Nina George carefully weaves words to construct a magical novel outlining love, and adventure. Using relatable emotions, and situations, George efficiently and convincingly builds a world (and characters) which leave you wanting more.

A beautifully written book, richly metaphorical, about hovering in the space between life and death. It follows Henri, in a coma after an accident, and how he tries to interact with his loved ones and they in turn with him. Poignant and profound, we explore the feelings, of loss, hope and grief, all at once.

Yet, even though I can appreciate the beauty of this book, it really wasn't for me.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

*thank you to Simon & Schuster (Australia) for an ARC of this book*

4 stars.

Wow. This book can be described in one word and I know im not the first to say it, but I whole heartily agree with it and that word is beautiful!

This was written so well it was just beautiful to read. Its a story you feel, along with the characters, you feel what they say and go through. Not knowing where the next step would take you but going along with it quietly while you listen to whats being said. Sometimes smiling, sometimes feeling tearful as you get to know each main character's deep and personal thoughts and feelings and how each character is connect with the others. As I said, this is so beautiful. 

Im half and half on the ending. I did wish for it to be a bit different but thats not to say that I didnt like how it did end. It was heartfelt and realistic. It was strong, yet tender. It will tug at your heart. 

This is my first book by this author and im now very interested to read her other books too. I highly recommend this.

Nina George’s incredible new novel, The Book of Dreams, is about the dream world that exists between life and death.

13-year-old Sam sees the world in colours and can sense things most others can’t. He meets his father, Henri, for the first time in hospital. Henri is in a deep coma after being struck by a car. The accident brings him together with Eddie – publisher of fantastical fiction and his father’s former lover. The narrative is told from multiple perspectives. We spend time with Sam, Eddie and Henri as they try to make sense of their situations and bridge the gaps between life and death.

I adored this beautiful book and cried buckets at the ending, which was very satisfying but deeply moving.

The Book of Dreams is peppered with the sort of ‘What if?’s I remember thinking as a kid:

"Maybe our lives are nothing but stories that are being read by other people."

I also had a real ‘Oh god is this true? Is this what parenthood does to us?’ moment when I read this passage spoken by 13-year-old Sam:

"My mother hasn’t always been like this. There was a time when she worked as a photographer and traveled to war zones. She was afraid of nothing – of nothing and nobody. But then something happened. That thing was me, an accident, and everything changed. Now she sneaks through her own life, as if she’s constantly trying to duck out of harm’s way."

Eddie has run her own successful niche publishing house for decades. I wish she was a real person because I’d love to meet her. She publishes all the sorts of stories that I love reading most:

"I publish fantastic novels. Not fantasy: there are no elves, no orcs, no vampires. Utopias and dystopias, stories about alternate realities, other planets, one world where there are no men and another devoid of adults – anything that’s potentially only three steps from our own reality and represents a scientifically plausible form of the miraculous."

This is a story you can completely immerse yourself in. I grew very attached to Eddie and Sam and wanted to reach into the book and look after them both. I was glad they had each other. I was fond of Henri too, though mostly I wanted to give him and Sam’s mother a good shake.

Invested as I was in the narrative, I also found so many small quotes I could sit and think over for hours. Like this one:

"We are dwarfed by reality."

This last quote is for all the writers among us. I identified with Sam on this level so much – this is exactly why I write:

"I’ve just realized that I really want to be a writer. No, not “want” – must. I don’t have a choice, but only now has that become clear to me. It feels as if it’s the only way to make sense of everything – people, colors, emotions, landscapes, and rooms I can read as if they were books."