Corrine, a supporting character, isn't in a physically abusive relationship, but she allows her husband to tie her down and drain her financially. It was frightening to think about how easy it was for Caitlin to get stuck in this terrible relationship. But Caitlin can't change him or save him, and soon she becomes a victim of Rogerson's abuse.Īs a mother of three girls, an abusive partner is one of my worst fears for them.

With her parents wrapped up in the disappearance of her sister, Caitlin's desire to be needed is satisfied when she meets Rogerson, who she thinks she can change and save from the effects of his abusive father. The story is interesting and the characters are excellent.After Caitlin's perfect sister Cass runs away just before she is set to begin college, Caitlin, an otherwise 'good' girl and student, feels the need to push back and be something different. In Dreamland, Sarah Dessen does an excellent job writing about a sensitive issue without the book reading like an after school special. I think it’s really important for teens (and adults!) to see this. Caitlin still has things to work through. Once she finally gets help, everything isn’t great all at once. It’s easy for Caitlin to make excuses for Rogerson and forgive him. It doesn’t go horribly wrong all at once. Being with Rogerson helps Caitlin deal with everything else in her life. What I really appreciate about Dreamland is the way it shows the progression of Caitlin and Rogerson’s relationship. While it’s one of the shorter Sarah Dessen books, it’s one of the most intense. However, Dreamland delves deeper into the issue at hand. Now, all of Sarah’s books have serious issues that her characters have to deal with. It’s been said that Sarah’s newest book Saint Anything is her “darkest” book to date. You can see when each book is featured in this graphic from Penguin Teen: But what happens when being with Rogerson becomes a larger problem than being without him?įor the Summer of Sarah Dessen I’m posting reviews of all her books that I haven’t reviewed yet.

Being with him makes Caitlin forget about everything else-her missing sister, her withdrawn mother, her lackluster life. Rogerson is different from anyone Caitlin has ever known. JHeidi Book Review 2 Dreamland by Sarah DessenĮver since she started going out with Rogerson Biscoe, Caitlin seems to have fallen into a semiconscious dreamland where nothing is quite real.

Dreamland book summary sarah dessen