The Dreamweavers

by G.Z. Schmidt

Twin siblings journey through the City of Ashes and visit the Jade Rabbit to save their grandpa in this Chinese folklore-inspired fantasy adventure.

Since their parents' strange disappearance several years ago, 12-year-old twins Mei and Yun been raised by their grandfather, who makes the best mooncakes around using a secret ingredient.

On the day of the Mid-Autumn Harvest Festival, the emperor sends his son to sample Grandpa's renowned mooncakes--but instead of tasting wonderful, they are horrible and bitter, strangely mirroring the odd, gloomy atmosphere and attitudes that have been washing over the village in the last few days. Grandpa is arrested for insulting and harming the prince, and Mei and Yun realize they are the only two people who will come to Grandpa's aid.

The twins set out on foot for the long journey to the emperor's palace where Grandpa's being taken, but a surprising stop in the eerie City of Ashes, a visit with the legendary, mystical Jade Rabbit, and an encounter with a powerful poet whose enchanted words spread curses, influence just how Mei and Yun will manage to clear their grandfather's name.

Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Mythology, Adventure, Childrens, Young Adult, Fiction

261 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2021

About the author

G. Z. Schmidt was born in China and immigrated to the U.S. when she was six. She grew up in the Midwest and the South, where she chased fireflies at night and listened occasionally for tornado/hurricane warnings. She attended Wellesley College, where she received her BA in Economics.

Her books have gotten starred reviews and have been named to Best Book of the Year lists by Entertainment Weekly and the New York Public Library.

[**Hi all! I don't check or use Goodreads often. You can find me on my website. Happy reading!**]

Reviews

[CW ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you love Chinese-inspired stories with a touch of mythology and sibling heroes who save the day (and their village!), then you'll love The Dreamweavers.

- Follows siblings Mei and Yun, whose parents disappeared years ago and now live with their grandfather. When their grandfather is mistakenly arrested, Mei and Yun set off to save him - but first, they must break the curse affecting a city, meet with a Jade Rabbit, and unlock the secret to their hidden power.
- This is intended for a younger audience and I think young readers will really enjoy this story! It's action-packed, has great heroes who aren't perfect but get through their challenges with wit and determination (and a bit of luck), and has some funny moments too!
- I enjoyed the mythology in this story, and how it intertwines with Mid-Autumn Festival, the legend of Chang'e and the rabbit on the moon, and the importance of mooncakes.
- There's magic in this story, which made the story more engaging.
- At the heart of the story is a story about love, resilience, doing what is right, and helping others.

I received a digital advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Kursi Seimbang · Rating 4 out of 5]

First book in March 2022!

At first, I was intrigued by the enchanting cover and someone I know recommended it. I decided to read it only to find out that the content, too, is enchanting just like the book cover! It's a dreamy, magical, and stunning combination of folklore and mythology from China with spiced-up fantasy elements.

The characters are a twin and their grandfather that's wrongly accused in the presence of a Prince from the Imperial City. They must set sail on a journey to the City of Ashes, the Imperial City, and back to the City of Ashes to meet Lotus, the one who cursed the City of Blossoms to Ashes.

Mei and Yun were helped by many important figures in the Imperial City, yet their presence is life-changing to Master Fu-Fu and Princess Zali.

Most importantly, everything could happen by the Jade Rabbit's permission.

I would recommend this book if you need light-reading! If you love fantasy with some ounces of folklore and myth (particularly from China), maybe you would enjoy this juvenile fiction.

The twins weaved dreams with kindness as its purposes. Therefore, they are the Dreamweavers.

[Evelina | AvalinahsBooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

How I read this: Free ebook copy received through Edelweiss

4.5 stars, rounded to 5

I absolutely loved The Dreamweavers. A quick and satisfying middle-grade fantasy read that is based on Chinese folk tales, great for the child and adult alike. What I particularly enjoyed was that the author entwined her own fantasy with tales told her by her grandparents, as the author was born in China herself. Any fantasy tale that’s steeped in the author’s own culture is usually well worth the read!

Here's my full review on the blog:
https://avalinahsbooks.space/dreamwea...



I thank the publisher for giving me a free copy of the ebook in exchange to my honest review. This has not affected my opinion.

Book Blog | Bookstagram | Bookish Twitter

[Stephanie Tournas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chinese folklore and the mystery of dreams combine in this wonderful fantasy for middle grade readers. Mei and Yun are twins who live with their Grandpa. When he is imprisoned for allegedly poisoning the emperor’s son, the twins leave their village in search of their parents, the only ones who could help free him. They are aided by the Jade Rabbit, a magical being who helps them find the cursed City of Ashes, where their parents disappeared years before. There the twins meet the Lotus, the spirit whose anger and grief caused the curse, which is beginning to spread throughout the land. Mei and Yun make a deal with the Lotus, who promises to lift the curse in exchange for a mission which the twins must complete. They fly to the Imperial City on a cloud (pictured on the wonderful book cover) and must use their wits as well as their newly found ability as dreamweavers to complete the mission.

The author combines folklore, history, magic and humor in this deeply satisfying fantasy. The setting is southern China during the Ming Dynasty, 1500s, AD. Readers get to experience life in the Imperial Palace, including a matter of fact description of foot binding. It’s fun to read how Mei and Yun talk their way into jobs in the palace. Fans of Chinese folklore will recognize the Jade Rabbit, who is a mysterious but benevolent character. The twins’ ability to meet in dreams is so appealing and clever, and I think kids will love this idea. The culminating scene is like the Great Ming Dynasty Baking Show – the twins must prepare mooncakes for the emperor, using the good dreams they gathered to counteract the bad dreams which threatened to poison the land.

[Books and Roller Coasters · Rating 4 out of 5]

A 7.

[Tim Robinson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Moon cakes and more moon cakes. They don't even start for the City of Ashes until half way through the book.

[vi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Personal rating:
★ ★ ★ ★ 

Review:
If you are looking for a fast-paced, action-packed, and humor sprinkled middle-grade book to finish in one sitting on a rainy day, then this book is definitely for you! 

This book is about a thrilling adventure of Mei and Yun, who have to sneak to the Imperial Palace to lift a 70-year-long curse and save their family members. For me, even though this book was rather adventurous and there were some moments that made me want to scream, this book still felt like a big warm hug and reading it on a rainy day really enhanced my reading experience. Other than that, in my opinion, the writing style is very engaging, and I love how there is a mixture of folklore and magic. I love the concept of dreamweaving, which is the magical element used in this book, very unique and appealing! I also think that the way the author used this element was very smart and greatly contributed to the character developments and morals of the story, which made the book way even better. I really appreciate how the author incorporated some cultural references as well, such as the leg binding, Jade Rabbit, and Journey to the West (another great story, btw). 


Overall, I really love this book, and this was a fun read. I definitely would recommend this to my friends who also like reading middle-grade books! 

[Valerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this story based on Chinese mythology. It was written for children, so it isn't quite as good as I hoped, but it was good.

[Ellie Mae (S.E Hintons version) · Rating 2 out of 5]

So this is the first books I have not finished in a while. I usually try not to write rude reviews. This book just wasn’t my style. While I did love the Ming dynasty and the simplicity the book was just confusing. I liked the intro where we meet Mei and Yun and get to know their personalities but then halfway through the book they switch overall just wasn’t the read for me

[Paige V · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two Twins, one deadly curse, and a daring adventure.

Twin brother and sister, Mei and Jun, are excited about the emperor’s second son's upcoming arrival in their village. The reason for his visit? Word had spread about their grandfather's mooncakes, and the prince was coming to taste them. However, the town was not quite itself, with everyone quarreling. Everything went to chaos on the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival almost immediately. The prince arrested their grandfather for serving him "bad mooncakes." The twins must save their grandfather from a possible arrest. Little did they know that their quest might have to protect everyone.

First, "Don't judge a book by its cover" is so untrue for some books, but this cover is so gorgeous that it attracts me instantly. I knew the author from a previous book I read and reviewed, No Ordinary Thing, which I loved. So, thank you, @ruan0v0, for this gorgeous, illustrated cover.

The story is set in Ming Dynasty China. The book was profound and talked a lot about many difficult situations there. I learned a bit about Chinese mythology and life during that time. Scandal, mystery, action, and adventure - this book has it all.

Jun was the logical and strategic one. He often thought of great solutions that helped them along their journey. Mei was a daredevil and loyal person. She is also a great friend and sister. Their grandfather is a sweet person and an excellent cook.

The theme of The Dreamweavers is that the bonds of family and friends are unbreakable. I recommend this book to history buffs (the Ming Dynasty) who love Chinese-inspired stories with a touch of mythology mixed with fantasy.

[Mark Buxton · Rating 5 out of 5]

What worked:
The main conflict involves a curse from seventy years ago. A gifted writer named Lotus spurns the advances from a Noble General, and the general doesn’t take the rejection kindly. He frames Lotus’s husband for treason and has him executed by morning. With the help of magic from the Jade Rabbit, Lotus’s emotions get out of control and bring a curse upon the City of Blossoms. Its new name is the City of Ashes and no one from the city has been seen since that day. However, somehow the curse has started to spread to the surrounding area which includes the village where the main characters named Mei and Yun live.
The book allows readers to learn about the Chinese culture, as folklore is the backdrop of the plot. Many stories have been written about the Jade Rabbit, and his relationship with the characters expresses some Chinese beliefs. The story depicts the cultural distance between royalty and peasants, as villagers feel powerless against the emperor, his family, and the military. The book also shows the secret issues and injustices in the palace history, as the characters try to make things right. They learn to be judged by their own actions and not by the actions of their ancestors.
The twins embark on a quest to break the curse haunting their village, but their true motivations are to clear their grandfather from being wrongfully arrested and to locate their parents. Their mother and father haven’t been seen since visiting the City of Ashes years before. The author skillfully weaves the different conflicts together to create an engaging adventure mystery. The twins are aware of the truth, but proving it to people in power is a monumental challenge.
The contrast between the personalities of Mei and Yun causes clashes until they’re able to appreciate their differences. Mei typically takes action without planning, while Yun uses his knowledge and logic to analyze situations. Mei’s emotions might get them into trouble, but too much thinking by Yun might lead to nothing getting done. They’re separated once they arrive in the emperor’s palace, but their unique differences allow them to forge new friendships and allies.
What didn’t work as well:
The concept of dreamweaving is abstract and takes a while to understand. Even the twins have trouble comprehending the ability, and they’re the ones able to do it. Inferences can be made, but fully grasping the concept takes most of the book. The entertaining aspect is watching the twins learn by experience and putting the pieces together along with them.
The final verdict:
Dreams have power to change the future. Once the backstory of the curse is established, the personalities of Mei and Yun are highlighted. Their struggles to right past wrongs will entertain lovers of folklore and the Chinese culture.

[Lizzy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dropped at page 86.

I'd like to present two paragraphs directly cited from the book that I feel are emblematic to this book's main problems:

"To an outsider, it might seem a rather odd way to make a decision, but the twins often shared what they called a connected sixth sense-the kind of intuition twins understand. It was responsible for the times Mei knew her brother's thoughts before he spoke then aloud, and likewise the times Yun finished his sister's sentences. After a good night's sleep, Mei and Yun were almost always on the same page when they awoke, and for this reason, they liked making decisions together this way-when they both agreed on something, neither needed to explain themselves." - pages 44-45

"It helped, too, that the twins knew the area well. They'd foraged the mountains before, collecting wild mushrooms with Grandpa or fathering herbs for Doctor Po. Mei and Yun also had excellent navigational skills. Mei had a natural sense of direction; she was one of those people who could travel to a grand-new place miles away while simultaneously memorizing the entire way back. Yun, meanwhile, knew his way around by relying on all sorts of miscellaneous knowledge, like the fact that moss grew on the north side of the trees or that all waters flowed downstream. Together, the twins rarely got lost." - page 57

Telling, not showing. Redundant descriptions and explanations. Excessive information that isn't particularly vital. Dreamweavers is simply plagued with paragraphs of info dumping. If a character was talking about something or someone, the scene would immediately pause and the author would launch into an explanation of who/what was being spoken of.

Please, I know this book is intended for children, but do not insult your audience's intelligence like this.

I would've like to have seen what neat ideas the author had in store later down the line, but the writing is so bad, and the characters are so lifeless that I can't bring myself to do it. I already made myself finish Pahua and the Soul Stealer, and I'm not doing that again here.

The cover is pretty, though.

[eve.lyn._.reads · Rating 1 out of 5]

☁️💤😴The Dreamweavers😴💤☁️
1.5 Stars
Mei and Yun's parents disappeared many years ago. On the Mid-Autumn Festival, the emperor sends his son to eat the twins grandfathers famed moon cakes. But when their grandfather is arrested for insulting the prince when the moon cakes taste horrible. Mei and Yun set out on a journey to free their grandfather. On the way they make a deal with Jade Rabbit. Mei and Yun soon find out that the City of Ashes is plagued by a woman named Lotus. Mei and Yun find out that they come from a long line of Dreamweavers, and might be the only hope of defeating Lotus.

*disclaimer: My book reviews are not meant in any way to stop people from reading this book or determining the value of this book. It is solely just to write about my opinion on this book. I make sure to always try to include criticism/praise!

This book had an interesting premise, but I did not enjoy this story as much as I hoped I would. I wanted the characters to be more complex. They felt immature, and sometimes Yun and Mei seemed too similar. The little snippets of stories from the past were ones that I enjoyed. However, after all this time it just seemed contrived that only Mei and Yun could make a deal with Lotus. The plot twist felt underwhelming. Everything about this just felt kind of contrived? It felt a lot like the right people where there for them at the right time. Then everything was a happily-ever-after in the end. There was also a lot of info-dumping. I really appreciate the goal of the author! Sadly, this was not the book for me. I hope everyone else who reads this enjoys it!

[Becky B · Rating 3 out of 5]

When the emperor's son arrives to sample Grandfather's legendary mooncakes at the village's Autumn Moon Festival, Mei and Yun find themselves in the middle of a disaster. Grandfather's mooncakes taste awful and he is carted off to the Imperial City to be tried for attempted poisoning. Mei and Yun know something is in the air, literally. They can see the multi-colored clouds that are dreams of people. And the ones hovering over their city now are nightmares and are making everyone grumpy and mean. They must set off on a quest to free their Grandfather, because he has no one else. With the help of a friendly rabbit, the twins find themselves trying to break a curse with roots decades in the past.

This had moments when it was a touch slow, but overall it was a fun adventure in a mythical historical China. I really liked Mei and Yun's relationship, and their love for their Grandfather. I liked how their quest teaches them and a few others a lot about themselves, about kindness, and forgiveness. The addition of the Jade Rabbit as a character in the story was a fun touch, and the all new dreamweaver abilities was also fodder for the imagination. I always love being able to add more Asian fantasy to our shelves for our predominantly Asian school population.

Notes on content: No language issues. No sexual content. Violence is threatened and a past unjust execution is mentioned. One character has bound feet (there's a good note on this in the back of the book).

[Shahridzuan Azali · Rating 4 out of 5]

[Review copy from Times Reads]

Folklore meets adventure meets culture meets magic!

🌠An ideal present.
🌠Suitable for younger readers and teens.
🌠Perfect for adult readers to enjoy light reading.

When their village is plagued by an ancient curse, and their grandpa is mistakenly taken away for a crime, the twins embark in a journey to save both their village and their grandpa.

Think Spin The Dawn, with a less complex world building but the same dose of reading fun. From the moment grandpa's mooncake goes wrong to the point where Mei and Yun find themselve at the edge of danger AND success, I felt like I was in their world. The magical scenes are generally simple and do not require a strong memory to fully appreciate them.

LOVEDDD the incorporation of mooncake and dreams in the story! (Reading this during fasting month probably was a challenge when I read about the mooncakes 🤣)

The novel may be about dream weaving, but the author also did a good job in balancing the elements - engaging plot, insightful messages, a touch of culture, neat back stories and characters with depth. There's also a section of the author's note to enrich your reading experience.

Perhaps the resolution in the plotline was my only disappointment, albeit a mild one. I would have preferred a little more complexity.

Definitely falls into my recommendation list. If this was an animated film, I'm sure I'll enjoy it too!

[Gabby Blankenship · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Dreamweavers by G.Z Schmidt is a middle-grade folklore novel for ages eight to twelve. The story is based on Chinese folklore and follows a pair of twins, Mei and Yun, on their journey of traveling to the cursed City of Ashes to prove their grandfather’s innocence, find their parents, discover the role magic plays in their lives, and break a 70-year-old curse. Although this story could be predictable, I enjoyed it very much. Schmidt tells a story with an interesting and developing set of characters, effective world-building, and a whimsical plot that you can’t help but enjoy. For a story centering around two young children, it is packed with action and adventure which surprised me considering the story takes place in a historical setting. What I most appreciated about this story is the sibling protagonist's heartwarming relationship and their development in the story. I highly recommend this story and believe that younger audiences would also enjoy this story. The magical vibe of Chinese folklore tied into an amazing adventure is definitely something fresh and new that young readers could get into. Interesting characters like the Jade Rabbit, Lotus the Cursed, and even a chef taking care of a parrot are all great additions to make for an interesting story!

[Hwee Goh · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.2⭐️

There’s so much to like about this Ming Dynasty tale inspired by Chinese mythology.

Mei and Yun are a pair of girl-boy twins whose grandpa makes the most amazing mooncakes — so legendary that the Emperor’s son visits one day to taste them.

This visit brings a strange rancour among the villagers, and a flash blizzard burying all the crops and animals. It also sparks the beginning of a quest, as the twins discover a 70-year curse related to their parents who’ve gone missing.

We also find out that they are dreamweavers, a very original magic thought up by author G.Z. Schmidt, born in China and migrated to the US as a child. The adventure continues at the imperial palace, as Mei and Yun enlists the help of friends to solve this mystery.

“A cricket can be smashed by a single footstep, yet its voice keeps up hundreds of folks at night. Even the smallest, most fragile among us have power.”

Schmidt’s writing lapses sometimes into the didactic but is largely colourful, imaginative and lightly humorous.

Mei runs mostly on instinct, and Yun on careful planning and strategy. Together, they plough on with such heart and courage.

📚: @times.reads

[Belle · Rating 2 out of 5]

This story development doesn’t make any sense to me 🙂🙂. How can a pair of 12yo twins in a span of 10 days enter the imperial palace, steal the phoenix seal (of the queen), know how to unlock locked doors (like thieves), get into the library with enchantments, know how to cook for royals/ be a servant to the princess, escape death sentence by gambling, walk/talk/do whatever they want in dreams, talk to the king himself 😂😂, and get sentenced and then pardoned also by the king just by mostly talking (and presenting some kind of paper roll), somehow miraculously make so-fk good mooncakes for the first time in their lives, reason with a kindof evil and undo the curse, finally come back to their village?
I know it’s a kid/teenager book, but that just doesn’t make sense. The imperial palace that populated more than 800 ppl, and a pair of twins somehow got into the most valued library with enchantments without any notice from any guards, and later on got caught by another kid 🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️.

5 words, IT JUST DOESN’T MAKE SENSE 🙂🙂🙂🙂

My adult head can’t compute this. It’s me, I’m the problem 😂.

[Naadhira Zahari · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Dreamweavers by G.Z. Schmidt is an adventure tale of twin siblings who wish to save their village from a curse. It all started with a mooncake during Mid-Autumn Festival that evolves to going on a quest to save the kingdom and making friends along the way. This story is fun, heartwarming and a breeze to go through.

I’m such a huge fan of this kind of middle grade books as it was packed with adventure and the affection of family and friends. The quest to save their village and undo the curse was also fun and makes it an overall enjoyable read.

The pace was just nice and the story ends really well. The story was predictable for me to be honest which is why I only rated it 4 stars. But apart from that, I don’t really have anything else to say.

All in all, I recommend you to read this book especially if you’re looking for Chinese folklore-inspired fantasy middle grade books.

[Lala · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've had this book for ages and tried to read it several times but to no avail (until it finally did this time yeaaay~)

This book is about twin kids set off to the emperor's palace to save their grandfather from being mistakenly arrested and to lift the curse of a city along the way. It's kind of easy to read middle grade fantasy with a touch of Chinese Mythology. Turned out it's also so fitting to read this book for Orilium's Autumn Equinox Readathon because it took place in the Mid-Autumn Festival.

I always love stories about a power to manipulate dreams. It's really fascinating how imaginative this story was about the dreamweavers thing. Emotion's playing important role in this book; love, revenge, betrayal, grief, fear, and courage. It reminds me how emotion can affect everything in our life and how important it is to have control over it.

[Marci Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspired by Chinese folklore, this book lived up to its title and felt very dreamy. Twin children have to save their parents, their grandpa, and maybe an entire city when a curse rolls into town. I don’t think it’s a spoiler to say that they find out they are dream weavers and can use the dreams (and nightmares) of others to make delicious and powerful food. I loved that each child brought their own skills and discovered that together they could solve some very major problems. I loved the setting in China, the fantastical premise, and the inventive characters.

[Jim Belich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful! I loved twins Mei and Yun right from the start, as well as their grandfather. Schmidt borrows elements from traditional Chinese folk tales to create a heartwarming story of two children working to save their family - and a whole city - from a longstanding curse. I really enjoyed how the character who started this curse wasn't simply a villain but had their own heartbreak as well. Add plenty of humor and this all made for a wonderful read!

[Narumi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Took me quite a while to finish the book since I get bored right in the middle of it. Still greately enjoyed their adventure to find their parents and saved their grandfather too. I am glad I continued to read it and not drop the book!

[Katelynne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really felt like every line in this one was written with purpose which I appreciated. Great inclusion of math.

[Jen Nishi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read! Nice mix of adventure, fantasy, and Chinese mythology.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the book. It was a fun Chinese-legend based adventure. The characters were relatable and it was a good message for the middle-grade target audience.

[Kevin · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a well-written, updated Chinese fairy tale. My kid and I both really enjoyed it.

[Ricki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very imaginative historic fantasy steeped in Chinese legends, but there were a few spots that felt too modern.

[Debra Devin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this book to my three boys. It was a really neat spin on Chinese folklore. All my boys said they enjoyed it especially my oldest who is 12.