as a young adult love story gone wrong, with a main character who was so far in love that she could not get herself away from the terrifying situation of Rogerson and his fists. I couldn’t understand why Caitlin wouldn’t run away from Rogerson, flip him the bird, and go on with her life. Now, several years later (and older and wiser… ;) ), I have come to see a few differences. Not only does Sarah Dessen know how to do wonderful transitions from dialogue to memories that Caitlin has with her sister, but she has a beautiful creative writing ability. When Caitlin is describing the toll her relationship is taking on her, the reader feels entirely encompassed in her feelings. I found myself going on an emotional roller coaster with her as she went through it.
“But what he didn't understand was that this dreamland was preferable, walking through this life half-sleeping, everything at arm's length or farther away.

I understood those mermaids. I didn't care if they sang to me. All I wanted was to block out all the human voices as they called me name again and again, pulling me upward into light, to drown.”

I of course took a look at some other reviews of this book, and I noticed that many readers were commenting on how Rogerson was just another made up “bad boy” and that nothing about him was explained. I personally think that the author not giving away too much on Rogerson is spot on. A lot of times with relationships that involve physical or emotional harm, the person being harmed in the relationship starts to realize that the person they fell in love with is a stranger to them after all. I think the reader never knowing exactly why Rogerson hit Caitlin (obviously his father beating him had something to do with it) or exactly who he was just built his character even more. Sarah Dessen did a great job of getting the reader attached to him just as much as Caitlin was, and I find that a hard thing to do.

This is a darker read for a Sarah Dessen book, but is ABSOLUTELY worth the read. It is perfect for all ages (as it doesn’t get too violent) and I think shows a great outlook and insight into relationships that can turn to something unexpected.

First of all DREAMLAND shouldn't be the title of this book. It should be FUCKED UP DECISIONS IN LIFE!! I mean, come on! I understand the part about being lonely and wanting to get attention and all that shit but would you still hold onto something that's hurting you!? It's not right. I respect Sarah Dessen for writing a book that isn't all "happily ever after" but Dreamland takes it to the extreme. Instead of looking for a guy that can give her all the comfort and love she needs she hooked up with a guy that liked hitting her and was always high on drugs! That is a major turn off right there! Who would want a guy that was a DRUG DEALER!! UGGGHHHH At the end of this book I cried not because I felt so much emotions from this book..it was because I couldn't process the fact that the main character would be willing to suffer like that just because she was lonely.

Sarah Dessen is a very good author for putting characters that are real to life because the comparison of the sisters? It's true. Whether we accept it or not all the people around us likes to "compare". I've been to the point of misery for being compared to others but that doesn't mean I should make decisions that can scar me for life. I loved Lock & Key but DREAMLAND is so.....STUPID.

What happens in the end? The main character! Gets sent to a mental facility while the drug dealer, her boyfriend, finally gets caught and goes to jail. Some of you may have enjoyed this book but I know I did not enjoy this AT ALL. Some of you may be offended by the things I have just said but hey, it's my opinion so you'll just have to deal with it.

I’m agonizing over the rating, but honestly? This was a lot more than I’d thought it’d be.

Noooooooo! Why would she do that? What in the world was she thinking when she went down that path? I mean, I can see one lapse in judgment, but to keep hiding such a huge thing and keep putting up with being treated that way? I just couldn't get on board with this one. I was glad when it was over.

Original Review posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts
Original Rating: 1.5

Note: Formatting may be lost due to copy and pasting.

I was told that Sarah Dessen's works were awesome. So I basically went into the frame of mind that it would be a good book when I actually started reading it.

I don't really hate saying this, but as a first time peep (read: I'm reading her works for the first time) on reading a work of Sarah Dessen's, I left with a pretty "eh..." view. I did try to keep the fact in mind that Sarah Dessen is a good writer, which was why I didn't go all mini stomping off with a hmph frowny faced at the wall.

I don't exactly hate the book - not really - but I found it very boring from page 1 to the end. I'm pretty surprised I didn't fall asleep. Yet. There was just something missing. While I don't really mind reading gushy romances (YA speaking), I'm not one who prefers reading a book that's pretty much completely - as in 90% or more - lack of action.

Dreamland is basically your typical realistic fiction in the terms of romance. It was also pretty predictable (but then... I tend to predict things near the bull's eye usually...). And every time a character in a book is getting suspicious of events, it would go down the drain a little more.

If it wasn't required reading, I probably would've ended up just setting it down, walk away, read another book, and then return it. But, if you're one who likes realistic fiction and romances rolled into one "bookrito," then you probably just got another recommendation. However, if you're one for romance and action rolled into one, then I don't exactly recommend it.... but feel free to read it if you want to try it out, as everyone's reading preference is different....

3.5

It was my first book from Sarah Dessen and I'm pretty sure it won't be the last I'll read !

I loved how real the story was. It was beautifully written too!

Sometimes I felt like the events were rushed but otherwise it was a great read !

I read this as a book club read for August 2019. It only took a few hours to get through, as it isn’t very long, but frankly I felt it could have been much shorter. It’s basically an allegory surrounding the saying “things are not always what they seem”.

The characters were not badly developed, but aside from Caitlin and her mother, I felt their motivations and the point of their existence in the story were unclear. Even the antagonist of the story doesn’t have any clear reason for doing what he does, although it is vaguely alluded to.

This one is definitely something I can see scores of early teen girls pouring over - it’s a quick and easy read where everything winds up all hunky-dory and tied with a neat little bow. There is no meat to the story whatsoever. It is unlikely that I will revisit this author’s work, as her writing is clearly not aimed at my particular demographic.

I'm on my post-final YA fiction binge and working my way through the roommate's Sarah Dessen books. This one was, in my opinion, sadly lacking. Dessen gets into the head of an abused girlfriend very well, and the slow slide into an abusive relationship is believable. However, we never find out why her boyfriend was abusing her, leaving him to be a one-dimensional 'bad boy' and the circumstances around their relationship remained shallow. I don't have much patience for people who are too weak to stand up for themselves, unfortunately, so this was another reason why this book bothered me. However, if you don't like it because of the subject matter, get over it. Stop being so goddamn sheltered, you could learn something.

Is there another word for heartbreaking? One that really can sum up feeling totally drained, broken, but at the same time hopeful? If the word does exist, that's this book in a nutshell.

While reading this I literally cringed and would slap the book shut, but a couple seconds later I would open it again to see what happens to a girl named Caitlin. She never feels like she measures up to her sister Cass, and in turn that leads her to trouble. And that trouble is named Rogerson (this is random but I HATED the way he dressed). He's different and wild, and she feels like she can gain that from him. Things seem to be ok at first, but you see hints of things that just don't seem right.... (I don't want to give away what happens because it isn't mentioned in the cover blurb) I literally wanted to shake Caitlin sometimes. She herself knows that she is on a destructive path, but feels like she can't do anything to get out of it. Though that isn't true, you always have a choice.

This book is so raw . I understood why Caitlin thought they way she did, even if it was wrong. It really opened my eyes to the situation she was in. Be warned that there is a lot of drug use. Rogerson is a dealer, so it was inevitable. Dessen does a good job of showing the negative effects of drugs without being preachy, or on the other hand being mistaken as a "stoner" book. Sometimes to heal you have to go through pain, and drugs cheat you of that opportunity. Sarah Dessen is the queen of showing how all the little choices we make add up to what path we are lead to. She does this in all her books, but it's emphasized in this one especially. As always her symbolism is perfect, and as all you fans know she really does know her stuff.

If you are looking for something happy this isn't it, but it's worth the read. Dessen's style shines and does an excellent job of telling Caitlin's story, which I know will hit home for some teenage girls. It's the best book on the subject I have read. If you liked this one read Breathing Underwater, which shows this situation from the other side. Like I said heartbreaking, but in the way we need it to be.

I’m going to keep this review short and (semi-)sweet, because to be honest, I think this might be a case of “it’s not you; it’s me” with this book, and I’d hate to discourage anyone from reading Dreamland. When I put my list of Sarah Dessen reads together for what I wanted to read over the year, I chose based first on what my library had in audio, and then based on which of the remaining ones sounded most up my alley. If I had chosen them based strictly on what I was interested in, I’m not sure I would have chosen this one. Part of the problem for me was that this book had the misfortune of being read on the heels of The Truth About Forever, which is my favorite read from the author so far. And while that book wasn’t super-upbeat, there was a hopefulness to it, as there is with most of the Sarah Dessen books I’ve read. But this one, in terms of hopefulness, is closest to Saint Anything. But even then, this one is much grimmer.

As with all Sarah Dessen books, this one had a wonderful cast of supporting characters. My favorites were Caitlin’s hippy neighbors who loved Caitlin and her sister to pieces. I also liked her friend Rina. It felt like it was the two of them against the world sometimes, which is why I think it was so easy for Rogerson to isolate Caitlin from the rest of her life. But I had a hard time understanding Caitlin’s attraction to Rogerson in the first place. They didn’t have that much in common, and he wasn’t that nice to her from the very beginning. To be honest, I don’t feel like a lot happened in this book. It felt slow to me, and then there were two things I had issues with.

I found it hard to believe that after Rogerson had only hit Caitlin in private, the one time he chose to hit her in public was in front of her parent’s house while there was a big party going on out back. There was no mention (that I recall) of Caitlin’s house being isolated, and Rogerson wasn’t stupid. I guess it could be blamed on rage, but other times he was able to hold it in and wait until they were in private, so that didn’t make sense to me. Also, after the pivotal scene where Caitlin’s parents and neighbors swoop in on the heels of Rogerson beating her, the scene ends abruptly and flashes to Caitlin in a rehab center. It makes me wonder if the author didn’t know how to approach it from there head on.

While I do think this is a nice cautionary tale for young women, I’m not sold on the way everything that happened. But I do think, at the very least, Dreamland be a good jumping off point for a parent/child conversation regarding abuse.

Note about audio: I flip-flopped back and forth between the audio and print for this one. I liked the narrator and thought she did a great job with the story.

This review was originally posted at Badass Book Reviews.