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Dreamhunter (The Dreamhunter Duet #1)

by Elizabeth Knox (Goodreads Author)

3.65 of 5 stars 3.65 · rating details · 2,102 ratings · 424 reviews

Laura comes from a world similar to our own except for one difference: It is next to the Place, an unfathomable land that fosters dreams of every kind and is inaccessible to all but a select few, the dreamhunters. These are individuals with the ability to catch larger-than-life dreams and relay them to audiences in the magnificent dream palace. People travel from all aroun...more

Paperback, 365 pages

Published February 17th 2009 by Square Fish (first published April 27th 2005)

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May 09, 2007 Craig rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: youngadult, fantasy

A little bit fantasy, a little bit alternate history, a little bit political thriller - not really enough of anything for my taste, but for some reason this book grabbed me and wouldn't let go. The setting is an island (New Zealand?) sometime in the early 20th century where everything is the same as our world, except there is an area where a few people can "catch" dreams and are then able to share them with others in public "performances." The language and pacing are evocative of the time and th...more

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Dec 03, 2008 Emma rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: everyone!!!

Recommended to Emma by: Amy Chow

A bit of background before we begin: Dreamhunter first came to my attention when I was talking to "Amy" the YA librarian at my place of employ. As a fellow fantasy fanatic she also thought I would admire the writing. I, however, did not remember to write down the title. A bit later, upon hearing about writing troubles I had been having, Amy once again recommended Dreamhunter. This time I immediately put the book on hold. And looking back now I am ashamed that I waited so very long to read it.

Dre...more A bit of background before we begin: Dreamhunter first came to my attention when I was talking to "Amy" the YA librarian at my place of employ. As a fellow fantasy fanatic she also thought I would admire the writing. I, however, did not remember to write down the title. A bit later, upon hearing about writing troubles I had been having, Amy once again recommended Dreamhunter. This time I immediately put the book on hold. And looking back now I am ashamed that I waited so very long to read it.

Dreamhunter is Elizabeth Knox's first novel for a young adult audience, although I feel obligated to point out that the genre label here applies more to the fact that her main characters are teens than anything to do with the novel's subject or prose. She is also the author of several novels for adults.

Like so many great fantasy novels, Dreamhunter is set in a world not that different from our own. The one reminder that this novel is not like any other period book set in 1906 has to do with dreams.

For a very few people, perhaps one in every three hundred, dreams really are tangible in the Place: a mysterious other-world far larger than the few acres of woodland that in encompasses in the real world. The Place hold dreams. Of the few that can enter the Place, fewer still are able to sleep there and bring the dreams back to the general public where the dreams can be performed in private residences or in a dream palace like the Rainbow Opera--a sort of theater for dreams--for the public good. Dreamhunters, when they have enough skill and talent, can make their fortunes by catching the right dreams.

No one knows this better than the novel's fifteen-year-old protagonist, Laura Hame, and her cousin, Rose Tiebold. Laura's father, perhaps one of the best dreamhunters ever, discovered the Place and Rose's mother is another very skilled dreamhunter.

But, as Laura and Rose are about to learn, all is not right in their world. When Laura's father disappears under mysterious circumstances she and her cousin set out to find the secret behind not only his disappearance but also, perhaps, the very secret of the Place itself.

Aside from its thrilling plot, Dreamhunter is a wonderful novel because of Knox's background work. As soon as I opened this book, I felt like I was immersed in Laura and Rose's world. It didn't matter that I had never heard of dreamhunters, or Tricksie Bend, or the Grand Patriarch because Knox incorporated all of these new ideas effortlessly into her plot. I was hooked, almost literally, for the entire 365 pages of this novel.

The writing here is rich without being overdone and beautiful without being conspicuous about it.

This story opens in the year 1906. The choice of time period, as well as Knox's writing style bring to mind Garth Nix's powerhouse fantasy novel Sabriel. I loved Sabriel (as I love all of Garth Nix's books), but I might have loved Dreamhunter slightly more if for nothing save its ending--one of the best I have read of late.

Laura and Rose's story continues in Dreamquake the conclusion of Elizabeth Knox's Dreamhunter Duet.(less)

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Mar 24, 2009 Lucy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, teen, books-that-deserve-six-stars, favorites

Laura and Rose are cousins and best friends. They also happen to be daughters of the most prestigious, famous family in Founderston—because Laura’s father Tziga, and Rose’s mother, Grace, are two of the most celebrated dreamhunters. Not only that, but Tziga Hame was the one who discovered the Place in the first place—a mysterious landscape that only a few can enter, where those with the dreamhunter ability can “catch” vivid, powerful dreams, bring them back to the rest of the world, and share th...more

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Jan 26, 2008 Suzanne rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I picked this up because its sequel won a Printz honor and a friend said I really needed to read the first book to understand the second (which brings up all kinds of Printz eligibility issues I won't get into here - but feel free to invite me out for a drink if you feel like getting all philosophical).

It took me a few chapters to get into the world and characters but once I did I found myself completely swept away by Laura and her eccentric family, the mysterious convicts and their desperate se...more

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Jan 24, 2010 Meagan rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult, coming-of-age, part-of-a-series, dreams, 2009-reads

I am being generous with two stars and that is only because the plot was original. Other than that I really did not like this one. There was a serious problem with under developed characters. I was unable to connect with any of them and actually disliked what little I did know. I did not care about the main issues presented and as the plot unraveled I was thinking "Who cares?". The whole "Nown" monster element was weird and too vague, and frankly I did not care one bit about what was going to ha...more

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Sep 25, 2009 Lisa rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

having a hard time getting into this one. If it wasn't for all the great reviews on Goodreads, I would of stopped! I need to keep going.

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Apr 28, 2013 Berenice Carrillo rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book is a very good fantasy book. This book talks about a world like ours but the only difference is that there is “the place”, where only the chosen ones are able to go in re-live or share dreams as if they where reality. There are two cousins, Laura and Rose, they are going to turn 15vv and that is the age they get their try to become a dreamhunter. Both of their parents are dreamhunters, because of that there are eligible for the passage. But absolutely nothing can prepare them for what...more

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Apr 27, 2012 Karen (Book Light Graveyard) rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I’m not really sure what to say about this one. Mostly because even though I finished it yesterday, I still don’t know how I feel about it. So I’m just going to make a list of the things I liked and didn’t like, because I give up on trying to form coherent thoughts about it.

Liked:
-The idea of dreamhunters--seriously, I think it’s a really awesome idea: people who can catch dreams with differing effects and share them with others.
-The Place--again, a really awesome idea. It’s where dreamhunters g...more I’m not really sure what to say about this one. Mostly because even though I finished it yesterday, I still don’t know how I feel about it. So I’m just going to make a list of the things I liked and didn’t like, because I give up on trying to form coherent thoughts about it.

Liked:
-The idea of dreamhunters--seriously, I think it’s a really awesome idea: people who can catch dreams with differing effects and share them with others.
-The Place--again, a really awesome idea. It’s where dreamhunters go to catch dreams, only not everyone can physically go there--only dreamhunters and rangers can. It’s kinda like an alternative reality that only some people can enter, only it’s a physical location not a state of mind or anything. It’s dry and vast and no one has ever completely explored it.
-The Rainbow Opera--yet again, a cool idea. It’s where famous dreamhunters go to perform their dreams for an audience. And I really want to attend.
-Rose--even though the summary makes it seem like the book is all about Laura, I think Rose is much more of a memorable character. She’s funny and strong and brave and so much more likeable than Laura.
-Chorley--he’s Rose’s dad and Laura’s uncle, and like Rose, he really jumped off the page for me. He totally gets the awesome-dad award (also the hot-dad award, but that’s beside the point).
-The time period--the book’s set in 1906. How awesome is that? That time period practically never crops up in YA fiction.
-The storytelling style--the whole story was told in such a dreamy way, which I thought was perfect considering that the book’s about, you know, dreams.

Disliked
-Laura--that girl is such a doormat. I know the author did that intentionally for the sake of the story, but it annoys me nonetheless. Plus, pretty much everything she did grated on my nerves. I think it’s because I never really felt like I understood her or got in her head, so I had a hard time understanding her motivations.
-Sandy--okay, I didn’t necessarily dislike him, but he was a really flat character for me. Maybe he just comes off that way because he’s not in very many scenes, but for someone who I assume is supposed to be Laura’s love interest, he was a little lackluster.
-The setup--this book is book one of two and hence felt like it was mostly setup for the sequel. Things are pretty slow through most of the book and only really pick up at the end. Hopefully, this means that the second book will be a little faster paced.

Overall, there are just too many things that I liked to say that I disliked the book, but just enough things that I didn’t like to prevent me from really liking it. I’m still planning on reading the sequel, because this one intrigued me enough and the next one (Dreamquake) is a Printz Honor book, but my feelings are still pretty mixed about this one.

Book Light Graveyard (less)

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Feb 17, 2012 Jenni French rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: genre-fantasy, age-4-grades-6-8

Laura's parents are dreamhunters, and she is determined that she will become a dreamhunter as well as soon as she is old enough to do so. Dreamhunters are tasked with entering the Place and collecting dreams which they bring back with them and share with those around them. Dreamhunters are able to share their dreams with those who are in the same building or same neighborhood and are asleep at the same time as they are.

Before Laura is able to become a dreamhunter, though, her father disappears,...more

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Nov 06, 2011 Courtney Johnston rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: own, fiction

In preparation for reading and reviewing a book of essays about New Zealand YA writing, I've been re-reading some books, starting with Elizabeth Knox's two-parter 'Dreamhunter' and 'Dreamquake'.

I bought and read both books when they first came out, and didn't like them much. I found them enjoyable enough - okay. Adequate, not satisfying - not as good as I wanted them to be. It was like going out to a really good restaurant, and having a really good meal, and then ordering a $22 dessert which sou...more In preparation for reading and reviewing a book of essays about New Zealand YA writing, I've been re-reading some books, starting with Elizabeth Knox's two-parter 'Dreamhunter' and 'Dreamquake'.

I bought and read both books when they first came out, and didn't like them much. I found them enjoyable enough - okay. Adequate, not satisfying - not as good as I wanted them to be. It was like going out to a really good restaurant, and having a really good meal, and then ordering a $22 dessert which sounds, but doesn't come through for you on the plate. It's still a good dessert, but it's the crescendo you were hoping for.

My main complaint the first time round was that Knox's imagined world felt thin to me - an alternate Edwardian New Zealand where a 'Place' has opened up, a section of the rural landscape that appears differently to a small portion to the population. When these people enter the 'Place', they disappear from normal sight - they enter a bleak and sere landscape where the sun never sets, rain never falls, time doesn't seem to move, and where when they sleep, they capture dreams they then take back into the world and dream for other people; for public performances, for private pleasure, for therapeutic treatments and for more sinister purposes, sponsored by a shady government department. At the centre of the story are two teenage girls, both the children of dreamhunters, one of whom discovers that she, too, can enter the Place, and one who, to her bitter disappointment, cannot.

Put like that, Knox's world actually sounds dense, not thin. At the time though, I wanted her world to be more - more detailed, more different, or more interwoven with our actual history. Reading the books over again, I felt my original assessment was uncharitable. On reflection, it was probably because I'd just come off Philip Pullman, and it's going to be hard for any writer to match that level of poetic world-building.

This time round, I was far more open to Knox's world, and her story of dream terrorism, love and sacrifice. And I was far more admiring of an aspect of the book that I'd glanced over before - the adult relationships in the book, which are far more clearly drawn than you usually get in YA books. I was also struck by a vein of sensuality that I'd not remembered; while I don't want to recap the whole story, there's passage between Laura (the young dreamhunter) and her golem (I know - there are golems, but I still don't find the imaginative world convincing - I'm a hard woman to please) that went straight through me:

Of course Laura went to sleep in Nown's arms and didn't wake until his gait changed. He was stepping from boulder to boulder along a beach heaped with stones ranging from fist-sized to elephantine. 'I think I'll stay where I am for now,' Laura said, and tightened her arms around his neck. 'Don't drop me.' She knew he wouldn't, only said it to savour how safe she felt.

And the thing I find most interesting is the way this sensuality is transferred over from the animated but unavailable - a man built out of clay and dirt to protect and serve her - into the human, a young dreamhunter named Sandy:

Sandy flushed, clenched his jaw and crossed his legs. Laura had picked up his hand and was playing with the soft flesh between his thumb and finger - childish and intimate. Sandy was having trouble with this, and Chorley saw, at last, that the young man was in love with Laura, not just drawn and possessive. Sandy was trying to control his desire, and having trouble with it. Chorley could see that the young man too thought that Laura wasn't ready for things to go any further between them. She was in danger of getting in too deep too young, not because Sandy was older and infatuated with her, but because of her own behaviour. Something - Chorley could not imagine what - seemed to have stripped away all the normal caution she should have about just touching another person, any other person. The attention she was lavishing on Sandy's hand was playful but intense. She stroked and pressed his hand as if in search of a secret mechanism that would make it open up, or turn into something other than itself.

And yet. In there, there's still something of the tell-not-show of these two books right here. We're mostly not shown Laura and Sandy's intimacy - we're told it. I can't lose myself in these books, as much as I'd like to. I'm self-conscious as I'm reading them - I'm watching what Knox is doing, not feeling it.(less)

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Aug 28, 2011 Samantha Boyette rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

In general I am the kind of person who reads a book once (which does nothing to change the fact that I must own every book I ever fell in love with), but there are a few books I have to pull out now and again to re-read. Dreamhunter is one of these books. It was a books that I stumbled upon with no prior recommendation and couldn't put down. On the cover it says it is "Book one of the Dreamhunter duet". Duet? Best thing to call a series of two books ever!

The book follows fifteen-year-old Laura H...more

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May 12, 2011 Cheryl in CC NV rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

ETA a speculation. I suspect Knox, from New Zealand, was inspired by the Australian Aboriginal Dreamtime. Shared Dreams, y'know. Your thoughts?

Ok now, back to my very personal and idiosyncratic review:

I'm about 1/3 in. It's getting to the part about political intrique, which I don't like. Also, I found it slow to get into because of the complexity of the world, and the fact that the author immersed us before she started to explain.

For example I still don't understand the idea that there are plac...more ETA a speculation. I suspect Knox, from New Zealand, was inspired by the Australian Aboriginal Dreamtime. Shared Dreams, y'know. Your thoughts?

Ok now, back to my very personal and idiosyncratic review:

I'm about 1/3 in. It's getting to the part about political intrique, which I don't like. Also, I found it slow to get into because of the complexity of the world, and the fact that the author immersed us before she started to explain.

For example I still don't understand the idea that there are places regular people can go that dreamhunters can't go (the opposiite idea of The Place).

I also don't understand amplifiers, or the other tasks of rangers, or what they are capable of that regular people aren't, and what they can't do that dreamhunters can.

I'm doing ok, but I'm finding it a chore to read. My library has it as YA and I agree - it's too difficult for children. However, the writing is beautiful.

I want more about the way being able to share dreams affects people and the community - but so far it doesn't seem to really do much. The dreams are shared as if they're particularly effective immersive 'movies' it seems - they don't really have a greater effect on people. I mean, I thought, going into the book, that society would be changed because of greater empathy because of more shared experiences.

We'll see, I guess.

UPDATE: finished. At least until 1/2 way I thought this was two stars. Then it clicked for me, and three stars wouldn't be quite enough. I'm even excited for the next. We do learn more about the dreams' effects on the hunters and on the community, and about the characters' inner lives, and the intrigue and mysteries become a little more clear.

In a way the book reminds me a lot of His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman. Not in the plot per se, but more in the what I'm wanting to call Texture. There is a young girl who has an interesting family history and an incomplete awareness of same. And she winds up having adventures beyond her years and being the crux of world-changing revolutions due to her courage and persistence. And she makes friends with a monstrous creature not normally thought of as intelligent. And the PowersThatBe are in need of being overthrown. And the writing is absolutely lovely, poetic and evocative. So, yeah, I guess I do recommend this. Even if you don't like the whole Golden Compass series, as don't I, you might like this - as did I.(less)

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May 03, 2011 Jasmyn9 rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, young-adult, fantasy

The Place is where dreamhunters go to find dreams. Dreams that are very different than the ones we have ourselves. These dreams can be shared and shown in a way similar to our movies. Only a select few have the ability to capture dreams from the Place and share them with other nearby sleepers. Laura and her father are two of these people.

When Laura's father, the first dreamhunter known to exist, disappears she has to follow a strange trail of clues to find out what he was working on. A trail tha...more

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Dec 22, 2010 Melliott rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The books are set in a fictional country called Southland (possibly drawn from Knox’s New Zealand origins) at the turn of the century (the last century—the early 1900s). The mores, dress and conduct are typical of that era, but what is atypical is the focus of the book, which is “the Place,” a land that lies outside of geographical boundaries. The main characters of the book, cousins Laura Hame and Rose Tiebold, are 15 when the first book opens, and they are shortly to have their “Try” at gettin...more The books are set in a fictional country called Southland (possibly drawn from Knox’s New Zealand origins) at the turn of the century (the last century—the early 1900s). The mores, dress and conduct are typical of that era, but what is atypical is the focus of the book, which is “the Place,” a land that lies outside of geographical boundaries. The main characters of the book, cousins Laura Hame and Rose Tiebold, are 15 when the first book opens, and they are shortly to have their “Try” at getting into the Place. Laura’s father, Tziga Hame, was the one who discovered it some 20 years previous, and it is a strange land to which only one in 500 people is able to gain access. Nothing changes in the Place—it is dry and silent, with trees, grass and vegetation that are neither living nor dead. No water flows, and no fire burns. The pivotal characteristic of the Place that makes entry desirable is that a certain percentage of the people who can go there can lie down to sleep and “catch” dreams, which they then bring back with them to the regular world and share with whoever goes to sleep within the range of their “penumbra.”

Twenty years after its discovery, dreams from the Place are much in demand, both for entertainment and for therapeutic purposes, and Laura’s father and Rose’s mother are two of the premier dreamcatchers who share dreams and make their living from it. But the government is also making use of some of the dreams (or call them nightmares) in much less appetizing ways, and the plots of both books hinge on Tziga's and Laura’s attempts to reveal this to the public in the face of the government’s desire to keep its socially manipulative plans a secret.

I found the premise of being able to transmit dreams to others a riveting one, and the mystery behind the Place—what it is, where it came from and why it exists—equally fascinating. The writing and characterizations are fluid, vivid and specific, and the juxtaposition of a typical early 20th-century society with the otherworldly land of dreams retained my interest throughout.
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Jan 03, 2010 Erica rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Dreamhunter takes place in a world in which dreams are communicable and therefore exploitable. A small minority of the population, dreamhunters, can enter a place called The Place (meh) and catch dreams as one would catch a cold. They can then project these dreams to other people in dream palaces. Dreams become commodified not only entertainment, but for therapeutic use in hospitals and institutions, and, more sinisterly, for use in prison reform and political manipulation.

Laura Hame, the story'...more

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May 29, 2009 Ceridwyn rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: aotearoa, ya-fantasy

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Throughout DreamHunter I kept trying to analyse the writing, which I thought wasn’t working for me. Then I’d get caught up and intrigued by the plot and fail to analyse the book because I was submerging myself in it instead. I always felt at a remove from the characters, probably because I was constantly being told, rather than shown, what they thought and felt. The only character I had my own visceral response to was NOWN, who I adored, because of the lack of explanation as to his thinking. It...more Throughout DreamHunter I kept trying to analyse the writing, which I thought wasn’t working for me. Then I’d get caught up and intrigued by the plot and fail to analyse the book because I was submerging myself in it instead. I always felt at a remove from the characters, probably because I was constantly being told, rather than shown, what they thought and felt. The only character I had my own visceral response to was NOWN, who I adored, because of the lack of explanation as to his thinking. It almost made him my point of view character, which I don’t think was the intention.

That being said, Elizabeth Knox has an incredibly individual voice. Sometimes I love it (The Vintner’s Luck, Billie’s Kiss) and sometimes I can’t stomach it at all (Black Oxen). DreamHunter fell far more into the former camp, though I don’t think it’s anywhere near her best work.

DreamHunter is an interesting example of the author overtly telling everything about the world that the characters know. It also sometimes tells us about the characters’ emotions rather than letting us figure them out from their actions. Yet strangely it works because of the convoluted and fascinating plot and because the ideas are so intriguing.

The world of DreamHunter really feels like an alternate Earth, so everything feels very real. She’s changed the details around the settlement of Aotearoa in a minor way and introduced one ‘magic’ event and that makes it very convincing – especially as she’s obviously well-researched that kind of late-Victorian frontier town. I did wonder, however, about the lack of Maori (or equivalent native people).

Laura develops beautifully into her own woman, changing a lot throughout the course of the book; Rose has a lovely strength in adversity and is smart. Neither of them is perfect and both have interesting character flaws that add to the plot and the emotional life of the book. Chorley also feels three-dimensional, I liked the way he was spoilt but determined and the way his non-dreaming ability contrasted with the other two adults and the way that made him active.
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Sep 25, 2011 Kathleen Dixon rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, n-z-author

Isn't it wonderful how one can keep finding excellent books?! I'm having a blitz on Elizabeth Knox at the moment, after receiving a copy of The Vintner's Luck purely by chance (no, that's not quite correct. It was purely by chance that I was present at a meeting where a book exchange was taking place, but as I had heard the title The Vintner's Luck it wasn't chance that caused me to take it with me).

I read The Vintner's Luck and loved it (review elsewhere), then borrowed The Angel's Cut and love...more Isn't it wonderful how one can keep finding excellent books?! I'm having a blitz on Elizabeth Knox at the moment, after receiving a copy of The Vintner's Luck purely by chance (no, that's not quite correct. It was purely by chance that I was present at a meeting where a book exchange was taking place, but as I had heard the title The Vintner's Luck it wasn't chance that caused me to take it with me).

I read The Vintner's Luck and loved it (review elsewhere), then borrowed The Angel's Cut and loved it also. Subsequently I went through the library's listings and reserved every title they had by Knox, because I didn't want to add her to my very long list of "to-be-read" books, as it's impossible to tell if I'm ever going to get through that, and books and authors tend to get forgotten there.

Dreamhunter (and the following Dreamquake) has similarities to the Vintner duo, in that they are set in our world, are set in the not-too-distant past, but add a fantastical element. Beyond that, they're completely different.

Dreamhunter's world isn't quite ours, in that it's not geographically factual. Nevertheless, its setting is close to New Zealand, with a sprinkling of native trees and creatures, and with (a nice touch) a historian, Dr Michael King, named after our own Michael King, who died tragically in a car crash the year before this book was published.

The fantastical element is the discovery, 20 years in the book's past, that there is a Place interposed on the landscape, which certain people (1 in 300 we're told) are able to enter, and in which a small proportion of those people are able to "harvest" dreams. This book's chief protagonaist, Laura Hames, is the daughter of the most famous dreamcatcher, Tziga Hames, and the niece of the most popular dreamcatcher, Grace Tiebold. Grace broadcasts romantic adventures to large audiences in the Rainbow Opera; Tziga takes healing dreams to hospitals, and contracts to the government. Laura and her cousin Rose are about to Try - a regulated occasion in which hopefuls (past the bottom age-limit) walk past the boundary marker to see if they remain visible (and therefore not able to enter the Place), or if they disappear into it. Rose is excited and supremely confident that she will follow in her mother's footsteps; Laura is scared and doesn't know what she thinks.

This book has all the elements I could ask for in a fantasy novel. I like all the characterisation and I like the development of the two teenage girls (being well removed from my own and my children's teenage years, and with my grandchildren being sufficiently distant at the moment from them, I can enjoy observing teenagism). The fantasy element is well presented - Knox is a fine writer and unravels the details beautifully within the plot, so that our understanding grows almost at the same pace as Laura's. On top of this, I love dreamworking, so I was intensely satisfied with this as a theme. Also, there's intrigue and excitement and friendship and the struggle over what's right and what's wrong ...

A great read. I began reading when I went to bed, and didn't stop until I'd finished.(less)

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Mar 24, 2007 Regina rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Another book I really liked. I don't read lots of fantasy - it's all the same - dragons and magic trala. This one was different. The setting - New Zealand at the turn of the 20th century. The premise - there is a place where sensitives can capture dreams and may be able to transmit them to others. Intriguing. Throw in a little government corruption, romance, family relationships and gypsies and wow. I am looking forward to the next book in the series very much.

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Nov 04, 2012 Annie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 1st-quarter-8th-grade

Laura and rose are cousins, both daughters of famous dream hunters, they are now eligible to "try". The place is a strange and mysterious area of land in the middle of a country that can only be entered by a few people and then another few are able to capture dreams which can be preformed for other people. When Laura and Rose try it ends up only Laura can go in and Rose cant. Laura's father can't be there for her try and later the government tells his family that he is dead. Knowing that he had...more

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Oct 23, 2011 Mirah W rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

'Dreamhunter' is unlike anything else I've read, which is refreshing. I admit that during the first few chapters I kept saying 'what?' to myself and figuratively scratched my head in confusion. It was a strange topic to wrap my mind around: dreams that can only be found by a select few and can then be shared with others to encourage healing, confidence, love, etc. The character of Laura started out uncertain but I like her growth throughout the book, learning to make decisions for herself. The h...more

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Sep 25, 2009 Chelsea rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The beginning of this book is rather slow. But, I stuck with it because the story seems like it will be so interesting when all the little details come out. I love the concept. Very "Giver-esque" mixed with oh, I don't know...Jumper? But not as "hokey." No, strike that. Giver mixed with Time Traveler's Wife but for kids. LOL. I don't know if I'm even making any sense! Anyway, I'm about a third of the way through so far and it's getting really intriguing! :)

Ok...I'm finished now and I feel weird....more The beginning of this book is rather slow. But, I stuck with it because the story seems like it will be so interesting when all the little details come out. I love the concept. Very "Giver-esque" mixed with oh, I don't know...Jumper? But not as "hokey." No, strike that. Giver mixed with Time Traveler's Wife but for kids. LOL. I don't know if I'm even making any sense! Anyway, I'm about a third of the way through so far and it's getting really intriguing! :)

Ok...I'm finished now and I feel weird. It's as though Knox ended this book in the middle of writing it. It was slow and I never found myself not being able to put it down. I will still read Dreamquake just out of pure curiosity but I did not leave this book longing for more.

I just don't understand why anyone would say they "loved" this book or that is was "amazing." I agree with almost every single bad review I read of this book now that I'm done. I had to re-read many sentences which was totally annoying and distracted me from the weird, all-over-the-place story. I agree with someone who said it should have been written from one person's perspective instead of an outside nararrator. I didn't feel like I knew the characters and many times found myself having to go back to see who was talking, thinking, "That doesn't sound like Rose. Wait...I'm confused."

And I hope someone comments on this: I WAS SO ANNOYED WHEN I SAW THE MAP OF THE PLACE! I was so excited when I saw there would be a map through the page I was reading. I turned the page and said out loud, "WHAT?!" It looked like a picture a 5th grader drew on a boring day at school or something! There was no need for it. I even tried going back and referencing it when certain places were mentioned and it was of no help. I was a bit offended as a reader that The Place was the main reason I wanted to read this book and then it was barely explained!!!!

And the dreams?! There was this build up for each dream before it was explained and after reading every single one (even the nightmares) I was THOROUGHLY bored out of my skull. Couldn't Knox have made the dreams a bit more interesting, scandelous, SOMETHING? The Giver is a 6th grade level book and it pushed boundaries more than Dreamhunter!!!

If you can't tell, I'm getting angrier and angrier with every passing moment after I've finished this book. LOL(less)

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Jan 18, 2011 Jennifer rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya-fantasy-scifi

I haven't been this engrossed in a book in a long time, but Knox totally pulled me into this unusual fantasy. Her prose is sensual and spare at the same time, and she does an amazing job of evoking emotion and a sense of place with a few well-chosen words. She starts with a unique and intriguing premise - in a land somewhat like New Zealand at the turn of the 20th century, there is a place that only a few people can enter. In the Place no rain ever falls, the light never changes, and no flame ca...more

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Aug 24, 2010 Phil rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Fantastic!

This is one of the best books I've read in a long, long time.

I was sucked in by a few choice words on the cover reviews: Dream, Enthralling, Phillip Pullman, and Garth Nix.

I was hooked before I opened the book.

The book is about Dreamhunters, people who cross over an invisible boundary into the Place, where they catch different dreams. The Dreamhunters then return to the normal world where they perform their dreams to sleeping audiences. They can transmit their dreams as entertainmen...more

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Oct 31, 2011 Linnae rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy-sci-fi, young-adult

Laura and Rose are almost 15 and old enough to be tested in The Place. It's a land within a land--only certain people can pass through the barrier--and what it gives is dreams. Those who are dreamhunters can go through at will, "catch" a dream, then when they return anyone sleeping in close proximity to the dreamhunter will dream the same dream. Laura's uncle is the most famous dreamhunter (and was the discoverer of The Place). A whole industry has been built around the marvelous dreams brought...more

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Feb 07, 2012 Jennifer rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Wow! This novel is wonderfully imaginative, truly creating another world in which dreams might be real, might be the future, and seem to exist in little mappable pockets inside a conceptually unmappable piece of land with confines in this world and geography in another. The scope and awe inspiring imagination driving this book (and, I'm assuming, its sequel) remind me of the Northern Lights trilogy, and those are some of the most incredible books ever written for Young Adults (IMHO).
A mindblowin...more

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Jan 07, 2010 Jessica rated it 3 of 5 stars

This is a story about two teenage girls unraveling the mystery of "The Place". Gifted people enter this alternate realm and catch dreams. They then perform these dreams for others in theaters.

I picked up this read as Stephenie Meyer tagged it as a good read. It was intersting. I liked the plot and the characters, but it was slow to start and a little slow to make sense. The concepts were interesting. I read the sequel which is really necessary. The first book abruptly ends, so abruptly that you...more

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Nov 08, 2010 Lauren (365 Days of Reading) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

Dreamhunter is a YA fantasy that takes the genre back to its roots. Gone are the paranormal creatures that we know so well—Dreamhunter introduces a completely new concept. Elizabeth Knox blends the historical setting with the fantasy elements effortlessly, and the world she builds is absolutely incredible. The history of the Place and the dreamhunters is laid out expertly in the first few chapters, and every part of the story is described with vivid imagery.

Some readers may give up initially bec...more

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Aug 17, 2012 Malorie rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Nov 03, 2009 Coralie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2009

Dreamhunter is a fantasy, set in a country like Australia in a time that is much like the turn of the century. In this place, special people can enter a land where they can catch dreams. These dreamhunters then "perform" these dreams, sharing them with people for money. There are fancy dream emporiums where people pay to go and sleep and share these dreams. There are nightmares, too. Laura is a budding dream hunter. Her father is a famous dreamhunter, one of the best, descended from greatest, an...more

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Dec 21, 2011 Kelly Leigh rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, fantasy

Dreams, they are mystical, they are fascinating. Dreams are the language of our subconscious. Dreams have the ability to reveal to us, if we choose to listen, our innermost desires, our innermost fears. Elizabeth Knox in all her creative-genius glory has put her incredibly unique spin on dreams. Specifically dream catchers. Dream catchers in the form of humans. Humans with special abilities to share what they've caught with paying customers.

The world Knox has created is so rich, so atmospheric,...more

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About Elizabeth Knox

Elizabeth Knox was born in Wellington‚ New Zealand‚ and is the author of ten novels and three novella and a book of essays.

Her best−known book‚ The Vintner's Luck‚ won the Deutz Medal for Fiction in the 1999 Montana New Zealand Book Awards and the Tasmania Pacific Region Prize. The Vintner's Luck has been published in nine languages.

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“Happiness had never been like this before. Now it came like sun showers, the sun and the rain together. Happiness was happier than it had been - sharp, piercing, and snatched, like a breath while swimming in surf.” — 16 people liked it

“She said to him, ‘You might melt.’ And he said, “If I melt, you can make me again.” — 7 people liked it

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