Nelly Might Like This Novel

Dreamology by Lucy Keating

My rating: 4.75 of 5 stars

I was thinking ’bout her, thinking ’bout me
Thinking ’bout us, what we gon’ be
Open my eyes yeah, it was only just a dream. — Nelly

Gleaning upon the aforementioned lyrics, Dreamology was exceptionally dreamlike. It’s the love story of Alice and Max, two lonely teenagers who have been dreaming about each other nearly every night since they were kids. On one fated day, they finally meet in real life, and they are forced to question the authenticity of their feelings, as well as their own sanity. After all, everything that had passed between them was only just a dream. I had never encountered a book with this kind of premise, so I did not hesitate to get my hands on it; when I went to my local bookstore, I was delighted to find the very last copy in stock, as if it were meant for me.

I had a very euphoric time reading this standalone novel, and it was most probably because of how it occasionally tugged at my heartstrings. Although I have yet to experience the blessing of falling in love, I was moved by Alice and Max’s tumultuous relationship. They were genuinely attached to one another, but their connection was plagued by uncertainty nonetheless. When I come to think of it, I myself would be flabbergasted to meet the literal girl of my dreams, the epitome of all my unrealistic expectations. As I read (devoured) this book, I was struck by the sad realization that people nowadays are just too rational to believe that even the most ridiculous of dreams can come true. Yes, I acknowledge the fact that Dreamology is indeed a work of fiction, but I am grateful because it has filled my heart with this blissful feeling called hope. I’m sorry if that makes me seem like a hopeless romantic. Trust me, I am definitely not. Hahaha.

Another enjoyable element of this book was Alice and Max’s dream life, which was adorably quirky. Since both of them had a very powerful imagination, their shared dreams were about fantastical experiences like attending balls at the Museum of Modern Art, “playing” on top of clouds, and riding Cheerios on rivers of fresh milk. It was amazing to witness them have so much fun in an almost stoned condition. Ultimately, I guess Alice and Max were “high” on love, if there is such a thing.

In retrospect, the only problem I had with this book was that it did not fully explain why Alice and Max dreamed of each other. I initially perceived their connection as magical, but it turned out to be psychological instead. Many scientific reasons were given to enlighten readers, and although they were quite informative, they were unfortunately insufficient. To be honest, many of my questions remain unanswered, so am I quite confused until now. However, it is possible that the ambiguity was intentionally done to make the story last longer in our bookish minds. Nevertheless, the following truth remains: unsatisfied curiosity sucks.

All things considered, I definitely loved Dreamology. It featured a story unlike anything I’ve read before, as well as characters whom I never expected to be so authentic and heartwarming. This novel had a perfect balance of humor and drama, and I am more than willing to add it to my shelf of favorite books.