Dream Sequence
By Adam Foulds
3/5
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About this ebook
NOMINATED FOR THE 2019 SCOTIABANK GILLER PRIZE
A CBC DAY 6 MUST-READ BOOK FOR SUMMER
A 49TH SHELF EDITOR'S PICK
Henry Banks, star of the UK’s most popular television series, has higher aspirations, ones befitting of his talent: a serious film career, beginning with a role in a brilliant Spanish director’s next movie. To make the jump to the big screen, he’ll have to remake himself in more than one way. But as he runs his morning miles and scrutinizes his changing physique in the mirror, he doesn’t know that he’s not alone in his obsession—Kristin, an unstable American fan, has her own ambitions. From the author of Man-Booker shortlisted The Quickening Maze, Dream Sequence is a moving depiction of desire and delusion and the unsettling consequences of fame.
Adam Foulds
ADAM FOULDS was born in 1974, took a Creative Writing M.A. at the University of East Anglia, and now lives in South London. Foulds is the recipient of the 2008 Costa Poetry Award, for his book-length narrative poem, The Broken Word, as well as the 2008 Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year Award, the 2008 Somerset Maugham Award, The Southbank Show Award for Literature and a 2007 Betty Trask Award. His novel The Quickening Maze was shortlisted for the 2009 Man Booker Prize. And it was announced at the 2013 London Book Fair that he is included on Granta's annual list of Best Young British Novelists, alongside Zadie Smith, Steven Hall, Tahmima Anam and Ross Raisin.
Read more from Adam Foulds
In the Wolf's Mouth: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Dream Sequence: A Novel Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5
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Reviews for Dream Sequence
12 ratings1 review
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Very Different Worlds Collide
Dream Sequence does a nice job of rotating both fan obsession with celebrities and celebrity obsession with bigger celebrity over an open fire of droll wit. In the novel, which was long-listed for the Giller Prize, we begin with Kristin, visit her scant seconds in the live of the novel, and then settle in with Henry for a longer bout of desire, neurosis, and insecurity, until Kristin, who we have expected all along, reappears on the scene to find the object of her obsession.
In Philadelphia, Kristin doesn’t have much in her life, except for her love of Henry, an actor she has watched raptly on a PBS style show about the British upper crust. She writes letters of endearment to Henry, who for some reason never answers them, especially when he knows her. Yes, she bumped into him while on a vacation. From that one brief touch, she has worked up a fantasy that they are in love, or that once they renew their acquaintanceship love will ensue. To that end, later in the novel, she takes off for London, Henry’s home.
Is Henry worthy of such rabid desire and affection? Adam Foulds paints a pretty detailed picture of Henry, and he turns out to be human. Insecurity racks him. He’s a television actor. He’s in a period piece. He’s a stereotype. He may never be anything more. Unless, that is, he lands a role in Miguel García’s new film. García’s a composite of director-auteurs you may be familiar with, those of the fat and slovenly school. Henry frets over auditioning for him. Then frets over preparing for the role. Then anguishes over getting physically prepared for the role. Then goes off on a film festival junket in Doha, where he relaxes, somewhat, after taking up with Virginia, one of the women hired to guide guests from event to event. A rogue of sorts, the Virginia thing surprises by turning into a real thing for him and her, or at least as real as anything can get for the guy.
After our long time with Henry, with him on the verge of getting all he wishes, Kristin lands in London. She sees him in Hamlet. She sees his father’s tortured musical centered on the Browning-Barrett love letters, and bumps into to Henry.
Now, you might think you have guessed the ending, but you’re probably very wrong. Sure, things go awry, but how and why, and just how amiss they go, well, that’s for readers of the novel to discover for themselves. And, and yes, Henry does do something in character for him, but dastardly none-the-less, at least if you develop any regard for Kristin.