Dreamland: An Evening Standard 'Best New Book' of 2021

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While his daughter pilots a Megafortress bomber into the war zone, Bastian turns his attention to an unmanned flight system that has the potential to change everything for Dreamland. But when he meets Morgan Lee, his world is turned upside-down, making him wonder if the responsibilities he has shouldered need dictate his life forever. The daughter of affluent Chicago doctors, Morgan has graduated from a prestigious college music program with the ambition to move to Nashville and become a star. Romantically and musically, she and Colby complete each other in a way that neither has ever known.

Dreamland takes place in 1911 at Coney Island, a hot scorching summer. It was during a time when the world was struggling with women's rights, workers' rights, and bigotry towards immigrants. It was also a time of great disparity between the rich and the poor, and Coney Island itself was a place where the rich could live sheltered in the grand hotels, but not far from the amusements, the thrills, and the depravity offered by Coney Island's Dreamland. I was completely immersed in the time and the place, come to life in the gifted author's words, characters, and story.

I have to be honest, this story turned out to be totally different than what I thought it would be. From the summary and the cover, I thought this novel's setting would have a huge impact on the story. I expected the novel to have an atmosphere that would be fantastical and magical, set in a historic Coney Island. I thought the setting would be something similar or akin to "Water for Elephants" or "Caraval" where it made the whole story feel somewhat whimsical and fascinating. There was no sound from the other side; the doorknob did not turn.Despite her intuition, Peggy finds herself swept off to the summering hotel and into Dreamland. The first Dreamland book came out in 2001. Ever since then, Dale Brown has written one Dreamland series novel every single year, and most of them have been received well by his fans. The author also adapts concepts and even technology from his earlier work for the Dreamland series. That doesn’t negatively impact the novel, though; the adoptions are organic to each story and allow Dale’s books, past and present, to feel like they all belong in one cohesive universe. Peggy Battenberg is a young heiress who struggles against the bonds of societal restrictions placed on women of her class. Peggy, against her families wishes takes a job at the Moonrise Bookstore, and lives with her ex teacher. When her family intervenes, and she is told that she is required to take a summer vacation at the Oriental Hotel, a once-grand oceanfront resort on Coney Island. For the sake of her sister Lydia, who is engaged to the rich Henry Taul, Peggy succumbs to her family’s wishes.

there is one thing I do know. Women of my family, and all others like us, cannot behave the same as men do.Set in 1911, Peggy Batternberg (yes, she's one of those Batternbergs) is ready to spend the summer playing bookshop keeper far away from her rich, snobbish family. Peggy is told not to mix herself with the common folk of Coney Island, but never one to conform to her family’s expectations, she sneaks into the darkness to Dreamland. When two women are found murdered on the beach, Peggy becomes interested in the cases. When Stefan is implicated in the murders she must clear his name. I loved the initial storyline - with Peggy at the Moonrise Bookstore - a rich girl spending the summer surrounded by books.

The characters were for the most part very well developed. At the beginning, I struggled to grasp how their large family was connected, however I soon got the gist of it. As a historical fiction novel though, I thought it was wonderful and really enjoyed reading it. This is a seasoned historical fiction writer who continues to showcase her historical knowledge and writing skills! This was a wonderful work of historical fiction that looked at Coney Island and the division between the social classes over a century ago. Themes then are still reverent today: family secrets, young love, crimes against women, family expectations, etc. Besides the impressive research that went into this wonderfully written book, it is also engaging, and the plot flowed seamlessly. Although, Peggy had to do what her family wanted, she still found a way to find freedom, have courage, and do what she felt was right even when it went against her families wishes. Peggy is a likable character with spunk. This book was received from the Author, and Publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own Dreamland is a techno-thriller. The name ‘Dreamland’ refers to a testing facility in the Nevada desert. The facility plays host to the most advanced aerospace technology in the world.

Oh my, this was so much more than I imagined it would be. It was filled with temptation, lies, deception, and a touch of darkness. The tension abounds, and I was hooked into Peggy’s story from the start. The setting of Coney Island, brilliantly brought to life by the author, in many ways reflects the gulf between rich and poor. The rich and privileged of society, such as the Batternberg family, live the high life in luxurious seafront hotels waited upon hand and foot and seek escapism in the entertainment offered in Dreamland. Meanwhile the less fortunate toil there in the heat or are presented as objects of freakish fascination and novelty. I adored Peggy and thought she was so likable and I really felt all of her struggles when it came to class and expectations from her family as well as her other social constraints during that time. The author made her come alive and I acutely felt her struggles which for me is a hallmark of a great characters and story.

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This author has written a variety of historical fiction novels that I have enjoyed over the years. And when I say variety, I mean variety. She’s written books about Tudor era mysteries with nuns and eighteenth century porcelain collectors and now here we are moving across the pond to Coney Island in the early 1900s. Dara loves Greek mythology, Amaka knows designer fashion inside and out, and classical music is embedded in Lillian like DNA. Plus, their very status as Nigerians in Singapore is a rarity that brings up hyper-specific experiences unfamiliar to most Western readers. It’s uncomfortable, cool, and confusing all at once. And in the moments when you know the reference, it’s highly rewarding. Then there’s Lillian, a former concert pianist who followed her husband from the United States to Singapore in an attempt to escape her demons. But the emotional scars left by the death of her parents at an early age can’t be outrun. When she sees Lani, he’s the spitting image of her father. The grief, stress and aimlessness that have ruled her life for so long begin to bubble over. The book didn't have any 'Wow' moments but overall, it was a fun read. So if you're looking for a book that you can read at a leisurely pace and be able to put down whenever you need to because it isn't very gripping, this one will work well.