Escaping Dreamland

Of I could I would give this book 20 gold stars. Pitch perfect. Wonderful historical references, multi-layered characters. I loved every word. "Lovett’s most recent novel, Escaping Dreamland (Blackstone, 2020), is a book about four authors in New York City. Much of the book is set in the early 20th century, and explores not just historic New York, but the lives of three young people writing series books for children (think The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew). The book is an homage to the books of our childhood, to New York City, and above all to love and friendship. "

excellent book! I loved the contrast of modern and past situations in the book. None of the characters have anything in common except their loves of books! This was a great read!

For those of us who grew up at a certain time, serial books for children were a staple of reading. Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys, Tom Swift, The Dana Girls, and Cherry Ames, among many others occupied many hours of our time and provided many hours of joy. Mr. Lovett’s new book addresses those readers and gives them a “hero” that they can identify with, a man obsessed with serial books. As with his other books (The Bookman’s Tale, First Impressions, and The Lost Book of the Grail) starts with multiple stories--in this case he begins with a current story and then goes back in time to tell three other stories and then weaves those stories into one. As with his other volumes, he intersorts a lot of history into it, some of which the reader will recognize and some the reader will pursue to learn more. As with his other books, his depictions of the characters, what happens to them and where it happens is so well written that the reader feels as if he/she is right in the story. From Shakespeare to Austen to syndicate writers, he spans different kinds of literature--I can’t wait until he writes his next book.

I loved this! 3 words meet by chance during the early 20th century and meet to write series stories for children... and then the series' abruptly end. An author in the 21st century loves the original books, he read them with his father who has read them with HIS father. Robert wants to find out why the series ended, but he must also figure out why is most important relationship ended also. This book keeps you intrigued from beginning to end. Charles Lovett is one of my favourite authors.

Robert Parrish is a successful, serious writer whose life is falling apart. His girlfriend, Rebecca, has walked out on him, exasperated with his distance and evasions. He has one week to try to win her back. Robert desperately wants to reconcile. But he's panicked at the thought of unraveling his defenses and revealing his secret passion for . . . serial children's literature.

What? Yes, the younger Robert loved the Hardy Boys, Tom Swift, and especially a series of the author's invention, the Tremendous Trio, stories about two boys and a girl and their fascinating adventures in the early 1900s. They're why he became a writer. Why can't he share that with Rebecca? Why can't he share that with anyone?

Robert's story is the framing device for this book of stories within stories within stories. The book shifts centuries and POVs, introducing us to the writers of the Tremendous Trio, three friends with dreams and secrets and not always aligning goals, and to their writing, including a tantalizingly lost final adventure.

I loved this book. The characters are distinct, sympathetic, and sharply drawn. The dialogue is true to the characters, often touching, and sometimes slyly funny. Of all the stories in this book, perhaps most compelling for me was the story of the writers of the Tremendous Trio, perhaps because the turn-of-the century settings are so dazzling, perhaps because they experience virtually every dramatic event of the Gilded Age, from the San Francisco earthquake to the Spanish flu. But even contemporary Robert, who comes across at first as a bit of a git, becomes deeper and more relatable by the book's end.

There's a lot in this book. It is not a quick read, and if you have no interest in research, you may tire of Robert's step-by-step, artifact-by-artifact investigation into the true authorship of the Tremendous Trio. But I missed this book when it was finished. I missed the characters. This book is not just a book of stories; it's a book about stories - how they both reveal and conceal, how they reach and call to us across the years.

Highly recommended.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the ARC in exchange for the honest review.

I was totally captivated by this wonderful story. It reminded me of the joy of being a child, while all along it told a well crafted story set in NYC in the late 1800s and turn of the century.

The book started a bit slow and felt wordy. No sooner did I think this than...bam! Off and running. The story is told in alternating voices set in the past and present and is a fascinating look at how things (and people) are not always how they seem on the surface.

I would love to know the book characters in real life. They are so well drawn, and realistic. You feel for them when they are happy and not.

Loved the book. Thank you for writing it, Charlie Lovett!

Escaping Dreamland is a magical read - much like all of Charlie Lovett's novels. He has an exceptional talent for suspending the reader's conscious of their own surroundings and drawing the reader in the story being woven. Like his other works, there is a multi-layered, almost ethereal connection between present days and past lives. Many storytellers struggle to effectively move and forth between different periods in a single novel. Lovett is particularly adept at delivering intertwined tales that seem smart and believable and never contrived.
In Escaping Dreamland, Lovett explores the less than storybook lives of a group three early twentieth-century early adult book authors. These are the works that inspired and entertained child and teen readers in the pre-1970's world. As an avid reader, even then, I will admit that I was of a time that enjoyed just these tales. Today novels such as the Hardy Boys or Nancy Drew seem of another time, one of innocence, heroism and discovery that seems absent from today's world. One hears a subtle corrective voice in this work. We often look back through rose-tinted glasses to a golden age - it's not that uncommon. As we gain experience (echoes of Blake's Songs of Innocence and Experience here ;-) we become aware of our own altered perceptions. But has childhood changed over time? IN many ways it has, and this has given rise to research, chairs and even full departments in universities today. Escaping Dreamland is Lovett's contribution to this question in the form of a brilliantly engaging series of interconnected stories. This novel explores what we carry with us, what we leave behind and sometimes why experience is quite different from maturity. Ultimately it reinforces why we need to remain in touch with our own inner child.
It is this self-reflection that forms the present-day story in Ecpaing Dreamland - illuminated through the discovery of the past experience.
Robert Parrish is a semi-successful author who struggles in the relationship with his girlfriend. The relationship is troubled by growing distance and professional frustration. We learn early on that this stems from an unresolved life-altering event in his own childhood that he is unwilling to either address or share. This identifies a web of secrets that the novel suggests challenge our personal relationships. Parrish finds a unique catharsis through uncovering the lives behind the stories that were so important to his own upbringing.
By exploring his own journey from childhood and maturation, Lovett, through Parrish makes a compelling distinction between childishness and being childlike. But it is secretiveness that trips us all up - and maturity doesn't always seem to help us accept this.
This is an intricately woven tale skillfully rooted in real historical events, with characters who you genuinely empathise with. So well done is the combination of homework and narrative that it is often difficult to distinguish between the real and the invented.
Escaping Dreamland lives up to Lovett's high standards and together with his previous efforts form a treasure trove of superb reads.

My first Charlie Lovett and definitely not my last, most long reads are filled with unnecessary elaborations but this does not do that. The story mainly revolves through point of views of the characters and the writing style, feelings expressed is extremely crisp and clear. One can actually feel themselves flowing along with the story. Somehow I think almost everyone will be able to relate to Robert, our protagonist, the love in the book, the heart felt misunderstandings. The love for children's books, hardy boys being one of my favourite, this was a long, nostalgic and amazing read! Go ahead! Take time to read this book to feel the magic of nostalgia and the magic in the writing style!
I 100 percent recommend this book.

I would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for providing me with the E-arc.

In Escaping Dreamland, Lovett takes the reader on a journey to turn of the century New York City to explore the lives of three childrens’ adventure story writers and the mystery of an unfinished manuscript. The Stratemeyer publishing syndicate is used as the framework for the fictitious Pickering Brothers publishing company, the publisher of the Tremendous Trio series written by the three young ghost writers. In 2010, a young writer named Robert Parish, is heavily influenced by the adventure series books he read as a child. When he discovers the first few pages of a manuscript, he begins his journey to solve the mystery of this unwritten Tremendous Trio story. I enjoyed the way Lovett alternated the chapters between the early 1900s and the early 2000s. In doing so, he painted a vivid picture of how the historical events of the time impacted each of the writers’ own lives and the personalities of the characters they created. Lovett’s research of period events and locations was evident through both his descriptions of events and places and through the characters’ reactions to those events and places, most notably the reactions of Magda, Tom and Gene to their day together in Dreamland. I would highly recommend this book. While reading Escaping Dreamland, I found myself eager to begin researching many of the events and places mentioned throughout the story.

Escaping Dreamland introduces Robert Parrish, a modern day fiction writer struggling with his creativity and lost when his relationship with his longtime girlfriend falls apart. Struggling to figure out who he is, he returns to the fiction books of his childhood that inspired him to become an author. Robert realizes he must confront his past by fulfilling a youthful promise to solve a mystery surrounding his favorite series - The Tremendous Trio. Simultaneously, Lovett introduces the trio behind Robert’s childhood novels. In 1906 New York City, Magda, Gene, and Tom not only write the children’s books that Robert will one day love, but together they also explore the vibrant city on their doorstep, from the Polo Grounds to Coney Island’s Dreamland, drawing the reader into the Gilded Age as their own friendships deepen. The connections between the authors, Robert’s redemptive journey, and the way their stories come together in unexpected ways make a novel that is an ode to the children’s adventure books of the past and the power of friendship.

I was completely enticed by this story. Charlie Lovett shifts between multiple point of views and between centuries in order to create an intriguing story. Having grown up reading mass market children's novels, I had a personal connection to this story. Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys were some of my favorite series as a child. I knew that multiple ghost writers wrote under pseudonyms, but I was surprised how much more I learned more about publishing syndicates of the early 20th century. The Stratemeyer publishing syndicate is used as the framework for the fictitious Pickering Brothers, the publisher of the Tremendous Trio. Not only does Charlie Lovett create a brilliant cast of characters for his book, but also the lovable cast of children's adventure characters that his characters write about.  Finally, the book is skillfully rooted in real historic events and tackles societal issues such as sexism, PTSD, and LGBT issues. This book wasn't a quick read, but it was a worthwhile read. I highly recommend this book, especially if you're a fan of serial books and historical fiction.

Thank you Charlie Lovett, Blackstone Publishing, and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Escaping Dreamland is a magical and captivating read. Charlie Lovett is a gifted writer and this book will not disappoint his readers. The story takes place in NYC and I feel it was the perfect setting for the book. I look forward to reading more of Mr. Lovett's books and I know that this one will be a wonderful success.

I received a free digital advance review copy of this book from Blackstone Publishing and am providing my honest feedback.

Escaping Dreamland is a multilayered story within a story that will resonate with anyone who grew up devouring children's series such as Nancy Drew, the Bobsey Twins, or the Hardy Boys. Robert, an author in New York City in 2010 is struggling with writer's block after the success of his first novel and the lingering effects of a childhood tragedy that are driving a rift between him and the woman he loves. Alternating chapters focus on Magda, Tom, and Gene, living in New York City over a century earlier, following them from childhood into early adulthood. Their paths eventually intersect as they each become a ghostwriter for a turn-of-the century children's serial publisher and end up collaborating to write The Tremendous Trio, a book that brings together their three fictional characters and becomes a pivotal part of Richard's childhood. It can be a bit of a challenge to keep all of the characters straight in the early chapters, but the payoff is worth it as the connections between the different stories become apparent. Charlie Lovett expertly weaves actual historical events into his characters' lives, ranging from milestones such as the San Francisco earthquake to lesser known details about everyday life in New York City in the early 1900s, which adds richness and depth to the novel. Each of the main characters is haunted by their past actions when faced with devastation and heartbreak, but as they confess their secrets, they discover the hope and joy that endure within the bonds of true friendship even when circumstances drive them apart.

I love Charlie Lovett's books and this did not disappoint. Set in the Golden Age and current day it is a love story to the power of childhood books and how they can still affect us in our adult lives. The characters are flawed and have their secrets but their love of writing and reading are constant. I especially enjoyed the descriptions of "old"
New York City and the emphasis placed on friendships.

This was my first Lovett book although he has been on my author TBR list for awhile. This literary fiction book is told from alternating perspectives of an author in present day NYC and three collaborative writers and friends in 1906-1911. The three authors publish children's adventure stories that the present day writer and his grandfather both loved as children.

The alternating narratives worked well and gave what would have been a slower book some movement (similar to I'll Be Your Blue Sky and The Fall of Marigolds.) The only thing I would felt this book was lacking is some levity. It was a "very serious book" and could have used some humor. Overall, this is a very good book and especially if you like books about books and the history of children's adventure publishing or NYC in this time period, then this book might be for you.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book! It was a 4.5 star read for me--historical fiction about books, yes please! I really liked the historical detail but didn't love the modern day part as much. You have an strong inkling of what is to come, but it seems too dragged out in order to fit the historical part in. In short, it just felt unbalanced to me for a book that is alternating between the historical and modern day sections.

Read if you: Fondly remember reading children's series such as Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys and want a quirky, detail-rich read.

There is a certain sort of reader for this book. If you're a children's literature nerd, you'll probably enjoy this.

However-the modern story intertwined with the historical story line is just not that interesting or compelling.

Librarians/booksellers: Purchase if you can't get enough historical fiction stories set in 1900s New York.

Many thanks to Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for a digital review copy in exchange for an honest review.

An adventurous quest leads this dual-timeline story. In one timeline, the lead character revisits his favorite childhood stories as well as some darker elements of his own past. The second timeline tells the story of how his favorite childhood stories were written. I learned so much about NYC and various historical events. Mr. Lovett is one of my favorite authors, partly because he tells a good story. He doesn't disappoint in this adventure tale.

This book make me think quite a bit. There were many aspects of this book that I didn't know anything about, so I learned several things. Charlie Lovett did an amazing job doing research and it really showed. I don't know much about New York City, so the descriptions of the city were great. I didn't know about the Slocum disaster, so that was something new I learned. I was hooked with the storyline. The book has a modern day story line and a story line in the past with 3 characters. By the end of the book, I was happy I had the opportunity to read it. I would like to read other books by Charlie Lovett.

If, as a child, you fell in love with series books about the Hardy boys, Nancy Drew, or Trixie Belden, don’t waste a minute finding a copy of Escaping Dreamland, Charlie Lovett’s latest novel. If you weren’t a series book lover, don’t let that missing part of your childhood deter you. You will still find much to love in this multifaceted tale of children growing into adulthood, each with a secret haunting his or her life and the need to come to terms with the past.

Although filled with historical events, Escaping Dreamland is more a psychological novel than an historical novel. It opens in New York City on May 8, 1945 (V. E. Day) as Magda prepares to close an old shoe box filled with what she considers happy memories before placing it on her closet shelf. However, as she realizes “that she had loved them both, but not been in love with either one of them,” readers realize, without yet knowing whom she is remembering, that some of her memories are more bittersweet than happy.

The story shifts to 2008, as Robert Parrish’s first short story has just been accepted by a respected literary magazine. He realizes that the day has been so perfect “that he had nearly told her.” From the first sentence, I found myself wanting to know what he was withholding. After sharing celebratory pastrami sandwiches and ice cream with his girlfriend Rebecca, she confesses that he would have hated her childhood literary tastes—Nancy Drew, the Dana Girls, Cherry Ames, “those horrid series books.” She assumes Robert had been reading Dickens or George Eliot. Feeling the opportunity has finally come for that conversation he has long been withholding, Robert admits to having loved the Hardy Boys, Tom Swift, the Great Marvel, “and, yes, Nancy Drew.” I began to laugh, thinking this was the confession Robert had been struggling for months to make. Then I read on: “A brave man would have dived right in. A wise man would have known the moment had come at last. But, Robert though, he was neither of those things.” Like Magda, Robert had something more to hide.

Lovett next shifts further back in time to the late 1800s, the days of horses and hansom cabs. We meet Magda again, now age four, an immigrant, as her father brings the family to see the statue of Liberty Enlightening the World, newly dedicated in the New York harbor two days earlier. We meet Thomas De Peyster as he, his mother, and sisters arrive to have their portrait painted by John Singer Sargent just as the Vanderbilts depart from their sitting. Mrs. De Peyster dreams of her son’s perfect future match, Amelia Vanderbilt. We also meet Eugene Pinkney, a baker's son, who lives for quiet days when he can read a book. We will see much more of these characters as the book continues.

When readers return to Robert’s story a few pages later, four years have passed. It is 2010, and Robert has published a highly acclaimed debut novel. Despite his professional success, his growing inability to open up to Rebecca has damaged their relationship, and she walks out, leaving him determined to win her back by confronting his past. In part, he must solve some literary mysteries. For example, he must learn something about Dexter Cornwall, the book series writer whose answer to Robert’s once young grandfather is tucked inside one of the series books given to young Robbie after his grandfather’s death. Also, he must find the missing and unknown fourth volume of one of the adventure series—the volume beginning with the loose pages of a first chapter he found tucked into the back of another of the books.

If the time shifts sound confusing, they are not. Lovett identifies each section with place and time. However, the book is addictive. I immediately found myself caught up in Robert’s research adventures as if his life depended on it because, to a large extent, it does. Piece by piece, he must solve these mysteries to confront the demon that haunts him.

For everyone who likes to know where to draw the line between fiction and reality, Lovett addresses that point following the end of the book. I cannot resist mentioning one detail too small to include in his list. Shortly before the end, one of the characters daydreams about something that never happened—dancing in the Dreamland ballroom to its signature music, “The Dreamland Waltz.” Little would the author expect one of his early reviewers to be the composer’s great-granddaughter.

Thanks to NetGalley, Blackstone Publishing, and Charlie Lovett for the advance reader copy.

I was completely caught up and transported to New York City in the late 1800s and early 1900s in this story of adventure, friendship, heartbreak, and mystery. You can clearly feel the amount of care that the author put into researching this book so that it felt authentic to the time period and surroundings.

I love that children's adventure book series were the driving force behind this story, the meaningful connection between a son and his father, and the source of the mysteries. Who wrote these books? Why did they stop? Why is the memory of those books and the connection to his father so painful that Robert will not admit to having loved them? Is he willing to sacrifice his relationship to keep his secrets?

You will learn the answers to those questions and many more on this enchanting journey. I highly recommend this book. Once I got into it, I didn't want to put it down!

Escaping Dreamland is a great book that grabs you from the first page and holds on to your until the very last w0rd. Without a doubt, a five star read!

A great mystery book about books and authors. This is beautifully written and a must read for anyone who loves books.

Thank you to Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing for an Advanced Reading Copy of this book, which releases on September 22nd.

Synopsis: Escaping Dreamland has two alternating narratives. One narrative, taking place in the early 1900s, tells the story of three young adults who are starting out their lives in the exciting New York City. They start their journeys as children’s authors together, while also beginning a friendship, even though they each have their own hidden secrets. The modern narrative, taking place in 2010, tells the story of author Robert Parrish, whose grief and guilt over the past keeps him from being honest in his relationship and from being real in his writing. After his partner leaves, Robert goes on an adventure that will answer questions about his beloved childhood book series and help him feel closer to his father at the same time.

After hearing Charlie Lovett speak at the Modern Mrs. Darcy virtual book retreat event, I have such a respect for the amount of time he puts into researching the historical people, places, and events that he includes in his stories. Down to the details, such as the inclusion of a historical baseball game that actually took place in the early 1900s, Charlie puts in the time to paint as accurate a backdrop as possible. I loved reading the book through this lens, looking for all the historical pieces mixed into the narrative. I always enjoy reading a book that teaches me something about history and humanity while also telling a good story, and this book definitely fits into that category.

This review will also be shared on my Instragram account at Instagram.com/the.reading.life.

This is a fabulous literary tale, set in a fascinating time of history, with the four authentic characters fighting to live their destiny.
I loved spending time with these characters. Robert’s passion for the series books like the Hardy Boys was infectious and brought back pleasant memories of my Nancy Drew obsession as a child. Magda, Tom, and Gene defined what it meant to be an American during these times. All three characters struggled with finding their identity in the face of their family backgrounds but gave us a window into a New York City where everything is possible. The historical events acted as an excellent background for this novel and the author expertly gave us a feel of the sights, sounds and smells that no longer exist in New York.

The author focused on how historical events impacted everyday people which made these characters very relatable. Magda, Tom, and Gene teach us that even though we should respect the past, we do not have to relive our mistakes.

Although the individuality of the characters came through in the way they each overcame their specific hardships, the common bond was their continued challenge of the status quo and the questioning of why we have to put on a pretense just to satisfy societal norms. This books sheds light on the main question of how do we move past this as a society and let everyone be who they really are?

Escaping Dreamland is a wonderful novel set in two timelines: partly in the very early 1900's and the other part in 2010. The author weaves back and forth between the past and the present. With a nostalgic look back at the novels such as the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew and other children's fiction, he reveals a "secret" maybe not known to all about the authors of those books. This made me remember my childhood love of the Trixie Belden series and falling in love with reading as a child. Charlie's novel is meticulously researched and I learned so many interesting things about New York in the early 1900's. Escaping Dreamland is a novel about being true to yourself and finding your identity. This is a fantastic read.

Escaping Dreamland by Charlie Lovett
Publication Date: September 22, 2020
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Description from NetGalley...
“Robert Parrish’s childhood obsession with series books like the Hardy Boys and Tom Swift inspired him to become an author. Just as his debut novel becomes a bestseller, his relationship with his girlfriend, Rebecca, begins to fall apart. Robert realizes he must confront his secret demons by fulfilling a youthful promise to solve a mystery surrounding his favorite series—the Tremendous Trio.

Guided by twelve tattered books and an unidentified but tantalizing fragment of a story, Robert journeys into the history of the books that changed his life, hoping they can help him once again. His odyssey takes him to 1906 Manhattan, a time of steamboats, boot blacks, and Fifth Avenue mansions, but every discovery he makes only leads to more questions.”
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Thank you to @NetGalley @blackstonepublishing for the audiobook and digital ARCs in return for my honest review.
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My thoughts...
So, I initially requested for the audiobook of this historical fiction. Halfway through, I requested for the book. Why? Because it was so good! The narrator was okay at the beginning, he didn’t have the range of voices I’ve been used to listening. But, I was captivated by the story, that I just got used to the narrator’s story-telling and it got better. I also wanted to read the book to make sure I didn’t miss any details. This was how much I enjoyed it. The two timelines intertwined so well. I didn’t want the story of Magda, Gene and Tom to end. It was beautifully written about the power of books. I really want a copy in my hands.

I can still remember the day my mom took me to get my own library card and introduced me to Nancy Drew. The Bobbsey Twins, Trixie Belden, Sweet Valley High were all series I read and loved in my childhood. But Nancy Drew was my first true love and probably the reason I love suspense novels so much today.

Imagine my surprise (not sure when this revelation hit me), when I discovered that Carolyn Keene was actually a number of ghost writers who contributed to the series’ success among readers. Now take that premise and put it into a novel. The result? Escaping Dreamland by Charlie Lovett (thank you, MMD, Blackstone Publishing, and Net Galley for the e-ARC – this is an unbiased review).

Edward Stratemeyer may have been the real-life literary mastermind behind Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys, and many other popular series, but Lovett introduces us to the fictional Tremendous Trio, ghost writers who work for Pickering Brothers, Publishers in New York City. The three writers don their nom de plumes, and we get a glimpse into their lives, full of secrets. The novel alternates these characters with present-day Robert, who is searching for the mystery behind his favorite childhood series (The Tremendous Trio, of course). And then, the hunt is on. Robert’s research takes us back to the New York City of the early 1900s (and maybe my favorite character in the book!). The Dreamland of the title? A real place. As are many of the locations and events in the book.

Note: I was fortunate enough to see a Modern Mrs. Darcy interview with Charlie Lovett, which was fascinating! The amount of research that went into the creation of Escaping Dreamland is staggering. Now, I can’t wait to read more of his books.

Escaping Dreamland, available September 22, 2020, is truly a tribute to the transforming power of books.

Charlie Lovett knows how to find literary topics that I can't resist. From book collecting in The Bookman's Tale to Jane Austen in First Impressions to the Holy Grail in The Lost Book of the Grail (my favorite), this man has put a stranglehold on my imagination and my attention. In Escaping Dreamland, he's done it again.

Probably the best thing Lovett has done is to bring back many wonderful memories of the books I loved as a child. A favorite scene in the book is the one in which Parrish visits an elderly collector who tells him about saving his ten-cent allowance for five weeks so that his father would take him to Brentano's Bookstore on Fifth Avenue so he could buy the latest book in his favorite series. I learned so much fascinating history about children's serial fiction in Escaping Dreamland that I'm tempted to make time to read some again. Lovett weaves one memorable scene after another into his story: the San Francisco earthquake, John Singer Sargent painting a portrait, the General Slocum disaster, visiting Dreamland on Coney Island... He brings Gilded Age America (and in particular, New York City) to life, and if you're the type of reader who is concerned about the appearance of historical characters in a work of fiction, read Lovett's notes at the end of the book.

All the characters in the book except Parrish's girlfriend Rebecca have demons to fight. Only Robert's demon is left unspoken until the end, but it's rather easy to deduce. If there's one thing I don't particularly like about Escaping Dreamland, it is the "magic box" at the end, but at least the entirety of the lives of the three characters from the earlier timeline is not served up to Parrish on a silver platter. Readers know more than he does, and I like that.

I'm looking forward to Lovett's next book. It's not often that you find an author who knows how to get a grip on both your heart and your mind, and Charlie Lovett is one of those writers for me. If you're a fan, you've got a treat in store. If you've never heard of him before, I highly recommend this man's books. He knows how to tell a tale.

(Review copy courtesy of the publisher and Net Galley.)

I really loved this book. It was a little slow at the beginning, but I was soon swept up in the events of the past and present-day timelines. Charlie Lovett is really a master of historical detail and weaving events together in a interesting story. As we follow Robert and his search to discover who were the Tremendous Trio and why they stopped writing books, we also hear the fascinating stories of Magda, Gene and Tom in the late 19th- and early 20th centuries. I also loved learning details about the children's series that I adored, and about NYC, one of my favorite cities. Reading this brought joy to the heart of this lifelong reader, who began in early childhood with the complete Nancy Drew series. Thank you to Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing for the advance digital copy.

I have adored every book that I have read by Charlie Lovett and this title is no exception. It is so clear that this author loves all things book related. Each novel has a connection to something literary: in First Impressions, for example, it is Jane Austen and there is generally a dual time line.

Escaping Dreamland is another winner! This novel is a love letter to series books and New York. Any one who ever read Nancy Drew or the Hardy Boys and loved going from one title to the next will relate to the protagonist and the power of reading as expressed in this novel. I liked that there was credit given to those books that are not “great,” but are greatly loved.

In the dual timeline, much of the book takes place in the early 1900s and just before. Readers get to marvel at the Statue of Liberty when it was new and visit an artists studio that is frequented by the famous bankers and writers of the day, including Henry James.

The three protagonists in the past represent different cultures and childhood experiences. How they come together and what they do is one of the story lines. The modern parts of the novel are about a writer, his relationships, his struggles and his relationship to his beloved childhood series.

I absolutely loved this book. I am already longing for the next book by this author.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

It’s a little hard to talk about this book without giving too much away. Dual timelines in NYC, one present day and one in 1906 with 4 people. Robbie is investigating children’s books that he grew up with, as did his father and his grandfather. This is what takes him back to the past and the 3 people who are trying to make their way in the world. He is looking for lost books and researching the authors because he thinks it will help him be a better author himself. Interesting premise.

What a fantastic read!

Escaping Dreamland is a beautiful novel set in two different time periods. Way to bring back all of the feelings about the books that made me love reading so long ago. Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys, and all of the other fantastic children's fiction.

The novel seamlessly weaves the two periods together. I loved the feelings it stirred up. Such a great read. I can't wait to explore more by this author.

I enjoyed this book, and learned a lot from it too. It is about an author named Robert in New York City in 2010 who finds himself in a bit of a rut after his first book is published. He finds that reporters and interviewers always want to know where you get your ideas, what inspires. Robert finds that he can't answer that question, and he can't move on in life until he gives an honest answer. He wants to mention all the literary greats he has read, when he really loved the Hardy Boys, Tom Swift and the other books from the Stratemeyer Syndicate. He feels embarrassed and realizes that he needs to find himself and explain his own life to himself, so sets off to solve the greatest literary puzzle of all, by finding out the truth about his favorite children's series, The Tremendous Trio.

This book is brilliant, insightful, entertaining and informative. It shows the importance of books and fiction to shaping us all, and how the characters that we love in childhood shape the people that we become.

This book kept me reading and I cared deeply about all the threads of the story. I found that in the beginning I was more interested in Robert's story, and was confused about the other time line story that intersected. I didn't understand who they were and how it was all going to connect. That part of the story was a bit slow to start, but I persevered and came to be equally interested in all of it.

Thanks for this ARC. I enjoy Charlie Lovett's work and his interests very much. His settings are also a character in the books he writes. In this book, it was New York City in 2010 and in the early 1900's.

I also requested and received a copy of the Audio Book and I enjoyed reading and listening at the same time.

What are the stories that make you who you are? What are the stories you keep hidden from everyone, even the people who love you the most? Escaping Dreamland explores these questions while taking you along on an adventure.

When Robert was a kid he struggled to find ways to connect with his dad - they had very different interests. Until one day while visiting his grandfather Robert comes across a box of old books. These were adventure stories from the early 1900s - the Hardy Boys, Bobbsey Twins, Tom Swift - and as Robbie read them and rushed to discuss each with his dad, they found the connection that had been missing.

Robbie’s very favorite though were 4 connected series - each a trilogy. “Daring Dan Dawson, a series about a young circus daredevil who was always in the right place to perform spectacular rescues after dramatic disasters; Alice Gold, Girl Inventor, about a brilliant girl whose inventions are largely confined to the domestic sphere; Frank Fairfax, Cub Reporter, about a boy who goes to work for a newspaper and is assigned to various expeditions in search of lost civilizations; and, finally, a series involving all three of these youngsters and their adventures together - the Tremendous Trio.”

When our story really starts, it’s 2010 and Robert starts doing research to learn more about these books and their authors. The story alternates between his quest to learn more and the early 1900s when these books were being written. I really enjoyed the dual timelines and how the story came together.

This book also felt really personal to me. Growing up, I was really close to my dad. Right from the start, I felt like these are stories he might have enjoyed as a kid if they had been real. And the whole time I read, I wished I could share this story with him. He passed away almost 20 years ago so that isn’t possible but I loved thinking about him the whole time I read it.

This book also felt like a love letter to New York City - both current day and historical. I love the city - seeing places I know well and even my workplace mentioned added another layer to the story. Especially right now as I read this mid-pandemic and haven’t been to any of those places in 6 months.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the advance reading copy.

‘Escaping Dreamland’ by Charlie Lovett (Blackstone Publishing)

Speaking about anticipating a novel experience: Readers have devoured everything of Winston-Salem author Charlie Lovett’s since the 2013 major publication debut of “The Bookman’s Tale” (https://tinyurl.com/y9vczq53), and we've comfortably come to know what to expect from this writer. Lovett is famously a former antiquarian bookseller (to the point that he was consulted by John Grisham as the legal-thriller writer was researching a novel), a Lewis Carroll scholar and a lover of the British landscape. Many, if not all, of these things populate his novels in some fashion or another.

Until this one. Oh, not the parts about the new
novel being influenced by old books or even a Carroll reference — those are in there — but the part about knowing what to come to expect from this exceptional storyteller.

“Escaping Dreamland” is a departure from the Lovett canon in that it offers not one coming-of-age tale, but three; not one mystery, but two; not one love story, but four.

Typically with a Lovett novel, the story is built on the enigma of old books and is divided into historical time periods. So it is here. In “Escaping Dreamland,” the year 1906 is largely centered on the Manhattan of that era — although the San Francisco earthquake figures prominently — and that period intersects with the life of a contemporary author, Robert Parrish, whose connection to three young writers of the early-20th century epoch propels much of the narrative.

Through alternate tellings, the story of Magda, Gene and Tom gradually evolves to reveal the answers to both their own mysteries, and the mysteries that are driving Robert’s lifelong insecurities and fears. With graceful insight and prose injected into those stories, Lovett explores and exposes themes he has only hinted at in previous works — sexuality, women’s rights and bigotry among them.

Few are the authors who have so beautifully captured the Gilded Age of New York as has Lovett here, and fewer still are those who could couple that period with the inner struggles of a modern-day Manhattan novelist — while simultaneously teasing out the puzzles behind a set of century-old children’s books and the secret that has defined Parrish’s life.

“Escaping Dreamland” is a bold and brave novel from Lovett. Even the title is like nothing he has produced before, and although its raw stories and controversial subjects may lose the author a few current fans, he will gain many more for what he offers us here.

Offering another dimension is the nearly 13-hour audio version of the novel, also from Blackstone. Ably and well-read by veteran voice artist Mike Lenz, the narrator does a fine job traveling not only between time periods, but between the most diverse group of characters Lovett has produced to date. Capturing the friendship, love and angst between Magda, Gene and Tom, and bringing that forward to Robert’s and his wife’s marital struggles would be a challenge for any audiobook narrator. Lenz is up to the task.

I found this book to be utterly charming. I loved how the story interconnected and how well written each one of the characters was. I already have plans to give this as a gift to some of my friends for their birthdays

Gripping Dual-Timeline Story

I wasn't quite sure what I was getting into with this book, but I am always drawn to novels about books and writing. What a fascinating listen and read. The author pulled me right into the story, and I found myself captivated by the dual timeline story. As an avid reader myself whose love of reading started when I was a child (including Nancy Drews!), I loved the literary aspects of this book, both in the past timeline with three young people who wrote adventurous children's novels that were so popular back in the day (like Nancy, the Hardy Boys, Tom Swift, et al.) and in the present with the hero being a celebrated literary fiction writer whose love of those children's books—shared across the generations with his grandfather and father—inspired his own love of words and writing. Mysteries are a part of the book on several fronts. While we, the readers, watch the world of those early 20th Century writers unfold, the present-day main character doesn’t have such knowledge. He has to delve into the mystery about them for reasons we don't fully understand until much later in the book. Somehow, his present difficulties hinge on this mystery.

I loved the complicated but believable and relatable characters in this book, particularly the ones in the past timeline. They all had rich backstories that the author reveals gradually. When they all finally meet and start their children's book writing careers, the group dynamic between them becomes gripping and tenuous at times. Tom comes from a wealthy family, and he defied them by going into journalism instead of banking, the family business. Magda/Mary is a German immigrant who lost all her family in tragic ways, including one horrifying scene the author shares. Gene is a cross-dressing homosexual at a time when gender fluidity wasn’t a concept, and heterosexuality was the only acceptable romantic preference.

The author did a good job describing New York and San Francisco around the turn of the previous century, during the last gasp of the Gilded Age. I felt like I was walking the streets with them and could visualize it all, especially Dreamland. As a former San Francisco Bay Area resident, I particularly liked his description of the journalist-author’s experience of the 1906 earthquake. Two of the past characters had to deal with some pretty horrific historical events. The author must have done a lot of research, first to create such a believable past and then to show the horror of historical events through the characters’ eyes. A well-written tell that kept my interest long into the night.

America at the turn of the 20th century was a time of dramatic change, a treasure trove of triumphs and tragedies for any historical novelist. In this dual-timeline novel, Lovett mines that rich history beautifully.

The early 20th-century timeline is focused on three protagonists: Magda Herzenberger, a survivor of the Slocum ferry disaster; Thomas de Peyster, a journalist from a wealthy family; and Eugene Pinkney, a scientist who happens to be gay. The story of how they meet and become the “Tremendous Trio” unfolds against the backdrop of New York, especially Coney Island, in its heyday. Lovett includes not only famous real-life events but also famous real-life people such as Nikola Tesla, Mark Twain, the Vanderbilts, and Edward Stratemeyer, publisher of popular children’s series the Hardy Boys and the Bobbsey Twins. Readers already familiar with the period may be forgiven for thinking that Lovett was trying to include every celebrity of the era, but those less familiar will likely be fascinated by the famous people the protagonists encounter. Escaping Dreamland is very much a love song to New York, not just to its famous inhabitants, and both timelines express the magical sense of possibilities in the city: “He loved this about New York—that you could walk into any one of thousands of unassuming buildings and find something within to strike awe.”

The modern timeline follows Robert Parrish, a bestselling author who is struggling to write his second novel. He is also struggling to hold onto a difficult relationship with his longtime girlfriend. He knows that his failure to open up about a tragic secret from his past is what holds him back in both his work and his love life, but he can’t face that secret until he goes on a mission to find out about the real lives of the children’s-book authors who called themselves the “Tremendous Trio.” Even though Robert has fond memories of reading the Trio’s books as a child, his memories are also bound up with his secret: he “had loved the Tremendous Trio, and loved sharing the stories with his father, until [the stories] had ruined everything.” How exactly Magda, Eugene, and Thomas and their alter-ego protagonists “ruined everything” for Robert Parrish keeps the reader guessing until the end of the novel, and the unfolding of this final mystery weaves perfectly into the “love and loss” stories of both timelines.

The metafictional layers of Escaping Dreamland are comforting (as opposed to experimental), with the main protagonists in both timelines struggling with their role as writers who are deeply invested in children’s stories. As a professor of children’s literature, I was delighted by the many ways in which children’s stories inspire and mold the protagonists. I also loved the subtle message that popular fiction for children is something to be celebrated just as much as the more privileged literary classics.

A recurring theme is the tension between the desire to be known and the fear of vulnerability in relationships. As Robert ponders telling his girlfriend the secret from his past that changed his life, “he tried rehearsing the story he would tell [her], but he quickly realized that the truth didn’t require rehearsal, only courage.”

This novel is about the ways in which the stories we read and are told in childhood become legacies that weave themselves into our adult identities. It is also about legacies in a larger sense, shown through Robert’s musings about having inherited his grandfather’s ability to suppress the tragedies of the past: “he realized that inheritance was no gift. His failed relationships, his estrangement from his mother, and his occasional periods of depression and isolation must all be linked to the guilt he refused to talk about.”

The crisp clarity of Lovett’s prose, as well as the way Escaping Dreamland immerses the reader in its historical time and place, reminded me of the novels of Ian McEwan and A.S. Byatt. Lovett’s language is never obtrusive, often giving this reader the impression of looking through a spotlessly-clean pane of glass at story in its purest form. Like the best children’s literature, this novel will inform and delight adult readers who are nostalgic for the books of their youth.

I loved loved loved this book. Dual time lines a bookish mystery. There is a little bit of everything and I loved it all.

Intertwined tales a century apart, a series of children's fiction, and a mysterious event. What do they all have in common and how do they all connect? Fascinating look into the world of children's literature in the early 20th Century.

In an homage to readers of all ages, Charlie Lovett introduces a trio of early 20th century authors, Magda, Tom and Gene. Despite coming from diverse backgrounds, harboring personal secrets, they form a warm and successful union that is destroyed by misplaced affections. Robert Parrish, published 21st century author, is losing Rebecca, the love of his life. As his star has risen, he has become withdrawn and secretive. Through self-analysis he recalls the joy of reading the treasured books of his childhood and the secret grief he carries. With a promise made to his father, he pursues the authors of these books in a quest for answers to help him work through his problems and perhaps complete the last volume of the Magnificent Trio. Through dual timelines we follow his quest and the lives of Magda, Tom and Gene. This is my third Lovett novel and my favorite. It is a delight from start to finish.

I’m living for this trend of time-hop historical fiction. Robert seems to be a bit of a self-absorbed writer struggling to repair his personal relationship by delving into a hunt for the origins and inspiration behind his favorite childhood series. I found myself more enthralled in the development of the Gilded Age trio and Magda’s use of a pseudonym to preserve her writing dream in a time dominated by male writers. Seeing historical events played throughout the “eyes of the past” is definitely intriguing. Albeit I wish the plot moved a little quicker, this was an enjoyable read.

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.

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!!