Dreamland by Sarah Dessen

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


What a difference from the last Sarah Dessen book that I read! The last one that I read (Keeping the Moon) was too chic-lit for me, but this one, wow!

This book is about a girl, Caitlyn, who is trying to find herself, but instead ends up in a troubled relationship with a boy that is not somebody she would usually be attracted to.

This book is about getting to know yourself, about love, loss, pain...it is about so much.

Caitlyn is the main character and I really related to her. Her older sister, Cass, leaves home when she is 18, with nothing but a note. This of course crushes their parents and throws Caitlyn into a world of emotions.

Caitlyn wants to be who she wants to be. She doesn't want anyone telling her anymore who she should be and she doesn't want to live in her sister Cass's shadow anymore either.

This confusion that Caitlyn is feeling pushes her into the arms of a troubled teen. When Caitlyn first starts seeing Rogerson she feels she can be anybody. That she can re-create herself because they are just getting to know each other, but it isn't til a few months later, after she has fallen for Rogerson, that she realizes that there is a huge problem in their relationship. Caitlyn feels as if she doesn't talk about it then it isn't real and so she keeps quite about what is going on.

I thought that Caitlyn was a sweet girl, who was very confused and wasn't sure about her place her life. She also was a very lonely girl that just wanted to people to notice her for who she was, not what they wanted her to be.

Her best friend, Rina, was a strong character and supportive and caring of Caitlyn. I also believe that she was your typical "cheerleader" type. The pretty one who dates the jock and goes to all the best parties.

I felt that Rogerson was scared and weak and confused. I believe that what was happening was his way of dealing with his problems. I don't condone it by any means!!, but I think that if he wasn't having the problems he was having that the problems with Caitlyn and himself probably wouldn't have happened.

Caitlyn's parents were so great! They were extremely supportive and caring. But they didn't see as much as they should have because they were dealing with Cass leaving.

This was a very touching story about a very serious issue that I don't believe is addressed enough. I commend Sarah for tackling this issue and coming away with an excellent book.

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