BOOK OF DREAMS

A bookshop of dreams fuels nightmarish possibilities.

Struggling with listening to his arguing parents, 17-year-old Gaige goes for a walk in downtown Toronto and is irresistibly drawn into a bookstore. Though put off by the unusual atmosphere, creepy shopkeeper (who somehow knows his name), and a nippy cat, he also finds himself drawn to a weird, foul-smelling book. A stern warning from the bookseller backfires and piques his interest; Gaige handles the book, thus sealing his fate. He quickly learns that each time he opens it he visits a surreal place, and he loses time in the real world. While on the Other Side Gaige meets nonbinary goth Mael, who was tricked and trapped in this hidden realm. Gaige continues to return, seeking information about the connections among a bookstore that doesn’t always exist, a book no one else can see that leads to another world, and the increasingly threatening bookstore proprietor, Jack Chalek. Even though every visit risks his own safety and brings a chance that Chalek’s power may grow stronger, Gaige brings others to the mysterious place, including his boyfriend and best friend. These retraced steps dilute the story, and several pauses for romantic interludes weaken the mounting tension, resulting in a faltering pace. Gaige’s inner monologue also at times undercuts the intensity in this work that may please romance readers more than horror buffs. The cast is largely implied White.

An uneven story that crosses genres.