Dare to Dream
Author: Carys Jones
Pages: 260
Release Date: February 14, 2015
Review by: Tessa
Most teenagers think the world is going to end when they get a bad grade on a test or their favorite sports team loses the championship, but Maggie knows they are wrong. The world will end when Stonehedge falls.
Maggie's relentless nightmares have showed her the future, or more accurately, the lack thereof. Her dreams are haunted with deadly red lightning and the screams of the end of the world.
Plagued with these violent premonitions, Maggie must do something much harder than survive the apocalypse-- get people to believe her.
*I received a copy of Dare to Dream from the author. This does not affect my opinion of the book or influence my review.*
Dare to Dream reminds me a lot of The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey, which I loved. They are both very realistic takes on the classic (but frequently fantasized) dystopian story.
Maggie, the main character, was pretty much a regular teenage girl, except for her freaky dreams. Her family is crowded and mostly annoying. She goes to regular school and attends regular classes with regular students. She has a normal best friend, Dawn, who serves as somewhat of an escape from her oppressively normal life.
Then, Maggie starts to have these terrifying nightmares about the end of the world. At first, she thinks that they are the result of too much stress, but it is quickly revealed that these dreams are more than the ordinary midnight terrors.
Maggie then has to go on a journey to try and get herself and the ones she loves to safety, even if no one believes her.
The characters are easy to relate to and down to Earth. They have both flaws and strengths.
While the plot is not entirely one-of-a-kind, the writing and the characters make up for it.
The writing was extremely descriptive and detailed. The normality of the story was enhanced by the careful detail put into everything. I could envision everything that happened during the novel.
Then, Maggie starts to have these terrifying nightmares about the end of the world. At first, she thinks that they are the result of too much stress, but it is quickly revealed that these dreams are more than the ordinary midnight terrors.
Maggie then has to go on a journey to try and get herself and the ones she loves to safety, even if no one believes her.
The characters are easy to relate to and down to Earth. They have both flaws and strengths.
While the plot is not entirely one-of-a-kind, the writing and the characters make up for it.
The writing was extremely descriptive and detailed. The normality of the story was enhanced by the careful detail put into everything. I could envision everything that happened during the novel.
It was really refreshing to read this since it is in third person. Reading third person can be difficult, especially because it can be harder to connect to characters without the familiar first person point of view.
But, the story is told through multiple perspectives, with every character's thoughts portrayed at some point in the novel. I really loved seeing what everyone else was going through and their own unique background, even though the points of view could get muddled. The unique perspectives keep the book alive and dove into every aspect of the story.
Unfortunately, I did have a few issues with the book.
1. The beginning is slow.
I understand that expositions are normally slow, but this one kind of felt like I was reading Maggie's diary. Nothing really happened for the first 40 pages. But, the story did pick up the pace at the halfway mark, and the last 40 pages were like an adrenaline-filled adventure.
2. Some things are repetitive.
Some information was recycled due to the multiple perspectives. One character would describe an event or thing, then the another one would chime in with their not so unique view of the situation.
3. Nothing is really resolved.
I had the same problem with The 5th Wave. The mysterious source of Maggie's visions, the reason the world is ending, how, who, where, none of those questions were answered. I did not expect to get every answer, but I am still as confused about the origins of everything as I was at the beginning of the book.
I would recommend Dare to Dream to anyone who likes The 5th Wave, third person, engaging characters, multiple perspectives, and teens facing impossible situations.
Unfortunately, I did have a few issues with the book.
1. The beginning is slow.
I understand that expositions are normally slow, but this one kind of felt like I was reading Maggie's diary. Nothing really happened for the first 40 pages. But, the story did pick up the pace at the halfway mark, and the last 40 pages were like an adrenaline-filled adventure.
2. Some things are repetitive.
Some information was recycled due to the multiple perspectives. One character would describe an event or thing, then the another one would chime in with their not so unique view of the situation.
3. Nothing is really resolved.
I had the same problem with The 5th Wave. The mysterious source of Maggie's visions, the reason the world is ending, how, who, where, none of those questions were answered. I did not expect to get every answer, but I am still as confused about the origins of everything as I was at the beginning of the book.
Overall...
Dare to Dream is a good story about a teenager trying to face the apocalypse. The plot is very realistic, but extremely detailed. Every character had their own unique voice and role in the novel. On the other hand, the story had a slow start and was a tad repetitive. I would really like a sequel, since a lot of the story was left open.I would recommend Dare to Dream to anyone who likes The 5th Wave, third person, engaging characters, multiple perspectives, and teens facing impossible situations.
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