The Book of Stolen Dreams (The Stolen Dreams Adventures)

Product Information

Sure signs that the creative wells are running dry at last, the Captain’s ninth, overstuffed outing both recycles a villain (see Book 4) and offers trendy anti-bullying wish fulfillment.

You haven’t heard from him? Do you know where he lives? You don’t even have a telephone number? Then how will you find him? Now don’t cry, I was only asking a question. Of course you will find him, even though Port Clement is a city of seventeen million people and he has no idea you’re coming. Why are you crying again? Here I am trying to cheer you up and I only make things worse! My problem, Isabella, is I speak before I think. My mother—a marvelous woman—was very critical of this flaw of mine. Forgive me.” Despite following both characters, it is clear that the book is setting Rachel up to be the star. I feel having a limited third person point of view would have worked better. I think getting completely swept up in Rachel throughout the story and discovering what happened to her brother instead of knowing what is going on before her would have jammed up the suspense and engagement.

Keep in touch

Rachel shivered and took the rather grubby piece of old rug that he had unwrapped from around the violin case. As if sensing what she was thinking, the little man stood beside her at the rail and spoke quietly. Rich and strange (and kitted out with an eye-catching cover), but stronger in the set pieces than the internal logic. A lot had to do with the writing and the set up of the story. This story is written from a third person omniscient point of view as we follow two siblings. I felt so far removed from these characters however. The start was okay, I could feel the love for their parents and especially their father but when it comes to the setting and world, not so much.

You do? Ha! I knew it!” He jumped in delight. “Where are your wonderful parents? Are they getting you a hot chocolate from the cafe? I’m afraid to say it isn’t very good.” Lo que más me ha gustado ha sido la historia… ES QUE ES ALUCINANTE. Cada vez que acabas un capítulo te dan ganas de leer otro porque acaba con el inicio de otra movida más chunga todavía. Lo que más me ha gustado son sus aventuras tipo que flipo con que una niña de 12 años viaje sola a otro país que está en otro continente solo porque le han dado una notita. (No es spoiler, es el primer capítulo) Excuse me. I couldn’t help noticing you are alone. Please, my dear girl, you have no reason to fear.” My dear, listen to me very carefully. Your brother will find you—or you will find him. I promise you.” The story is set in an alternate world, which in my mind I pictured as similar to 1920s Russia. The weather is cold and an oppressive regime has seized power. There is some technology, such as cars and airships, yet the only phones available are ones that connect to the wall, music comes from violins and pianos and messages are sent via letter or written in books.This is writer David Farr’s debut novel and I cannot wait for the sequel which is due to be released this year. It is no surprise that it has been shortlisted for Waterstones Children’s Book Prize 2023 Younger Readers award. I have already been recommending it to pupils (age 10+) in my school. I’d give it 4 stars - close to 5.

When things are tough, you want those around you to be people you can trust. In the world we encounter at the start of this wondrous story, that is not necessarily the case. Under the rule of Charles Malstain life is dreary, and anyone who does not do as he requests is made to disappear. This is a time of dark secrets, where family are suspicious of each other and where things are about to get worse. The book itself is about family and friends, trust and love, bravery... it will, at least for the time you are reading this book, make you step out of your adult state-of-mind and make you wonder if you still have that moral compass that they talk about... Now the adventure itself is just so well done and wrapped up even better. There's nothing I can say that I didn't like. The pacing was perfect, I could easily keep up and it wasn't as predictable, which I was pleasantly surprised to learn. It felt like we were given a lot of clues, bits and pieces to put together along with our two main characters, and while it wasn't too complex, I had moments where I failed to piece the puzzles. That's absolutely not a bad thing at all. And when you actually finish the book, you get this sense of accomplishment and happiness that you were able to put these things together and come to a conclusion. Rachel is escaping her home in the city of Brava and heading to Port St. Clement to find her brother. Her mother is dead and her father in prison. She is cold, hungry and hasn’t slept for days. My favourite thing about this book was the narrator's voice. The writing has a lyrical quality to it which adds to the fantastical nature of the world and makes some very simple statements beautifully poignant. Parts of the story are told in a dry, satirical way, which helps to lighten the mood as sometimes this tale can get quite dark!Oh, my dear Isabella! But it’s an all-too-common story these days. Did he put up a fight? No? It was probably wise of him. You don’t mess with Charles Malstain’s state police. In the days of the Emperor, if soldiers came to arrest you, they offered a polite smile, a bunch of flowers, or a box of chocolate hearts. But these days the police have neither reason nor manners. And there are no chocolate hearts.” With a gorgeous cover like that and with the tile of The Book of Stolen Dreams I had high expectations for this adventurous middle grade novel. Unfortunately those were not at all met. Some children may skim over the deeper messages of this book, but they provide crucial opportunities for discussions, both at home and in the classroom. No. I suspect you come from the poorer north of the city, from a family of artists. Your eyes are musical, and your nose gives me the strongest impression that you have a piano in your living room.” Robert and Rachel are the two main characters who happen to be siblings. Their father, Felix, is a librarian who takes them on Rachel's birthday to the library in the quest of an adventure and to find a forbidden book, the book of stolen dreams. They get the precious book but Felix gets arrested by the brutal President Charles Malstains' soldiers and put into prison. The book withholds some secrets that Charles Malstain is after. Now it's up to Robert and Rachel to find the secret of the book and return it to it's rightful owners. But in the process of doing so, they make many friends but enemies too who are also after the book.