Official Review: The Dreaming Tree by Yara G. Mansour

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[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Dreaming Tree" by Yara G. Mansour.]

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The Dreaming Tree is a short novella that tells the story of Mika, a young woman sold into prostitution. Between the horrible and traumatic memories of her childhood and hellish nightmare she must endure day to day, Mika's outlook on life is rather bleak. That is until she meets Red. When the young man knocks on Mika's door, she assumes him just another client. Much to her surprise, he only wants to talk and that is what he does for many months. He tells her of his unhappy life with his wife and Mika finds herself reveling in the safety of him. The novella continues about their relationship and Mika's struggle to find resolution between both her past and present.

One of the most striking things about this novel was sheer language of it. Never have a read a novel of such poetic description yet shockingly blunt. I often found myself rereading lines from either the shock it delivered or the ingenious flow of the words.

On top of that, I found a real gem in Mika as a character. Throughout her entire experience she displays remarkable strength and resilience. As you learn more about her past, you wonder how it is even possible for her to maintain the cool introspective attitude she displays throughout the novel. Despite the tragedies that have befallen her, Mika is always able to find some glimmer of hope, whether it be in memories of her dreaming tree or the presence of Red.

However, there were also problems with the story, or more appropriately, lack thereof. It was incredibly short and unnecessarily so I thought. Aside from the abrupt ending, the story itself seemed rushed in many placed. While I would love to know more about what happened to Mika at the end, the cliffhanger is something with which I can deal. The quick pacing and sharp transitions, however, made the entire read feel too rushed. Mika was a great character and could have been developed so much more with a little bit of time.

I give it 2 out of 4 stars. While I wanted to give it 3 because of its great potential and unique writing style, it simply left too much to be desired. If only were a bit longer and less rushed. That said, I believe Yaya G. Mansour is an excellent writer with great potential and I look forward to seeing what she has in store next.

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