Perchance to Dream picks up right where Eyes Like Stars finished off. Bertie and Co. Leave the theatre and enter the real world which is much more different than our world. It is quite an interesting world that provides lots of obstacles for Bertie to overcome. The fairies just as funny if not funnier in this book. I wonder how Lisa comes out with their personalities because they make me cry from laughing so much. In Perchance to Dream, Bertie explores her feelings for both Nate and Ariel in more depth – she is torn between them because she loves each of them but in completely different ways. If you have read my review of Eyes Like Stars you know that I was Team Nate. Well this time around I can’t choose because we get to see a different side of Ariel. I can’t wait for the 3rd novel to see how it is going to end. I have no idea how Lisa is going to finish the series which makes it even better. For more reviews visit: www.vampsweresandcassay.blogspot.com

My review for Eyes Like Stars, the precursor to Perchance To Dream, was brief, flighty, and not a true approximation of how I feel about this series. Yes, I said Eyes Like Stars is the novel all young adult authors should aspire to. After reading Perchance To Dream, I feel I should elaborate. Lisa Mantchev has a beautiful, intricate writing style, infused with quotes and jargon from her wealth of theatre knowledge, all without losing her own personal edge. Dialogue is witty and sharp, and she achieves a wonderful balance: the sense of familiarity with the characters offsets the mysterious world filled with infinite possibilities. There is another balance kept, too: the comedic moments offset the devastating tragedies. The first chapter alone is a fantastic example of the humorous side of Perchance To Dream, wherein the Fourth Wall is broken through and the fairies prattle on about pie. Meanwhile, you will encounter at least two shocking revelations throughout the novel, and grow even closer to a character you might not have had any sympathies for in the past. As a genre novel, Perchance To Dream rips apart all conventions. I am not usually a fan of high fantasy — which I suppose the Théâtre Illuminata series is — but Lisa Mantchev bends the rules of genre, creating something breathtakingly original and fantastical, yet still modern. Everything is colourful, brilliant, larger than life, and just a touch hallucinogenic. A Baz Lurhman/Tim Burton lovechild, dark and radiant all at once, whirling at such speed it’s hard to keep up. It is my genuine opinion that the protagonist, Bertie, is one of the most powerful female characters in young adult fiction. She has an inner strength that she comes to realize over the course of Perchance To Dream, continuing her evolution from spunky, dye-hard theatre misfit. She is no weakling, no coward, and does not require the aid of a love interest to save her life every five pages — nor does she require a significant other to make her interesting. She can carry the novel quite well on her own. After a year without her, it was spectacularly refreshing to meet Bertie again. Reading Perchance To Dream returned to me my faith in young adult novels, and reminded me why I read this genre. Now, if you pardon me, I need to mourn the loss for another year, until book three is published … (Book supplied for review by the publisher.)