tbh the most fairytale like thing about this novel is that there’s a talking goose but other than that, it really is just about a 14 year old girl (sophia) trying to survive in a world where people are constantly out to get her. there’s something about the way the author writes that makes the atmosphere feel so soft and dream-like even though sophia is going through this procession of traumatic events. i absolutely love the author’s writing style.

the most interesting part of the book was her relationship with her mother, as she continually goes back and forth between feeling love and contempt for her. this dissonance honestly is what makes the plot twist so jarring, and i feel like this quote very well sums up not only the war going on around sophia but the one going on in her mind as well

“once there was a girl about her age who wore a sparkling leotard and rode her bicycle across a high wire. they had to travel to faraway places to find poor people who had been neglected in this particular manner. no mother had worried about this child dying. sometimes neglect can help you discover your potential.”

i loved the book but was expecting a bit more fairytale/fantasy elements. overall i do think this is an amazing novel with beautiful prose and i will def be recommending this book, tysm to netgalley and the publishers for the arc!

The Capital of Dreams is a unique and captivating read that lingers in the mind long after the final page. The book masterfully blends dark, whimsical tones with a fascinating mix of reality and imagination, creating an immersive world where it’s delightfully unclear whether the narrator’s descriptions are to be trusted. One standout character is the goose—a surprising highlight! The author gives this animal a vivid, strong personality that brings both humor and depth to the story. Starting this book, I didn’t know what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised by how it unfolded. The unexpected twist at the end caught me off guard in the best way, adding a satisfying conclusion to an already intriguing journey. For readers who enjoy books with a touch of the fantastical and a dash of the surreal, The Capital of Dreams is sure to leave a lasting impression.

Following a young girl separated from her mother during wartime as she attempts to find safety and retrieve her mother’s lost manuscript. First of all: there’s a talking goose!! And it’s one of my favorite characters I’ve read in a long time. This is a fairytale like story about the necessity of art and complexities of mother/daughter relationships that manages to feel both historical and futuristic. Pretty different from what I usually read and I loved it!

I’m actually all out of words for how magical Heather O’Neills writing is. The way she makes an insanely depressing situation whimsical is just simply brilliant. I will never shut up about how much I love her books.

The Lonely Hearts Hotel and When We Lost Our Heads are two of my favorite books of all time so I screamed when I saw she was coming out with a new book and it did not disappoint. Fantasy isn’t ever my go-to genre so I was a little nervous that The Capital of Dreams was being described as one but outside of two slight aspects, I wouldn’t consider it fantasy really.

We join Sofia as she navigates her new world while her country is at war; watching her grow up and survive against all odds. Devastating, spellbinding, heartbreaking, beautiful.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!

4.5 stars! What an odd book this was! This was my first Heather O’Neill and I have a feeling it won’t be my last. While this does have a strange modern fairytale feeling, I wouldn’t necessarily call it a fantasy. For me the only true fantastical element was the talking goose. Despite it not being my typical genre, I really enjoyed this. It was weird. It was thought provoking. It was completely heartbreaking at times. The book paints a detailed portrait of growing up as a young girl and the difficult transitional period of puberty. As if that wasn’t hard enough, the main character is also grappling with her world being torn asunder due to war. Following Sophia’s journey was at times difficult to read, because I could see myself and my naivety from when I was younger. I knew what difficulties she was going to face and what hard lessons she was bound to learn and I hated that for her. But it made her story and growth all the better. What I loved most about this story was the discussion of complexities and difficulties of a mother daughter relationship. The book asks the difficult question “what if your mother doesn’t even like you?” I highlighted so much in this book. It will stick with me for a long time.

"From the hugely acclaimed author beloved by literary lights, including Emily St. John Mandel, Kelly Link, and Mona Awad, a dark dystopian fairy tale about an idyllic country ravaged by war - and a girl torn between safety and loyalty.

Sofia Bottom lives in Elysia, a small country forgotten by Europe. But inside its borders, the old myths of trees that come alive and faeries who live among their roots have given way to an explosion of the arts and the consolations of philosophy. From the clarinetists to the cabaret singers, no artist is as revered as Sofia's brilliant mother, the writer Clara Bottom. How can fourteen-year-old Sofia, with her tin ear and enduring love of ancient myths, ever hope to win her mother's love?

When the country's greatest enemy invades, and the Capital is under threat, Clara turns to her daughter to smuggle her new manuscript to safety on the last train evacuating children from the city. But when the train draws to a suspicious halt in the middle of a forest, Sofia is forced to run for her life and loses her mother's most prized possession. Frightened and alone in a country at war, Sofia must find a way to reclaim what she has lost. On an epic journey through woods and razed towns, colliding with soldiers, survivors, and other lost children, Sofia must make the choice between kindness and her own survival.

In this stunning novel set in an imaginative world yet reflective of our own times, Heather O'Neill delivers a vivid, breathtaking dark fairytale of life, death, and betrayal."

Just saying, losing that manuscript might be a dealbreaker in getting her mother's affections... Which means she deserves a better mother.

Heather O'Neill is one of my all-time favorite authors. When We Lost Our Heads is one of my top books ever and I loved Lonely Hearts Hotel. The Capital of Dreams felt like a big departure from O'Neill's other works that felt more rooted in reality, while still being incredibly whimsical. Capital on the other hand felt more directly like magical realism. I wasn't sure how I felt about the book until about midway through, then it began to pick up for me. The ending really sealed the deal. I really enjoyed this one!

The novel switches often between the past (Clara and Sofia at the start of the war and Enemy Occupation) and the present (Sofia’s journey with the Goose as they see more of their fallen country in the hands of the Enemy, and they run into other survivors). I’d sum this book up as a portrait of war and occupation through the eyes of a lost young girl—Sofia’s conversations with the Goose are rather philosophical, and he acts often as the voice of reason which she ignores. The horrors of the war are at times partially muted because Sofia doesn’t fully comprehend them, because she is still hopeful that she can somehow make amends to what she sees as a betrayal of her mother. The narrative and writing style wasn’t always easy to follow, in part because the writer makes you work to understand, to question our young protagonist’s unreliable perspective. The book reads like a blend of a fable and a documentation of the dystopian horrors of an Occupation—a little trippy at times, but somehow both bleak and beautiful. It was hard not to see real-life echoes in the horrors Sofia was witnessing or in her hope for help from the outside, in what is going on in far too many places around the world—the hope to be seen as human enough to be aided as a collective, versus the individual hope to escape to save yourself.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: Jan. 7, 2025
Heather O’Neill’s new novel, “The Capital of Dreams”, is a dark and dystopian coming-of-age story about sacrifice, creativity and hope.
Elysia is a small European country, known for their artistic creations and fantastic stories of trees that come to life and faeries that live among the roots and branches. Among all of the opera singers, musicians, artists and writers, no one is more well known that author Clara Bottom. Clara’s daughter, fourteen-year-old Sofia, has never been able to win the attention of her mother, and has spent years living in her mother’s shadow. When the war begins, Clara counts on Sofia to smuggle her life’s work, a manuscript, out of the country but, Sofia loses the manuscript after running for her life. Desperate to reclaim what she’s lost and finally earn her mother’s appreciation and respect, Sofia knows she must travel, alone, through ravaged and war-torn countries, in order to find what she’s been missing.
O’Neill is the Canadian author of “Lullabies for Little Criminals” and “The Lonely Hearts Hotel” (among others). Her unique writing style has always captivated me and her character-driven, well-developed plots stand out among the crowd. “Capital” is a coming-of-age dystopian tale that is both dark and emotional while still being both magical and fantastical.
“Capital” is dual-timeline, narrated by Sofia, in the times before the war and after. The times before focus solely on Sofia’s relationship with her formidable mother Clara, so readers can understand the choices Sofia makes on her post-war journey. There are some clues that are dropped in the current timeline (such as the piece of paper Sofia has in her pocket) which are talked about but not totally revealed until the final pages, so there is always a hint of underlying mystery hanging about as well.
“Capital” has many underlying relevant themes, including feminism, the importance of art and the many facets of a mother-daughter relationship, especially during the formative years. This is a novel that had hints of C.S Lewis (think, talking Animals) set in similar fashion to the numerous World War two novels told from the child’s perspective, with a dystopian aspect thrown in (think “Divergent”), all with O’Neill’s incomparable writing style and talent.
O’Neill’s “Capital of Dreams” is not a light read, but it will captivate and enthrall, and it checks all the boxes if you’re looking for a beautiful and creative story with an unassuming young protagonist.

This was such a great dystopian fairytale story that I wanted and enjoyed about the genre. The characters were everything that I wanted and enjoyed the overall feel of them in this world. It had that plot element that I was looking for and was glad I got to go on this journey with the characters. Heather O'Neill has a strong writing style and can’t wait for more.

The Capital of Dreams by Heather O’Neill is a stunning, 5/5 read that showcases her exceptional talent for blending magic, history, and deeply emotional storytelling. I’ve always loved O’Neill’s work, and this novel did not disappoint. Set in the imaginary country of Elysia, the story centers on 14-year-old Sofia Bottom as she embarks on an unforgettable journey to recover her mother’s lost manuscript amidst an invasion. O’Neill’s world-building is brilliant, filled with captivating folklore, fairy tale elements, and a dystopian backdrop that feels both imaginative and real. Sofia is an inspiring and relatable character, and her quest resonates on so many levels. The novel’s themes of power, survival, and gender are woven seamlessly into a story that’s equal parts heart-wrenching and hopeful. I couldn’t put it down, and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys beautifully written, thought-provoking fiction.

*The Capital of Dreams* is a mesmerizing and richly layered novel that explores ambition, power, and the pursuit of success. With vivid storytelling and complex characters, the narrative pulls readers into a world of intrigue and emotional depth. It’s a compelling and thought-provoking tale that lingers long after the final page.

The Capital of Dreams, by Heather O'Neill is a very enjoyable read with an ending I didn't expect. I am looking forward to reading more of her books!

Heather O’Neill is one of my favorite authors. I’ve read enough of her by now to trust that I will like anything new that she comes out with, and this new book is no exception. In The Capital of Dreams, O’Neill has built a very distinct world that feels real and emotionally connects with readers. The book relates the story of 14-year-old Sofia Bottom, daughter of philosopher and activist Clara Bottom, living in the Capital of the fictitious country of Elysia, which is being invaded and taken over by “the Enemy”. When the opportunity arises to send her daughter to live with grandparents in the country, and thereby escape the violence of the Capital, Clara entrusts Sofia with her latest manuscript, a memoir that Clara hopes will build empathy for Elysia and attract international aid. When Sofia’s exodus goes awry and she is separated from her luggage, she devotes her life to finding the lost manuscript.

Sofia’s world is one filled with imaginative people, animals (there’s a talking goose!) and settings. It is a rather dark story, one that contains both hope and despair, life and death. Heather O’Neill is a pro at inventing original characters and, in Sofia, she has created a plucky protagonist that readers can really get behind and root for. I liked everything about this book and will continue to look for what O’Neill writes next. Recommended.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Perennial for providing this e-ARC for my honest review.

Heather O’Neill never disappoints! The ending of this book knocked me off my seat, incredible feat from an incredible author.

"The Capital of Dreams" is a new novel by Heather O’Neill. Similar to her previous works, it delves into themes of reversal of roles or fortune, gender, power, sex, desire, class, and status within a fictional world that reflects history. This coming-of-age novel resembles a dystopian tale, mixing elements of fairy tales, folklore, and mythology with perhaps the culture of 20th-century Weimar.

While there were aspects of the book that I enjoyed, I felt that the individual parts were stronger than the overall story. It didn’t quite meet my expectations, particularly following O’Neill’s previous novel. I found the pacing challenging and believe it would have been more effective as a short story. It was overly verbose with minimal action. This novel felt less like a hero's journey and more like a slow, meandering quest for survival and understanding one's place as a woman in a harsh world.

I'd like to express my gratitude to NetGalley and Harper Perennial for providing the ARC.

As a huge fan of O’Neill’s previous works, I am actually devastated to DNF this at about 50%. I was just so bored. I didn’t find anything exceptionally interesting about this, and while it had good ideas, I felt it failed to meet its promise at execution. I normally love O’Neill’s balance of whimsy and bite, but it seemed it was missing here. Even the characters felt a little flat. Maybe if I read to completion I would have felt differently, but I couldn’t bring myself to go on.

ARC provided by NetGalley