The Dream Hunter

Author:

Laura Kinsale

Published:

Berkley Books, December 1994 ; 346 pages

Subgenre:

Historical romance: Regency

Setting:

Syria, 1839 and England -- London, 1841

Main characters:

Arden Mansfield, Viscount Winter, and Zenia Stanhope Bruce

Sexual explicitness:

Fairly explicit

Keywords:

Intrigue ; deserts, family responsibility, horses, illegitimate children, orphans

Reader rating:

Reader comments:

This book is not an easy read because it portrays something we all like to talk about but don't like to own up to--how much we are likely to recreate in some new way the same errors that our mothers and perhaps grandmother did before us. What we really can't abide about Zenia is how she is like her mother. What we relish about the hero is that eventually he is able to help her stop relieving her mother's life and beginning to live her own. Very brave of Kinsale to engage such a hard topic into the mundane hearts and flowers of romance novels. (B.H.W., 2-6-97) I did enjoy the book and was completely engrossed...until Zenia arrived in England. I found myself getting upset with her, which I suppose is the "evidence" of a truly great author (making their characters so 3-D that we actively feel something towards them). But after a good portion of the "England" life, I became engrossed with the last scenes that played out between Arden and Zenia. I love the hero, especially his shyness, which came as the most adorable, beautiful surprise! I love Laura Kinsale, she is the most gifted, unique storyteller I've ever read, and I've read this book thrice, despite the England trip. A definite "recommendation"! (L.Y., 1-16-97) The worst thing about this book was that it looked like it would be good. The heroine went from being brave and tragic, having been forced to live with uncertainty and fear, but FACING it, to being bitchy. I thought one or the other of the pair was going to have to triumph over their fear and dislike of their inherited position in life, but no one ever resolved anything. The hero's father was the most 3-d character, and the hero's relation with him was much more interesting than that with Zenia once they reached England. I really question the whole, "Zenia calls the shots" theme of the bit in England. That's silly. (A.E., 10-31-96) It was good, but Zenia got on my nerves towards the end. This man was so wonderful, yet she kept trying to break his heart. You could tell that he would do anything for her, yet it wasn't enough. And frankly, it pissed me off how she wouldn't let him get too close to his own daughter. But Arden was a keeper. (D.H., 10-24-96) Though I am a huge fan of Kinsale, and buy all her books without even reading the back, I was extremely disappointed in this book and her characters. Zenia was so indecisive and wimpy and Arden verging on vindictive, that I truly doubted a happy ending and am not sure they really deserved one. This book did not improve on my second reading of it. (S.S., 10-5-96) Marvelous three dimensional characters! I loved the fact that Arden Mansfield could be both shy and strong and how Zenia, although she longs for the comfort and luxury of London life still maintains an inner strength that manages to see past her own fears. Laura Kinsale is a most excellent writer...When can we expect more?? (J.L., 9-27-96) This is my favorite Laura Kinsale book so far! The characters are very 3-dimensional. And I the plot did keep me guessing. I honestly did not know how these characters could resolve their differences. I highly recommend this book. (G.H., 9-10-96) I used to like Laura Kinsale until I read this book. I was extremely disappointed and outraged by this novel. She should watch her facts (If she is she's obviously been using the wrong resources). After reading this novel I don't think I'll ever read another one of her novels. It took a long time for things to develope and get under way. (D.K., 8-3-96) This was my first Kinsale novel and I loved it. Admittedly not an easy read, but the characters were wonderfully complex. Arden is now one of my very favorite heroes. After everything he went through to get Zenia to trust him, he deserved his happy ending. Especially poignant was the part of the novel when Arden becomes ill and Zenia cares for him. (J.S., 6-28-96) Despite some plot and character flaws, this book was--like all I've read so far by Kinsale--written with a far more masterful and "literary" style than the usual pop romance. Thanks for your reviews, which first commended this author to me. (E.P., 5-28-96) As with Stephen Spielberg in movies, even mediocre Kinsale is better than anything else out there. Admittedly, this is not her best work (when will you let us review her "Prince of Midnight" and "The Shadow and The Star"?). But when the hero pulls poor Zenia off the train near the end a la Sean Connery in "The Wind and the Lion," I loved it, loved it! Thanks, Laura; you're still the best! (S.R., 5-23-96) It was ok. (P.C., 5-8-96) A gripping read, delving deeply into the characters' psyches. I felt emotionally spent when I finished reading it. Kinsale surprised me by showing the heroine in her absolute worst light, at times. (J.S., 4-1-96) I started out liking the book and then the book lost me when Zenia became over protective and honestly quite boring. (D.G., 3-20-96) The heroine did get a bit tiresome towards the end, but I liked the book very much. (S.R., 2-26-96) This was not her best effort. Zenia bored me to tears once she got to England. No backbone!!! Sorry, this one's a bomb. (A.K., 10-29-95) Although I hate to admit it about any of Laura Kinsale's books, this one was a disappointment, especially after her previous two. I tend to disagree with the statement about the heroine being too weak. I think that the author was trying to make the heroine too strong at the expense of the hero and the rest of the novel. (K.L., 10-25-95) Not Kinsale's most successful work, yet still far superior to the general run. Improves on rereading. (J.M., 10-5-95) This was a book I ardently disliked and yet was unable to put down. The heroine was too mentally fragile. I did, however, enjoy the last 20 or so pages of the book. (L.G., 7-23-95) Kinsale's style is wonderfully filled with pathos and misery, and I mean this in the best way. She's a master at eliciting strong emotions, and knows that the more angst-ridden the characters are, the more they must overcome, making their eventual triumph that much more significant and poignant. Re: reader comment on hero mistaking heroine for a boy - I tend to disagree. I have no problem with this. Formulaic plot elements work, as far as I'm concerned, if they're handled ingeniously enough by the author, and Kinsale is always brilliant. (K.K., 6-22-95) An excellent book peopled with complex, rich characters. I always look forward to Kinsale's heroes, and Arden is another great one! (M.A., 6-19-95) I very much disliked the fact that the heroine was mistaken by the hero for a 12-year-old bedouin boy. I tire very easily of this scenario in romance novels. (P.C., 6-14-95) I thought this book had a interesting conflict between a hero who rebelled against being confined as a child and a heroine who longed for stability and safety, the book got more interesting as it went on. (C.M., 6-12-95)

Rate this book

Other books by this author

Return to the main page of the Romance Novel Database