Review: "The Cure for Dreaming" by Cat Winters
— feeling hypnotized 
I’ve been waiting to read this book since it has been released. I haven’t read anything by Cat Winters before but because I’ve kept seeing this novel everywhere and because it has a gorgeous cover (which, by the way, is even more beautiful in reality: the cover's details and the chapters interspersed with fascinating archival photos and art, are simply perfect, so when I received it I admired it all day long), I wanted so bad to have it. When I've finally got it I was super excited and I had great expectations from it…and guess what? I wasn’t disappointed. I love it!!
Cat Winters is an amazing author and now, after reading The Cure for Dreaming, I will surely buy her other books. The novel is written in such a way that you’re transported to the time period of its setting (The year 1900, Portland, Oregon, a period when women were fighting for their right to vote alongside men.) One of those suffragists is our narrator, Olivia, whose father is very much against the idea of women entering the domain of politics and because of that he hires Henri to hypnotize his daughter into submission and to eliminate her rebellious thoughts. She is forced to say "All is well" instead of any true, angry feelings, but Henri also gives her the ability to see the world as it truly is, which can be a blessing or a curse. Olivia is trying to find a way to make her mind her own again.
The hypnosis part is really interesting.
Characters:
This is one of the few books, which I’ve read, that made me feel so attached to the characters since the first pages.
I loved Olivia and I felt so much sympathy for her. Olivia Mead is a realistic character and an intelligent young lady, who likes to read (especially, Dracula) and who fights for her rights in a society ruled by men, who regarded women as weak and who think that women has to be submissive, and that’s one of the things I admire about her.
As for the main male character, I can say that from the very first scene, I adored him; I’ve finally found another book boyfriend, yeeey! I love him and I fell under his spell since the first pages; I was simply hypnotized by him. Unlike the other male characters who are misogynist and anti-suffragists, Henri Reverie is a pro-suffragist who respect women and understand that they are equal to men. He is sweet and he cares for Olivia. They would form such a nice couple, but the focus wasn’t on their relationship and it is understandable.
Another character who has to be mentioned is Olivia’s father. I hate him so much, he is a misogynist and a bad father, because he doesn’t even try to understand his daughter’s feelings, he doesn’t even listen to what she has to say and by trying to “help” her he makes her suffer more. Not to forget Percy, another young men whose mentality is representative for the society in which he lives; he believes that women have to be docile, quiet and submissive, so yeah, the majority of men in this novel annoy me and I’m not even a feminist.
The setting was perfect and, like I said, Winters style of writing makes everything to be so realistic and it makes the reader to feel like his living in those times.
There was only one problem about this book, there was just one time I was disappointed and that was the moment when I finished it, I woke up from the hypnosis and I realized that it has not and it’s not going to have a sequel…T.T
I totally recommend it, so don't just stay there! GO READ IT and let yourself be hypnotized by this incredible novel!!!
Cat Winters is an amazing author and now, after reading The Cure for Dreaming, I will surely buy her other books. The novel is written in such a way that you’re transported to the time period of its setting (The year 1900, Portland, Oregon, a period when women were fighting for their right to vote alongside men.) One of those suffragists is our narrator, Olivia, whose father is very much against the idea of women entering the domain of politics and because of that he hires Henri to hypnotize his daughter into submission and to eliminate her rebellious thoughts. She is forced to say "All is well" instead of any true, angry feelings, but Henri also gives her the ability to see the world as it truly is, which can be a blessing or a curse. Olivia is trying to find a way to make her mind her own again.
The hypnosis part is really interesting.
Characters:
This is one of the few books, which I’ve read, that made me feel so attached to the characters since the first pages.
I loved Olivia and I felt so much sympathy for her. Olivia Mead is a realistic character and an intelligent young lady, who likes to read (especially, Dracula) and who fights for her rights in a society ruled by men, who regarded women as weak and who think that women has to be submissive, and that’s one of the things I admire about her.
As for the main male character, I can say that from the very first scene, I adored him; I’ve finally found another book boyfriend, yeeey! I love him and I fell under his spell since the first pages; I was simply hypnotized by him. Unlike the other male characters who are misogynist and anti-suffragists, Henri Reverie is a pro-suffragist who respect women and understand that they are equal to men. He is sweet and he cares for Olivia. They would form such a nice couple, but the focus wasn’t on their relationship and it is understandable.
Another character who has to be mentioned is Olivia’s father. I hate him so much, he is a misogynist and a bad father, because he doesn’t even try to understand his daughter’s feelings, he doesn’t even listen to what she has to say and by trying to “help” her he makes her suffer more. Not to forget Percy, another young men whose mentality is representative for the society in which he lives; he believes that women have to be docile, quiet and submissive, so yeah, the majority of men in this novel annoy me and I’m not even a feminist.
The setting was perfect and, like I said, Winters style of writing makes everything to be so realistic and it makes the reader to feel like his living in those times.
There was only one problem about this book, there was just one time I was disappointed and that was the moment when I finished it, I woke up from the hypnosis and I realized that it has not and it’s not going to have a sequel…T.T
I totally recommend it, so don't just stay there! GO READ IT and let yourself be hypnotized by this incredible novel!!!
