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The Cure for Dreaming
Olivia Mead is a headstrong, independent girl—a suffragist—in an age that prefers its girls to be docile. It’s 1900 in Oregon, and Olivia’s father, concerned that she’s headed for trouble, convinces a stage mesmerist to try to hypnotize the rebellion out of her. But the hypnotist, an intriguing young man named Henri Reverie, gives her a terrible gift instead: she’s able to see people’s true natures, manifesting as visions of darkness and goodness, while also unable to speak her true thoughts out loud. These supernatural challenges only make Olivia more determined to speak her mind, and so she’s drawn into a dangerous relationship with the hypnotist and his mysterious motives, all while secretly fighting for the rights of women. Winters breathes new life into history once again with an atmospheric, vividly real story, including archival photos and art from the period throughout.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published October 14, 2014
About the author
Cat Winters
11 books1,543 followersCat Winters is a critically acclaimed, award-winning author of five novels for teens: IN THE SHADOW OF BLACKBIRDS, THE CURE FOR DREAMING, THE STEEP AND THORNY WAY, ODD & TRUE, and THE RAVEN'S TALE. She has been named a Morris Award finalist, a Bram Stoker Award nominee, and an Oregon Spirit Book Award winner, and her young adult novels have appeared on Kirkus, School Library Journal, and Booklist best-of-the-year lists, as well as numerous state lists. She is also the author of two novels for adults, THE UNINVITED and YESTERNIGHT, and she contributed to the young adult horror anthology SLASHER GIRLS & MONSTER BOYS. Her debut picture book, CUT!: HOW LOTTE REINIGER AND A PAIR OF SCISSORS REVOLUTIONIZED ANIMATION, written as C.E. Winters, will release from Greenwillow Books in Winter 2023.
Winters lives in Oregon. Visit her online at www.catwinters.com.
Winters lives in Oregon. Visit her online at www.catwinters.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,151 reviews
May 17, 2015
“Come along. Let’s get out of here and go toast to youth and vampires and rebellion.”
Cat Winters has done it again. I have been captivated by this book for every spare minute of reading I've managed to fit in. I'm not quite sure how Winters manages to so thoroughly take me out of this world and plant me into another time full of atmosphere, history and a little dash of the paranormal. But she does.
“I’ve said this before,” he said through his teeth, “and I’ll say it again: This is all for your own good. You do not need to be burdened with impossible dreams.”
In the opening years of the twentieth century, women's dreams often remained just that. Expected to leave school, marry, and look after the home, the world's wonders would glitter off in the distance and women had to accept that they would never have the opportunity to reach for them. But that didn't mean these women didn't dream and want and hope and - eventually - fight. Winters has a certain knack for bringing ambitious and feisty women into a setting completely at odds with their personalities. As with her first novel, In the Shadow of Blackbirds, Winters once again portrays the difficulties of being a young woman with dreams in a society that won't let them happen.
“Your future is to become a respectable housewife and mother. Women belong in the home, and inside some man’s home you’ll stay.”
Prepare to be more than a little pissed off. And then be prepared to grin madly as Olivia repeatedly proves everyone wrong. Then there's that whole part of this novel with the sexy almost-French hypnotist... what more do you need from a book, anyway?
There are a number of interesting and complex things happening in this novel - all of which, I found fascinating. Firstly, there is the relationship between Olivia and her father - who I wanted to die a million painful deaths - and yet... I felt a certain glimmer of sadness for him in the end because he was nothing but his own worst enemy. Then there is the historical woven with the paranormal aspect that just completely transported me into the time and place of the novel. The author captures the time perfectly and the feeling of frustration that many women must have felt.
“I love that books allow us to experience other lives without us ever having to change where we live or who we are.”
In this book, Olivia's father hires a hypnotist to cure Olivia of her "unfeminine" dreams of college, suffrage and freedom. However, Henri Reverie instead makes her see the world "as it truly is", giving those she cannot trust a monstrous visage. I can hardly begin to describe the array of emotions this book took me through: anger, sadness, frustration, warm fuzzies... all of them in a good way. It is, in the end, a book about equality and how silencing a group of people will only make them more determined to fight harder.
I loved it.
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February 23, 2016
3.5 stars There were some nicely atmospheric moments and the period setting is well-detailed, but somehow this story and these characters never quite grabbed me by the throat the way I'd hoped they would. I kept waiting to feel passion and outrage on behalf of these women, and yet I read about these events with curiosity and commiseration, but without any real sense of kinship or compassion.
I think the story could have benefited from more complex plotting, more intellectual discussion, more nuanced characters (particularly the men), and more feeling as well.
Full review is on the blog: http://www.themidnightgarden.net/2014...
I think the story could have benefited from more complex plotting, more intellectual discussion, more nuanced characters (particularly the men), and more feeling as well.
Full review is on the blog: http://www.themidnightgarden.net/2014...
February 15, 2021
"As I've learned through my own ordeals, once you start viewing the world the way it truly is, it is impossible to ignore both its beauty and its ugliness. Look around you.
You can't stop seeing it, can you?"
These sentences here? They're worth 5 big shiny stars. Sadly, the book was not. If Cat Winters is without doubt a formidable storyteller and if I think the ideas she's trying to convey are absolutely fabulous (with all my heart, thank you), I felt let down by several aspects of this book.
The Cure for Dreaming offers us a demeaning, thoughts-inducing trip back in time when women were fighting for their rights - to vote, and more generally to be treated as equals as men.
In 1900s Portland, while suffragists are trying to make themselves heard, Olivia nurtures the dreams to attend College and to get the chance to participate in her country's future. Nothing wild, you think? It was without counting on her father's dreams which are in glaring contradiction with hers : indeed his sole aim is to make her marry "well' (think wealthy) and to perpetrate the way of life he always followed.
What I found fascinating is to see that the sexist situations Olivia is facing are the SAME as the ones that annoys me so much in romance novels nowadays. Cat Winters, on the contrary, presents these situations as they really are : controlling, demeaning, and so very sexist. Thank you. Let's play a little matching game, okay?
Rule #1 : You shall not express your anger.
... or speak your mind, for that matter.
Rule #2 : You shall love having no choices.
Rule #3 : You shall find forced kiss exciting
I could go round and round in circles, my point wouldn't be clearer : some of the sexist and infuriating stereotypes and behaviors Olivia denounces in 1900s women's life are still pictured as appealing and sexy in many romance novels. I'm kind of depressed right now.
Despite this oppressive atmosphere, Olivia stays strong-minded and I really liked her. Little by little, she's trying to make sense of her life and her relationships and I was happy to see her grow throughout the novel and finally start to publicly express her needs and thoughts. This is so very important. See, it took me time to realize that sometimes you HAD to speak up for yourself. People think you're a bitch? So what. No, really. So what.
As for the paranormal aspect, I'll let the mystery remain complete but I have to say that I found its introduction fabulous and unexpected. I LOVED IT. So imaginative and like nothing I read before.
Unfortunately, despite the atmospheric writing, the original and brilliant paranormal aspect and the oh-so-important issues tackled, my connection often wavered, letting me unable to trigger strong emotions : first because the dialogues sounded sometimes fake to me (issue I already had with The Steep and Thorny Way) but mostly because of the flat secondary characters, starting with Henry, the male lead. I mean, okay, he is sweet. Really. Yet he never triggered my aww button and even though I was rooting for them, he missed this little something more, this extra-layer that would have make my heart beat faster. As for her best friend, Tania - I think? GAH. I already forgot. See?? - I was pretty disappointed by the fact that she didn't play a greater role in the story. Yes she makes appearances but not near enough for me to care about her.
Oh, boy. What did happen to the men? Look, I do realize that women rights weren't popular among men at the time, and I do not have a problem with a rather unlikeable portrayal of men in that aspect. Yet I need nuances. As I said, aside from Olivia, the main character, the other characters are flat and pretty stereotypical (the father! GAH!), especially the villains. We're not offered a real development of the secondary characters, and the way they talk often made me roll my eyes, especially when it comes to the dialogues with her father. I mean, are you kidding me? Who is this crazy dentist who's talking with his daughter as if he killed puppies for a living?
Meet Olivia's father.
Meet the men, except Henry and one or two exceptions.
Look, I'm not denying that Cat Winters addressed the fact that some men shared suffragists views, because she did, but it remains that the male characters she offers us don't demonstrate critical thinking. They're plain villains. Boo-hiss.
That ending, though? It was amazing. Tears of joy inducing. I adored it.
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March 8, 2015
Review: The Cure for Dreaming by Cat Winters
I’m going to be the bitch today. Excuse me for a minute while I pour my Rosé wine and gather my thoughts for a minute…
What I mean is that I feel terrible that I didn’t like this book. I should have liked this book and I didn’t. I really enjoyed it at the start. Because I loved it so much in the beginning, I just didn’t think it would end so badly. So today, in this review, I’m just going have to admit: I’m a total bitch.
I’d seen many reviews of bloggers that I greatly admire, give this book a high rating. I still love you, I just didn’t like this book.
So, naturally I thought it would be right up my alley. It’s got suffragists, gender rights, history, and a little romance. What could go wrong?
Bad decision. This was a terrible mistake. I screamed into a bucket when I finished this book.
As a woman who is extraordinarily proud to be a woman and a feminist, I wanted this book to be my sweet treat. Even though feminism did not exactly exist back in 1900, I would have thought the inclusion of gender rights would interest me. Usually it does. But here’s my issue with this book: the majority of the characters in this book are flat. They’re like if you forget to add sugar to the list of ingredients in a pie. One-dimensional. No color. No depth. No layers. Should I continue?
See if you take away the main character, Olivia, and just look at the characterization of the side characters like her father or Sadie it’s like the MC made who those character’s are. Or it’s as if the subject of the suffragists and women's rights created those characters. While I love gender rights, the issue presented in the novel should not create character development or character depth for that character. Maybe it’s been part of who they are, but not their entire being. This was the case with Sadie, with Genevieve, with Olivia’s father, and even with some of the suffragists. Never ever a good thing by the way when another character give’s a side character their depth.
Then there’s the portrayal of certain characters. Men. Sigh…why is it always men that have to be the bad guys. They’re just so fucking awful aren’t they? Spoiler alert: I’m being sarcastic here.
Men in particular were portrayed as stereotypical ideals of anti-suffragists. Their chests puff with glory and gleam so everyone can see! Looksie: the men in this book are painted as shitheads. Complete and utter idiots. They’re brainless football players in a historical setting.
Have you ever read of the antagonist who starts to babble on what they’re going to do, thus giving away their entire evil plan? Olivia’s father is like that. The one who laughs twirling his Salvador Dali mustache and plotting schemes. That is her father, my dearies. Mr. Male Stereotype. Historical accuracy or not, he was a stereotype.
“But, despite feminine wiles,” said Father, “we gentlemen must be strong. We must protect the women from their own foolishness. They’re fragile and ignorant and need our constant care…”
See what I mean? He’s the evil father who thinks women shouldn’t vote.
Now men during this time greatly disliked the suffragists and thought they belonged in the kitchen. They saw suffragists as this:
Not flattering. Look at the teeth. This is ridiculous. It’s weird because a lot of men, even today, think of feminists as ugly hairy broads who hate men because they’re ugly and want gender equality. I for one am not ugly. I think this notion is butt-ugly. I’m glad that the author gave the suffragists normal descriptions, instead of what this picture above includes. We’re just too opinionated I guess. It’s stupid, these thoughts of having equal rights for both men and women. Sigh…. what have we been thinking? Stupid stupid stupid.
They thought other men didn’t support suffragist. Wrong. They did. And the author recognizes that. So this is correct, but they were tropes and didn’t really act like real people would. The negativity put on the suffragists was over-done. It’s not as if the real men and women who were anti-suffragist didn’t do incredibly awful things, but in this book, it was crap. Crap. That’s right. I said it: crap. I don’t even care anymore. I’m this far into my review. I’m just going to fucking let the swear words fly.
Anywho…
The dialogue, as you’ve already seen it's so fucking FAKE! It’s like the dialogue had been created solely to assure the reader how evil and conniving these anti-suffragists are. No. I already know how fucking bad they are. Show me. Don’t tell me through dialogue.
“Are you really forcing him into that chair? Am I really seeing this?”
“I’ve offered you a large sum of money, Mr. Reverie.” With one hand planted on Henry’s chest, not far from his throat, the horrific version of the man with whom I lived squeaked open a cabinet door.
Again, it just doesn’t feel real to me. I don’t know. I can’t really put my finger on it. But I believe it’s because the main character is repeating what we already know. That and this ridiculous guy forcing the love interest into a chair for “evil purposes” just doesn’t bode well either. I’ve read it before. Yawn. Move along.
For those who loved the book: please respect my opinion. My review may be snarky, but it's my honest opinion. Some things I loved: the independent heroine, the focus on the MC instead of the love interest, the author's voice and writing style, the eerie descriptions, the genuine female friendships, and the ARC is beautiful. My jaw dropped when I saw the pictures and style inside the book. But I just couldn't get past the faults. I can't raise the grade any higher. One dimensional characters are just something I can't see past.
You know what? I’m going to leave my review here because there’s only so much time I can spend talking about fake dialogue, men who think with their dicks, and one dimensional characters.
Received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I’m going to be the bitch today. Excuse me for a minute while I pour my Rosé wine and gather my thoughts for a minute…
What I mean is that I feel terrible that I didn’t like this book. I should have liked this book and I didn’t. I really enjoyed it at the start. Because I loved it so much in the beginning, I just didn’t think it would end so badly. So today, in this review, I’m just going have to admit: I’m a total bitch.
I’d seen many reviews of bloggers that I greatly admire, give this book a high rating. I still love you, I just didn’t like this book.
So, naturally I thought it would be right up my alley. It’s got suffragists, gender rights, history, and a little romance. What could go wrong?
Bad decision. This was a terrible mistake. I screamed into a bucket when I finished this book.
As a woman who is extraordinarily proud to be a woman and a feminist, I wanted this book to be my sweet treat. Even though feminism did not exactly exist back in 1900, I would have thought the inclusion of gender rights would interest me. Usually it does. But here’s my issue with this book: the majority of the characters in this book are flat. They’re like if you forget to add sugar to the list of ingredients in a pie. One-dimensional. No color. No depth. No layers. Should I continue?
See if you take away the main character, Olivia, and just look at the characterization of the side characters like her father or Sadie it’s like the MC made who those character’s are. Or it’s as if the subject of the suffragists and women's rights created those characters. While I love gender rights, the issue presented in the novel should not create character development or character depth for that character. Maybe it’s been part of who they are, but not their entire being. This was the case with Sadie, with Genevieve, with Olivia’s father, and even with some of the suffragists. Never ever a good thing by the way when another character give’s a side character their depth.
Then there’s the portrayal of certain characters. Men. Sigh…why is it always men that have to be the bad guys. They’re just so fucking awful aren’t they? Spoiler alert: I’m being sarcastic here.
Men in particular were portrayed as stereotypical ideals of anti-suffragists. Their chests puff with glory and gleam so everyone can see! Looksie: the men in this book are painted as shitheads. Complete and utter idiots. They’re brainless football players in a historical setting.
Have you ever read of the antagonist who starts to babble on what they’re going to do, thus giving away their entire evil plan? Olivia’s father is like that. The one who laughs twirling his Salvador Dali mustache and plotting schemes. That is her father, my dearies. Mr. Male Stereotype. Historical accuracy or not, he was a stereotype.
“But, despite feminine wiles,” said Father, “we gentlemen must be strong. We must protect the women from their own foolishness. They’re fragile and ignorant and need our constant care…”
See what I mean? He’s the evil father who thinks women shouldn’t vote.
Now men during this time greatly disliked the suffragists and thought they belonged in the kitchen. They saw suffragists as this:
Not flattering. Look at the teeth. This is ridiculous. It’s weird because a lot of men, even today, think of feminists as ugly hairy broads who hate men because they’re ugly and want gender equality. I for one am not ugly. I think this notion is butt-ugly. I’m glad that the author gave the suffragists normal descriptions, instead of what this picture above includes. We’re just too opinionated I guess. It’s stupid, these thoughts of having equal rights for both men and women. Sigh…. what have we been thinking? Stupid stupid stupid.
They thought other men didn’t support suffragist. Wrong. They did. And the author recognizes that. So this is correct, but they were tropes and didn’t really act like real people would. The negativity put on the suffragists was over-done. It’s not as if the real men and women who were anti-suffragist didn’t do incredibly awful things, but in this book, it was crap. Crap. That’s right. I said it: crap. I don’t even care anymore. I’m this far into my review. I’m just going to fucking let the swear words fly.
Anywho…
The dialogue, as you’ve already seen it's so fucking FAKE! It’s like the dialogue had been created solely to assure the reader how evil and conniving these anti-suffragists are. No. I already know how fucking bad they are. Show me. Don’t tell me through dialogue.
“Are you really forcing him into that chair? Am I really seeing this?”
“I’ve offered you a large sum of money, Mr. Reverie.” With one hand planted on Henry’s chest, not far from his throat, the horrific version of the man with whom I lived squeaked open a cabinet door.
Again, it just doesn’t feel real to me. I don’t know. I can’t really put my finger on it. But I believe it’s because the main character is repeating what we already know. That and this ridiculous guy forcing the love interest into a chair for “evil purposes” just doesn’t bode well either. I’ve read it before. Yawn. Move along.
For those who loved the book: please respect my opinion. My review may be snarky, but it's my honest opinion. Some things I loved: the independent heroine, the focus on the MC instead of the love interest, the author's voice and writing style, the eerie descriptions, the genuine female friendships, and the ARC is beautiful. My jaw dropped when I saw the pictures and style inside the book. But I just couldn't get past the faults. I can't raise the grade any higher. One dimensional characters are just something I can't see past.
You know what? I’m going to leave my review here because there’s only so much time I can spend talking about fake dialogue, men who think with their dicks, and one dimensional characters.
Received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
October 3, 2014
Ooh what a wonderful, incredible, and perfectly cryptic story! It's with no surprise that I absolutely adored this novel; having loved In the Shadow of Blackbirds a year back, I already knew the talents of Cat Winters' storytelling, and I thoroughly expected to be transported into yet another fantastic tale - this time full of magic, mystery, with a dash of horror and romance.
The year is 1900, and Olivia is one of many women who's currently fighting for the rights of women. But with a father who's determined to shut her up, dreaming of a better life is not an easy feat. Olivia is a girl with a lot of opinions and strong views. She's determined to have a future that is not controlled by men, to help bring change into the world. I loved her instantly. Her voice is one that immediately transported me into her world and dreams. Connecting with her was effortless, and rooting for her was a given. Her story begins when she meets Henrie Reverie, a hypnotist who chooses her to come on his stage where he demonstrates his skill. When her dentist father, who has equally large opinions on the roles of women, finds out a hypnotist is in town, he has this grand idea of shutting his daughter up for good. This is when the horror starts. Henri not only makes her unable to voice her dissent, he also makes her "see the world the way it truly is". Well as we all know, the world has a lot of evil, and evil is what she sees. Some people now appear to her as terrifying monsters and blood thirsty vampires. Talk about some creepily awesome stuff - all vividly detailed, of course! I also loved the many references to Bram Stoker's Dracula!
This leads me to talk about the fantastic atmosphere of this story. Just like her previous novel, Cat Winters has written this novel with such a rich, cinematic setting that you can't help but feel yourself walking these historical streets. You can all but smell the air and feel the electricity of the coming change in the world. I feel as if I experienced something of importance that we now find in our history books. The historical details on the women's suffrage movement is as fascinating as it is eye opening. The same could be said about the dentistry practices that are simply horrifying, yet that's how things were really done back then. But I digress. The writing is fabulous, the tone is perfectly eerie, the dialogue is sharp and engaging, and the story is filled with wonderfully realistic and vivid personalities.
One of my favorite aspects of this novel is the relationship that develops between Olivia and Henri. They don't jump into a romance right away. He comes off as a person of mystery at first, and as she gets to know him, she finds a partner and an equal. He's also burdened with some darkness of his own that forces him to agree to the dentist's evil demands - but unbeknownst to him, it makes him and Olivia grow closer. I loved the complexities of this story and its characters. No one is perfect, and sometimes you're forced to do what you gotta do. The ending is bittersweet, but satisfying. I loved the realism, the hope, the light at the end of the tunnel. And I especially loved the magical touch. The Cure for Dreaming only cemented my admiration for Cat Winters. If you're not a fan yet, read one of her books, asap!
--
An advance copy was provided by the publisher for review.
For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads
The year is 1900, and Olivia is one of many women who's currently fighting for the rights of women. But with a father who's determined to shut her up, dreaming of a better life is not an easy feat. Olivia is a girl with a lot of opinions and strong views. She's determined to have a future that is not controlled by men, to help bring change into the world. I loved her instantly. Her voice is one that immediately transported me into her world and dreams. Connecting with her was effortless, and rooting for her was a given. Her story begins when she meets Henrie Reverie, a hypnotist who chooses her to come on his stage where he demonstrates his skill. When her dentist father, who has equally large opinions on the roles of women, finds out a hypnotist is in town, he has this grand idea of shutting his daughter up for good. This is when the horror starts. Henri not only makes her unable to voice her dissent, he also makes her "see the world the way it truly is". Well as we all know, the world has a lot of evil, and evil is what she sees. Some people now appear to her as terrifying monsters and blood thirsty vampires. Talk about some creepily awesome stuff - all vividly detailed, of course! I also loved the many references to Bram Stoker's Dracula!
This leads me to talk about the fantastic atmosphere of this story. Just like her previous novel, Cat Winters has written this novel with such a rich, cinematic setting that you can't help but feel yourself walking these historical streets. You can all but smell the air and feel the electricity of the coming change in the world. I feel as if I experienced something of importance that we now find in our history books. The historical details on the women's suffrage movement is as fascinating as it is eye opening. The same could be said about the dentistry practices that are simply horrifying, yet that's how things were really done back then. But I digress. The writing is fabulous, the tone is perfectly eerie, the dialogue is sharp and engaging, and the story is filled with wonderfully realistic and vivid personalities.
One of my favorite aspects of this novel is the relationship that develops between Olivia and Henri. They don't jump into a romance right away. He comes off as a person of mystery at first, and as she gets to know him, she finds a partner and an equal. He's also burdened with some darkness of his own that forces him to agree to the dentist's evil demands - but unbeknownst to him, it makes him and Olivia grow closer. I loved the complexities of this story and its characters. No one is perfect, and sometimes you're forced to do what you gotta do. The ending is bittersweet, but satisfying. I loved the realism, the hope, the light at the end of the tunnel. And I especially loved the magical touch. The Cure for Dreaming only cemented my admiration for Cat Winters. If you're not a fan yet, read one of her books, asap!
--
An advance copy was provided by the publisher for review.
For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads
December 2, 2015
3.5 out of 5 stars, but I ended up rounding to 4 because I still think everyone should read this despite the major faults I found in it.
They say the past is always better. In some instances, I can agree, but not when it comes to women's suffrage. You know how sexist society in general has always been. The time in which women have been treated as humans and not as merely bearer of children is relatively short.
At the beginning of the 20th century, there were fights to obtain better treatment, and 17-year-old Olivia Mead is one of the women who want their voice heard. Her father, the dentist better known as Mead the Mad, is one of the men who don't like changes in society and is opposed to women's suffrage.
Since he thinks Olivia has a rebellious mind and it will not be "repaired" on its own, he hires the hypnotist Henri Reverie to "cure" Olivia of these dangerous thoughts by making her avoid to fight back and to accept the world as it truly is. However, Henri played with the words and instead of making her accept the world, he made her see the world as it truly is, thus giving her the ability to know who to trust by merely looking at them. In the meanwhile, the fight continues and more conflicts take place.
My overall feel while reading this book was anger. I wan angry at the society Olivia lived in. I hated seeing the way they talked about women. One of the first shocking lines of the book happened almost at the beginning. You see, the first scene of it is a show the hypnotist is giving. He asks for volunteers and Olivia steps in. In the show he sleeps her and stands on her body to show the public how rigid her body became. Later, when the show is over, Percy (one of Livie's friends) tells her his father said to him during the presentation:
That’s the type of girl you want. Silent. Alluring. Submissive.
Oh, but those are not the worst things that happen in the book. The entire atmosphere reeked of sexism. It showed how difficult it was to live in that era. Part of a newspaper article said this:
(...) body built for childbear- ing and mothering is clearly a body meant to stay in the home. If females muddle their minds with politics and other matters confusing to a woman’s head, they will abandon their wifely and motherly duties and inevitably trigger the downfall of American society.
Which demonstrates perfectly what I said before.
Olivia was a great protagonist to the story. It's through her eyes that we see everything, and we get to be in the head of one of the oppressed women. She's also a lover of books, if I might say.
“I love that books allow us to experience other lives without us ever having to change where we live or who we are."
(I don't know about you, but I completely agree with that quote)
Sadly, she was the only character I can consider well-developed. The rest... they were one-dimensional. The Henri I mentioned at the beginning? I liked him, but his personality didn't stand out, and he wasn't fleshed out enough. Olivia's father felt almost formulaic, and so did everyone else. This aspect did not prevent me of enjoying the story, but for me, characterization is one of the most important parts of a novel, so I had to mention it.
The romance was another thing that made me lower my rating. I admit it, I liked Olivia and Henri together (please, it was obvious they were gonna end up together), but their relationship was rushed, bordering on instalove. They met one Wednesday, and less than a week after they were calling themselves partenaires qui s'embrassent ("partners who kiss" in French). Much suspicious, huh?
Aside from that, though, the book was truly fantastic. The writing, as the one in Cat Winters' other novels, is beautiful and descriptive without being tedious. You could be easily transported to the 1900's and ferl that oppression and hatred. You could almost smell the city and ser its colours as if you had lived there. It was great, I tell you.
It goes as an extra to say this is a highly recommended book by me. Now I am dying for the moment when I can have another book by Cat Winters in my hands, because she has gained my admiration and respect - a literary goddess (part of the group that includes Rick Yancey and Marcus Sedgwick amongst them), is what I consider her now, and tell me, what better praise is there than to call authors gods?
______________________________
Pre-review (November 11, 2015):
I very much need Cat Winters to publish another book (I know she has one coming!). What a genius. I do have complaints, though.
Review to come.
August 18, 2020
I loved this book.
The Cure for Dreaming is a thickly atmospheric Victorian Gothic novel for young adults (and me). Our heroine, Olivia Mead, is an intelligent but severely repressed young woman whose dreams for equal rights of women (to vote, study, work) conflict with the misogynist views of her bullying abusive father, Dr. Mead. Dr. Mead, was doing his dental apprenticeship in Portland, Oregon, when he met Olivia’s actress mother. She was in town performing with a touring theater company; they had a roll in the hay, backstage in the theater; she got pregnant and stayed on – but not for long. When Olivia was very young, her independent spirited mother left and went back to the theater. Dr. Meade was tasked with raising his daughter alone and he did so with a cruel bitterness, crushing every independent thought she had, and grooming Olivia to marry and become an obedient wife and mother upon graduation from High School (already a little claustrophobic, eh?).
Olivia does not really fit in with most popular girls her age, she is a burgeoning suffragette (admirer of Susan B. Anthony), an intellectual who reads feminist books (Anthony, Wollstonecraft, Cady, Perkins, Chopin), and her father won’t let her wear pantaloons/Turkish trousers when riding her bicycle around town.
Guess Who? “I think [bicycling] has done more to emancipate women than anything else in the world”
Olivia celebrated her 17th birthday with her two BFFs at the Theater on Halloween Eve 1900, not long after Dracula (her favorite book) was published and shortly before McKinley was elected for his second term in office. Both Dracula and the Franchise are important themes in this novel. The author draws us into the period with her description of the theater and audience experience: velvet cushioned seats, boxes, heavy curtains, dim lighting, tightly bound corsets, gloves, top hats, tall collars, horses and buggies, and women wearing Charles Dana Gibson Hairdos…
Olivia spies Percy, her secret heart-throb, seated in one of the boxes and her friends chide her about her crush on him. The lights go out and the performers are announced – Monsieur Henri Reverie, Master Hypnotist, and his sister Mademoiselle Genevieve Reverie who came all the way from Montreal. M. Henri calls for a lady volunteer from the audience, asking if any of the ladies were born on Halloween. Olivia steps onto the stage to the tune of Genevieve playing Saint-Saëns Dans Macabre on a huge pipe organ. As she falls into a hypnotic state she remembers events of earlier in the day, a demonstration of women wearing yellow ribbons on their blouses, having rotten eggs and insults hurled at them by rowdy men. Both of the incidents were reported in The Oregonian and the sensations that followed gave her brute of a father the new and dangerous idea of how to break her spirit, guarantee her obedience, and put an end to her dreams. This will drive the plot of the story on a twisty road with funny and not so funny bumpy incidents along the way before arriving at a satisfactory conclusion.
TCFD is a beautiful heartwarming novel. The characters, Olivia and Henry, are extremely likable. I could not stop rooting for them throughout the book. There is a lot of fantasy in the book, but all of it was firmly grounded in Olivia’s own unique vision and sensitive perceptions of the people she meets, sees, and interacts with.
The Cure for Dreaming is a thickly atmospheric Victorian Gothic novel for young adults (and me). Our heroine, Olivia Mead, is an intelligent but severely repressed young woman whose dreams for equal rights of women (to vote, study, work) conflict with the misogynist views of her bullying abusive father, Dr. Mead. Dr. Mead, was doing his dental apprenticeship in Portland, Oregon, when he met Olivia’s actress mother. She was in town performing with a touring theater company; they had a roll in the hay, backstage in the theater; she got pregnant and stayed on – but not for long. When Olivia was very young, her independent spirited mother left and went back to the theater. Dr. Meade was tasked with raising his daughter alone and he did so with a cruel bitterness, crushing every independent thought she had, and grooming Olivia to marry and become an obedient wife and mother upon graduation from High School (already a little claustrophobic, eh?).
Olivia does not really fit in with most popular girls her age, she is a burgeoning suffragette (admirer of Susan B. Anthony), an intellectual who reads feminist books (Anthony, Wollstonecraft, Cady, Perkins, Chopin), and her father won’t let her wear pantaloons/Turkish trousers when riding her bicycle around town.
Guess Who? “I think [bicycling] has done more to emancipate women than anything else in the world”
Olivia celebrated her 17th birthday with her two BFFs at the Theater on Halloween Eve 1900, not long after Dracula (her favorite book) was published and shortly before McKinley was elected for his second term in office. Both Dracula and the Franchise are important themes in this novel. The author draws us into the period with her description of the theater and audience experience: velvet cushioned seats, boxes, heavy curtains, dim lighting, tightly bound corsets, gloves, top hats, tall collars, horses and buggies, and women wearing Charles Dana Gibson Hairdos…
Olivia spies Percy, her secret heart-throb, seated in one of the boxes and her friends chide her about her crush on him. The lights go out and the performers are announced – Monsieur Henri Reverie, Master Hypnotist, and his sister Mademoiselle Genevieve Reverie who came all the way from Montreal. M. Henri calls for a lady volunteer from the audience, asking if any of the ladies were born on Halloween. Olivia steps onto the stage to the tune of Genevieve playing Saint-Saëns Dans Macabre on a huge pipe organ. As she falls into a hypnotic state she remembers events of earlier in the day, a demonstration of women wearing yellow ribbons on their blouses, having rotten eggs and insults hurled at them by rowdy men. Both of the incidents were reported in The Oregonian and the sensations that followed gave her brute of a father the new and dangerous idea of how to break her spirit, guarantee her obedience, and put an end to her dreams. This will drive the plot of the story on a twisty road with funny and not so funny bumpy incidents along the way before arriving at a satisfactory conclusion.
TCFD is a beautiful heartwarming novel. The characters, Olivia and Henry, are extremely likable. I could not stop rooting for them throughout the book. There is a lot of fantasy in the book, but all of it was firmly grounded in Olivia’s own unique vision and sensitive perceptions of the people she meets, sees, and interacts with.
July 1, 2016
I fell in love with this book. It is a shameful reminder how badly women were treated as second-class citizens even though the women did all of the hard work and raised the men who thought that they were so superior and smarter than women Who in their opinion were not smart enough and too delicate to make decisions for themselves. I really love this story I loved how people on the other side were silenced and it made them change their mind I also love the semi non-romance, romance, i'm not a huge fan of romance but this little non-Romance Romance, also the one thing that I didn't like was the ending I wish that I had a bit more of a conclusion or like a prologue. I loved the story so much that I wanted to know more about what happened afterwords , I fell in love with these characters and I just wanted more of them it definitely left me wanting more for sure. I hope maybe there's a second book in the future although it seemed to wrap up pretty nicely so maybe not, but I really really really did like this book. The one thing that this book definitely did for me though was to be thankful that as a woman I'm born in a day and age where I can get out on my own make my own decisions read whatever kind of books I want get what kind of education I want and do whatever I want go wherever I want and not be shamed or told no or that I'm not smart enough or good enough so this really made me thankful for that. I have always been proud to be a woman and now I'm not only proud I am very thankful. We are sometimes the softer squishier Fairer sex but definitely not diminished or less than in any way, and I personally enjoy all of that about me.
September 4, 2015
""I love that books allow us to experience other lives without us ever having to change where we live or who we are."
As usual Miss Winters dazzles with her writing, pulling me into the story from the first page :).
Her descriptions are so rich, you literally feel as if you are there, seeing/touching/smelling everything:
"Frannie and I climbed the second flight of stairs, past piles of books perched on the rickety wooden steps--books that always appeared to have wandered in from the shop of their own accord and made themselves at home wherever they found space.The air up there was rich with the perfumes of paper and ink, along with a fine peppering of dust."
"The empty lobby felt like a hollowed-out husk compared to the hot and buzzing scene from Halloween night. My footsteps clapped across the black-and-white tiles, and the echoing, gilded ceiling above seemed a thousand feet high. I stopped and caught my breath, worried I'd get caught trespassing.
Olivia's father... oooh, many many words were said about him. He thinks he's doing the right thing but all he is doing is pushing his daughter further away.
“I’ve said this before,” he said through his teeth, “and I’ll say it again: This is all for your own good. You do not need to be burdened with impossible dreams.”
“Your future is to become a respectable housewife and mother. Women belong in the home, and inside some man’s home you’ll stay.”
That's only a couple of the things he says... what he is willing to do to 'save' his daughter and *shaking with anger* Prepare to be pissed off is all I will say.
As I said in a status update, Olivia's dad made me appreciate mine all the more... there was a couple moments were he softened but it didn't last long. It was hard to feel sorry for him.
The 'gift' that Olivia gets from the hypnotism isn't a huge part of the story but it is important.
It's more about Olivia and her journey to independence and knowing her own mind.
One instance with a certain boy had me wanting to smack him but Olivia handled it well.
Henri Reverie and his sister are good people and talented at what they do. I really enjoyed getting to know them, and Frannie as well :). Frannie is a great friend to Olivia and her family is wonderful as well.
There is some romance but it's light and doesn't overwhelm the story.
I loved this one yet not as much as her other two. It didn't have quite the same punch but I really enjoyed it nonetheless :).
Would recommend, a book that is easy to get lost in *waves* Happy reading!
---
Emily's review here She says it best :)
As usual Miss Winters dazzles with her writing, pulling me into the story from the first page :).
Her descriptions are so rich, you literally feel as if you are there, seeing/touching/smelling everything:
"Frannie and I climbed the second flight of stairs, past piles of books perched on the rickety wooden steps--books that always appeared to have wandered in from the shop of their own accord and made themselves at home wherever they found space.The air up there was rich with the perfumes of paper and ink, along with a fine peppering of dust."
"The empty lobby felt like a hollowed-out husk compared to the hot and buzzing scene from Halloween night. My footsteps clapped across the black-and-white tiles, and the echoing, gilded ceiling above seemed a thousand feet high. I stopped and caught my breath, worried I'd get caught trespassing.
Olivia's father... oooh, many many words were said about him. He thinks he's doing the right thing but all he is doing is pushing his daughter further away.
“I’ve said this before,” he said through his teeth, “and I’ll say it again: This is all for your own good. You do not need to be burdened with impossible dreams.”
“Your future is to become a respectable housewife and mother. Women belong in the home, and inside some man’s home you’ll stay.”
That's only a couple of the things he says... what he is willing to do to 'save' his daughter and *shaking with anger* Prepare to be pissed off is all I will say.
As I said in a status update, Olivia's dad made me appreciate mine all the more... there was a couple moments were he softened but it didn't last long. It was hard to feel sorry for him.
The 'gift' that Olivia gets from the hypnotism isn't a huge part of the story but it is important.
It's more about Olivia and her journey to independence and knowing her own mind.
One instance with a certain boy had me wanting to smack him but Olivia handled it well.
Henri Reverie and his sister are good people and talented at what they do. I really enjoyed getting to know them, and Frannie as well :). Frannie is a great friend to Olivia and her family is wonderful as well.
There is some romance but it's light and doesn't overwhelm the story.
I loved this one yet not as much as her other two. It didn't have quite the same punch but I really enjoyed it nonetheless :).
Would recommend, a book that is easy to get lost in *waves* Happy reading!
---
Emily's review here She says it best :)
July 14, 2017
‘You will see the world the way it truly is. The roles of men and women will be clearer than they have ever been before. You will know whom to avoid.’
The Cure for Dreaming is set during the early 1900’s in Oregon where the fight for women’s suffrage is really starting to gather steam. It won’t be until August 26th, 1920 when the 19th amendment to the Constitution becomes ratified but even at this point, women are determined to speak their mind. Olivia Mead is a modern girl with hopes and dreams of one day being able to wear pantaloons in public, of going to college and getting a job and of one day being able to vote for President. Her mother had these same hopes and left her with her father when she was just four years old to follow her dreams. Not wanting to be accused of being just like her mother, Olivia has kept her thoughts and feelings to herself, for the most part. When her father determines it’s his duty to cure her of her dreaming, he hires a hypnotist, Henri Reverie, to remove any thoughts or feelings that would be considered inappropriate for a lady to possess. Instead of doing what was intended, the hypnotist opens her mind to see the world exactly how it is, showing her the true monsters around us.
“She’s only a bird in a gilded cage...”
What I loved most about Cat Winters debut novel In the Shadow of Blackbirds was the interesting fusion of historical and supernatural elements. She uses this same technique in The Cure for Dreaming, however, it didn’t seem as fitting in this situation. After being hypnotized, Olivia is able to see the true ugliness of people. The mean-spirited and nastiness within causes them to be reflected in her eyes as legit monsters with fangs and claws. Often compared to the descriptions of her favorite book Dracula, suddenly she’s seeing these monsters in real life. The constant references to Dracula made it all seem like a strange coincidence and made it seem as if it was just a product of an overactive imagination. In addition to the monsters, she also begins to witness women throughout town literally fading into existence yet there are other women, those who are in support of the women’s suffrage movement, who shine brightly with their determination to have their voices be heard. I loved the message, but the supernatural elements made the evil villains feel like a caricature and essentially lessened the true strength of it for me.
What this atmospheric story does do extraordinary well is bring the 1900’s to life with a wonderful amount of detail. Cat Winters also incorporated various black and white photographs from the period with fantastic quotes as she did in her previous novel, which I loved. What I also loved, which was a surprise to me, was the romantic element. It was crafted slowly, there was a distinct lack of insta-love and didn’t get overly focused on at all. It was incredibly sweet and touching and I loved that it was all a part of her journey of self-discovery rather than a deterrent. I may not have loved this one as much as her debut, but there’s still something incredibly intriguing about the stories that Winters decides to tell and the way in which she brings them to life.
I received this book free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Cure for Dreaming is set during the early 1900’s in Oregon where the fight for women’s suffrage is really starting to gather steam. It won’t be until August 26th, 1920 when the 19th amendment to the Constitution becomes ratified but even at this point, women are determined to speak their mind. Olivia Mead is a modern girl with hopes and dreams of one day being able to wear pantaloons in public, of going to college and getting a job and of one day being able to vote for President. Her mother had these same hopes and left her with her father when she was just four years old to follow her dreams. Not wanting to be accused of being just like her mother, Olivia has kept her thoughts and feelings to herself, for the most part. When her father determines it’s his duty to cure her of her dreaming, he hires a hypnotist, Henri Reverie, to remove any thoughts or feelings that would be considered inappropriate for a lady to possess. Instead of doing what was intended, the hypnotist opens her mind to see the world exactly how it is, showing her the true monsters around us.
“She’s only a bird in a gilded cage...”
What I loved most about Cat Winters debut novel In the Shadow of Blackbirds was the interesting fusion of historical and supernatural elements. She uses this same technique in The Cure for Dreaming, however, it didn’t seem as fitting in this situation. After being hypnotized, Olivia is able to see the true ugliness of people. The mean-spirited and nastiness within causes them to be reflected in her eyes as legit monsters with fangs and claws. Often compared to the descriptions of her favorite book Dracula, suddenly she’s seeing these monsters in real life. The constant references to Dracula made it all seem like a strange coincidence and made it seem as if it was just a product of an overactive imagination. In addition to the monsters, she also begins to witness women throughout town literally fading into existence yet there are other women, those who are in support of the women’s suffrage movement, who shine brightly with their determination to have their voices be heard. I loved the message, but the supernatural elements made the evil villains feel like a caricature and essentially lessened the true strength of it for me.
What this atmospheric story does do extraordinary well is bring the 1900’s to life with a wonderful amount of detail. Cat Winters also incorporated various black and white photographs from the period with fantastic quotes as she did in her previous novel, which I loved. What I also loved, which was a surprise to me, was the romantic element. It was crafted slowly, there was a distinct lack of insta-love and didn’t get overly focused on at all. It was incredibly sweet and touching and I loved that it was all a part of her journey of self-discovery rather than a deterrent. I may not have loved this one as much as her debut, but there’s still something incredibly intriguing about the stories that Winters decides to tell and the way in which she brings them to life.
I received this book free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
September 29, 2014
The Cure for Dreaming is Cat Winters’ breathlessly anticipated sophomore novel. After last year’s brilliant debut, expectations from this book were sky high, but we needn’t have feared. Winters was more than up to the task. Although not as emotionally intense and tragic as In the Shadow of Blackbirds, The Cure for Dreaming has a different kind of strength; the kind that inspires us to fight for our place in the world, to give everything and do everything to achieve what we think is right.
One would think that today, 114 years after this story takes place, its educational value would be limited to history alone, but one would be truly, utterly wrong. It is clear (and wonderfully articulated by young Emma Watson in her recent UN speech for gender equality) that women are still far from being equals in our male oriented societies. The right to vote and the suffragist movement were just a first step in achieving something that has yet to be fully accomplished, and that makes Cat Winters’ new novel much more than just a brilliant piece of fiction. The relevance of this book is, in fact, immeasurable.
Olivia Mead is an open-minded, highly intelligent girl in a time when girls are expected to be pretty and silent, just decoration in a male-dominated world. After finding out that she participated in a suffragist rally, her father hires a young hypnotist to cure Olivia of her unfeminine thoughts. Obviously, a deep-seated belief can’t just disappear, but if thinking and talking about it can be made unpleasant enough, it was his hope that Olivia (and other women after her) could be trained through simple classical conditioning to remain silent and demure, like a proper woman should.
There were times when this book made me so angry it made my stomach churn, and then there were times when I was ready to burst with pride, because as hard as Olivia’s father, her would-be suitor and other men around her tried to tame her, she simply refused to stay silent. With a little help from the young hypnotist himself, she handled everything that was thrown at her, and even managed to teach them all a lesson.
Once again, Winters added authentic photographs to strengthen the effect of her story. It was a brilliant move on her part and I hope she’ll keep doing it in her future works as well. After this, there is no more doubt: Cat Winters is an unstoppable literary force. She does her research, she combines fact with simply marvelous fiction, she touches our hearts and somehow teaches us all a valuable lesson in the process. What more could we possibly want?
I say Printz. What say you?
One would think that today, 114 years after this story takes place, its educational value would be limited to history alone, but one would be truly, utterly wrong. It is clear (and wonderfully articulated by young Emma Watson in her recent UN speech for gender equality) that women are still far from being equals in our male oriented societies. The right to vote and the suffragist movement were just a first step in achieving something that has yet to be fully accomplished, and that makes Cat Winters’ new novel much more than just a brilliant piece of fiction. The relevance of this book is, in fact, immeasurable.
Olivia Mead is an open-minded, highly intelligent girl in a time when girls are expected to be pretty and silent, just decoration in a male-dominated world. After finding out that she participated in a suffragist rally, her father hires a young hypnotist to cure Olivia of her unfeminine thoughts. Obviously, a deep-seated belief can’t just disappear, but if thinking and talking about it can be made unpleasant enough, it was his hope that Olivia (and other women after her) could be trained through simple classical conditioning to remain silent and demure, like a proper woman should.
There were times when this book made me so angry it made my stomach churn, and then there were times when I was ready to burst with pride, because as hard as Olivia’s father, her would-be suitor and other men around her tried to tame her, she simply refused to stay silent. With a little help from the young hypnotist himself, she handled everything that was thrown at her, and even managed to teach them all a lesson.
Once again, Winters added authentic photographs to strengthen the effect of her story. It was a brilliant move on her part and I hope she’ll keep doing it in her future works as well. After this, there is no more doubt: Cat Winters is an unstoppable literary force. She does her research, she combines fact with simply marvelous fiction, she touches our hearts and somehow teaches us all a valuable lesson in the process. What more could we possibly want?
I say Printz. What say you?
June 25, 2018
More like 3.5 I think, but I cannot bring myself to give this 4 stars.
I will start with the good stuff. The theme and setting is utterly original. The start of s. XX on Oregon, when suffragettes where trying to get the right of voting? Woah. Tell me more.
And the premise is very, very original too: Olivia is a rich young lady who is a little too opinionated about things that she shouldn't concern about, like studying in University, politics and equal rights. After her father discovers she not only sympathizes with the suffragette movement, but also participates in strikes that could damage her marriage prospects greatly, he decides to hire Henri Reverie, an hypnotist, to take those dangerous ideas out of her head. Buuut the wording that Henri uses is: "You will see the world as it truly is", which makes Olivia start seeing visions that will show her strange visions: Women in chains, her father as a monster, poor people in the brink of dying, etc.
One of the things I really loved about the book is, it shows clearly that the suffragette movement was NOT only about getting the right to vote. It was about men recognizing that women had other values than being silent and meek and staying home being good housewifes having children and taking care of them. It was about women being recognized as human beings with dreams and aspirations, with abilities and intelligence. All though the novel Olivia must fight against society as a whole to show that she is a capable woman who needs no man to help her stand on her own two feet.
But. Oh, yep, there had to be a but. Nothing happens in the book. This is a book about Olivia and her journey to discover how the world is and for her (and other women along the way) to shake the chains she was born with. And yeah sure Henri offers an interesting subplot as well, but the book is mainly about Olivia's journey, everything else is secondary. So by the half of the book I was getting quite bored to be honest, only for the ending to get a little better but not a lot. There were too little things actually happening and moving the plot along for me to give this more stars, no matter how much I liked the theme and Olivia's character. Nevertheless, I recommend the read.
I will start with the good stuff. The theme and setting is utterly original. The start of s. XX on Oregon, when suffragettes where trying to get the right of voting? Woah. Tell me more.
And the premise is very, very original too: Olivia is a rich young lady who is a little too opinionated about things that she shouldn't concern about, like studying in University, politics and equal rights. After her father discovers she not only sympathizes with the suffragette movement, but also participates in strikes that could damage her marriage prospects greatly, he decides to hire Henri Reverie, an hypnotist, to take those dangerous ideas out of her head. Buuut the wording that Henri uses is: "You will see the world as it truly is", which makes Olivia start seeing visions that will show her strange visions: Women in chains, her father as a monster, poor people in the brink of dying, etc.
One of the things I really loved about the book is, it shows clearly that the suffragette movement was NOT only about getting the right to vote. It was about men recognizing that women had other values than being silent and meek and staying home being good housewifes having children and taking care of them. It was about women being recognized as human beings with dreams and aspirations, with abilities and intelligence. All though the novel Olivia must fight against society as a whole to show that she is a capable woman who needs no man to help her stand on her own two feet.
But. Oh, yep, there had to be a but. Nothing happens in the book. This is a book about Olivia and her journey to discover how the world is and for her (and other women along the way) to shake the chains she was born with. And yeah sure Henri offers an interesting subplot as well, but the book is mainly about Olivia's journey, everything else is secondary. So by the half of the book I was getting quite bored to be honest, only for the ending to get a little better but not a lot. There were too little things actually happening and moving the plot along for me to give this more stars, no matter how much I liked the theme and Olivia's character. Nevertheless, I recommend the read.
September 4, 2015
This was good, better than any of her other books I have read. But it still felt lacking with the characters. I don't know, they aren't jumping off the page at me, screaming to get my attention. On to the next.
October 16, 2014
Like any good performer, The Cure for Dreaming presents itself well. The cover of the book is eye catching and a little bit creepy. The fonts are equally interesting and the sometimes odd historical photographs in the book add to the general atmosphere of a story that takes place in 1900 Oregon and combines suffragists with hypnotism. I also loved the opening scene, where heroine Olivia Mead gets called up on stage by mesmerist Henri Reverie to be hypnotized at a performance on Halloween. It's a strong start, but, unfortunately, as the stage lights dimmed, and I got a better look at story in the book, I found that what was underneath had lost its luster.
I had a few issues with this book, and the first is definitely more of a 'it's me, not you" situation. I have talked about this before, but I love fantasy and I love realistic fiction - including historical realistic fiction; however, sometimes I struggle when the two are combined without proper context. The Cure for Dreaming is mostly historical fiction about a girl who has become impassioned by the the women's rights, voting moment, while her traditional father wants to erase that dangerous part of her. But the story adds this hypnotism component that started off interesting and became a bit to fantastical for my tastes. I don't know a lot about mesmerism, but some of the things Olivia is made to do - and is able to see - while under hypnosis, was just too much for me to buy. While reading, I spent too much time wondering if plot elements were possible. For me, this book needed to go deeper into the historical fantasy direction, or stay in the bounds of more realistic historical fiction.
I didn't read this author's other book, and so maybe my expectations for this story were way off (i.e. my expectations were't based on any real fact, just my own suppositions), but I expected it to be creepier, and it never really got there for me. Olivia's father's behavior becomes pretty scary/crazy, but I also thought he didn't go far enough with it for the story to feel intense enough for me. I kept waiting for something bigger to happen, like a more serious villain than the general anti-suffragist population and handsy rich boys. The plot just felt a little scattered in the middle, and in the end, it wasn't really any big surprise how it all turned out. For me, this book didn't really offer me anything better than other suffragist type books I've read, and because the hypnotism angle didn't full work for me, the story as a whole fell flat.
Some spoilery thoughts regarding Olivia's mom:
I also didn't love the romance. It starts off with sort of a love triangle. Or actually, it has more of a love progression, or Decoy Boy. It's clear immediately that one of theses guys is a Bad Choice. Thankfully, it doesn't take Olivia too long to figure that out, and let the wrong one go. And that aspect of the story wasn't that threatening and didn't bother me. Unfortunately, I never really connected to Olivia's romance with Henri. The whole story takes place over a very short time, and I had trouble with the fact that Henri kept hypnotizing Olivia against her will. Though, there are bigger circumstances at play, and that does sound worse than it was. I just needed more to feel anything from them, and I wasn't emotionally roused by Henri's tragic life situations either. The romance isn't a huge element, and the end is more open, but what was here, didn't grab me.
However, I did get some good things from this book. The story made me re-prioritize reading Dracula. That's a classic that has been on my list forever, but I've never gotten to it. I'd like to do that soon during this fall season. Dracula is a theme in this story, and it made me want to read it ASAP. Secondly, I definitely want to do some more reading on the hypnotism movement. I hoped that the author would include a note about it, because I was especially curious about the bounds of what is possible under hypnotism. But I'm excited to do my own research, instead.
Love Triangle Factor: Mild
Cliffhanger Scale: Standalone
I had a few issues with this book, and the first is definitely more of a 'it's me, not you" situation. I have talked about this before, but I love fantasy and I love realistic fiction - including historical realistic fiction; however, sometimes I struggle when the two are combined without proper context. The Cure for Dreaming is mostly historical fiction about a girl who has become impassioned by the the women's rights, voting moment, while her traditional father wants to erase that dangerous part of her. But the story adds this hypnotism component that started off interesting and became a bit to fantastical for my tastes. I don't know a lot about mesmerism, but some of the things Olivia is made to do - and is able to see - while under hypnosis, was just too much for me to buy. While reading, I spent too much time wondering if plot elements were possible. For me, this book needed to go deeper into the historical fantasy direction, or stay in the bounds of more realistic historical fiction.
I didn't read this author's other book, and so maybe my expectations for this story were way off (i.e. my expectations were't based on any real fact, just my own suppositions), but I expected it to be creepier, and it never really got there for me. Olivia's father's behavior becomes pretty scary/crazy, but I also thought he didn't go far enough with it for the story to feel intense enough for me. I kept waiting for something bigger to happen, like a more serious villain than the general anti-suffragist population and handsy rich boys. The plot just felt a little scattered in the middle, and in the end, it wasn't really any big surprise how it all turned out. For me, this book didn't really offer me anything better than other suffragist type books I've read, and because the hypnotism angle didn't full work for me, the story as a whole fell flat.
Some spoilery thoughts regarding Olivia's mom:
I also didn't love the romance. It starts off with sort of a love triangle. Or actually, it has more of a love progression, or Decoy Boy. It's clear immediately that one of theses guys is a Bad Choice. Thankfully, it doesn't take Olivia too long to figure that out, and let the wrong one go. And that aspect of the story wasn't that threatening and didn't bother me. Unfortunately, I never really connected to Olivia's romance with Henri. The whole story takes place over a very short time, and I had trouble with the fact that Henri kept hypnotizing Olivia against her will. Though, there are bigger circumstances at play, and that does sound worse than it was. I just needed more to feel anything from them, and I wasn't emotionally roused by Henri's tragic life situations either. The romance isn't a huge element, and the end is more open, but what was here, didn't grab me.
However, I did get some good things from this book. The story made me re-prioritize reading Dracula. That's a classic that has been on my list forever, but I've never gotten to it. I'd like to do that soon during this fall season. Dracula is a theme in this story, and it made me want to read it ASAP. Secondly, I definitely want to do some more reading on the hypnotism movement. I hoped that the author would include a note about it, because I was especially curious about the bounds of what is possible under hypnotism. But I'm excited to do my own research, instead.
Love Triangle Factor: Mild
Cliffhanger Scale: Standalone
September 17, 2018
2.5/5 stars
I'm chalking my low rating up to the fact that I was expecting something totally different. And that's mainly my own fault. I picked this book up thinking it'd be more paranormal-heavy & historical fiction-lite, but it was historical fiction-heavy and paranormal-extra lite, and I really was in the mood for an eerie, creepy read. And this, unfortunately, was not it.
All that aside, the story in and of itself just wasn't that complex. The writing and plot were simple, and I never found myself invested in or caring for our main character, Olivia. I loved that she wanted to fight for women's voting rights, especially in light of how anti-suffrage her father was. But all Olivia went through for Henri/Henry and his sick sister, Genevieve, never made any sense to me, and I attribute that to a serious lack of exposition.
Some of the things her father made Olivia and Henri/Henry do were a teeny bit ridiculous. Like, I don't know if that was the author's intent, you know, showing how "ridiculous" it is to think men can make women do/say/live however they see fit, which I believe was the whole message of the book...but man, even if that was her intention, it did not translate well. For how dramatic Olivia reacted to certain situations, it felt like a dramedy soap opera in book form. I mean, if you like that sort of thing, then boy oh boy is this the book for you. Sadly, I am not into it.
Overall, I didn't think the story or the characters were engaging whatsoever, and I have no doubt that in a few days, I will have forgotten most of the book. Which I'm aware sounds so harsh! But the message of the book is good!! Yay for women's rights! But this book also spoiled me for Dracula which is decidedly NOT COOL.
I'm chalking my low rating up to the fact that I was expecting something totally different. And that's mainly my own fault. I picked this book up thinking it'd be more paranormal-heavy & historical fiction-lite, but it was historical fiction-heavy and paranormal-extra lite, and I really was in the mood for an eerie, creepy read. And this, unfortunately, was not it.
All that aside, the story in and of itself just wasn't that complex. The writing and plot were simple, and I never found myself invested in or caring for our main character, Olivia. I loved that she wanted to fight for women's voting rights, especially in light of how anti-suffrage her father was. But all Olivia went through for Henri/Henry and his sick sister, Genevieve, never made any sense to me, and I attribute that to a serious lack of exposition.
Some of the things her father made Olivia and Henri/Henry do were a teeny bit ridiculous. Like, I don't know if that was the author's intent, you know, showing how "ridiculous" it is to think men can make women do/say/live however they see fit, which I believe was the whole message of the book...but man, even if that was her intention, it did not translate well. For how dramatic Olivia reacted to certain situations, it felt like a dramedy soap opera in book form. I mean, if you like that sort of thing, then boy oh boy is this the book for you. Sadly, I am not into it.
Overall, I didn't think the story or the characters were engaging whatsoever, and I have no doubt that in a few days, I will have forgotten most of the book. Which I'm aware sounds so harsh! But the message of the book is good!! Yay for women's rights! But this book also spoiled me for Dracula which is decidedly NOT COOL.
February 12, 2016
I received this free from the publisher via NetGalley
Release date - The publishers website says October 14th, Book Depository says November 1st, and Amazon says October 1st, so I haven't got a clue.
'There is some of the unexplainable in me, ma cherie, but there is also a great deal of enchantment in you. Keep telling the world what you see. Help other to see it, too.'
One day, Olivia Mead stands outside the courthouse with a group of suffragist women shouting along with them for the right to vote. Her father fears she is no longer docile and she needs to be restrained before she becomes rebellious and gets herself in trouble. So, he hires a hypnotist to cure her ‘dreams’. The hypnotist is called Henri Reverie, and instead of making her accept the world as it is, he makes her see it how it truly is, while making her unable to speak her anger. Olivia becomes more determined to fight for the rights of women who, like herself, have had their voices taken away.
What a brilliantly vivid and fantastic novel. I got Cat Winter’s debut novel, In the Shadow of Blackbirds, for Christmas last year and I really did love it, especially the atmosphere Winters manages to make with the old photography, yet I found The Cure For Dreaming far better. A read that I thoroughly enjoyed and I would not hesitate to recommend either books from Cat Winters.
How can I not love The Cure For Dreaming? It had everything I ever want from a book. A strong willed independent female character that doesn’t want to rely on men, a romance that is based on equality, and a riveting story that keeps you engaged from the very first page, and a vivid historical setting.
Olivia Mead wants her life to be hers. She wants to make her own choices and go to college and get an education and a career. I highly admired her for that. She feared sometimes speaking out, but I loved her character development throughout the book, and I loved that vulnerability that she had. Henri/Henry was also a great character. He wanted equality between the sexes and even though he hated what he did to Olivia, he still did because he needed to and had no other choice and he didn’t see her as some fragile woman who can’t handle it. He tried his best to take is all away and make it up to her and I really did like their relationship development. I also liked that she was her own person, even when with him and she always wanted to follow her own dreams and find her own way out even when he offered her one. A definite positive.
The photographs in the book were great. It really does create the historical setting perfectly and it really adds to the feel of the book. If you buy this book, I really do suggest buying the paperback or hardback version because I believe that it will make your experience of this book so much better.
There were also some great secondary characters in the book, and some character that you were made to hate - rightfully so. Each character felt like they had so much depth to them. Cat Winters really is a fantastic writer, and I will be sure to pick up all future books of hers, because I feel they will all be up to the same high standard.
The Cure For Dreaming is a book that I would definitely recommend to anyone.
Release date - The publishers website says October 14th, Book Depository says November 1st, and Amazon says October 1st, so I haven't got a clue.
'There is some of the unexplainable in me, ma cherie, but there is also a great deal of enchantment in you. Keep telling the world what you see. Help other to see it, too.'
One day, Olivia Mead stands outside the courthouse with a group of suffragist women shouting along with them for the right to vote. Her father fears she is no longer docile and she needs to be restrained before she becomes rebellious and gets herself in trouble. So, he hires a hypnotist to cure her ‘dreams’. The hypnotist is called Henri Reverie, and instead of making her accept the world as it is, he makes her see it how it truly is, while making her unable to speak her anger. Olivia becomes more determined to fight for the rights of women who, like herself, have had their voices taken away.
What a brilliantly vivid and fantastic novel. I got Cat Winter’s debut novel, In the Shadow of Blackbirds, for Christmas last year and I really did love it, especially the atmosphere Winters manages to make with the old photography, yet I found The Cure For Dreaming far better. A read that I thoroughly enjoyed and I would not hesitate to recommend either books from Cat Winters.
How can I not love The Cure For Dreaming? It had everything I ever want from a book. A strong willed independent female character that doesn’t want to rely on men, a romance that is based on equality, and a riveting story that keeps you engaged from the very first page, and a vivid historical setting.
Olivia Mead wants her life to be hers. She wants to make her own choices and go to college and get an education and a career. I highly admired her for that. She feared sometimes speaking out, but I loved her character development throughout the book, and I loved that vulnerability that she had. Henri/Henry was also a great character. He wanted equality between the sexes and even though he hated what he did to Olivia, he still did because he needed to and had no other choice and he didn’t see her as some fragile woman who can’t handle it. He tried his best to take is all away and make it up to her and I really did like their relationship development. I also liked that she was her own person, even when with him and she always wanted to follow her own dreams and find her own way out even when he offered her one. A definite positive.
The photographs in the book were great. It really does create the historical setting perfectly and it really adds to the feel of the book. If you buy this book, I really do suggest buying the paperback or hardback version because I believe that it will make your experience of this book so much better.
There were also some great secondary characters in the book, and some character that you were made to hate - rightfully so. Each character felt like they had so much depth to them. Cat Winters really is a fantastic writer, and I will be sure to pick up all future books of hers, because I feel they will all be up to the same high standard.
The Cure For Dreaming is a book that I would definitely recommend to anyone.
July 6, 2015
2.5
Right off one of the issues I had with this book was the modern writing and dialogue which comes off as both too modern and also wooden. I had this same issue with Winters' In the Shadow of Blackbirds, but it bothered me a bit more in this story because this story seems set earlier and so it was even a bit more jarring.
I will say, though, that the modern style bothered me less as the story progressed, but the dialogue was often whincingly bad throughout.
My other issue is that while I fully support the themes of the story - women's rights and agency, mostly - I found the book a bit anvilicious and on-the-nose. I suppose you could argue that it was purposely on-the-nose since Olivia's hypnosis makes her "see the world as it really is", but the symbolism was just way too heavy-handed. (It's likely to make supporters a bit ra-ra, but would never serve to make converts. Of course, I'm not saying that's the point of the book, but it became a bit much, even just as narrative.)
Lastly, the characters were pretty thin, especially the villains - who also often had the most cringe-worthy dialogue. One almost expected them to start twirling their moustahces.
And I was conflicted about Henry. I wanted to sympathize with him, but kept running into the wall of what he was doing to acheive his goals - admirable as they may be.
That said - much like 'Blackbirds', despite it's flaws, I did get wrapped up into the story as it was going. Winters is one of those authors, for me, who has myriad flaws, and yet whose stories kind of win me over anyway - thus the 2.5. It's a bit better than ok, but I was a bit disappointed, in the end, that it wasn't better.
I did like, however, that
Right off one of the issues I had with this book was the modern writing and dialogue which comes off as both too modern and also wooden. I had this same issue with Winters' In the Shadow of Blackbirds, but it bothered me a bit more in this story because this story seems set earlier and so it was even a bit more jarring.
I will say, though, that the modern style bothered me less as the story progressed, but the dialogue was often whincingly bad throughout.
My other issue is that while I fully support the themes of the story - women's rights and agency, mostly - I found the book a bit anvilicious and on-the-nose. I suppose you could argue that it was purposely on-the-nose since Olivia's hypnosis makes her "see the world as it really is", but the symbolism was just way too heavy-handed. (It's likely to make supporters a bit ra-ra, but would never serve to make converts. Of course, I'm not saying that's the point of the book, but it became a bit much, even just as narrative.)
Lastly, the characters were pretty thin, especially the villains - who also often had the most cringe-worthy dialogue. One almost expected them to start twirling their moustahces.
And I was conflicted about Henry. I wanted to sympathize with him, but kept running into the wall of what he was doing to acheive his goals - admirable as they may be.
That said - much like 'Blackbirds', despite it's flaws, I did get wrapped up into the story as it was going. Winters is one of those authors, for me, who has myriad flaws, and yet whose stories kind of win me over anyway - thus the 2.5. It's a bit better than ok, but I was a bit disappointed, in the end, that it wasn't better.
I did like, however, that
August 29, 2019
Confesso que não sabia muito bem o que esperar deste livro. Comprei-o há alguns anos e na altura fui conquistada pela capa. Mas ainda bem que o fiz, gostei imenso!
Apesar de ser uma leitura de época, situada no ano 1900, consegui ambientar-me à escrita da autora (recordem-se que este é só 2.º livro que leio em inglês em muito anos). Dito isto, a história acompanha uma jovem adulta que sente inclinações sufragistas, numa altura em que USA estava ao rubro, com as mulheres a lutarem pelo direito de voto, autonomia e emancipação.
Cat Winters abordou todas as temáticas com esmero e adicionou algumas imagens no início de cada capitulo, reais da época, que dão consistência e credibilidade ao seu enredo, que por sua vez tem uma vertente sobrenatural – algo que esta leitora adora!
Desta feita, conhecemos Olivia no dia do seu aniversário, 31 de Outubro, numa apresentação de hipnose – magia e hipnotismo faziam as delicias das elites naquela altura. No decorrer do espetáculo, ela acaba por ter uma experiência de alguma forma transcendente e que acabará por mudar o seu rumo na sociedade e junto do seu pai conservador.
Como sempre não quero fazer spoiler, mas a sua visão do mundo que a rodeia vai mudar de forma abrupta e, enquanto viramos as páginas, vemos esta jovem transformar-se em mulher e viver diversas aventuras que vão além do que poderia ter imaginado.
Sou muito curiosa sobre o sufragismo e gostei muito de ver a temática tratada numa ficção que visa o entretenimento, cujo complemento visual faz a diferença. Igualmente, gostei da protagonista e dos seus pares, do tom sóbrio da narrativa sem que esta deixasse de ser ligeira e do seu lado um pouco mais “dark”, no que diz respeito ao fantástico mas também no trato social da época.
Este é, assim, um livro diferente para quem gosta de ficção de época e fantasia, que para mim se torna difícil de comparar. Creio que nunca tinha lido nada parecido o que é, desde já, muito positivo.
Apesar de ser uma leitura de época, situada no ano 1900, consegui ambientar-me à escrita da autora (recordem-se que este é só 2.º livro que leio em inglês em muito anos). Dito isto, a história acompanha uma jovem adulta que sente inclinações sufragistas, numa altura em que USA estava ao rubro, com as mulheres a lutarem pelo direito de voto, autonomia e emancipação.
Cat Winters abordou todas as temáticas com esmero e adicionou algumas imagens no início de cada capitulo, reais da época, que dão consistência e credibilidade ao seu enredo, que por sua vez tem uma vertente sobrenatural – algo que esta leitora adora!
Desta feita, conhecemos Olivia no dia do seu aniversário, 31 de Outubro, numa apresentação de hipnose – magia e hipnotismo faziam as delicias das elites naquela altura. No decorrer do espetáculo, ela acaba por ter uma experiência de alguma forma transcendente e que acabará por mudar o seu rumo na sociedade e junto do seu pai conservador.
Como sempre não quero fazer spoiler, mas a sua visão do mundo que a rodeia vai mudar de forma abrupta e, enquanto viramos as páginas, vemos esta jovem transformar-se em mulher e viver diversas aventuras que vão além do que poderia ter imaginado.
Sou muito curiosa sobre o sufragismo e gostei muito de ver a temática tratada numa ficção que visa o entretenimento, cujo complemento visual faz a diferença. Igualmente, gostei da protagonista e dos seus pares, do tom sóbrio da narrativa sem que esta deixasse de ser ligeira e do seu lado um pouco mais “dark”, no que diz respeito ao fantástico mas também no trato social da época.
Este é, assim, um livro diferente para quem gosta de ficção de época e fantasia, que para mim se torna difícil de comparar. Creio que nunca tinha lido nada parecido o que é, desde já, muito positivo.
October 19, 2020
*Updated with trigger warnings added*
The Cure for Dreaming by Cat Winters
Genre: YA feminist historical fantasy
My rating: 4.75/5
Short Summary: Olivia Mead is a suffragist, but her alcoholic dentist father doesn't approve, to say the least. When the new hyptoninst arrives in town, Olivia's father hires him to 'cure' Olivia of her 'unladylike' ambitions.
>>TRIGGER WARNINGS: Emotional abuse, alcoholism, sexism<<
My thoughts:
Plot: 5/5
This is a fairly quiet story, but it sure packs a punch. There is no action, but it's fast-paced. There is no violence, but it's ever-so-slightly disturbing -- and rightly so. The feminism is spot-on. The ending is perfect, probably one of my favorite endings ever.
Characters: 5/5
I love every single character in the book except Olivia's father, but even he I can sympathize with.
Writing: 5/5
The writing style is so beautiful.
Setting: 3/5
The magic system needed a little more detail to be more believable, and the setting itself isn't very detailed either, but these are fairly minor quibbles.
Do I recommend it? Yes! To everyone! Whoever is reading this, you must read it!
The Cure for Dreaming by Cat Winters
Genre: YA feminist historical fantasy
My rating: 4.75/5
Short Summary: Olivia Mead is a suffragist, but her alcoholic dentist father doesn't approve, to say the least. When the new hyptoninst arrives in town, Olivia's father hires him to 'cure' Olivia of her 'unladylike' ambitions.
>>TRIGGER WARNINGS: Emotional abuse, alcoholism, sexism<<
My thoughts:
Plot: 5/5
This is a fairly quiet story, but it sure packs a punch. There is no action, but it's fast-paced. There is no violence, but it's ever-so-slightly disturbing -- and rightly so. The feminism is spot-on. The ending is perfect, probably one of my favorite endings ever.
Characters: 5/5
I love every single character in the book except Olivia's father, but even he I can sympathize with.
Writing: 5/5
The writing style is so beautiful.
Setting: 3/5
The magic system needed a little more detail to be more believable, and the setting itself isn't very detailed either, but these are fairly minor quibbles.
Do I recommend it? Yes! To everyone! Whoever is reading this, you must read it!
December 24, 2014
4.5 stars.
http://thedailyprophecy.blogspot.nl/2...
I had high expectations for The cure for dreaming, because I fell in love with In the shadow of blackbirds. I love how her work is combined with pictures to make the atmosphere complete. The art and photographs match with the story. There is something haunting about the things she writes and Cat has found the perfect way to create an interesting setting.
Olivia is everything you could ask for in a character. She is stubborn, headstrong en she won’t be silenced or dominated by males. She is part of the suffragist movement and she will do everything to ensure she – and every other woman – can vote in the future. This is unacceptable for her father, who wants her to be docile, obedient and most of all silent like a ‘good woman’. There is no place for women in society; they should take care of the household and children.
Olivia crosses the line when her father finds out she was part of a demonstration. He is afraid she is going to destroy his name and his career as a dentist. That is how Henri Reverie comes into her life. He is a hypnotist and Olivia’s father wants him to alter her personality. She must sees the world, women and men for what they are. She can’t speak her dangerous thoughts and instead, she will say ‘all is well’ Her father has no idea that with his decision, Olivia becomes even more hell bent on finding her voice and getting her rights.
It was frustrating to see how belittling everyone is when it comes to women – and it’s sad to realize that it’s still that way sometimes. Women aren’t equal to men and it’s great that Olivia fights against this idea. I love it when characters are strong and confident like her. Even with her mind hypnotized, Olivia isn’t going to back down. It was interesting to see how her father’s decision backfires.
Besides Olivia, I also really liked Henri. The more you find out about him and his motives, the more you sympathize with him. He was a bit mysterious in the beginning, but it was easy to warm up for him. It was clear he saw Olivia as his equal and their unusual friendship that slowly grows into more was heart-warming. It made the ending a little bittersweet, but also fitting for the story. I must admit that it took 0,5 of the rating, but that is very personal and I know a lot of people will like how it ends.
http://thedailyprophecy.blogspot.nl/2...
I had high expectations for The cure for dreaming, because I fell in love with In the shadow of blackbirds. I love how her work is combined with pictures to make the atmosphere complete. The art and photographs match with the story. There is something haunting about the things she writes and Cat has found the perfect way to create an interesting setting.
Olivia is everything you could ask for in a character. She is stubborn, headstrong en she won’t be silenced or dominated by males. She is part of the suffragist movement and she will do everything to ensure she – and every other woman – can vote in the future. This is unacceptable for her father, who wants her to be docile, obedient and most of all silent like a ‘good woman’. There is no place for women in society; they should take care of the household and children.
Olivia crosses the line when her father finds out she was part of a demonstration. He is afraid she is going to destroy his name and his career as a dentist. That is how Henri Reverie comes into her life. He is a hypnotist and Olivia’s father wants him to alter her personality. She must sees the world, women and men for what they are. She can’t speak her dangerous thoughts and instead, she will say ‘all is well’ Her father has no idea that with his decision, Olivia becomes even more hell bent on finding her voice and getting her rights.
It was frustrating to see how belittling everyone is when it comes to women – and it’s sad to realize that it’s still that way sometimes. Women aren’t equal to men and it’s great that Olivia fights against this idea. I love it when characters are strong and confident like her. Even with her mind hypnotized, Olivia isn’t going to back down. It was interesting to see how her father’s decision backfires.
Besides Olivia, I also really liked Henri. The more you find out about him and his motives, the more you sympathize with him. He was a bit mysterious in the beginning, but it was easy to warm up for him. It was clear he saw Olivia as his equal and their unusual friendship that slowly grows into more was heart-warming. It made the ending a little bittersweet, but also fitting for the story. I must admit that it took 0,5 of the rating, but that is very personal and I know a lot of people will like how it ends.
February 16, 2015
Olivia Mead is a suffragist during a time that prefers its girls to be quiet and obedient. Olivia’s father, upset by her lack of femininity, hires a stage mesmerist to hypnotize the rebellion out of her and make her the perfect future wife for a young man. However, Henri, the hypnotist with interesting motives of his own, gives her the ability to see people’s true natures, even though she is unable to speak her mind and verbally express her anger. These challenges only make her all the more determined to speak her mind and fight for women's basic rights as American citizens.
The Cure for Dreaming is only the second book I've read by Cat Winters, but I would say that she is well on her way to becoming one of my favorite authors. I love how she is able to so expertly combine a stirring historical fiction novel with paranormal elements that really enrich and complement the well-researched historical (great selection of real-life photos included) aspect of the novel. I've always been fascinated with this time period and Olivia's story is a fantastic glimpse into the era. As a character, Olivia is a great heroine to take us on this journey. As a modern woman of the 21st century, following Olivia's story makes it quite accessible and her voice is refreshing in the light of those she faces in the novel. Even though the story is set in 1900, the subject matter still feels timely and urgent.
I highly recommend The Cure for Dreaming by Cat Winters. If you liked her previous release, In the Shadow of Blackbirds, you should not miss her newest book. I, for one, am interested in reading anything and everything she will write in the future. Since I've always been interested in the topics this story revolves around, I also plan on checking out the recommended reading at the end of the book.
The Cure for Dreaming is only the second book I've read by Cat Winters, but I would say that she is well on her way to becoming one of my favorite authors. I love how she is able to so expertly combine a stirring historical fiction novel with paranormal elements that really enrich and complement the well-researched historical (great selection of real-life photos included) aspect of the novel. I've always been fascinated with this time period and Olivia's story is a fantastic glimpse into the era. As a character, Olivia is a great heroine to take us on this journey. As a modern woman of the 21st century, following Olivia's story makes it quite accessible and her voice is refreshing in the light of those she faces in the novel. Even though the story is set in 1900, the subject matter still feels timely and urgent.
I highly recommend The Cure for Dreaming by Cat Winters. If you liked her previous release, In the Shadow of Blackbirds, you should not miss her newest book. I, for one, am interested in reading anything and everything she will write in the future. Since I've always been interested in the topics this story revolves around, I also plan on checking out the recommended reading at the end of the book.
December 30, 2018
Cat Winters has quickly become my favorite young adult historical fiction author. Her books are consistently good and always deal with thought provoking topics. The Cure for Dreaming takes on women’s rights in the early 1900s head on, and I think this is my favorite of her books after The Steep & Thorny Way.
Olivia Mead is a young lady living in Oregon in 1900. She is living with her father, who is against women having rights, and in an attempt to take Olivia’s “rebellious” streak out of her, her father takes her to Henri Reverie, a local hypnotist. After being hypnotized, Olivia is cursed to see people’s true natures and also cannot speak her mind. This only makes Olivia more determined to fight for women’s rights, while also becoming determined to make Henri reverse his hypnotism.
This is a typical Cat Winters novel in that we follow a strong female protagonist and it has a paranormal twist, as Henri is a hypnotist. I haven’t read a lot of books that deal with hypnotism, so I found that to be a very interesting aspect.
Olivia is a complex and strong narrator. I quite liked her, and I loved seeing her grow over the course of the novel. I was so proud of her by the end! There is also a female friendship and a pretty solid romance.
This was a pretty quick read, and if you have enjoyed any of Cat Winters’s other novels, I have no doubt you will enjoy this one as well. If you have yet to try out her books but are interested in historical fiction focusing on women I would really recommend them. I can’t wait to see what she writes next!
Olivia Mead is a young lady living in Oregon in 1900. She is living with her father, who is against women having rights, and in an attempt to take Olivia’s “rebellious” streak out of her, her father takes her to Henri Reverie, a local hypnotist. After being hypnotized, Olivia is cursed to see people’s true natures and also cannot speak her mind. This only makes Olivia more determined to fight for women’s rights, while also becoming determined to make Henri reverse his hypnotism.
This is a typical Cat Winters novel in that we follow a strong female protagonist and it has a paranormal twist, as Henri is a hypnotist. I haven’t read a lot of books that deal with hypnotism, so I found that to be a very interesting aspect.
Olivia is a complex and strong narrator. I quite liked her, and I loved seeing her grow over the course of the novel. I was so proud of her by the end! There is also a female friendship and a pretty solid romance.
This was a pretty quick read, and if you have enjoyed any of Cat Winters’s other novels, I have no doubt you will enjoy this one as well. If you have yet to try out her books but are interested in historical fiction focusing on women I would really recommend them. I can’t wait to see what she writes next!
May 11, 2019
3.5 stars — I liked it. The author could’ve taken this story in a much deeper, more complex direction, though. It could’ve been such an incredible book, but it fell slightly short.
September 4, 2020
4.5 stars. This was a great blend of historical fiction and fantasy, at the turn of the century when women were fighting for suffrage. It is a great YA story and is available on Kindle Unlimited.
March 11, 2015
The Good
The theme.
Yes, yes, and YES. This is the book that I want my (future) daughters to read. This is the book that I want my (future) sons to read. Cat Winters blew me away with the way that she wrapped this story around the beginnings of feminism. Just like the women Cat Winters writes about planted seeds of feminism and equality, The Cure for Dreaming can plant the seed for the newer generations.
Olivia.
I loved Olivia. I felt so much sympathy for her. There were times that I was brought to tears with what she had to endure. Cat Winters made such an incredible character with Olivia and I cannot imagine anyone else being capable to deliver the story in The Cure for Dreaming than her.
Henri.
From the very first scene, I adored Henri. I just knew that he would be a character that I will remember for a long time. And that he is. The development that went into his character was extraordinary.
The secondary characters.
Cat Winters just has a thing for creating and molding remarkable characters. None of them let me down. Even whenever they were vile and I wanted to shake some sense in them, I could recognize how much the author put into developing this cast of characters.
The setting.
It was perfect. It was essential. It was heartbreaking. It was hopeful.
Everything.
I feel like if I keep going I'll just list every aspect of this book. It was that good. It's in the top three best books that I've read in 2014. It's one of those books that I wish I could put in the hands of everyone. It deserves to be read. It needs to be read.
The Bad
Nothing.
There is not a single bad thing I could say about this book.
The In-Between
Nothing.
Seriously, this book is flawless.
**I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review with no compensation.
October 26, 2016
★ 2016 AtY Reading Challenge ★: A book set in the past (more than 100 years ago).
SPOOKATHON 2016: red on the cover (the dress is kinda red, c'mon) + 2016 release (this edition was published in 2016 so it counts, shut up).
This is the first YA historical fiction I've read that had a strong focus on feminism and had a suffragist main character. It was refreshing to read about these themes, especially because I'm a feminist and I've never found these topics explored in this particular genre and with a dark twist.
The reason why it took me 9 days to write this review is a mystery even for me. This book was just... easily forgettable. Plain. Okay.
Nothing special? Nothing remarkable.
I liked the main character and how strong and opinionated she was. But, could I remember her name without looking at the back of the book? Fuck no, I couldn't.
A part from the main characters, the rest of them felt kind of one dimensional, either bad or good. There was no in-between and I also had the feeling the MC had friends just for the sake of using them for something. I didn't really feel the attachment or the fondness that come with friendship.
I liked the romance and how little of a role it played in the book; the plot wasn't ruined by too much romance, it was really well balanced. There were some really cute moments but the characters had bigger problems to solve, so it made sense not to focus entirely on the romance part.
In the moment of reading I liked a lot of things, but after finishing the book I was just...meh.
I came for the hypnotism and instead found little of that and a lot of feminism. AWESOME! Super happy about that, but the rest? Just okay.
SPOOKATHON 2016: red on the cover (the dress is kinda red, c'mon) + 2016 release (this edition was published in 2016 so it counts, shut up).
This is the first YA historical fiction I've read that had a strong focus on feminism and had a suffragist main character. It was refreshing to read about these themes, especially because I'm a feminist and I've never found these topics explored in this particular genre and with a dark twist.
The reason why it took me 9 days to write this review is a mystery even for me. This book was just... easily forgettable. Plain. Okay.
Nothing special? Nothing remarkable.
I liked the main character and how strong and opinionated she was. But, could I remember her name without looking at the back of the book? Fuck no, I couldn't.
A part from the main characters, the rest of them felt kind of one dimensional, either bad or good. There was no in-between and I also had the feeling the MC had friends just for the sake of using them for something. I didn't really feel the attachment or the fondness that come with friendship.
I liked the romance and how little of a role it played in the book; the plot wasn't ruined by too much romance, it was really well balanced. There were some really cute moments but the characters had bigger problems to solve, so it made sense not to focus entirely on the romance part.
In the moment of reading I liked a lot of things, but after finishing the book I was just...meh.
I came for the hypnotism and instead found little of that and a lot of feminism. AWESOME! Super happy about that, but the rest? Just okay.
October 13, 2014
Winter's has an uncanny ability to be able to draw you right into her stories. Into the very heart of it all and make you feel like it is a place both terrifyingly new and familiar all at once.
A world where dangers seem to lurk around every corner until you feel at any moment something is bound to jump out at you and grab you in the night and suck you into the very pages you hold and you can't help but want it to happen.
A setting so rich in atmosphere that it is tangible, with characters that are even more so.
Winter's managed to blend the unexplainable with the explainable in a time that is very much believable. She mixed the the historic with the paranormal and truly created something unique.
I loved my first foray into her writing and couldn't help but feel for Olivia and the struggles she dealt with living in a time in our history that was still very much for men and had little advantages for women and being a headstrong one was anything but welcomed.
I loved the blend of the old mixed with the new and of course, that slight paranormal aspect that left you wanting more and turning the pages.
This will definitely not be my last Winter's book.
A world where dangers seem to lurk around every corner until you feel at any moment something is bound to jump out at you and grab you in the night and suck you into the very pages you hold and you can't help but want it to happen.
A setting so rich in atmosphere that it is tangible, with characters that are even more so.
Winter's managed to blend the unexplainable with the explainable in a time that is very much believable. She mixed the the historic with the paranormal and truly created something unique.
I loved my first foray into her writing and couldn't help but feel for Olivia and the struggles she dealt with living in a time in our history that was still very much for men and had little advantages for women and being a headstrong one was anything but welcomed.
I loved the blend of the old mixed with the new and of course, that slight paranormal aspect that left you wanting more and turning the pages.
This will definitely not be my last Winter's book.
July 26, 2015
It was brilliant! I freaking loved this and I need more! I know it's probably a stand alone but dang! I know I asked for a sequel to Cat's first book In The Shadow of Blackbirds and I get why that one ended. But this has series potential and I need to know more about Olivia and Henry and Genevieve!!!
Read
December 3, 2015Graded By: Jennie
Cover Story: Gothic Balancing Act
BFF Charm: Yay!
Swoonworthy Scale: 7
Talky Talk: Fiends and Feminism
Bonus Factors: Hypnotists, Suffragettes
Relationship Status: Be You, or Date You?
Read the full book report here.
Cover Story: Gothic Balancing Act
BFF Charm: Yay!
Swoonworthy Scale: 7
Talky Talk: Fiends and Feminism
Bonus Factors: Hypnotists, Suffragettes
Relationship Status: Be You, or Date You?
Read the full book report here.
March 4, 2019
I cannot begin to describe how much I love Cat Winters.
This is just as beautiful, atmospheric, and addicting as In the Shadow of Blackbirds. I cannot understand why Cat Winters doesn't get more attention. Her books deserve it.
This is just as beautiful, atmospheric, and addicting as In the Shadow of Blackbirds. I cannot understand why Cat Winters doesn't get more attention. Her books deserve it.
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