Review of Perchance to Dream by Lisa Mantchev

I'm sure most of you who've stumbled upon this section of my website know I'm not really a book reviewer, rather I'm a book celebrator. I usually share here only the books I enjoy, and adore, and can't wait to read again.

Spoiler alert, if you want to be kept in suspense about the plot of "Perchance to Dream" it's best not to read further.

For the rest of you, here I go. The book worlds of Lisa Mantchev are about theater and magic. To delve into them is to put aside the worries of our regular old material world and open up to something more akin to our dreams. And Mantchev has outdone herself in the second outing of the young Bertie Shakespeare Smith, the two boys who love for her (the air spirit Ariel and the pirate Nate), and the three mischievous fairies who tag along on all of her adventures.

Filled with with even more magic and adventure than the first book, Perchance to Dream moves at a very fast clip, taking off right where book one left off.

In book one, Eyes Like Stars, Bertie did her very best to remain within the safety of the only world she's ever known - the alluring Théâtre Illuminata. In book two Bertie is growing up. Pushed by her wish to save Nate from the Sea Goddess who captured him at the end of book one, and her longing to discover who her mysterious father actually is (in book one she also discovered her mother is Shakespeare's Ophelia) Bertie now steps willingly into the great wide world and her new role as the "Mistress of Revels" and takes responsibility to get them all to where they need to go - albeit she lets Ariel drive the caravan they all travel in.

I admire that Mantchev has set up a love triangle at the heart of the books and that Bertie just does not want to be pushed to decide between her two handsome heroes. Bertie is stronger of mind this time around, and wants to figure out who she really is. She feels the search for her father holds the key.

On a side note: one of the best pieces of advice I could give a 16 year old girl about boys - you have time, it's okay to find yourself, I promise the boys don't disappear for very long (and it usually makes them like you more, as Bertie finds out). 

That being said, my money is on Ariel (or perhaps it's my projection). For one thing he gets the best lines and for another, in Perchance to Dream, Bertie finds out that her own magic runs far deeper than she knew and that she and Ariel may be far more similar than she imagined. But perhaps the more important issue is that Ariel turns out to be a follow through sort of guy who turns up right when she needs him.

The book is a fast read, but the language so lush and rich and full of the strange and wondrous that you may have to go back and read certain passages again to make sure you understand just what's going on. Don't fret, you'll enjoy it.

Stay tuned...soon we'll have an interview with the talented author herself!