As I Dream of You: A Graphic Novel

by Jennifer Lee, LeUyen Pham (Illustrator)

Franny and Sam are each other’s entire world. So what do you do when your world ends? Frozen’s Jennifer Lee and Lunar New Year Love Story’s LeUyen Pham deliver a tour de force young adult romance with a supernatural twist.

Falling in love is supposed to hurt. That’s what Franny and Sam, two cynical teenagers raised on tales of heartbreak and loss, have come to understand. Yet when they fall for each other, they find the reality of love is something else it’s electrifying, all-encompassing, and easy. Theirs is a love that can conquer anything…perhaps even death.

But Franny and Sam’s quest to stay together—no matter the cost—soon blurs the line between reality and fantasy, and their shared dream threatens to turn into a nightmare.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Young Adult, Romance, Fantasy, Grief, Fiction, Comics

352 pages, Hardcover

Published May 5, 2026

About the author

Jennifer Lee is the Academy Award-winning writer and director of Disney's FROZEN and FROZEN II. She earned a Tony Award nomination for Best Book of a Musical for her stage adaptation of FROZEN. She co-wrote the screenplay for Oscar-nominated WRECK-IT RALPH, as well as the story for the Academy Award-winning ZOOTOPIA. She also executive produced the Academy Award-winning ENCANTO, Oscar-nominated RAYA AND THE LAST DRAGON, and MOANA 2. She has won two Children's and Family Emmy Awards for ZOOTOPIA+ and ONCE UPON A STUDIO.

AS I DREAM OF YOU is Lee's first graphic novel and the most personal story she's written, inspired by her own journey as a young woman when first love and first loss collided.

Lee and her family split their time between New York City and Los Angeles.

Reviews

[Julie G · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think my daughters and I will go out of our way to get our hands on anything LeUyen Pham illustrates. We’ve got a nice solid stack of her books here, and I’m starting to think she might be my new favorite living illustrator (aside from my own resident artist, of course).

This isn’t my favorite work of LeUyen Pham’s (at the moment it’s still Lunar New Year Love Story), but the illustrations in this one are stunners, for sure.

As to the story by Jennifer Lee: It felt a little unformed for me, in the first half, and I thought it might have benefitted from stronger editing. It also seemed a bit too similar to a story that has already been told, in a 1998 movie called “What Dreams May Come.” (Even right down to the references to Greek mythology).



Regardless, it’s a visually gorgeous graphic novel and the story is a reminder that the great complexities and mysteries of our eternal lives are often played out in brief incarnations that we dream are longer than they actually are.

I cried.

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️ 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 4.75

📖 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗜𝗳 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗟𝗶𝗸𝗲:

➛ Graphic Novel
➛ Young Adult
➛ Grief
➛ Character Driven
➛ Orpheus & Eurydice Retelling

💭 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀:

I really loved the artwork in this graphic novel. It was absolutely stunning. At times it felt so dreamy, and at others it felt nightmarish. The way it balanced those two moods perfectly was insane.
Ever since I switched from my Kindle to a tablet with color for graphic novels, it has been a complete game changer.
I didn't expect this story to be so deep.
It's a powerful and healing story about grief and finding the strength to let go in order to keep on living and moving forward. It explores those themes with so much heart and emotion.
The scene with Franny and her mom absolutely obliterated me.

💬 𝗙𝗮𝘃𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗤𝘂𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀:

"His love was selfish. He cared more about having her than her having her life."

"The kind that lives like they're just trying to get it over with."

"It's just the hardest thing there is."
"What is?"
"Being left behind."

"Grief is selfish, it's hungry. But love ... real love ...goes beyond touches or promises. And it's not proven by holding on."

[Steff Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dreams are just dreams...
...until they change your life.

I have a tendency to forget about the book synopsis when I pick up a book to read, something I think can be really rewarding in the end as it allows me to enter the book’s world with a mind somewhat free of expectation. Somewhat as a result of this, I began reading Jennifer Lee’s As I Dream of You a little uncertain of where the story would take me, where everything was headed. And I genuinely believe that this was one of the best ways for this book to be read.

It’s difficult to express how deeply I felt for this story, partially because there is such an incredibly phenomenal twist surprise that I just didn’t see coming. And this twist is truly what solidified not only how impressed I was with the book and story, but how impactful the story would be on my emotional state. I don’t personally think that I cry often while reading, but this story certainly had me crying.

The books all read like truths, which at first helped, because I needed something to hold onto. But as soon as I'd close a book, it would all fade.

There are things we experience in life that hit us all in different ways; love…grief…these are all inherently personal experiences. But there’s a common thread to it all that builds something beautiful in how we can all recognize the experiences of others in ourselves. I had no idea where this story was headed, but I loved every moment of reading it. Even the pieces that were hard for me to feel were exceptional, poignant, so very telling.

And I think we all need something to hold onto. And the fading away of something doesn’t necessarily mean we lose it entirely. It’s all still in there, with us…shaping our souls. Making us who we are. And that, without a doubt, is beautiful.

When we lose someone we are derailed. The future we expected is erased...
...leaving us shattered in its wake.

In truth, I owe my life to losing him, too. It made me who I am.

LeUyen Pham’s artwork is exceptional, really pulls you into the emotions of the story in a visceral way. I think there’s something really brilliant about how you can feel what’s going on simply through looking at the characters. While the story wouldn’t be incomplete without the artwork, I will say that this artwork brings so much more than your typical graphic novel.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Minna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I just want to start by saying the art was absolutely stunning in here, with so many dark moments that I appreciated, but the story itself had me a bit disappointed especially with the themes explored. I was hoping to be a bit more emotional, but didn't feel anything for the characters in this story 🥲

This graphic novel gave me You've Reached Sam vibes, while also intertwining the story of Eurydice and Orpheus. Both things that I thought would be a guaranteed recipe to cry, but ultimately just felt okay about it once I finished.

Thank you so much to the publisher for this finished copy!

[Elizabeth A · Rating 4 out of 5]

This graphic novel has wonderfully moody illustrations that well capture the themes of love, loss, and grief. Was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this. To say more would spoil the ride.

[Jeremy Fowler · Rating 5 out of 5]

LITERAL PERFECTION - I CRIED!

Jennifer Lee has woven a beautiful tale of grief and love in As I Dream of You. This is a haunting love story that takes the idea of “forever” and pushes it past the edge of reality. Franny and Sam start as two cynical teens who don’t believe in happy endings, until they fall for each other so hard it feels like they could conquer death itself. Jennifer Lee weaves romance with a supernatural twist, blurring the line between dream and nightmare as their obsession deepens. It’s tender, electrifying, and a little terrifying, with LeUyen Pham’s art dripping in emotion and atmosphere. If you love stories that explore the beauty and danger of love when it becomes all-consuming, this graphic novel will leave you breathless. I found myself CRYING as I read the last couple of pages because of how beautiful this story is. You definitely do not want to miss it!

[Zal · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC edition from a goodreads giveaway!

Wow! I thought I was going to give it 4/5 stars for most of it—the art is great, the design is cool and very legible, the characters were decent but not super unique individuals, and the pacing was nice and fast.

But that ending… I did not expect to find myself full-on ACTUAL FACTUAL crying. This graphic novel explored grief, love, and acceptance through Sam and Franny’s love story. The art was super pretty and I loved the way the artist played with colors. It FELT very dreamlike. The side characters were interesting and loveable, particularly Jimmy Gibson. I liked that the parents all had their own mini arcs too. It gave the story much more depth. I wish we saw a little more about Josh and Jared tho. Josh in particular felt kinda flat.

There was one thing that Sam did that bothered me (not apologizing and instead showing her something that was particular to him and not them or Franny). And idk if this is cuz it’s an arc, but the paper quality is pretty poor (see-thru at some points) and the printing had a number of smudges/errors that made streaks across the panels.

8/10!

The foreshadowing was excellent.

[Josie · Rating 5 out of 5]

*4.5 stars
The art? Gorgeous. The characters? Incredible. The story and plot twists? Genius. The exploration of grief and letting go? Breathtaking. The message of having so many things to live for? Inspiring. The ending? Heartbreaking (but perfect!)
I loved every single thing about this book, please do yourself a favor and go read it! Like, right now.

[Hailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a truly beautiful depiction of love, loss, grief, and continuing on even after we think we have no more to give. It brought me to tears at times and at other times lifted my spirits higher than I ever would have thought.

[Shadei ❀ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a touching story with beautiful illustrations ♡

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fanny and Sam have a “meet cute” when they physically run into each other at school. From there, bit by bit, they fall in love. They talk about forever, as each shares how life is for them. Sam is trying to find native chestnut trees. Fanny is wondering where her music will take her. She wants to go to college, but knows her mother can’t afford it.


It would not be giving it away to say that their love is shattered when their car strikes a stag. The one who survives keeps dreaming of the one who died. But it is not clear which is real and who is still alive.


Amazing illustrations. Surreal story. There is a lot of grief, and love, and teenage end-of-the-world-without-yous. It is a story that is trying very hard to tear your heart out, and stomp on it, as often as it can. I won’t say I cried, but I did eat up thes tory as quickly as I could to find out how it was going to end. As often happens, I thought I was just going to take a quick look at it, which developed into sitting down and reading the whole thing.


Good story. Well designed graphic novel. Good surprises. Nice way of looking at what death is, and where it all goes afterwards.


Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book is going to be published on the 4th of May 2026.

[Victor The Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written by the director and writer of the Disney animated film “Frozen”, “As I Dream” centers on the bond between high schoolers Sam and Franny after they first meet. We also learn each on their lives such as Sam who lives with his widowed dad and Franny who is an accomplished guitar player who lives with a somewhat neglectful mom. Atfer their meeting, we see their romance blossoming quickly into something deeper. However, an unforeseen event will put their story into a more darker and emotional journey that will go beyond reality.

It’s an emotionally gripping teen love story that tackles a handful of issues such as young love, personal struggles, death, grief and acceptance. It basically starts off as a growing romance between our two characters but it unexpectedly hits its big conflict quickly, and it becomes a very emotional and even frightening journey that becomes more on trying to bring that happiness back. The interesting things is that the story also echoes the themes found in the Greek story “Orpheus and Eurydice” and how the minor characters we meet later become a more important part of the story. Lee’s writing in the story is very well crafted despite being a bit scarce in all the vibrant and darkly art by Pham.

In the end, it’s a heartfelt and unique story about young romance that has a well grounded message of love conquers all.

A (100%/Outstanding)

[BookishVegan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The art is stunning. Such a lovely read on grief and loss. Graphic novels can be so healing. I absolutely recommend this to anyone wanting a heartfelt beautifully illustrated story. Thank you #Netgalley

[Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ugh. This shit made me ugly cry.

[Kermit the Frog · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wanted to read something happy and cute so I don’t know why I picked up an Orpheus & Eurydice retelling. Though to be fair, I did not really know what this story was going to be about, and I do love this Greek myth quite a lot. I feel as though there is a reason so many great artists have chosen this myth to be their muse. (Contemporarily speaking, we have musicals such as Moulin Rouge and Hadestown, songs like “Talk” by Hozier, movies such as Portrait of a Lady on Fire, etc.) An intrinsic part of the human experience is the inevitability of grief, and the implication that we cannot ever love fiercely in this life if we are unwilling to face it.

I was not trying to cry like this on a Thursday afternoon but Franny and Sam’s story really got to me. As I Dream of You demonstrates how love and grief inextricably go hand-in-hand, but are too often mistaken for one another. I had never really pondered that sort of distinction before, and this story highlights that distinction quite beautifully and quite profoundly. Grief seems to merely denote a physical separation from that which we love, and the painful buildup that occurs when that immense love no longer has a physical home to return to. Make no mistake, grief can be as mighty as the love it connotes; the stronger the love, it seems, the stronger the grief. The difference that this story seems to be highlighting, however, is that grief can destroy us if we let it sunder us from life itself. Love can never part us from life, for it is life incarnate. It can never leave us, no matter how far we travel, or what astral plane we project to in our dreams, or what side of the rainbow bridge we occupy.

Perhaps the ineffable beauty and richness in the marriage of love and grief is what keeps us so fixated on stories like that of Orpheus & Eurydice. In terms of this particular adaptation, As I Dream of You most certainly captures the purest colors of first love, and how true love is transformative in all its phases, from the brightness and transcendence of its genesis, to the depths of bereft despair it engenders in its absence.

In just a couple of hours, this book has brought all of these facets of humanity to mind as food for thought. This is a bit of a double edged sword; on the one hand it is so impressive that this story made me feel and think so much in such a short period, but on the other hand, the plot progressed so quickly that I never became fully attached to the story nor the characters, and they never reached a point of full dimension or development, especially for the larger ensemble. Still, I want to reread this at some point (definitely after I get the happy and cute read I’m looking for lol), because I’m sure there are so many rich metaphors and moments of foreshadowing I have yet to stumble upon. Chestnut trees, the plot twist, Bobby Gibson. All of them have some deeper interpretation that I’d like to ponder for a bit longer. (Not now though, I need to recover.)

[Riana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, this was a tough but important read, and it hit me especially hard. I was not expecting the themes to include something I have been explicitly thinking about myself for a while, and the book kind of puts me to shame but for a good reason and with the best of intentions. I can't say I fully accept it at this moment but I acknowledge very deeply.

In regards to the story and artwork, both combine very beautifully and work together so well. There is some super intense grief explored throughout the story, addressing both romantic and familial relationships, as well as grieving over what could have been and what you thought would be your future. I wish Josh and Jared's story was explored a bit more, but I enjoyed their characters. There are also clear depictions of depression and suicide, but this story does reveal hope at the end of the tunnel. The heartfelt moments will make you cry as much as the dark and tense ones. There was also a character with aphasia in this story, and his character was both interesting and very impactful.

Then there was a twist that honestly confused me a ton at first, but I found that this book is a great reread that reveals multiple metaphors moving through the story at one time. You get some really intense foreshadowing, but then discover a complete shift in perspective that tells more than one story in a fairly innovative way. I had to reinterpret certain things mentioned earlier, but the old interpretation was still a fair one, it is just that the perspective shift allows for the opportunity of having multiple interpretations at the same time. I think it is possible to come back to this story several more times and maybe get something slightly different out of it.

It is going to be very hard for me to forget this book, but I am happy about it. I hope it sticks with me for a long time.

[Christina ✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

As I Dream of You is a YA graphic novel that takes inspiration from the tragic Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. It follows teens Franny and Sam, who form a connection with one another despite both having cynical views on love and relationships. They both have their own issues, such as Sam losing his mother at a young age, and Franny not having the best relationship with her mom. Despite all odds, the two are completely enamored with one another until one tragic night. Franny and Sam fight for their love even if they have to defy death itself.

This was a beautiful graphic novel and the art is simply incredible. It felt so immersive and felt like I was a part of their dreamy, whimsical world. It is a powerful and mesmerizing story that not only explores the grief of losing a love one but also the grief of a love story that did not have the chance to flourish. I also did not see the plot twist coming and thought it was well done. It made me tear up a little bit, and I highly recommend everyone checking this graphic out!

Christinas.Chapter
TikTok | Blog

[Hannah Pingel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, I wasn't expecting this one. When I received it in the mail I could tell from Page 1 that this would wreck me emotionally, and I was right. The story centers around Sam and Franny, two teenagers who believe that their love will transcend the bonds of time. It is a beautiful story with gorgeous illustration and a gut-punching plot twist that explore love, heartache, grief, moving on, and is told in such a way that it helped me on my own healing journey from loss, too. It is also the type of story you will read over and over again to catch all of the details because of that enormous plot twist as well as the fact it's just such a good story. 11/10 recommend if you want your heart to be shattered and then put back together better than it was before.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m sobbing at 6:30 in the morning after staying up all night to finish this masterpiece of a book. This book just hit me like a ton of bricks but in the best way possible. I’m truly shattered. I adore everything about this book. I didn’t expect it to be so intense. It’s just so good. It’s extremely emotional, but extremely magical at the same time. I really can’t even start to describe it. It’s just something you have to read yourself to understand. Grab this book for yourself asap. I can’t say anything else without spoiling it and the magic of the story won’t hit right if you have spoilers. Go in blind. You’ll thank me later.

[Melanie (words.aremagic) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This graphic novel was so good! It’s a retelling of Orpheus and Eurydice, and has all of the parts needed for a tragedy, but goes beyond that too. The fantastical elements of the dreams really added a mystical aspect to this tale. Then for it all to be flipped at the end was so unexpected and I throughly recommend you give As I Dream of You a read!

[kenzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

oh... oH so it's sad girl hours.. cool cool.

[Michelle ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

"It's okay to imagine a good life."

This was heartbreakingly beautiful.

[Mimi Schweid · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gorgeous art work and just a deep respect of Grief.

[Kristen ⭐️ (beansbooktrove) · Rating 5 out of 5]

thank you netgalley for the ARC!

yall, i cried. this was a beautiful graphic novel on grief and loss and finding a way to live on past the trauma of losing someone. really powerful, really emotional. wow, i wasn’t expecting to cry during the middle of a monday!

[Kirsten · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful story and drawings.

The message was awesome, and the twist at the end was done very well.

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful. I bawled.

[talia ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

stunning in a way that is jawdropping

[Andres · Rating 5 out of 5]

Found this one on a book shelf and picked it up on a whim, reading it in one sitting. It’s the first book that’s made me cry in years. Such a beautiful story about grief and how it affects each of us differently and how difficult it is to let go of it.

I highly recommend this one. The ending packs a real emotional punch.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Illustrations are nice! A book about love, loss, grief, and living life.

High schoolers Franny and Sam fall in love. On their one-year-anniversary, they're out in the woods driving and get into a car crash. From Sam's POV we see him constantly missing Franny, who died in the car crash that night. Sam does tons of research to figure out how to bring her back but continues to see her in his dreams on the astral plane, the transitional place where they can meet between life and death. As time goes on, Franny and Sam continue to cling to one another, but Franny is hurting more and more each time, pulled back by the darkness. Sam is desperate to be with Franny and discovers that he's actually the one that's dead. Sam watches as Franny attempts to commit suicide by pill swallowing because she wants to be with Sam forever. Sam, his dead mom, and some friends manage to alert living people to Franny and Franny is rushed to the hospital. Sam and Franny are united in the astral plane and Sam begs Franny to live him and for Franny to live her life, because he's seen how much life she has ahead of her (a husband, 2 children, joy). Franny refuses so Sam walks away from her, knowing that she will live without him. Franny does end up living after the suicide attempt, and she does have a good life. She recognizes she only lives because of Sam and she knows that love has no death. 

Would recommend to those who like teen romance and stories about grief, loss, identity, and value of life. Content warning for deaths and suicide attempt. 

Story: I appreciated that the story was short and didn’t drag on - every scene was purposeful. I liked that there were some surprises - that Sam was actually the one dead, not Franny, like it originally seemed, and that Josh was the one dead because the no one in the story said which of the brothers had died, so I just assumed that it was Jared because I assumed Franny was dead.
 
Voice:  I had a bit of trouble at the very beginning with the switching voices, but thankfully they were denoted by color (yellow was Franny, blue was Sam).
 
Style: Flipping back and forth between narrators was neat so we got to see both characters' perspectives and love for the other person, which helped build the storyline.
 
Setting:  The setting being in a small mill town was very established - it mainly takes place in their houses, the woods, their school, and in their local library. Parts of the book take place in dreams in the astral plane (they were often dark with hands gripping them). The dreaming aspect of the story lent itself to some fun scenes (House of Mirrors, flower field, etc.). 
 
Accuracy: I really really appreciated the portrayal of grief throughout the work. To start, the portrayal of teen love was pretty on-point - the touches and promises of being together forever/never leaving each other. The portrayal of grief was so accurate - the hunger for them, remembering them, dreaming about them (lucid dreaming, touching them), the desire to be where they are (death) and that your life doesn't matter without them, and the pain and the sorrow without them. Sam's internal yelling at his father and internal anger over his father never talking about his dead mother and Sam always wanting to talk about Franny was so realistic. Sam's conversation with Jimmy Gibson where Jimmy tells him real love isn't proven by holding on and that those who live keep on living while the dead stay dead and Sam interrupts to ask why we even live at all, saying it's his life and he can do whatever he wants with his life, also cuts deep to the heart of what grief often feels like. Grief feels like it shatters you and makes you do wild things and think wild things, even about the value of your own life.
 
Characters: I enjoyed that both MCs were cynical about love to begin with and came from single-parent homes (Sam’s mom dead, Franny’s dad out of the picture). Trudy and Jimmy Gibson showcase what it looks like to be an older couple who choose to deeply love each other even in the face of health conditions and challenges. Aphasia - never read a book that included this medical condition but really appreciated it and its mention of stroke awareness. Josh and Jared showcase what it’s like to lose a brother to suicide, while Sam’s dad showcases grief over losing a spouse, Franny’s mom shows what it looks like to grieve a child, and Jimmy Gibson shows what it is like to lose a father and to lose an ability you had before. It shows different ways of grieving and that people pass at different ages and deal with grief at different ages. Asian characters - Franny and her mom. Black characters - Josh and Jared. 
 
Theme: There are mentions of a selfish love throughout the book and mentions of/parallels to the tale of Orpheus/Eurydice. The overall clear theme is that life is worth living and life does go on after losing someone. Losing someone shatters you and derails you - you feel like you would rather not live, and you feel like you cannot be apart from them. But even with the grief, you can learn how to go on, and life will open up beautifully for you with chapters are the loss of a loved one. I appreciate that this book is written for a young adult audience because I know this can be especially hard to navigate in the young adult years. I believe this work clearly showcases its message about love, life, and grief over the loss of a loved one to a young adult audience in particular, with a lot of the storyline being something they can relate to. I particularly appreciated the small glimpses of Franny's future that Sam saw, and that the book ended with us seeing Franny living the rest of her life with joy, watching her two kids playing, recognizing that life does move on in a good way after the loss of a loved one, even if it can be hard. There is hope and light and beautiful things to see (based off the sky/sun that Sam keeps seeing when he wants to show Franny).
 
Illustrations: The cover color (blues, white, yellow) and the cover art are a bit dreamy, which fits the vibe. Love the flower art on the inner book cover flaps. It took me a while to get the hang of "are we in a nightmare/dream or is this real life?" The artwork representing the darkness and nightmares with the grotesque bodies/groping hands of darkness swirling/bugs crawling clinging to Franny were really well-done. I enjoyed the bit of gothic horror vibes going on. The illustrations lent a lot to the text - there are panels of illustrations without words that showcase well how the characters are doing (Franny finding the ring and leaving it out, the dishes piling up in the aftermath of grief, Franny's journey of recovery in walking, etc.). I like the line work details and the coloring is deep, vivid, and often dark. 
 
Design (including format, organization, etc.):  Contains a content warning for depicting a suicide attempt. The chapter divisions are aptly named and connected to the idea of love, death, and life.

Suicide attempt. Car crash and death. Implied sex between two teens (in bed under the covers without clothes). Multiple kissing scenes and both taking off their shirts. No profanity. Multiple scenes with a bit of a horror vibe (grotesque bodies/demon figures, bugs crawling, darkness gripping, etc.).

"When we lose someone, we are derailed. The future we expected is erased...leaving us shattered in its wake. Loss leaves us angry. Hopeless. It makes us afraid...afraid to feel, afraid to love again. But it is through love...that we learn how to go on. I didn't know it yet, sitting there on that fence, but I'd live so many more chapters. Life would open up in ways I couldn't have imagined. I owe my life to loving Sam. In truth, I owe my life to losing him, too. It made me who I am. And I'm okay, because I know love knows no death" (pg 338-341).

[Shahana · Rating 5 out of 5]

As I Dream of You is absolutely beautiful and completely devastating.

Franny and Sam are each other’s entire world, so what do you do when your world ends? Jennifer Lee and LeUyen Pham tell a young adult love story with a supernatural twist that completely broke my heart.

Both Franny and Sam grow up believing that love always leads to loss. When they fall for each other, though, love feels easy and all-consuming. It feels safe. Their connection is so strong that it starts to feel like it could survive anything, maybe even death.

This story is also an Orpheus and Eurydice retelling, which is one of my fav myths, and it adds so much weight and inevitability to the story. Watching how the myth is reimagined here made everything hit even harder.

As they try to hold onto each other no matter the cost, reality and fantasy begin to blur, and the dream they share slowly becomes something darker. This story hurt, but in a way that felt intentional and meaningful.

The illustrations are stunning and add so much emotion to the story. Please check the content warnings before reading, but truly, everyone should read this.