The Classics - The Dreamer: The Kip's Bay Affair Vol. 2

      The first volume of The Dreamer was reviewed on this blog last year - but that's just the beginning of the story!

   It continues in this second volume by writer / artist Lora Innes, as we follow the double life being led by a teenager named Beatrice Whaley. During her waking hours she has a (more or less) typical teenager's existence - going to school, worrying about dates, trying to balance friends, romances and her interest in theatre.

   But it all changes when she sleeps. In her dreams she finds herself experiencing the Revolutionary War, as the British invade New York - and the man she loves is in constant danger.

   So which life is real - or are both somehow real? And if so, is she cheating on her modern-day romance with Ben Cato? Or is her past self the one doing the cheating? Love can be confusing.

   It's a fun, fast-moving story that balances both settings nicely, and keeps the reader guessing all the way. Both time periods "feel" authentic, and the art is a real delight - full and lush, with expressive characters, a sharp balance between realism and humor, and wonderful character designs. 

   The series manages to combine history, drama, humor, soap opera and adventure into a delightful tale - I can't wait to read the next collection!

   Highly recommended!

Grade: A

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The Dreamer: The Battle of Brooklyn Vol. 1

Originally printed in 2011, this is a series I discovered recently - and I'm glad I did!

The Dreamer: The Battle of Brooklyn (Vol. 1) reprints the first six issues in a series written and drawn by Laura Innes - and it's an impressive collection!

It tells the story of a teenager named Beatrice Whaley whose life revolves around school and friends. She loves theatre, dreams about the guy she's had a crush on for years, struggles to work up the courage to talk to him, fights with her cousin, plots with her friends - in other words, she's a real person in the real world.

But suddenly, when she falls asleep, she finds herself experiencing a completely different life as a woman during America's Revolutionary War. She has the same name, but she's a bit more... mature (she's a young adult), and she finds herself falling in love with the handsome soldier who saves her from British captivity.

Of course, when you say it out loud like that, it sounds completely improbable - but the characters and the situations seem real.

I'm certainly no expert on the late 1700s or the War for Independence, but the characters, the uniforms, the settings and the dialogue all seem authentic - and that's part of the problem Bea has. She finds herself preferring to be in her dream world, and she's surprised to discover that her experiences there actually correspond to historic events.

The story and the characters are wonderful. The teens act and talk like real teenagers, and their reactions (especially Bea's) are spot on and believable.

And I love Innes' artwork - it seems to be inspired by John Byrne but is never a slavish imitation. Her characters have loads of personality and are expressive, the action sequences are original and fun to follow, and the characters are unique and lively - she's a real talent to watch.

This is just the first collection - there's at least one other one, which I'll be tracking down ASAP.

It's a fun, sexy story of impossible love (and real-life romance), told with humor, adventure and and eye on historic accuracy.

Highly recommended!

Grade: A

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