Who should or shouldn't read the book "Dreamland"?

The book “Dreamland”, written by Sarah Dessen is about a girl, Caitlin, who is sixteen years old, and one day her big sister leaves their family. Soon after that Caitlin meets a boy called Rogerson. After a while Rogerson starts beating Caitlin.

Caitlin and Rogerson are both teenagers and therefore the book is supposed to be read by teenagers. Although I wouldn’t recommend it for teenagers under the age of seventeen. I think you need to be quite mature to read the book and to be able to have a healthy relationship to it. Rogerson is a drug dealer and through the novel Caitlin starts taking drugs and starts smoking on a regular basis. They both drive while they’re stoned too. This is being portrayed in a very nerutralt way in the book. It doesn’t seem like and odd thing to do and I think that young teenagers can get the wrong impression of drugs by reading the book. The book never mention any consequences or other bad thinks about drugs, instead the book almost encourage drugs. At one point Caitlin says like this: “By 3:15, it was clear I needed something to help me get through this. I droove to Corinna’s with one eye on the clock, just wanting a few minutes of peace.” (p. 129)

The book can be used to warn young people who are about to fall into the same situation as Caitlin. A warning that says it’s easy to get into wrong company, and how easy it could be to get into a drug addiction.

Women who are being beaten by their men, but are keeping quite about it, can also get help through the book. Through the book, they can find out how much the assault actually changes and destroys people, and that they have to report their men.

“Dreamland” can be read by both men and women, but I would recommend it for women because it’s depicted from a woman's perspective. Men can get into the same situation as Caitlin, but I think it’s easier for women to get into these situations. It could be as easy for men and women to get into the wrong company and start taking drugs, but I don’t think very many men get beaten by their girlfriends.

There is nothing that says that grown ups shouldn’t be able to read the book. They can get into the same situation as Caitlin, but I think that it is easier for teenagers to get into wrong company. Everyone who should ready the book have to be able to face a hard reality. The book isn’t funny or lighthearted. It’s reality. 

/Mikaela