After Caitlin's 18-year old sister Cassandra ran away with her boyfriend Adam on her 16th birthday, everything went chaos in the O'Koren family. Her mother Margaret keeps looking out for the phone in case it's Cass, have been constantly watching the Lamont Whipper Show, in hopes of her appearing, and kept buying dolls to fill out a new hobby. Before leaving, Cass gave her a gift, a dream journal.Caitlin feels overshadowed by her "perfect" sister, since Cass gets the much attention, the one who's much smarter and better. She starts to fill out her space, by trying things Cass never did, or has never been, so she signed up to cheer leading in Jackson High School with her best friend Rina, to which they were both accepted. Since Rina is dating football quarterback Bill, Rina wants Caitlin to date Mike Evans. The night of the party where Rina thought Caitlin and Mike will start dating, Caitlin refuses Mike's invitation and letter jacket, and goes out with Rogerson Biscoe, a guy who have green eyes and dark curly hair with dreadlocks. They started dating, and goes out with him every day, despite the gossips about him always been dropped out of school and always with the police. She also starts to drown herself with smoking pot and taking drugs since Rogerson sells them.With having a boyfriend and being a cheerleader, Caitlin soon realizes why Cass ran away - her parents all going crazy about her cheer leading career, she feels they are controlling her life and decides for what they want. She's been in Dreamland ever since she is with Rogerson. She starts becoming pale & skinny, isolating herself from the people, even from her best friend Rina, being inactive during cheer leading practice, and starts wearing jackets, sweaters and long sleeves to cover all the bruises she receives from Rogerson's beating, punches, slaps and other physical injuries. Though her mother notices her bruises, she lies to her being reckless/careless, accidentally "falling" or "sliding", since her mother's busy with Cass. So what now? They've been together for four months. Is she just going to hide all these bruises and keep up with Rogerson, constantly driven by fear?At first, I thought I am going to give up this book. It's too dark, complex, sad, and depressing to read. I've been reading a lot of tearjerkers and depressing themes and I can't bear this one. The story seems typical, right? If you look at the plot, a girl who's been beaten up by her boyfriend for a long time, yet still loves him and never told anyone, but then there's the writing. It captures the emotions and feelings by Caitlin. It was just like I am reading her diary or journal, letting me read the story of her life. It's so full of fear & weakness. I'm not in her position - or anyone who's experiencing this, for that matter - to judge her actions to never tell anyone, but maybe, when I am in her position, I won't tell anyone either, because I am too scared. BUT FOUR MONTHS? I can't bear that physical injury anymore. I'll wipe his ass off and beat him up. 4 months is too long. Anyway, we all have different ways to cope up with a problem, and that's what she did. Her parents are amazing parents, let me just tell her that. And with this novel, did I realize, that no matter how someone can think a certain person is so happy, just because she smiles all the time, is not the way how she really feels. And that no matter how hard you pretend, there always this tiny sliver of evidence that something's wrong with you. This book is very depressing, but full of hope because I love the ending. I might consider not rereading this because it's really hard to bear with it's lonely theme, but I will, despite of that, during the times when I'm sad. And though I have only read two books by Dessen, this, I guess, will always be my favorite.
Is there another word for heartbreaking? One that really can sum up feeling totally drained, broken, but at the same time hopeful? If the word does exist, that's this book in a nutshell. While reading this I literally cringed and would slap the book shut, but a couple seconds later I would open it again to see what happens to a girl named Caitlin. She never feels like she measures up to her sister Cass, and in turn that leads her to trouble. And that trouble is named Rogerson (this is random but I HATED the way he dressed). He's different and wild, and she feels like she can gain that from him. Things seem to be ok at first, but you see hints of things that just don't seem right.... (I don't want to give away what happens because it isn't mentioned in the cover blurb) I literally wanted to shake Caitlin sometimes. She herself knows that she is on a destructive path, but feels like she can't do anything to get out of it. Though that isn't true, you always have a choice. This book is so raw . I understood why Caitlin thought they way she did, even if it was wrong. It really opened my eyes to the situation she was in. Be warned that there is a lot of drug use. Rogerson is a dealer, so it was inevitable. Dessen does a good job of showing the negative effects of drugs without being preachy, or on the other hand being mistaken as a "stoner" book. Sometimes to heal you have to go through pain, and drugs cheat you of that opportunity. Sarah Dessen is the queen of showing how all the little choices we make add up to what path we are lead to. She does this in all her books, but it's emphasized in this one especially. As always her symbolism is perfect, and as all you fans know she really does know her stuff.If you are looking for something happy this isn't it, but it's worth the read. Dessen's style shines and does an excellent job of telling Caitlin's story, which I know will hit home for some teenage girls. It's the best book on the subject I have read. If you liked this one read Breathing Underwater, which shows this situation from the other side. Like I said heartbreaking, but in the way we need it to be.
What do You think about Dreamland (2004)?
"Dreamland" is the first novel I've read from Sarah Dessen, and I had high expectations of it due to all the hype my friends go on and on about from her books. I was not dissapointed. This book is about sixteen year old Caitlin, the B-honor roll bronze medal award getter. It starts out that on her birthday her older, more perfect sister Cassandra runs away to live with her boyfriend. She quickly tries to fill the void her sister has created for her but instead falls right into it. She starts exhibiting dangerous behavior and even gets a new, destructive boyfriend - Rogerson Biscoe.This book just tells the story that so many girls and women must face these days. It perfectly narrates why Caitlin is suffering and can't get out, so readers that are new to this subject understand the pain she is going through. The beggining where Cass ran way was beautifuly written, the middle sometimes felt forced for me, but the ending picked right back up and was told perfecly. I would give this book 4.5 stars, but because that's not a choice I think it deserves higher than 4 so I am giving it a 5/5 star.
—Thomas
Dreamland is about a girl named Caitlin. The books starts with her older sister, Cassandra, running away-which leaves Caitlin's family situation in chaos, and also leaves Caitlin to fill her "perfect" sister's place. She joins the cheerleading squad and starts to date a jock-the whole prep girl routine. But that abruptly ends when she meets a bad-boy named Rogerson.This book was amazingly written-just like Sarah Dessen's other book (that I've read) This Lullaby.But it's so different. Dreamland is an intense, quick read. It's one of those books that you just have to read. Of course, I don't think this is one of those books that you necessarily have to re-read. Definitely not.It's a horrific story-one of those that you can olny read through splayed hands and eyes half-squinted. But it's written so convingly.I've decided that I want to read all of Sarah Dessen's books.Oh, and just a warning: medium language and some really intense scenes. (Sometimes I just don't understand why authors have to add bad language to their books-it doesn't make the novel more real or interesting than it already is).
—Sookie
THAT'S IT! I am sick of Sarah Dessen and her so-called "incredible" writing. This book was about a 16-year-old girl named Caitlin. Her sister has just ran away from home, and her boyfriend Rogerson has taken a liking to beating her. Why are Sarah Dessen's characters SO STUPID? I wanted to smack this chick. HOW STUPID CAN ONE GET? Caitlin stays with her abusive boyfriend because it "feels right". Caitlin starts smoking and doing drugs because it "feels right". Caitlin breaks her committment to the cheerleading team because it "feels right". Really, Caitlin? WHY WOULD YOU PUT YOURSELF THROUGH THIS? No one deserves the things she's going through, SO WHY DIDN'T SHE GET HELP? There were plenty of people to talk to. What annoys me is that she blames her parents for not noticing. You know what, Caitlin? That's your fault. Do you think that your parents are going to notice something you're hiding when they have their other things to think about, like maybe trying to find your sister who ran away from home? I have no tolerance for stupid people. This book was a total waste of my time.
—Dee
