Title: The Cure For Dreaming
Author: Cat Winters
Publisher: Amulet
Genre: YA Historical
Rating: Five Stars
Jacket Copy:
Olivia Mead is a headstrong, independent girl—a suffragist—in an age that prefers its girls to be docile. It’s 1900 in Oregon, and Olivia’s father, concerned that she’s headed for trouble, convinces a stage mesmerist to try to hypnotize the rebellion out of her. But the hypnotist, an intriguing young man named Henri Reverie, gives her a terrible gift instead: she’s able to see people’s true natures, manifesting as visions of darkness and goodness, while also unable to speak her true thoughts out loud. These supernatural challenges only make Olivia more determined to speak her mind, and so she’s drawn into a dangerous relationship with the hypnotist and his mysterious motives, all while secretly fighting for the rights of women. Winters breathes new life into history once again with an atmospheric, vividly real story, including archival photos and art from the period throughout.
Review:
i cannot even BEGIN to express how much this book kicked ass. i loved Olivia Mead and how determined she was to remain true to herself, despite living in a timeframe where girls and women were supposed to be quiet and content with staying at home, taking care of the menfolk.
that’s not to say it was a guy vs. girl thing. on the contrary, it was a beautiful expression of how important it is to have EQUAL rights across the board. no matter your race, creed, sex, or sexual orientation, you have the right to live your life freely and with respect.
what an empowering and positive read!
it was bittersweet in a way, too. women have come a long way, but we still have so far to go in the equality department. we need to remember that and cherish each other. being a feminist isn’t a dirty word. being a feminist means being proud of being a woman and all the wonderful layers that come with that. we can be strong and weak and emotional and rational and outspoken or shy. we can be intelligent and sexy and cute and fierce and love to be in the kitchen and STILL be feminists. we can be boy crazy one minute and fighting against discrimination the next. we are a thousand things all rolled into one and we are pretty freaking amazing. strapping guns to our hips and ninja-kicking people doesn’t always equal strength. being yourself in a world that’s constantly trying to force you into one box or another is being just as strong, and is hella brave.
i’ve got a whole new appreciation for the suffragists who’ve paved the way for us to be whoever we want to be and wear our identities proudly. we still have to fight the good fight, but we’ll get there. thank you, cat winters, for shining the light on these amazing ladies and their stories.
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I want to read this!!
you would SO love it, Precy! i’m going to be rereading it again soon.