“deliciously dark and mesmerising” – review of Can’t Dream Without You on Risingshadow

Cover by Alison Buck inspired by MC Escher
Cover by Alison Buck inspired by MC Escher

On the Risingshadow website, Seregil of Rhiminee has just posted a review of Can’t Dream Without You by Tanya Reimer. Describing it as “refreshingly different”, he goes on to say that it’s “one of the best and most original paranormal novels I’ve read in quite a while”.

Seregil starts by outlining the story and main characters and pointing out that this is a “different kind of a story about darkness, dreams, love and survival”, with an “intense and dramatic atmosphere” enhanced by the Tanya’s skill as a writer. He then gives some background about the Whisperers, an essential part of the story, and says that although it includes these complex mythological elements the story “unfolds gradually and flows nicely towards the end”. He compliments Tanya on the way that she “seamlessly combines mythological and post-apocalyptic elements with contemporary elements and maintains an approriately mysterious and strange atmosphere throughout the story”.

Part of what makes the story work well is that the “characterisation feels convincing” and the “narrative shifts fluently” between the main characters, each of which have “their own feelings, thoughts and motives, and readers get to know them during the story”. He especially liked the way that Tanya writes about the nuanced relationships between her characters.

One of the highlights of Can’t Dream Without You, says Seregil “is that Tanya Reimer has created an interesting Dreamland and writes fluently about dreams” adding “I’ve seldom read novels that feature dreams in such a powerful and enchanting way”.

He concludes by saying that “Tanya Reimer is an author to watch, because her novels and stories are good and she manages to surprise readers with fresh ideas” and “has a gift for writing original and thought-provoking stories”. He thinks that Can’t Dream Without You is “exactly what a contemporary and paranormal speculative fiction novel should be… different, exciting and interesting, and that’s why it deserves to be read”. His final remarks: “Captivating and fluently written entertainment for adults!”

You can read Seregil’s full review on Risingshadow here.