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tracey_stewart's review against another edition
2.0
I'm afraid this wasn't to my taste. I never do like to read something in which I can't like any of the characters, and that was unfortunately the case here.
The story follows Maggie, a girl who has what her parents insist are vivid dreams, but which she knows are actual visits into another world, a city where she was born and where she belongs. Her parents become angry (her father) and upset (her mother) when she speaks about it, or when they see the pictures she draws or journals she keeps, so she learns to keep it from them - but she goes there nearly every night through her childhood and into her teens. This is the story of her exploration of that world and what - and how - it is.
I would have loved to love this novella, as the story synopsis sounds terrific - but Maggie is not someone I want to spend any time with, and nor are any of the minor characters; her girl friend comes close, and might have been quite likeable if there had been room for more development. Perhaps the writing has something to do with this, as - though of excellent quality - it is somewhat cold and unsympathetic. Given what happens to Maggie in the time between her childhood and college, which is behind the scenes, too much of a bent in the opposite direction would have been a bigger mistake; that might have been what the writer was trying to avoid. It's a shame; the city was described so wonderfully, I would have loved to have learned more about it, traveled it more with Maggie - preferably very young Maggie; I was surprised at how little of that was told.
Other reviewers have commented on the sex scenes in the story, and I'll echo that: it was a bit of a shock. These scenes were quite graphic, relying heavily on crude slang, and a little startling after having just left Maggie at either eight or ten years old.
I'd be happy to read more about that city ... though I could happily do without the "f***ing".
The story follows Maggie, a girl who has what her parents insist are vivid dreams, but which she knows are actual visits into another world, a city where she was born and where she belongs. Her parents become angry (her father) and upset (her mother) when she speaks about it, or when they see the pictures she draws or journals she keeps, so she learns to keep it from them - but she goes there nearly every night through her childhood and into her teens. This is the story of her exploration of that world and what - and how - it is.
I would have loved to love this novella, as the story synopsis sounds terrific - but Maggie is not someone I want to spend any time with, and nor are any of the minor characters; her girl friend comes close, and might have been quite likeable if there had been room for more development. Perhaps the writing has something to do with this, as - though of excellent quality - it is somewhat cold and unsympathetic. Given what happens to Maggie in the time between her childhood and college, which is behind the scenes, too much of a bent in the opposite direction would have been a bigger mistake; that might have been what the writer was trying to avoid. It's a shame; the city was described so wonderfully, I would have loved to have learned more about it, traveled it more with Maggie - preferably very young Maggie; I was surprised at how little of that was told.
Other reviewers have commented on the sex scenes in the story, and I'll echo that: it was a bit of a shock. These scenes were quite graphic, relying heavily on crude slang, and a little startling after having just left Maggie at either eight or ten years old.
I'd be happy to read more about that city ... though I could happily do without the "f***ing".
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