Review: Perchance To Dream by Lisa Mantchev

When Nate is kidnapped and taken prisoner by the Sea Goddess, only Bertie can free him. She and her fairy sidekicks embark on a journey aboard the Thèâtre’s caravan, using Bertie’s word magic to guide them. Along the way, they collect a sneak-thief, who has in his possession something most valuable, and meet The Mysterious Stranger, Bertie’s father—and the creator of the scrimshaw medallion. Bertie’s dreams are haunted by Nate, whose love for Bertie is keeping him alive, but in the daytime, it’s Ariel who is tantalizingly close, and the one she is falling for. Who does Bertie love the most? And will her magic be powerful enough to save her once she enters the Sea Goddess’s lair?

Perchance to Dream is just one of those novels you know you will to love by just looking at it. The stunning cover and the beautiful title just scream that it's filled with magic, love and adventure, spun together in dreamy, whimsical prose. And no, it did not disappoint.

If you're planning on reading this in short snatches of time caught between the bustle of our busy lives- don't. The amazing imagination that flows through this book is wasted if you don't let yourself go completely in it. I discovered my mistake as I tried to read late into the night after a long day (and caught in the stress of end of semester exams)- my mind just couldn't grasp all the fantastical details and I was left more confused than dazzled as I should have been. When I allowed myself a day to just immense myself into reading it (to the detriment of my study I might add), I realized what I was missing.  Trust me, this is truly a book to be savored.

Bertie is still as strong willed and lovely as ever. There are times were I admit I wish she would just back down (and be nicer to Ariel!), but then I realized that Bertie is a lot stronger in her sense of self than I am and would never let love get in the way of what she wants and needs to do. That quality is so rare in girls of young adult fiction, and it only adds to the originality and spark of this novel . And oh the love triangle! I am definitely an Ariel girl (dark and brooding always seems to get to me), but there's something to love about both him and Nate, and that makes Bertie's dilemma between the two so believable.

If you haven't read this book yet (or its predecessor Eyes Like Stars), don't delay! It is a beautiful, crazily imaginative story that will have you absolutely hooked. Or heck if that doesn't appeal to you, just get it so it can look pretty on your bookshelf (honestly that cover is the best I've ever seen!)

Overall:  ♥♥♥♥♥

Published: May 25th, 2010 from Feiwel and Friends

Source: Bought