I thought it was a beautiful book. The author is a poet and I can't wait to read more. I'm going to definitely check out his poetry. What a beautiful end.

This one just wasn't for me. You can tell that Foulds is a poet at heart, and while I can see his writing style working really well for poetry, it didn't work for me. The book just didn't grab or hold my attention.

Great read. The author wrote a story that was interesting and moved at a pace that kept me engaged. The characters were easy to invest in. I loved Kristen was from Philadelphia!

This was a sharp little case study of its two main characters. We have a Benedict Cumberbatch-esque actor (though not BC) who rose to prominence in one of those British costume-y dramas and his attempts to take next steps in his career - a big arty movie with a demanding, auteur-ish director that will push his craft, playing Hamlet at the Barbican (again: totally meant to be Benedict?), and ultimately signing onto some sort of Marvel movie in the end. We get good perspective into his head, but the story isn't about him.

This is about the fan that's imagined herself into a parasocial relationship with him. We walk through her obsessing over him after a frustrating divorce led to a chance airport encounter, see her crazed fan letter accidentally end up in the actor's mail pile from his agent, and then follow her through a trip to London to see him in Hamlet and try to ingratiate herself into his life that you _know_ is doomed from the start. The book does a great job of putting you in her head and seeing her from a sympathetic perspective, and nails how long to spend with each character before moving things forward.

I found the description of this book was deceiving. I was expecting much more of the story to be about Kristin and her interactions with Henry. She is introduced in the very beginning and then not mentioned for more than half the book. I found Henry’s story entertaining to read but I spent much of that time wondering how Kristin ties into this story. When she finally is brought back in I didn’t feel as if the reader was given a true sense of her thought process and I failed to understand her obsession with Henry. The ending felt very rushed and left me unsatisfied.

Sometimes strange and dream like itself. I loved this book- it’s got exquisite prose and characterizations, interesting premise and was a very engrossing and engaging read.

Thank you for an Advanced Reader’s Copy of this book. This short book was not what I expected based on the blurb that was written. This centers around two characters, Kristin, a divorcee from Philly and Henry an actor on a hit TV show. This book centers around obsession, Kristin with Henry, and Henry with himself. They billed this as satirical, but it definitely did not feel that way. It ended up being a sad little book in my opinion. This book will definitely be one that is talked about, as I think people will have strong feelings either way.

Foulds is a great writer. This is not my favorite work of his, but it certainly captured my interest and I read it in one sitting. His prose has sharpened a bit and he deftly switches viewpoints.

This book just isn't for me - I am not a fan of the writing style and it seems like it's trying to be smarter than the reader. I really wanted to enjoy this, but after reading other similar reviews, I don't think it's going to get any better for me. I much prefer plot driven stories, which many reviewers have confirmed this is not.

This review is based on an ARC of Dream Sequence which I received courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher (Farrar, Straus, and Giroux).

So... That was it? Okay, so, the writing was gorgeous and I was interested in the buildup, but that felt like a whole lotta pointless reading now that it's over.

Dream Sequence is split between two POVs: Henry, an up and coming actor who is frankly pretty narcissistic and pessimistic, and Kristin, a recent divorcée who is lost in her life and a bit obsessed with Henry. To me, it felt like there wasn't nearly enough to Kristin's story, as this book seems like it was meant to be about her. Also, Henry's character was annoying if I'm honest.

I just don't get it, I guess. I always thought that, in writing, every line needs a purpose. You know, the whole "If you pull out a gun it needs to be fired before the end of the book" rule. In both POVs, there are pointless scenes and thoughts that lead nowhere. In fact, I think with that anticlimactic ending, this whole book is a compilation of useless story leading nowhere. There was no impact, no oomph, nothing to compel me to share this novel with others. What with all the awards Adam Foulds has won I think I was expecting more from this story.

Now, this isn't to say that it wasn't an enjoyable read. This is a three-star review, after all. It's really hard to convey what I mean eloquently here. Storyline aside, I did quite like the prose, and I will try and get around to reading something else by Adam Foulds in the future.

A better title for Dream Sequence might have been Much Ado About Nothing, but I think that one may have already been taken.

Kristin is a wealthy divorcee from Philadelphia who spends most of her time redecorating her home in the style she is accustomed to and writing correspondence a couple of times a week. Henry is a British actor who has starred in the hottest show on television for the past several years and is now looking to land an artier type of film role. They are both pretty smitten with the same person – and that person just so happens to be Henry.

I guess this was a literary version of a book about obsession???? I obviously wasn’t smart enough to get it. All I know is there were a lot of words and descriptions of things, places, feelings, etc. but pretty much nothing ever happened.

Let’s just be honest. This wasn’t a huge winner for me due to a couple of reasons . . . .

1. If a blurb leads me to believe I’ll be reading about a stalker, I pretty much want to be in the head of said stalker. Being introduced to Kristin only to have her go poof almost instantly and not reappear until the SIXTY-SECOND PERCENT mark was a bummer; and

2. There is never going to be a character so in love with himself or with such a desire to be famous and seen than Maurice in A Ladder to the Sky. This was just a case of bad timing and I apologize to Adam Foulds for not being able to fully appreciate whatever he was trying to offer up with Henry.

I really didn’t enjoy this at all, but am giving it 2 Stars rather than one because I truly believe there is an audience for this book. Sadly, I just don’t seem to be a part of it : (

ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley!

Dream Sequence is a slick and shallow tale of the dangers of celebrity.
Henry is a pretty boy actor who wants to be taken seriously after six years in a historical tv drama. He believes he is entitled to the cosseted world of celebrity, and all its' privileges. Henry sees himself in the process of becoming a demigod.
Kristin has had what she sees as a ‘meet-cute’ with Henry at an airport. She believes they are destined to be together. To Henry, he doesn't notice anyone who touches the hem of his garment unless they are famous or a supermodel.
Adam Foulds presents a serious off fascinatingly bland set pieces, wherein Henry's celebrity stock rises. Meanwhile, delusional Kristin propels herself towards her destiny with Henry. It all ends in tears.

Really interesting novel about a BBC TV star (think Downton Abbey) trying to become a mega-star and a woman who loves him from afar. Foulds skillfully portrays both characters' inner lives and insecurities. My only complaint is with the ending - the novel ended suddenly and without sufficient justification.