Cover Image: Escaping Dreamland

Escaping Dreamland

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Member Reviews

Masterfully written. A book about the all-encompassing power of books, stories, and words. I learned much about the publishing world -- and loved it. Plus learned some other historical tidbits too. The author truly did a ton of research to piece this novel together.

The reasons why I gave this book 2 stars is due to the language found in the book (thankfully it was infrequent), and due to the allusions to mature content.

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Escaping Dreamland is an enchanting novel from the New York Times bestselling author, Charlie Lovett.

Set in the vibrant city of New York in 1906, this story follows the intersecting paths of Robert Parrish, a successful novelist; Rebecca, his former lover; and three childhood friends Magda, Gene, and Tom.

When Robert's relationship with Rebecca fails, he remembers the promise he made in childhood to solve the mystery of the beloved children's series he used to read- The Tremendous Trio. Robert decides to go on an odyssey to learn the truth and he finds his destination to be the magical city of 1906 New York. There, amidst steamboats, boot blacks, and opulent mansions, he meets the three childhood friends and together they set off to explore the city and all its attractions.

Told through Robert's perspective, this story brings readers on a remarkable journey to find the connections between him, his former love, and the characters of The Tremendous Trio. From the charming confines of the Polo Grounds to the captivating spectacle of Coney Island's Dreamland, this novel weaves a fascinating story of love, friendship, and discovery that celebrates the joy of children's series books and our capacity for understanding the heart of another.

So get ready to explore New York in the Gilded Age and discover the secrets of The Tremendous Trio, in Charlie Lovett's enchanting novel, Escaping Dreamland.

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This was a true beauty of a book. From the moment I started reading, the rest of the world fell away and I felt like I walked into another world. The word usage, imagery, and fanciful prose were unlike so many other books I read. I enjoyed the multiple timelines and character viewpoints. I will definitely pick up other Charlie Lovett books in the future. Five stars....easy!

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complex but in a good way.. this is a twisty turny novel with a storyline and characters that had me gripped from the start. amazing.

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Interesting and fun read. Definitely a niche reader but a complex and engaging story nonetheless. Centered around a mystery it creates a perfect mix of discovery and history.

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Largely set in New York City in the early years of the 20th century, the novel follows the exploits of three writers working to create children's series.

I usually enjoy historical fiction and the premise of this one did seem promising, but unfortunately I had a hard time getting through this novel due to the odd pacing.

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Excellent read. Wonderful job of weaving the storylines together and developing the characters- as well as wonderful depictions of early 1900s New York. I did enjoy the historical story more than the section of story taking place in current times.

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A bit of a departure for Lovett, but an interesting tale weaving in historical details of New York in the early 20th century,

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Lovett knows just how to please book lovers. His love of literature--in all forms--shines through his stories, and this one celebrates children's lit with such nostalgia and charm.

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NGL, I expected this to be a book about people escaping their realities and living in a type of dreamland reality they conjured. But the book did not disappoint either way. I love reading stories set in New York during any period of time. And the little paragraph for racism- could've been redacted. It was almost out of place. I look forward to whatever Charlie Lovett has to put out but this was a flat one for me.

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Wonderful book! The story reminds us of the value of true friendship, and also of how the past is always part of our future. I loved how it also speaks of the importance of being true to yourself, despite consequences.

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The cover copy promises not only a contemporary author trying to track down an elusive children's book from a century earlier, but also the the stories of the three authors who wrote the book in 1906. I wanted to love this book, but it took me a while to warm up to the characters and I wound up setting it aside for a week because I couldn't even begin to figure out how the people I was reading about connected to anything else that was going on. Eventually, things started to tie together and make sense and from that point on I was hooked....at least on the historical scenes. I loved the information about the book packagers who put together series like the Bobbsey Twins and the Hardy Boys (the events predate Nancy Drew) and the details about life in New York at the turn of the last century. And I really appreciated the author's note at the end explaining which events and characters were real. But the modern day author and his refusal to admit that he grew up reading children's books annoyed me the whole way through.

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This was a historical novel that was clearly very well researched, and the dual timelines were equally well executed. Sadly I didn't enjoy it as much as I had hoped, but it was still a nice read and I would read book written by this author in the future.

My main issue was that I didn't feel particularly connected to the characters, which in turn made the story feel a little disjointed. This may well be a personal thing, so please don't let it put you off from picking up this book. It is very well written with excellent imagery and descriptions of both the early 20th and 21st Century and the events that shaped the lives of the characters.

Many thanks to NetGalley for the eARC.

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I was lucky enough to hear Charlie Lovett speak to my book club last year. This was before I'd gotten the chance to read any of his works. And, I was beyond impressed with his grasp on interesting historical facts and his ability to bring those out in the most entertaining anecdotes.

He was able to convey both of those skills with Escaping Dreamland. A book about authors trying to write in the early 20th century, this book is part historical drama, part history lesson. Lovett writes an immersive historical novel like I haven't read before.

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I always appreciate Charlie’s attention to detail and research. I’ve heard him speak a number of times and he is very engaging and personable. I enjoy the bookish aspect to his stories. His prose doesn’t suit my particular taste, but for those who favor historical fiction and his writing style, they will enjoy this work.

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I could never decide which I loved more—the modern day story line or the flashbacks—which is a good problem to have in a story that bounces back and forth between timelines. Usually one is far stronger than the other, but Lovett manages them both so well.

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This is a good book for a vacation or a time when you can keep reading it regularly. When I first got it, I kept putting it down and returning to it a few days or weeks later, and would forget details from the various narratives. It takes a long time for the disjointed stories to converge, so patience and memory are required. But it is a love letter to New York City and to children's mass-market literature, as well as a meditation on the fragile nature of human connections, so the reader will be rewarded for perseverance.

Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to review a digital ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

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This book had an interesting plot, but sadly I just couldn't "get into it". I found myself not wanting to pick it up to read. Partly because there were so many names to remember and keep up with and some of the emotional journey felt forced. The big "plot twist" felt a tad anticlimactic to me.

I did enjoy getting swept up in old New York. It was clear that the author did plenty of research to keep the setting authentic.

I've read several reviews from those who listened to the audio book and loved it so I may try that version instead.

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What a wonderful story!! Loved the dual time line. The characters all had their secrets and i liked the way the secrets were revealed. It brought me back to the turn of the century. Would definitely recommend!!

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A beautiful, sweeping story about love, friendship, forgiveness, and the power of reading a book.

This is a dual timeline saga that connects its characters from each timeline far better than most books in this format.

Our contemporaryish protagonist Robert isn’t quite as compelling as the early 20th century trio whose books had so much impact on his life, but his story marries well with theirs and functions successfully as a narrative device for helping their tale to unfold.

For anyone who loves early 20th century history or the history of forgotten/lost books, this novel is a dream. Lovett has done an exceptional job of using real historical events and figures to shape the goings-on in the lives of his fictional authors Magda, Tom, and Gene.

In both timelines, Lovett shows us so many ways in which books shape our lives, change them for the better, open doors for us, and comfort our souls. This is especially relevant in the first timeline, where the characters are brought together by books, precipitating an almost buddy comedy feel that warmed my cold, cold heart.

The earlier timeline has a heartbreaking element to it as well, though not as much so as the second timeline. Though the sadness in each was well-rendered, I do wish all of Lovett’s otherwise flawless books didn’t always carry such a crushingly depressing element. This is about preference, not quality of content, as I realize many readers love a good heartbreaking tragedy.

Regardless of where you stand on that issue, Lovett has written a gorgeous piece of historical fiction here and a must for anyone who believes in the incredible power of reading and books.

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