The Cure for Dreaming by Cat Winters
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I never judge a book by its cover. I don’t care, if there is a pretty picture on the front cover, trying to allude to the contents of the story or if it is just wrapped in brown paper. But something struck me when I looked at this book the first time. I had to read it without even perusing the synopsis. It was a strange and enticing feeling being drawn to a book with such intensity. This strange and enticing feeling continued throughout the entire reading of the story. It was dark, sad, infuriating and powerful.
Being an avid enthusiast when it comes to fiction set in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, but very well aware that the reality of that time period was not all ball gowns and handsome gentlemen, I appreciated and was even happy to read a story that portrayed this period in a sobering light and with aggravating elements of the truth.
The plot was simple and straight forward, without many twists that would just distract from the beauty of reality.
The main character was a fair representation of a young woman with a will to make her own way in a world ruled by men. The reader has sympathy with her without feeling pity. Her realistic personality and struggles to acquire what she dreams about fuels the reader’s interest in her while at the same time having enough time and space within the story to really marvel at what it meant to be a woman at the turn of the last century.
The author’s writing style was a treat for any reader. It’s precise and simple, yet it is not mediocre. It allows for a steady flow that transports the reader to Oregon in 1900. It does not linger on overly constructed metaphors or poetic descriptions that would take away from the every-day atmosphere the author wanted to achieve.
I read this book in about one and a half days and was extremely sad when it concluded. It has been a while since I felt this engrossed in a book and I would recommend it to anyone, who likes great story telling with realistic elements.
