First published 2014
Sylvie Patterson attends boarding school in Northern California, where she falls for classmate Gabe and becomes captivated by headmaster Dr. Adrian Keller's research into lucid dreaming. Keller believes sleep can solve problems, heal trauma, and unlock alternate realities beyond its restorative functions. For six years, Sylvie and Gabe follow Keller from the redwood forests of Eureka to New England's coast. When Keller accepts a commission at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Sylvie encounters mysterious neighbors who draw her into complications. She begins questioning Keller's methods as the boundaries blur between dream and reality, between trust and deception. Sylvie discovers new aspects of herself: unexpected attraction to someone else, growing suspicion of those around her, and a rebellious streak she never knew existed. She must navigate a world where the line between sleeping and waking becomes dangerously thin, forcing her to confront what she believes about morality and truth.
Genres: fantasy, contemporary, psychological-thriller, academic
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, unreliable-narrator
Setting: Northern California, Eureka, New England, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Period: 21st-century
320 pages · Paperback · Atria Books
Content warnings: mental-illness