Twelve year old Mimi lives with her Aunt Moyna in a centuries-old Citadel where she studies the ancient practice of making, capturing and recycling dreams. The Citadel was once run by Mimi's parents who have been imprisoned by the king, accused of treason.
When Mimi spies a royal visitor, she uncovers a plot to transform the Citadel from a place of gentle, healing dream craft and a dangerous plot - the crown prince is purchasing nightmares from her aunt to poison the king.
With only her dream creature, Lalu, and her best friend Rafi, Mimi must escape the Citadel and begin a perilous journey across India. There are few people she can trust, but saving the life of the king and foiling her aunt's scheme is in Mimi's hands alone...
I heard Nazima talking about Dream Hunters at the beginning of March and I was excited to read it, so the arrival of a proof copy was met with great excitement; so much so it jumped the tbr pile.
The prologue launches the book with menace and an air of darkness, so that you are intrigued and desperate to discover more. Immediately after that, we are introduced to the Citadel and to Mimi and her best friend, Rafi.
The rich description of the Citadel paints a vivid picture that draws you in and enables you to visualise the events as they unfold, making it a feast for the senses. The idea of dreams being collected and sold was an intriguing one for me, but the trading of nightmares is supposedly outlawed, as when used in the right (or should that be the wrong?) way, they have the potential to kill.
Mimi is a brave and honest character, stronger than I think she knows and determined to do what is right. Along with her dream creature, her best friend Rafi, and the friends she makes along the way, she is a force to be reckoned with and I found myself routing for her from the very beginning of the book; she is a true hero. Her Aunt Moyna on the other hand is a character that will fill readers with dread. There is in intensely sinister quality to her that genuinely made my skin crawl. The 'click, clack' of her heels sent shivers down me and readers will love to hate her. She will stop at nothing to get what she wants and her evil knows no bounds. She is the sort of character that I can imagine is wonderful fun to write.
Publishing on the 1st August, Dream Hunters is a powerful adventure to get swept away on. Magic and dreams weave together perfectly with strong messages of right and wrong, and not giving up. With an ending that will have you on the edge of your seat, this is a book that deserves all the praise that is coming its way.
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