THE COLOR OF DREAMS

Zajaczkowski offers a fantasy novel about one man’s dogged pursuit of a woodworking dream—and the angel that helps makes it possible.

It’s 1988, and Ben Davidson lives with his family in Tacoma, Washington. He has a passion for creating objects out of wood; more specifically, he makes custom mailboxes that look like houses as a hobby. Ben would love to do it for a living, but he wonders how he could ever make enough money selling them. However, after he loses his regular job at a plant nursery, it seems like a prime opportunity to try. His wife, Emily, thinks Ben should pursue what drives him, but she also thinks that it might not be the right time now. Soon afterward, Ben encounters an angel. This small being, who can communicate with insects and animals, also has a lot to communicate to Ben—teaching him lessons about, among other things, the power of thought: “The thoughts you plant in the garden of your mind are watered and nourished by your feelings and beliefs.” Ben needs to work on faith, the angel says, and see how consistent actions “always determine the course your life eventually takes.” However, Ben still has an uphill battle to make his business idea work and make sure that his marriage doesn’t disintegrate. Zajaczkowski’s unusual fantasy tale consistently works to keep readers involved in the narrative. The disagreements between Ben and Emily feel very real, for example, and their problems aren’t resolved swiftly or easily. As much as the angel can help, she can’t magically dissolve tensions in a relationship, which is a realistic touch. Other aspects of the angel’s abilities, though, feel heavy handed. Aside from the assistance in dream fulfillment, she informs Ben about such things as the arrival of a new family of foxes in the woods to the declining health of the family dog. Nevertheless, the narrative’s personal interactions and the ways in which Ben tackles his obstacles make for a diverting tale.

An often engaging entrepreneurial quest that mixes family turmoil, positive thinking, and a helpful dose of magic.