Strange but fun. About a father looking for his lost daughter, who slowly begins to suspect that she has disappeared into a fairy-tale world. Told in epistolary form to good effect. Really about stories, the power of them, and the importance of imagination over strict adherence to reality. ( )

Byron Kidd's twelve year old daughter disappears one day with the only clue being a note saying that she is off to explore the Hidden World, a reference to a magical world in a popular YA fantasy series. It turns out that she isn't the only one that has gone missing under mysterious circumstances tied to this book series.

The journalist Byron, unsatisfied with the lack of progress in the police investigation, decides to do some digging himself in a quest to find his daughter. He journeys from the East Coast to Los Angeles where the author of the book series lives. In the course of his research, he finds that there appear to be parts of the fantasy world blending with the real world. Can he find out what happened to his daughter and the other missing children?

I found the premise of this book very intriguing and the cover is gorgeous. The book is told through journal entries, Reddit posts, interviews and excerpts. While this isn't my favorite style, it seemed to fit here. I found the character of Byron to be a very unlikable person almost all the way through the book. In his defense, his teenage daughter is missing and presumed dead while his wife and others have tried to move on. As a parent, I cannot imagine what that must be like. As a reader, it was really hard to sympathize with him because he is a jerk, lies to people constantly to get what he thinks he needs, drinks like a fish, and looks down on pretty much everyone, especially if you are a woman.

I found this book to be a REALLY slow burn. Things don't really get started until almost 40% in and the action really doesn't ramp up until the last 20% or so. There was a lot of buildup but a quick ending so pacing seemed a little off. It was hard to get a rhythm going due to the writing style changing constantly and Byron's run on sentence journal entries getting in the way. Without the supporting character of Misha, the operator of a popular fan site dedicated to the YA fantasy book series, this would have been a tough read. Byron is just not a fun character to spend time with.

There were some bright spots in this creatively put together modern fantasy novel but it is hard to root for the main character even though his goal is to be reunited with his daughter who he didn't spend enough time with growing up because he was busy with work. Once the fantasy and real world started blending, the book got going but it took awhile. The ending was rushed but was satisfying.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for honest feedback. ( )

This book is fantastic. It brings to mind the Neverending Story. I highly recommend for any lover of fairy tales. ( )

In DREAMBOUND, by Dan Frey, Byron Kidd's daughter is missing and using his skills and guile as a journalist, Byron goes on a determined search to find his daughter. Will his cynicism is in full force, clue after clue that leads to his daughter seem more and more magical and lack real world substantiation. Byron slowly begins to see that he doesn't understand everything and only when he decides to accept all possibilities does it quickly become clear that he might actually find her.
This novel I felt especially connected to as a dad. Byron's absolutely blind determination to find his daughter and his willingness to abandon his entire belief system if it means he can rescue her is so moving and inspirational. As the search continues, Byron begins to see the world through his daughter's eyes and when he sees himself through her eyes, he is equal parts sad that he didn't do better and even more committed to not only finding his daughter but to become a better father to her. The book also dives into the world of book series fandom, cosplayer, fan fiction and the like. Percy does a good job of not passing judgment (good or bad) on the book series obsession that can often become a young adult book phenomenon, but rather he presents it for what it is: a young person's search for self and purpose. Finally, this book can be seen as a love letter to storytelling and all of the wonderfully imaginative things that can come from sharing a story.
Endearing and electrifying, DREAMBOUND is a book I won't soon forget and the ending is one of the most unique and beautiful endings I've read in the last few years.
Thank you to Random House/Ballantine/Del Rey, Dan Frey, and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! ( )

Dreambound by Dan Frey is a fantasy novel that is highly recommended for lovers of the genre.

Byron Kidd’s twelve-year-old daughter Liza vanishes from their home in Boston. She leaves a note stuck in her favorite fantasy book written by Annabelle Tobin saying that she’s going to the end of the world - basically to the land found in the book. Liza is not the only child to do so. Byron is a reporter and decides to uncover the truth behind his daughter's disappearance along with others. The last known clue to her whereabouts is a ping from her phone identifying her location as in Los Angeles. Byron goes to L.A. and begins to use all his skills to interview people and uncover clues about where his daughter could be.

The narrative is told through journal entries, transcripts, emails, texts, and excerpts from Tobin’s novels, Dreambound and other fairy tales. This modern epistolary approach to the novel works very well and moves at a smooth, quick pace. The plot is compelling and interesting while the suspense remains high to the end.

The characters are unique and all portrayed as fully realized individuals. Not all characters are likeable or trustworthy, but they all resemble people you may know or see daily. In the end, setting all the fantastical elements aside, this is a novel about a father searching for his missing daughter, as well as an ode to the love of stories.

I will admit to not being a huge fan of all genres of fantasy novels and tend more to science fiction, but the plot held my interest throughout. Those who enjoy fantasy will likely enjoy this novel even more than I did.
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Random House via NetGalley.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2023/09/dreambound.html ( )