The illness itself is not the focus of the novel and few answers are provided, which worked for me but may not for some readers. Some threads are left dangling. Even now, a couple days after finishing, I find myself thinking about it. I appreciated not being spoon fed by the author but allowing her readers to ponder the issues. This would make an excellent book club choice. While doctors are stymied by what is sweeping through the college, and how it can be prevented from spreading, they also make an unusual discovery: "there is more activity in these minds than has ever been recorded in any human brain—awake or asleep."

The book is beautifully written. The narrative is perhaps one of my favorite that I've ever read. It's told in the third person, but in a way that really makes you appreciate the characters without getting too close to any of them. There are a lot of people in this book, and while none of them can be described as the main character, or lead, you start to feel something for each of them (well, I did at least). A fantastic buddy read with my friend Marialyce, this beautifully written book hit all the right notes with everything I love in a novel. The premise is not a new one but the story Thompson writes is unique and compelling. What makes this book different is the thoughtful nature of the writing, the dreamy quality, and the brilliant turns of phrases. This is not a horror/sci-fi/thriller, but a quiet character study. Morales came here and began to construct her dream through public libraries. She learned to read English (and continued to read Spanish) with her son there. She loved the stories and was determined to tell them herself in her own books, and she has since written and/or illustrated many books.Walker’s roving fictive eye by turns probes characters’ innermost feelings and zooms out to coolly parse topics like reality versus delusion. . . . [It has] the perfect ambiguous frame for a tense and layered plot.” — O: The Oprah Magazine Reading this book with my book partner, Jan, made for an amazing experience. We both came away with many questions, few answers, but a reading experience that was enriching and ever so fulfilling. In the end they split up their forces, and the Maags go north to Dahlaine's Domain. Rabbit, Longbow, Red-beard and Keselo go with them. Ekial and Veltan go to the land of the Malavi to hire Malavi horse warriors, and then with a little tampering from Veltan get the warriors to Dahlaine's country. They discover that the servants of the Vlagh are stirring up trouble in the numerous clans of Dahlaine's nations. Lillabeth has her dream, which the other Dreamers know about and tell Zelana that Aracia is trying to keep Lillabeth quiet. Zelana goes to intimidate her sister and learn of the dream. The defenders get rid of the insane Atazkan chief and find the source of the plague which is not a plague - it is actually the poison of the servants of the Vlagh. a b "Karen Thompson Walker Turns Sleep Into an Infectious Illness". Electric Literature. 2019-01-25 . Retrieved 2019-05-21.

Meanwhile, in the Trogite Empire, south of Dhrall, Veltan has managed to hire a retired army general, Narasan, and his companions Padan, Gunda, Keselo and Jalkan. An] imaginative, disturbing, and ultimately spellbinding narrative, which asks provocative questions about our concepts of time and connection, and the bounds of possibility for life on earth.” — Vogue Matthew – Another student from Santa Lora College. He joins forces with Mei during the quarantine. They work together to help the victims of the virus.The Dreamers is a different sort of read for me, and I’m grateful I read it. The premise? A disease is affecting a college town causing unstoppable sleep and vividly strange dreams. a b c " 'The Dreamers' is a startling, beautiful portrait of a community in peril: EW review". EW.com . Retrieved 2019-05-21.

There is no doubt that Nicholls' careful work—while overwhelmingly dependent upon California DREAMer sources—which measures the epicenter of such activism, is thought-provoking and in its own way, transgressive." Esil, thanks so much for the recommendation because you were right that I would like this book. I’m so glad I followed up because this is so much more than I thought it would be. I also highly recommend The Age of Miracles, the author’s first novel which was a 5 star read for me. In Santa Lora, California, a College Student, named Kara, falls into a deep dream filled sleep. No one can wake her. She is the first of many. Yuyi Morales offers an autobiographical immigration story of a mother and son's experience moving from Mexico to the U.S., struggling to adapt, and finding solace and support in the public library (especially picture books!). So it says for fans of Station Eleven (which I LOVED) and Never let me Go (of which I wasn't a fan).

The 8 best dream books:

This is the book on the transformation of undocumented youth into the momentous immigrant rights movement known as the DREAMers. Based on careful research, the book identifies and analyzes the unique elements that allowed this social movement to go from 0–to–60 mph in the span of a decade and in one of the most hostile xenophobic contexts. Walter Nicholls shows how this social movement's success relied on the importance of crafting voice and compelling representations, finding 'niche openings,' and building strategic alliances. Underscoring both the political and moral urgency of the movement, while offering judicious analysis of the social movement building process, this book represents the sociological imagination at its best. I can't wait to use this book in my classes." Ben and Annie – The married couple who live next door to Sara, Libby, and Thomas. Ben is a professor of literature, and Annie is a professor of science. They have a newborn child. This is a character driven novel: my heart lurched and my chest pounded and I felt like I was on an emotional roller coaster. “The Dreamers” is quite different, it has a “sleepily” quality to it, if you will (ha ha), and it’s a highly satisfying, haunting read which I absolutely loved. The premise is not a new one. There have been many books written and movies made of a virus or some alien illness infecting humans and making them behave in one way or another. In this case whatever this is, makes humans fall into a deep sleep. Doctors have them hooked up for hydration and they show high levels of brain activity, but what does it all mean? It starts in the dorm of a college town in Santa Lora, California, a very idyllic setting. The book initially had me hooked, I kept reading to see where it was all going to lead. This article relies excessively on references to primary sources. Please improve this article by adding secondary or tertiary sources.

But it feels good to take care of them—the way it is possible to disappear inside someone else’s need.” Stunning.”—Emily St. John Mandel, author of Station Eleven•“A startling, beautiful portrait of a community in peril.”— Entertainment Weekly After Théo loses at a trivia game, Isabelle sentences him to masturbate to a Marlene Dietrich poster in front of them. After Matthew loses at another game, he is dared by Théo to take Isabelle's virginity in front of him. Matthew and Isabelle then become lovers. This book gave me the *Willy-Chillies* - at times - yet there was so much beauty in the writing. It was dystopia without horror. Rebecca – The second victim of the virus from the same college dorm floor. During her dream-like state, she is pregnant with a baby girl. She is one of the final victims to wake up. She was asleep for “almost a year.” [11]

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Great immigration story and it’s sorely needed right now. I can recommend this book to all picture book readers. A love letter to libraries and to books so recommended to those who love them. I appreciated how she mentioned a librarian and library branch by name when relating one event. I enjoyed the bit of humor, and mostly the heartfelt account.