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A review by tnkazanjian
Thread of Dreams by Emily Barnett
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.75
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review
I've been waiting to get my hands on Thread of Dreams for a long time, and I was so excited to dive in. All of Emily Barnett's obvious skill in storytelling, which I've seen before in her short fiction, shines in this debut novel.
Synopsis: On the planet of Lyra, no one dreams. But Harvesters, like Nova Celeste, can slip into the minds of humans and steal their dreams—transforming them into magical threads which can be used to fight the evil Void devouring Lyra. Nova is used to being an invisible thief in these dreams, but one night, she meets a boy who sees her, and remembers her. Arlo James has demons of his own to fight on earth, but the bond between him and Nova brings him into the battle for Lyra. Together, Nova and Arlo must find hope in grief in order to defeat the Void.
What I loved about this book: The writing just swept me away. The vivid descriptions brought me straight into the world of Lyra, filled with strange beauty and bioluminescent jellyfish. It's such an imaginative and unique setting, and it can be challenging to create something like that in the spec fic genre; I felt completely immersed in Lyra throughout the entire novel, but it was never overwhelming or confusing. The setting isn't just a lovely backdrop, either. In many ways, the different elements of Lyra, and the overarching conflict between Lyrans and the Void, mirror the internal conflicts within Nova and Arlo. I love this intertwining of plot and setting and character.
While the epic battle between dark and light, good and evil, drives the plot of Dreams—there's plenty of tension and adventure—I loved the focus on the characters. Nova's struggle to find the truth in the midst of lies and Arlo's fight to overcome self-doubt really feel like the heart of the book. And it's their developing relationship that forces them to grow, to question some of the lies they believe about the world and themselves, and really become who they're meant to be. It's beautiful to see that in a YA novel.
And finally, that ending. Such rich themes, but done in a really lovely and gentle way. I'll be honest, I don't read a lot of "save the world" stories, so it was sort of magical to find one that I resonate with so deeply. I won't spoil anything—I'll just say that I loved it.
Overall, a beautiful and lyrical fantasy novel, perfect for teens (and adults!). I'm looking forward to Emily Barnett's next novel, and in the meantime, I'll just reread this one.
I've been waiting to get my hands on Thread of Dreams for a long time, and I was so excited to dive in. All of Emily Barnett's obvious skill in storytelling, which I've seen before in her short fiction, shines in this debut novel.
Synopsis: On the planet of Lyra, no one dreams. But Harvesters, like Nova Celeste, can slip into the minds of humans and steal their dreams—transforming them into magical threads which can be used to fight the evil Void devouring Lyra. Nova is used to being an invisible thief in these dreams, but one night, she meets a boy who sees her, and remembers her. Arlo James has demons of his own to fight on earth, but the bond between him and Nova brings him into the battle for Lyra. Together, Nova and Arlo must find hope in grief in order to defeat the Void.
What I loved about this book: The writing just swept me away. The vivid descriptions brought me straight into the world of Lyra, filled with strange beauty and bioluminescent jellyfish. It's such an imaginative and unique setting, and it can be challenging to create something like that in the spec fic genre; I felt completely immersed in Lyra throughout the entire novel, but it was never overwhelming or confusing. The setting isn't just a lovely backdrop, either. In many ways, the different elements of Lyra, and the overarching conflict between Lyrans and the Void, mirror the internal conflicts within Nova and Arlo. I love this intertwining of plot and setting and character.
While the epic battle between dark and light, good and evil, drives the plot of Dreams—there's plenty of tension and adventure—I loved the focus on the characters. Nova's struggle to find the truth in the midst of lies and Arlo's fight to overcome self-doubt really feel like the heart of the book. And it's their developing relationship that forces them to grow, to question some of the lies they believe about the world and themselves, and really become who they're meant to be. It's beautiful to see that in a YA novel.
And finally, that ending. Such rich themes, but done in a really lovely and gentle way. I'll be honest, I don't read a lot of "save the world" stories, so it was sort of magical to find one that I resonate with so deeply. I won't spoil anything—I'll just say that I loved it.
Overall, a beautiful and lyrical fantasy novel, perfect for teens (and adults!). I'm looking forward to Emily Barnett's next novel, and in the meantime, I'll just reread this one.