Review of The Dream Keepers

[Jydel]

[Following is a volunteer review of "The Dream Keepers" by Linda Keen.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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Star and Thatcher are trying to adjust to the change of environment. Following their parents’ death in an accident, their maternal grandparents took over their upbringing. This has changed since their grandmother, Uma, has taken ill and cannot look after them anymore. The two move to live with their paternal grandparents, who are like strangers to them. School life brings with it challenges and to cope, they get into the world of drugs. Drugs seem to work, but only for a short while. Life at home becomes unbearable, and this forces them to make hard decisions concerning their future.

The two are different, but get along well. Where Thatcher is quiet, Star is out-spoken and will make her feelings known. She is also very sensitive and does not like seeing anyone taken advantage of. They complement each other well and have each other’s back, both in school and at home. Their search for belonging is something anyone can identify with. As they lose their friends, so do they lose parts of themselves. The pitfalls they find themselves in are typical of many teenagers.

I liked the use of poetry. It provided catharsis to the story, especially during emotional turmoil. The dream sequence enabled the author to explore the coping mechanism for her characters. Star can find solutions to problems through her dreams. Every time she experiences a challenge, she gets transported to the dream world where she gets comfort or a solution to a problem. It is through dream also that Thatcher gets the courage to be strong for his sister when she gets overwhelmed with circumstances. Similarly, dream provides them the solution they desperately need to get back home.

Linda introduces the dreams rather obviously. This was my only disappointment in the book. There is no element of surprise. You are told when someone falls asleep. She even tells when the dream begins. This was a spoiler for me and because of this, I rate the book 3 out of 4 stars.

The Dream Keepers is a book that will appeal to those who love adventure. The journey from the South to the west and back to the south will appeal to those who like such stories. Teenagers can also benefit from reading this book. The challenges that Thatcher and Star experience and how they wade through life can be a lesson to the young ones. The book features issues like peer influence, drug abuse, and counseling, which can influence behavior.

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The Dream Keepers
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[Nqobile Mashinini Tshabalala]

Star and Thatcher seem like good kids who needed love and guidance. Thanks for a great review.

[Ruchi Raina]

This book seems like a great read. Star and Thatcher must have suffered so much after losing their parents. Above all, their grandmother falling ill cost them even the stability she could have provided them with. Thanks for the wonderful review.

[Kaushiki Parihar]

That's spoiler thing was kinda awful, other than that this seems an amazing adventurous book I would love to read. Thanks for the great review.

[Diana Lowery]

I think this might be a confusing book to read because of the dreams, but I enjoyed your review.

[NancyDrew12]

This novel seems like a interesting read. I would like to see how their story unfolds. Thank you for your fantastic review!