Lowly’s Book Blog

Every now and then you find a book that will keep you up half the night reading. This is my latest 1am turn the last page discovery. The scary thing is that you really only understand the subtlety in the writing on the second reading. And as yet I haven’t had the time to read it a second time.

Michael Terny is a troubled boy. He has been to seven schools in four years. His mother died when he was young and his father does his best. But Michael is overweight, bullied and incredibly lonely. This book is the story of Michael’s first week at school number 7. Sounds simple and straightforward but it isn’t.

Michael also believes he can lucid dream. He can control events from his dreams and even use them for out-of-body experiences. This almost supernatural ability empowers Michael as he struggles to deal with his daily existence.

Jonsberg is an English teacher in Australia’s far north. In all his writing he has successfully captured the voices of young adults today. Kiffo and Calma have become well known characters to many of today’s upper secondary students. But Dreamrider is different. It is a much stronger text and a more powerful, even frightening setting. The surprise ending is delivered with a punch, and then the reader realises that the hints were there all the way through the story. Certainly I for one was too caught up in the moving plot to stop and recognise the clues.