Book: Dreamland An intimate Gothic novel about family secrets and desire by bestselling sensation Olivie Blake by Olivie Blake
Reviewed by Michelles_Cosy_Booknook
Rating: 2.5/5
A serial killer. Hollywood secrets. A famous family hiding a darkness at its core.
Olivie Blake's writing is undeniably beautiful. Her prose is elegant, immersive, and effortlessly readable. If I were rating Dreamland on writing style alone, this would have been a five-star read.
Unfortunately, the story itself didn't quite live up to the strength of the prose. I found the plot confusing and disjointed at times, making it difficult to stay fully invested. The pacing also felt uneven, with some moments rushed through while others lingered longer than they needed to.
The characters were another stumbling block for me. Several of their decisions felt at odds with the personalities and values that had been established earlier in the novel. In particular, I struggled to understand why the FMC remained in such an obviously dangerous situation rather than fleeing at the first opportunity.
That said, Jude's internal conflict was a genuine highlight. Their emotional struggles felt authentic and added depth to the story, making those chapters some of the most compelling for me.
While Dreamland ultimately wasn't the right fit for me, I do think it has a great deal of potential. With a tighter edit to strengthen the pacing and improve the overall cohesion of the plot, I believe it could have been a much stronger read.
My thanks to Olivie Blake, Pan Macmillan, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
All opinions are my own