The Girl Who Could Not Dream

I don't know who picked the coverart but they ought to be fired. It looks like it belongs on an infantile picture book about a middle-aged woman with a purse, her surly teenage offspring and a furry, streamer-wearing chinese dragon. I had a grear deal of difficulty taking this book seriously as a result.

That being said, this book got better as it went along and by the end, was pretty awesome. Monster is a totally charming character and so wonderfully drawn that all the other characters seem flat and lifeless (like watching Ellen Page on Trailer Park Boys, it's very discordant.) The plot was innovative with plenty of twists and the pacing fairly even once the action started. Overall, a good read. If you can get past the cover.

Many thanks the Houghton Mifflin for the ARC.