The Dreamers by Karen Thompson Walker

Imagine a sickness that keeps you asleep. No one knows if you’re dreaming, or even if they’re good or bad dreams. This book reminded me of Sleeping Beauties by Stephen King when I first heard about it. It’s not quite the same..

This story tells about a sickness not yet discovered. It all started at a college in a small town. One girl felt ill, didn’t tell anyone, and suddenly fell asleep. She stayed asleep for days before the next girl on the same dorm floor fell asleep. Suddenly, it spread like wildfire in the little town. Some died, very few woke up. What was this illness? How can they keep it from spreading? Who’s the next person to get it?

I was sucked-in from page one. I was incredibly captivated by the writing style, following the stories of multiple people whose lives were uprooted because of this mysterious illness. I couldn’t put the book down! About 50-75% of the way through the book, I suddenly got bored. There was no development on the illness, it just kept spreading. I was expecting that…but, I was just ready for the big finale! What crazy twist was going to come about!? And you know what? It didn’t happen. I always keep my reviews spoiler-free, so I won’t share what exactly happens in the end, but it was a major letdown for me. This book had me so pumped about the most dramatic discovery that should’ve happened in the end but never did. I have swayed back and forth on my rating of this book…I really loved reading it, but I’m still just so upset at the ending.

3.75/5 Stars