Lora Innes

Seventeen-year-old Bea Whaley's vivid dreams about a Revolutionary War soldier Alan Warren seemingly come to life and she is unable to determine whether what is real or simply a product of her imagination.

The Dreamer

Sarah Sammis

The first volume of The Dreamer by Lora Innes describes was short listed for the 2009-10 Cybils in the graphic novel category. Perhaps it's my stats as a judge for that category that has contributed to my prolonged procrastination in writing this review. By making it to the short list, it's clearly one of the best of the graphic novels from last year. Nonetheless, it was one of my least favorite books to read for the cateogry.

Every Day is Like Wednesday's review has the perfect one-liner description of the comic: "All American Shojo." That description sums up what the comic seems to be trying to accomplish and my reasons for not liking the volume I read.

There seems to be a trend in the United States of giving all the main characters in comics perky, gorgeous teenage bodies, no matter what their age. For The Dreamer that means all the girls have pouty lips and all the men look roguish (or like clones of a single rogue). I suppose for the target audience it's all eye candy to keep the attention while the plot progresses. To me though it seemed over done and distracting from an otherwise potentially interesting plot.

Christine Bruce

a really great insight into the revolutionary war, and into a story of love across the ages.

The Dreamer

Reviews