‘Escaping Dreamland’ by Charlie Lovett (Blackstone Publishing)

Speaking about anticipating a novel experience: Readers have devoured everything of Winston-Salem author Charlie Lovett’s since the 2013 major publication debut of “The Bookman’s Tale” (https://tinyurl.com/y9vczq53), and we've comfortably come to know what to expect from this writer. Lovett is famously a former antiquarian bookseller (to the point that he was consulted by John Grisham as the legal-thriller writer was researching a novel), a Lewis Carroll scholar and a lover of the British landscape. Many, if not all, of these things populate his novels in some fashion or another.

Until this one. Oh, not the parts about the new novel being influenced by old books or even a Carroll reference — those are in there — but the part about knowing what to come to expect from this exceptional storyteller.
“Escaping Dreamland” is a departure from the Lovett canon in that it offers not one coming-of-age tale, but three; not one mystery, but two; not one love story, but four.

Typically with a Lovett novel, the story is built on the enigma of old books and is divided into historical time periods. So it is here. In “Escaping Dreamland,” the year 1906 is largely centered on the Manhattan of that era — although the San Francisco earthquake figures prominently — and that period intersects with the life of a contemporary author, Robert Parrish, whose connection to three young writers of the early-20th century epoch propels much of the narrative.

Through alternate tellings, the story of Magda, Gene and Tom gradually evolves to reveal the answers to both their own mysteries, and the mysteries that are driving Robert’s lifelong insecurities and fears. With graceful insight and prose injected into those stories, Lovett explores and exposes themes he has only hinted at in previous works — sexuality, women’s rights and bigotry among them.

Few are the authors who have so beautifully captured the Gilded Age of New York as has Lovett here, and fewer still are those who could couple that period with the inner struggles of a modern-day Manhattan novelist — while simultaneously teasing out the puzzles behind a set of century-old children’s books and the secret that has defined Parrish’s life.

“Escaping Dreamland” is a bold and brave novel from Lovett. Even the title is like nothing he has produced before, and although its raw stories and controversial subjects may lose the author a few current fans, he will gain many more for what he offers us here.

Offering another dimension is the nearly 13-hour audio version of the novel, also from Blackstone. Ably and well-read by veteran voice artist Mike Lenz, the narrator does a fine job traveling not only between time periods, but between the most diverse group of characters Lovett has produced to date. Capturing the friendship, love and angst between Magda, Gene and Tom, and bringing that forward to Robert’s and his wife’s marital struggles would be a challenge for any audiobook narrator. Lenz is up to the task.

I think the best word to describe my feelings on this book is disappointed. There was so much potential here for an incredible novel: a literary mystery, NYC in the early 1900s, actual historical events tied in. The research was incredible and weaved into the tale really well. But the writing unfortunately was abysmal. There was no magic to the story, and the dialogue felt so fake and stilted. I am really bummed because this could have been something amazing at the hands of another.

The audio was well done though. The narrator really fit the story and did a good job making bad dialogue sound decent.

2.5 stars

Books shape our lives, expanding our imagination and inspiring our futures. Robert Parrish’s obsession with his favorite childhood book series, The Tremendous Trio, led him to be a writer, but when his past becomes inescapable, he will go on a journey to discover how the series came to be, along with uncovering the lives of its authors — Magda, Gene, and Tom. How far will a son go to fulfill his father’s wish? Will finding the truth of the past help Robert fix the present?

“Childhood is something you never forget or leave behind, but that doesn’t mean you should dwell in it. There is a great chasm between a man who always has a child-like part of his spirit and one who is eternally childish.” ~ Charlie Lovett

Escaping Dreamland was not what I expected. The title and summary led me to believe this would be an epic adventure, which it was, though not as exciting as most adventures tend to be. At times suspenseful and intriguing, I nevertheless found myself unable to submerge into the storyline. While the writing was well-done and the plot unique, certain directions caused me to not connect to the characters. I wanted to love this book, it began with a quote from Hamilton, after all; but, unfortunately, it fell flat for me.

“Food that is perfectly suitable for the mind of a child will not nourish that of a man.” ~ Charlie Lovett

Thank you NetGalley for providing this audiobook in exchange for an honest review. Dreamland tells two interlocking stories. Modern day best selling author Robert Parish kept secret that he was inspired to write by reading children’s series books as a child with his father. He didn’t think that fact was sophisticated enough to mention in interviews. He especially liked the Tremendous Trio books and set about to discover more about the author. In a flashback to the early 1900s we meet a trio of young adults, each with their own secrets. The relationships of the three change as they begin writing series books. They have shared adventures as well. The author beings in a lot of historic events and personages from that time. It was a very interesting book.

Thank you to Blackstone Publishing for this ALC. It was just what I needed. The writing was on point, and I loved the dual timeline, although I loved the 1906 timeline a little better. I love how historical fiction novels always come around and connect the two timelines. The amount of research Charlie Lovett did was phenomenal and totally captivating. Again, a familiar theme here - finding out who you are and being ok with that, even in the midst of tragedy. Highly, highly recommend.

I have adored every book that I have read by Charlie Lovett and this title is no exception. It is so clear that this author loves all things book related. Each novel has a connection to something literary: in First Impressions, for example, it is Jane Austen and there is generally a dual time line.

Escaping Dreamland is another winner! This novel is a love letter to series books and New York. Any one who ever read Nancy Drew or the Hardy Boys and loved going from one title to the next will relate to the protagonist and the power of reading as expressed in this novel. I liked that there was credit given to those books that are not “great,” but are greatly loved.

In the dual timeline, much of the book takes place in the early 1900s and just before. Readers get to marvel at the Statue of Liberty when it was new and visit an artists studio that is frequented by the famous bankers and writers of the day, including Henry James.

The three protagonists in the past represent different cultures and childhood experiences. How they come together and what they do is one of the story lines. The modern parts of the novel are about a writer, his relationships, his struggles and his relationship to his beloved childhood series.

The narration of this title is excellent. The author's calm and matter of fact tone enhanced the text.

I absolutely loved this book. I am already longing for the next book by this author.


Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Wow, I adored this book. It started out slow but quickly became mesmerizing. I love old children's books like Nancy Drew, Trixie Belden, and the Hardy Boys so I really enjoyed how this book was centered around a fictional children's book series. I listened to the audiobook and it was terrific.

I loved this story, and I found it really hard to "put down". I found all of the characters, despite their flaws, to be engaging, particularly the early 1900s timeline characters and events, many of which are based on true people & places and true events. I think this would make a good film. I was very delighted with this book and did not have any expectations really but was a little worried about it being based in NYC, a city that I am not particularly fond of, but it came to life with the historical aspects.

This book was so hard to describe without giving away too much. Robert is an author who is, for some reason, embarrassed that he read kids books when he was a kid. Heck, I appreciate authors I can relate to because they have guilty pleasures like I do. When he finally becomes a published author, he avoids the question of his influences to the point of ruining his relationships. So, he goes on a quest to answer a mystery of his own childhood. Who wrote his favorite series and what happened to the last book?

My favorite parts were not with Robert. My favorite parts were back to the previous turn of the century and three young people who come together to create the books Robert so loved. Their stories captured the United States, but mostly New York City, in that turbulent and quickly changing time. Comparing it to the most recent century change brought to mind far more similarities than I ever would have thought.

Magda's story of living as an immigrant and the tragedies she experienced, brought that entire era to life. Tom's privileged early life and his setting out on his own seemed like it couldn't possibly intertwine with Magda's. Yet, it does and he has his own experiences with the disasters and tragedies of the time. Finally, Gene, living in a time in which I wouldn't have thought he could easily find others to relate to and live amongst, and yet he does and it helps bring him to the other two. The love of books binds everyone together. I think it will bring the readers to them, as well.

The narrator was so effective. He is the first in a few books I've listened to that doesn't seem to overdo characters of another gender. He treats each character with respect, giving them their own voices without turning them into a cliche or a stereotype. His vocal choices added to the whimsy and magic of the tale.

Thank you to Charlie Lovett, Blackstone, and Netgalley for the treat of listening to an early copy of this book in exchange for my review.

Escaping Dreamland, written by Charlie Lovett, is a book about books… Basically a favorite around here! Largely set in NYC in the early 20th century, this novel follows the life of three writers working to create children’s series. In modern times, author Robert Parrish was inspired by series books to become a writer. As his first novel becomes a bestseller, his relationship with his girl friend begins to fall apart and he must confront his secret demons.

Things I enjoyed about this book:
Books, writers and amazing libraries! Yay.
Magda, Gene, and Tom found themselves in sooooooo many amazing historical events. They were basically Forrest Gump of the 1900s.
Progressive characters. I don’t want to spill everything, but they have a lot going on and embrace it all.
The narrator was fine… Nothing special but my ears didn’t hate him either.

Unfortunately, this book fell a little short for me. First off, it took a really long time to get into the story. The excessive backstory makes this book really long. The story lines didn’t quite flow and left me a little disappointed.

Three stars! Read this if you’re a fan of Charlie Lovett, NYC history, or children series’ books.

Thank you to Blackstone Publishing and to NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this audio book.

Escaping Dreamland by Charlie Lovett
Narrated by: Mike Lenz
Publication Date: September 22, 2020
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Description from NetGalley...
“Robert Parrish’s childhood obsession with series books like the Hardy Boys and Tom Swift inspired him to become an author. Just as his debut novel becomes a bestseller, his relationship with his girlfriend, Rebecca, begins to fall apart. Robert realizes he must confront his secret demons by fulfilling a youthful promise to solve a mystery surrounding his favorite series—the Tremendous Trio.

Guided by twelve tattered books and an unidentified but tantalizing fragment of a story, Robert journeys into the history of the books that changed his life, hoping they can help him once again. His odyssey takes him to 1906 Manhattan, a time of steamboats, boot blacks, and Fifth Avenue mansions, but every discovery he makes only leads to more questions.”
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Thank you to @NetGalley @blackstonepublishing for the audiobook and digital ARCs in return for my honest review.
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My thoughts...
So, I initially requested for the audiobook of this historical fiction. Halfway through, I requested for the book. Why? Because it was so good! The narrator was okay at the beginning, he didn’t have the range of voices I’ve been used to listening. But, I was captivated by the story, that I just got used to the narrator’s story-telling and it got better. I also wanted to read the book to make sure I didn’t miss any details. This was how much I enjoyed it. The two timelines intertwined so well. I didn’t want the story of Magda, Gene and Tom to end. It was beautifully written about the power of books. I really want a copy in my hands.

I have personally come to really love Charlie Lovett. He writes literary stories about books, what is not love. This is not his usual story about antiquarian books that he typically writes about, but about serial children’s books written in the early twentieth century.

Robert Parrish should be on cloud nine. He has published a best seller, and he is with a woman he adores. However something that has been nagging on him, that is starting to affect him, and in turn his relationship with Rebecca sours. Rebecca takes off and Robert asks for 1 week to start his quest to find more information about the childhood books he loved and the reason he became an author.

The story then moves from almost current times, to the early 1900’s where three aspiring children’s authors meet and each write their own series of books and then collaborate together to bring epic books out with all of their characters.

This book started a little slow for me, but turned into a solid literary mystery. Lovett gives us an education on all things children’s books from that time period. You will adore Robert as he works through solving this mystery so he can move on. Magda, Tom and Gene were ahead of their times, and Lovett did not shy away from some difficult topics that makes the characters stronger.

If you love books about books you will love this one, and if you have not read anything from Charlie Lovett’s backlist, I highly recommend any of his books. You will love getting immersed in the stories he writes.

Thank you NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for an Advanced Reader’s Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

There are a few types of stories I love: interwoven narratives, vignettes, and books about books. Escaping Dreamland was exactly what I was hoping it would be. The audiobook was easy to listen to. Great for listening while driving, cooking, working out, or puzzling. Not ideal for during the work day because it would be too interesting to also get work done.

I expected Escaping Dreamland to be an escape from reality. However, it didn't create the mysterious and nostalgic atmosphere I was hoping for. It wasn't nearly as exciting as I had hoped. Still, there are aspects of this book I enjoyed, making it a modest read.

Our protagonist, Robert, is a writer living in New York City. His relationship with his girlfriend begins falls apart after the success of his first novel. He then goes on a journey to explore the history of the books that shaped his childhood. At the same time, the reader goes on a journey to explore the beginnings of Robert's favourite authors: Thomas, Magda and Eugene.

I like the way the chapters bounce between Robert and the trio of authors, but it took a while for the story to get going. I found myself constantly waiting for something to happen which meant the original enthusiasm for this book died out. Additionally, the book felt unnecessarily long. There were a lot of details and even whole chapters that didn't move the narrative along. And the pace slowed dramatically in some places. The suspense dipped, especially when it came to the history of the authors. As a result, I was tempted to skip some moments.
The most endearing element of Escaping Dreamland is the literary adventure the story provides. Lovett splendidly builds a historical timelines that's quite fun to dive into. I like how the characters were developed, specifically the Tremendous Trio. The reader has the opportunity to discover multiple lives at once, which is an entertaining and interesting concept.

As it took a while for the connection between the characters to become clear, I wasn't as engaged when the book reached its peak. The only push to keep reader was the author's enjoyable style of writing, which is classically articulate with a chatty feel. Another frustration is the secret keeping. Robert's relationship is failing because he is distant and keeping secrets from Rebecca, his girlfriend. I imagined the secret to be something life-changing, but the drama was lacking in that respect.

Although I enjoy books about the magic of books, the protagonist was childish and irritating. He earned plenty of eye rolls and little sympathy. In my opinion, the best thing about the book are the tales of the Tremendous Trio. The premise of Escaping Dreamland is exciting and thrilling, but sadly, the overall story fell short.

This one took me awhile to get into. The narration is good but I was struggling to get into the storyline. We jump between one character in more modern days and three from around 1900. I love that books and writing play such a big part of the story but I wish I'd actually liked some of the characters more. They're not unlikable so much as I just didn't connect with any of them. The New York history was really interesting though.

Thank you Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for the audio ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I found it hard to get into the book at the beginning before the 1900s characters' lives diverge. It takes about a third of the novel before they meet, so a lot of their backstories are told, along with Robert's background with the books. The story picks up and gets more interesting once they meet and start to plan writing the books. After reading the entire novel, I see why so much of the character's backstory was necessary to the plot. The historical figures who make appearances in the book are meticulously researched and portrayed accurately.

Robert's story is more interesting to start because he is hiding something from his girlfriend Rebecca. His childhood love for the books and their connections to his memories of his father and grandfather are endearing. Robert promised his family to find the final book using the beginning pages they have, and his quest leads him all over New York City. His mission drives him to change and his transformation is fascinating to watch. The ultimate reveal of his secret and the reason for his obsession is tragic.

Mike Lenz is a good reader with a deep, expressive voice. He does not do voices for each main character, but the narrative makes it clear which character is speaking without changes in intonation or accent. He does give a few minor characters vocal changes to make them different from the central characters.

Highly recommended for historical fiction fans, especially those with an interest in literature and/or the early twentieth century. Readers who are interested in gay life during this period or love triangles may also enjoy this novel.

An author inspired by the books he read as a child decides he must revisit a promise he made as a youngster to solve the mystery that cloaked his favorite book series, the Tremendous Trio. As Robert Parrish celebrates the publication of his first book his personal life lies in tatters. Embarking on a quest to solve a mystery that has captivated him for most of his life. Using his old children’s books as a guide he immerses himself in turn of the last century New York and the three authors of his favorite series, two young men and a young woman who believe the world is theirs for the taking. This is a beautiful book that will speak to readers everywhere. Lenz does a fine, if somewhat low key rendition of the story

The narrator is excellent and the author is a great writer. I just couldn't get into this one though. I would listen to it while driving and I think their were too many characters to keep track of at first and apparently I'm not a good multitasker. Fans of New York and literature lovers will enjoy this though. Thank you to Blackstone Publishing and to NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this audio book.