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Stato di sogno
Cece è innamorata. Presto si sposerà con Charlie e, da Los Angeles, si trasferisce nel Montana, nella casa dei futuri suoceri, per gli ultimi preparativi. È lì che ha scelto di sposarsi, in quella vecchia casa sul lago che ama più di qualunque altro posto al mondo. A officiare la cerimonia sarà Garrett, il migliore amico di Charlie dai tempi del college. Cece non riesce a immaginare qualcuno di più è un burbero, un pessimista, ha abbandonato gli studi e lavora come addetto ai bagagli in aeroporto, è perseguitato da una vecchia storia tragica. Nulla a che vedere con Charlie, estroverso e solare, medico anestesista con una brillante carriera davanti a sé. A mano a mano che Cece passa del tempo con Garrett, però, impara a conoscerlo, la sua maschera oscura inizia a cadere e in lei cominciano a sorgere, per la prima volta, delle incertezze sul proprio futuro. Dal canto suo Garrett, dopo averla incontrata, comincia a sentirsi di nuovo vivo. Mentre una contagiosa influenza intestinale minaccia di mandare a monte il matrimonio e l’amicizia tra Charlie e Garrett viene messa a dura prova, Cece si vedrà costretta a scegliere tra la vita che ha sempre sognato e una vita del tutto diversa, che non ha mai immaginato. Stato di sogno, pubblicato di recente negli Stati Uniti e accolto da pubblico e critica come un capolavoro, è uno splendido romanzo sulle amicizie che durano una vita, sulle stranezze del matrimonio e sulla bellezza del cambiamento. Scritto con umorismo, precisione e un cuore enorme, è uno di quei rari libri che al contempo fanno ridere, piangere e pensare. «Pieno di vita, Stato di sogno è una meraviglia, dimostra carattere e grande abilità». Andews Sean Greer «Questo è un libro che non sarete in grado di posare». Oprah Winfrey «Un capolavoro. Stato di sogno è un romanzo sfavillante ed evocativo». Adam Johnson «Una meraviglia, un romanzo che ti trasporta. I recensori di libri non possono dire molto sui finali, ma il capitolo che chiude il romanzo di Puchner è uno dei più toccanti e soddisfacenti che abbia letto negli ultimi anni». «The Washington Post» «Stato di sogno è un un vasto, luminoso gigante di libro. Puchner racconta la sua storia in modo così avvincente, così coinvolgente, con un tale calore e umorismo, che solo quando si posa il libro si riesce ad apprezzare la grandezza e la genialità di ciò che ha fatto». «The Guardian» «Fresco, saggio, divertente e pieno di empatia. Cinematografico fin dall’inizio – con descrizioni così calde e attente che il lettore non può fare a meno di tuffarsi a capofitto tra le sue pagine. Stato di sogno è una festa meravigliosa, e un’impresa». «The Boston Globe»
607 pages, ebook
First published February 18, 2025
4008 people are currently reading
43984 people want to read
About the author
Eric Puchner
11 books238 followersEric Puchner is the author of the novel Model Home (Scribner, 2010), which was a finalist for the PEN/Faulkner Award and won a California Book Award and a Barnes & Noble Discover Award (2nd place). It was also longlisted for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award. His debut short story collection, Music Through the Floor (Scribner, 2005), was a finalist for the NY Public Library's Young Lions Award.
His fiction and creative nonfiction have appeared in GQ, Tin House, Zoetrope: All Story, Chicago Tribune, The Sun, Glimmer Train, Best New American Voices, and many other journals and anthologies. He has work forthcoming in Best American Short Stories 2012 (edited by tom Perrotta) and Best American Nonrequired Reading 2012 (edited by Dave Eggers).
A recipient of a Pushcart Prize, a Wallace Stegner Fellowship from Stanford University, and a National Endowment for the Arts grant, he is an assistant professor of literature at Claremont McKenna College. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife, novelist Katharine Noel, and their two children.
His fiction and creative nonfiction have appeared in GQ, Tin House, Zoetrope: All Story, Chicago Tribune, The Sun, Glimmer Train, Best New American Voices, and many other journals and anthologies. He has work forthcoming in Best American Short Stories 2012 (edited by tom Perrotta) and Best American Nonrequired Reading 2012 (edited by Dave Eggers).
A recipient of a Pushcart Prize, a Wallace Stegner Fellowship from Stanford University, and a National Endowment for the Arts grant, he is an assistant professor of literature at Claremont McKenna College. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife, novelist Katharine Noel, and their two children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,661 reviews
December 16, 2025
Maybe it’s not the most sophisticated critical laurel, but Eric Puchner’s new novel, “Dream State,” made me miss my subway stop.
That rarely happens.
Falling asleep on the subway and waking up when my book hits the sticky floor? Yes, that happens with alarming frequency. But looking up from the pages and realizing that, in every sense, I’ve been transported away from where I live is a rare pleasure.
I suspect that’s also the quality that inspired Oprah to choose “Dream State” as the next title for her book club.
Although Puchner’s novel is a long, deep ride that traverses half a century, it never labors under the weight of its broad scope. Instead, with every chapter, the story feels animated only by the spontaneous possibilities of moments in which loyalty is respected or ignored, passion resisted or sated. That vast procession of Schrödinger’s cats, stretched out over the decades, gradually coalesces into a family history that feels monumental.
The novel opens in Montana in the days before a wedding in 2004. Cece, the bride, has arrived a few weeks early at an empty summer home owned by the parents of her fiancé, an irrepressible, universally adored doctor named Charlie Margolis. The guests on either coast aren’t thrilled about having to travel so far, but Cece has loved this homestead for years. For her, the old house is an embodiment of the family she’s about to join. The Margolises “were everything she’d always wanted,” Puchner writes, “a country unto themselves, with their own customs and traditions. … Just being around them made Cece instantly happy, even delirious.”
There’s lots to be done before the wedding, of course, so Charlie makes sure his best friend, Garrett, drops by to help. The trouble is, Garrett is a brooding figure with “one of those pitiable mold-length beards, less a fashion choice than a flag of surrender.” Puchner, who treats him tenderly even while laying out his considerable flaws, notes that Garrett’s “heart was...
To read the rest of this review, go to The Washington Post:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/books/...
That rarely happens.
Falling asleep on the subway and waking up when my book hits the sticky floor? Yes, that happens with alarming frequency. But looking up from the pages and realizing that, in every sense, I’ve been transported away from where I live is a rare pleasure.
I suspect that’s also the quality that inspired Oprah to choose “Dream State” as the next title for her book club.
Although Puchner’s novel is a long, deep ride that traverses half a century, it never labors under the weight of its broad scope. Instead, with every chapter, the story feels animated only by the spontaneous possibilities of moments in which loyalty is respected or ignored, passion resisted or sated. That vast procession of Schrödinger’s cats, stretched out over the decades, gradually coalesces into a family history that feels monumental.
The novel opens in Montana in the days before a wedding in 2004. Cece, the bride, has arrived a few weeks early at an empty summer home owned by the parents of her fiancé, an irrepressible, universally adored doctor named Charlie Margolis. The guests on either coast aren’t thrilled about having to travel so far, but Cece has loved this homestead for years. For her, the old house is an embodiment of the family she’s about to join. The Margolises “were everything she’d always wanted,” Puchner writes, “a country unto themselves, with their own customs and traditions. … Just being around them made Cece instantly happy, even delirious.”
There’s lots to be done before the wedding, of course, so Charlie makes sure his best friend, Garrett, drops by to help. The trouble is, Garrett is a brooding figure with “one of those pitiable mold-length beards, less a fashion choice than a flag of surrender.” Puchner, who treats him tenderly even while laying out his considerable flaws, notes that Garrett’s “heart was...
To read the rest of this review, go to The Washington Post:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/books/...
February 22, 2025
I am very glad that I read this book, but I am very frustrated as I finish it.
The Fable app has a few different ratings system, you not only give a book a rating out of five stars, but you also rate the characters, the research, the setting, and the writing style. For this book, I really love the writing style. Five stars on the writing style and also on the setting.
The title refers to being in a dream like state, but also refers to Montana, where the book is set. The book has a very sweeping timeline, Charlie and Garrett meeting each other in college in the late 90s, to 2004 when Charlie and CeCe are about to be married, and all the way through their children leaning into middle age. It can be a bit difficult to follow where you are chronologically, but I absolutely love this aspect of the book. In just a few paragraphs, you could easily skip 10 years.
My biggest problem with the book is the motivations of the characters. I am fine with having morally gray characters, I do think they are more interesting. It is a very strange scenario to use an enemies to lovers trope where the transition from enemies to lovers takes about a week. Some of the most interesting parts of these story just weren’t mentioned. Cece, in particular, is written as if the author hates women, and this is his view of what a woman is. She’s flighty, impulsive, and self-centered. Her reasons for doing things are really strange and out of left field. My favorite character, by a mile, is Lana. Cece‘s daughter has a great attitude, is very loyal, and has truly most of the best lines of the book.
There’s an underlying theme of climate change and impending Natural disaster, which makes sense for the setting. My biggest problem was the characters, when I was about 25% of the way through this book, I thought it was going to be a five star read. As time went by I understood the characters less and less and their motivations for doing things.
That said, I don’t think I could say that I don’t recommend this book. This is a strongly written story, and if you like decades-long family drama books, especially one set in Montana, you will probably love this book.
The Fable app has a few different ratings system, you not only give a book a rating out of five stars, but you also rate the characters, the research, the setting, and the writing style. For this book, I really love the writing style. Five stars on the writing style and also on the setting.
The title refers to being in a dream like state, but also refers to Montana, where the book is set. The book has a very sweeping timeline, Charlie and Garrett meeting each other in college in the late 90s, to 2004 when Charlie and CeCe are about to be married, and all the way through their children leaning into middle age. It can be a bit difficult to follow where you are chronologically, but I absolutely love this aspect of the book. In just a few paragraphs, you could easily skip 10 years.
My biggest problem with the book is the motivations of the characters. I am fine with having morally gray characters, I do think they are more interesting. It is a very strange scenario to use an enemies to lovers trope where the transition from enemies to lovers takes about a week. Some of the most interesting parts of these story just weren’t mentioned. Cece, in particular, is written as if the author hates women, and this is his view of what a woman is. She’s flighty, impulsive, and self-centered. Her reasons for doing things are really strange and out of left field. My favorite character, by a mile, is Lana. Cece‘s daughter has a great attitude, is very loyal, and has truly most of the best lines of the book.
There’s an underlying theme of climate change and impending Natural disaster, which makes sense for the setting. My biggest problem was the characters, when I was about 25% of the way through this book, I thought it was going to be a five star read. As time went by I understood the characters less and less and their motivations for doing things.
That said, I don’t think I could say that I don’t recommend this book. This is a strongly written story, and if you like decades-long family drama books, especially one set in Montana, you will probably love this book.
Read
November 17, 2025Abbandonato perché a 33 anni non ho la pazienza di Gesù Cristo per leggere due pagine scritte bene e due pagine di luoghi comuni in loop fino alla fine del romanzo.
July 9, 2025
4.50 stars.
I get why people won’t enjoy this book: it’s complete character driven, about three people whose lives and fate takes them into a completely different direction, and what happens over 50 years after a major life event in 2004. How their children react and develop, how families intersect and evolve.
But, it’s about how people live in a virtual dream state: in the internet on their screens. How making one choice can determine the rest of your life. How fascism can destroy the environment and everything around it. It’s such a beautifully written book, the prose was like none other I’ve ever read.
I will never get over this as it’s a literal ripped from the current headlines:
“You couldn’t read The New York Times without despairing at the latest drastic revelation and also somehow feeling like it was redundant, like you knew about it beforehand. Heat deaths in London? Devastating monsoons in Pakistan? Hundred-year floods, wreaking havoc in Lima and Dar es Salaam? Another fascist prick here in the States, riding the migrant crisis to power?”
Dream State will be hotly debated as I’m already seeing reviews say it bored them. To each their own, but if you enjoy a book as beautifully rich as this one, where there’s not a lot of plot, but plenty of sentences to remember by, this is for you.
I get why people won’t enjoy this book: it’s complete character driven, about three people whose lives and fate takes them into a completely different direction, and what happens over 50 years after a major life event in 2004. How their children react and develop, how families intersect and evolve.
But, it’s about how people live in a virtual dream state: in the internet on their screens. How making one choice can determine the rest of your life. How fascism can destroy the environment and everything around it. It’s such a beautifully written book, the prose was like none other I’ve ever read.
I will never get over this as it’s a literal ripped from the current headlines:
“You couldn’t read The New York Times without despairing at the latest drastic revelation and also somehow feeling like it was redundant, like you knew about it beforehand. Heat deaths in London? Devastating monsoons in Pakistan? Hundred-year floods, wreaking havoc in Lima and Dar es Salaam? Another fascist prick here in the States, riding the migrant crisis to power?”
Dream State will be hotly debated as I’m already seeing reviews say it bored them. To each their own, but if you enjoy a book as beautifully rich as this one, where there’s not a lot of plot, but plenty of sentences to remember by, this is for you.
February 27, 2025
I loved Puchner’s short story collection “Music Through the Floor,” so when I saw this book at the bookstore, I immediately bought it. Sadly, this is among the worst books I’ve ever read. It was poorly written, the characters were not well-developed, and I struggled to see what the point of it was. I kept reading, hoping it would improve or I would discover why it was written; alas, the ending was no better than the beginning. I’m sorry to be so harsh, but this book was not only bad, it was also long—it just kept going nowhere for 430 pages.
July 20, 2025
I was utterly unprepared for the ways this brilliant novel would be leave me gutted. What begins as a smart, funny novel about a destination Montana wedding between Charlie and Cece, officiated by Charlie's emotionally wounded pal, Garrett, morphs into an epic exploration of marriage and parenthood when Cece falls hard for Garrett and leaves Charlie to return alone to Los Angeles. Puchner follows the three of them, and their children, for fifty years, as they age into their 70s and climate change makes the world increasingly inhospitable. (Never will the death of a wolverine leave you sadder.) This book is a gem: beautifully written and awash in surprises.
February 26, 2025
This was a DNF for me.
February 26, 2025
I usually can count on Oprah’s pick to be stellar but sadly this was just mediocre for me.
This whole book can only be described as a love/hate relationship. The writing had moments of brilliance and then it would be overdone. Literally from a “wow” to an “ewwww.” If you have read this you will probably know the latter I am referring to.
This book starts with a marriage and ends with a marriage. It spans the entire life of college friends and how their lives unfold. A traumatic incident occurs and ultimately how a decision underlies the rest of their lives.
There were a couple characters that I loved but overall these characters seemed so lost and as a result it was frustrating to read. And super depressing.
This book would have been an easy five stars if the author had captured me the way he did in the final 20% of this book. The brilliance of his take on dementia and Alzheimer’s was heartbreaking but powerful to read.
Finally, there was a huge underlying message on climate change and foreshadowing in this book with the downfall of the earth. This, also is very depressing and sad.
There you have it. 2025 has been a slow start on books that have been 5 star worthy.
And a shoutout to this amazing cover of the book, which is in the artistic work of The Teton Range, Montana by Moran held in the MET museum.
This whole book can only be described as a love/hate relationship. The writing had moments of brilliance and then it would be overdone. Literally from a “wow” to an “ewwww.” If you have read this you will probably know the latter I am referring to.
This book starts with a marriage and ends with a marriage. It spans the entire life of college friends and how their lives unfold. A traumatic incident occurs and ultimately how a decision underlies the rest of their lives.
There were a couple characters that I loved but overall these characters seemed so lost and as a result it was frustrating to read. And super depressing.
This book would have been an easy five stars if the author had captured me the way he did in the final 20% of this book. The brilliance of his take on dementia and Alzheimer’s was heartbreaking but powerful to read.
Finally, there was a huge underlying message on climate change and foreshadowing in this book with the downfall of the earth. This, also is very depressing and sad.
There you have it. 2025 has been a slow start on books that have been 5 star worthy.
And a shoutout to this amazing cover of the book, which is in the artistic work of The Teton Range, Montana by Moran held in the MET museum.
February 27, 2025
This book is about life - friends, love, marriage, children, heartbreak. It reminded me of this quote:
“Anyone who imagines that bliss is normal is going to waste a lot of time running around shouting that he has been robbed. The fact is that most putts don’t drop, most beef is tough, most children grow up to be just like people, most successful marriages require a high degree of mutual toleration, and most jobs are more often dull than otherwise. Life is just like an old time rail journey ... delays, sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders, and jolts, interspersed only occasionally by beautiful vistas and thrilling bursts of speed. The trick is to thank the Lord for letting you have the ride.” Jenkin Lloyd Jones
Life for most is a complicated journey and I thought this novel represented it beautifully. It felt very familiar.
“Anyone who imagines that bliss is normal is going to waste a lot of time running around shouting that he has been robbed. The fact is that most putts don’t drop, most beef is tough, most children grow up to be just like people, most successful marriages require a high degree of mutual toleration, and most jobs are more often dull than otherwise. Life is just like an old time rail journey ... delays, sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders, and jolts, interspersed only occasionally by beautiful vistas and thrilling bursts of speed. The trick is to thank the Lord for letting you have the ride.” Jenkin Lloyd Jones
Life for most is a complicated journey and I thought this novel represented it beautifully. It felt very familiar.
April 16, 2025
well i just read 250+ pages of this in the bath. might have a book hangover, a top 5 of the year for me
September 15, 2025
I loved Dream State, a literary fiction saga, spanning several decades. The story begins with Charlie and Cece who are preparing to get married at Charlie’s family’s home in Montana. When Cece meets Charlie’s best friend, Garrett, she’s shocked by how different they are and wonders about their friendship. As Cece gets to know Garrett though, she grows uneasy about the future she has planned. She isn’t the only one feeling this way either.
The story follows Charlie, Cece, and Garrett over the course of many years, as they grapple with the impact of their choices that weekend. The story also follows their children. While the book was a winner for me, I strongly preferred the parts of the story primarily-focused on the initial generation — Charlie, Cece, and Garrett.
Dream State hooked me from the start, setting the scene of the West with Montana as its primary backdrop and introducing characters that felt authentic and flawed. They faced complicated decisions in their lives, many with long-lasting repercussions. The story takes place over several years and is definitely character-driven more than plot-focused.
This is my first Eric Puchner book and his writing is great. He was able to turn ordinary life into an engaging narrative in Dream State.
The story follows Charlie, Cece, and Garrett over the course of many years, as they grapple with the impact of their choices that weekend. The story also follows their children. While the book was a winner for me, I strongly preferred the parts of the story primarily-focused on the initial generation — Charlie, Cece, and Garrett.
Dream State hooked me from the start, setting the scene of the West with Montana as its primary backdrop and introducing characters that felt authentic and flawed. They faced complicated decisions in their lives, many with long-lasting repercussions. The story takes place over several years and is definitely character-driven more than plot-focused.
This is my first Eric Puchner book and his writing is great. He was able to turn ordinary life into an engaging narrative in Dream State.
March 13, 2025
This book is incredibly depressing. It tackles important themes… love, marriage, horrific accidents, drugs, disease, dying…. But in an incredibly depressing, miserable life way with unlikeable characters. It was almost a DNF for me, but I stuck with it because others liked it. Unfortunately it really did not get any better.
December 2, 2024
Dream State by Eric Puchner is a character-driven exploration of the lives of its three central figures and the significant others in their orbits. The story begins in Salish, Montana, where Cece is preparing for her wedding to Charlie at his childhood home. While Charlie works as a surgeon in Los Angeles, he asks his college best friend not only to officiate the upcoming wedding but also look after Cece in his absence—setting the stage for a narrative that will delve deep into the complexities of friendship, love, and loyalty.
Puchner zooms in on pivotal moments in the characters’ lives, examining the seemingly mundane events that make up their experiences with friendship, parenthood, and marriage. While the issues at play may seem ordinary, Puchner crafts complex and deeply flawed characters whose imperfections make them endearing. Though the book is lengthy and at times I found myself abruptly pulled away by the shifts in time and perspective, by the end, everything feels intricately unified. The pacing and style of the novel reminded me of Jonathan Franzen's Crossroads, with its careful dissection of human relationships under a magnifying glass. There’s a deeply satisfying resonance in the book’s conclusion.
The only downside for me was the novel's focus on natural disasters and the looming threat of climate change. While this is a popular theme in contemporary fiction, I find the persistent atmosphere of doom can occasionally overshadow the more intimate, character-driven moments. Overall, Dream State is a meaty and compelling read, perfect for those who appreciate introspective, character-driven fiction. Despite the heavy pessimism surrounding climate change, the novel offers a rewarding, thought-provoking experience.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the ARC. Dream State will awaken February 18, 2025.
Puchner zooms in on pivotal moments in the characters’ lives, examining the seemingly mundane events that make up their experiences with friendship, parenthood, and marriage. While the issues at play may seem ordinary, Puchner crafts complex and deeply flawed characters whose imperfections make them endearing. Though the book is lengthy and at times I found myself abruptly pulled away by the shifts in time and perspective, by the end, everything feels intricately unified. The pacing and style of the novel reminded me of Jonathan Franzen's Crossroads, with its careful dissection of human relationships under a magnifying glass. There’s a deeply satisfying resonance in the book’s conclusion.
The only downside for me was the novel's focus on natural disasters and the looming threat of climate change. While this is a popular theme in contemporary fiction, I find the persistent atmosphere of doom can occasionally overshadow the more intimate, character-driven moments. Overall, Dream State is a meaty and compelling read, perfect for those who appreciate introspective, character-driven fiction. Despite the heavy pessimism surrounding climate change, the novel offers a rewarding, thought-provoking experience.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the ARC. Dream State will awaken February 18, 2025.
March 9, 2025
"If you look for a meaning, you'll miss everything that happens.” - Andrei Tarkovsky.
My reading highlight 2025 so far. I thank my GR friend Ron - whose taste in books I usually share - for his review which first ever turned my attention to this book. Tell me a book is a monumental novel spanning generations and decades in a family and its orbit - and I basically have no choice but to read it. And I was well rewarded. I feel like the older I get the more I enjoy books that basically have no real plot and no ulterior motive or lesson to learn but rather just depict life in its complex, multi-dimensional, non-linear, irrational, random, non-one-plotty-way. IF DONE WELL of course. "Dream State" is such a book.
It is set in Montana, follows three people and spans about 50 years. It starts off with Cece, a 27-ish y/o bride that comes to the Montana family summer house of her fiancé Charlie. She arrives in Montana by herself, hoping to find some solitude and get the planning done for her and Charlie's wedding that is bound to happen a month later. Her fiancé sends his estranged best friend Garrett - whom Cece never met before and who lives just down the road of the house - to look after Cece (to provide her with weed in fact). Within the few weeks left until the marriage Cece falls in love with Garrett, who himself is a quiet, lonely man that never recovered from a traumatizing day he experienced during his college years. Which sounds like the beginning of any off-the-shelf Netflix rom-com is anything but it.
The character-driven book follows Charlie, Cece and Garrett and later their kids. It tells many stories that uncover many shades of loyalty, betrayal, love, grief, friendship, marriage, adult- and childhood. The book is beautifully written, it is often joyous, often dark, often simply gray and in that such an honest depiction of what life as a human is like. What I particularly enjoyed is the book's composition. It spans years and does so sometimes in the blink of an eye, or specifically in the blink of a sentence. You may fast forward 5 years within one paragraph, and no you don't get an end of chapter or even a line break to assist you to keep up with this temporal switch. I loved this.
Also the circularity. The book starts with the planning of the wedding, then you follow Cece, Charlie and Garrett until they're over 70, and the final chapter wraps up where we were headed when we started: the wedding day. What I've also adored are all the blank spaces. The things unwritten. There are certain moments Puchner doesn't tell, and doesn't show either. He implies and thus leaves room for the reader's imagination. Why did Cece exactly fall in love with Garrett, what happened between them before the wedding day? Except for one detailed hike and an omnious wine tasting we simply don't know. Which some reviewers disliked. But for me, this was extraordinary and a very strong methodoligcal trick. Exactly what a Netflix rom-com would have cannibalized are moments that Puchner leaves in the dark - between Cece and Garrett.
Lastly, this book has a strong angle on environmental topics - in many ways that I don't want to spoiler here. It looks at the many detrimental effects that human-induced climate change has (e.g. animal extinction, dry seasons, fires). The way Puchner does it is - in my opinion - extremely clever and effective. His approach is not one of "let me tell you"/in-your-face, but one of subtlety and everydayness. Which makes it horrifiyingly realistic and tangible.
I absolutely enjoyed the setting and descriptions of Montana and its nature. I am so happy I found this book. I highly recommend it to @Camille, my mum and @Phoenix. I think you'd enjoy it. Maybe also @Annabel especially for the nature and environment aspects of it.
My reading highlight 2025 so far. I thank my GR friend Ron - whose taste in books I usually share - for his review which first ever turned my attention to this book. Tell me a book is a monumental novel spanning generations and decades in a family and its orbit - and I basically have no choice but to read it. And I was well rewarded. I feel like the older I get the more I enjoy books that basically have no real plot and no ulterior motive or lesson to learn but rather just depict life in its complex, multi-dimensional, non-linear, irrational, random, non-one-plotty-way. IF DONE WELL of course. "Dream State" is such a book.
It is set in Montana, follows three people and spans about 50 years. It starts off with Cece, a 27-ish y/o bride that comes to the Montana family summer house of her fiancé Charlie. She arrives in Montana by herself, hoping to find some solitude and get the planning done for her and Charlie's wedding that is bound to happen a month later. Her fiancé sends his estranged best friend Garrett - whom Cece never met before and who lives just down the road of the house - to look after Cece (to provide her with weed in fact). Within the few weeks left until the marriage Cece falls in love with Garrett, who himself is a quiet, lonely man that never recovered from a traumatizing day he experienced during his college years. Which sounds like the beginning of any off-the-shelf Netflix rom-com is anything but it.
The character-driven book follows Charlie, Cece and Garrett and later their kids. It tells many stories that uncover many shades of loyalty, betrayal, love, grief, friendship, marriage, adult- and childhood. The book is beautifully written, it is often joyous, often dark, often simply gray and in that such an honest depiction of what life as a human is like. What I particularly enjoyed is the book's composition. It spans years and does so sometimes in the blink of an eye, or specifically in the blink of a sentence. You may fast forward 5 years within one paragraph, and no you don't get an end of chapter or even a line break to assist you to keep up with this temporal switch. I loved this.
Also the circularity. The book starts with the planning of the wedding, then you follow Cece, Charlie and Garrett until they're over 70, and the final chapter wraps up where we were headed when we started: the wedding day. What I've also adored are all the blank spaces. The things unwritten. There are certain moments Puchner doesn't tell, and doesn't show either. He implies and thus leaves room for the reader's imagination. Why did Cece exactly fall in love with Garrett, what happened between them before the wedding day? Except for one detailed hike and an omnious wine tasting we simply don't know. Which some reviewers disliked. But for me, this was extraordinary and a very strong methodoligcal trick. Exactly what a Netflix rom-com would have cannibalized are moments that Puchner leaves in the dark - between Cece and Garrett.
Lastly, this book has a strong angle on environmental topics - in many ways that I don't want to spoiler here. It looks at the many detrimental effects that human-induced climate change has (e.g. animal extinction, dry seasons, fires). The way Puchner does it is - in my opinion - extremely clever and effective. His approach is not one of "let me tell you"/in-your-face, but one of subtlety and everydayness. Which makes it horrifiyingly realistic and tangible.
I absolutely enjoyed the setting and descriptions of Montana and its nature. I am so happy I found this book. I highly recommend it to @Camille, my mum and @Phoenix. I think you'd enjoy it. Maybe also @Annabel especially for the nature and environment aspects of it.
June 30, 2025
Oi Vey! And before I get cancelled, Yes I can say that and I would say ask my Bubi if you doubt me, but she’s unfortunately no longer around.
I mean I’m all for exploring the idea of happiness, what it is, how to find it, is it achievable, but sometimes I feel like authors make the mistake of dipping that quill feather into the same ink/idea jar a few too many times and all the sudden their book is 75-100 pages longer than it should be.
Now don’t get me wrong this is a good and messy family saga where everyone initially sings
The story then bounces between present time and various character histories, and then moves into the future as well (post wedding). It focuses A LOT on the idea of marriage, in addition to happiness, and I’ve never been nor will I ever be married so I’ll leave that to another reviewer to dissect. Again tho, it was too much.
On the positive side and the reasons for my 4 stars: the book is immensely readable. I finished the book in a couple days. The characters are well done and the book explores some topical issues that always have my interest like addiction and depression. Early on I even enjoyed the musings on happiness because I’m trying to learn to find more joy in my life as I think most of us are.
I’m not just going to rant at the author without giving some advice and that would be to:
I mean I’m all for exploring the idea of happiness, what it is, how to find it, is it achievable, but sometimes I feel like authors make the mistake of dipping that quill feather into the same ink/idea jar a few too many times and all the sudden their book is 75-100 pages longer than it should be.
Now don’t get me wrong this is a good and messy family saga where everyone initially sings
The story then bounces between present time and various character histories, and then moves into the future as well (post wedding). It focuses A LOT on the idea of marriage, in addition to happiness, and I’ve never been nor will I ever be married so I’ll leave that to another reviewer to dissect. Again tho, it was too much.
On the positive side and the reasons for my 4 stars: the book is immensely readable. I finished the book in a couple days. The characters are well done and the book explores some topical issues that always have my interest like addiction and depression. Early on I even enjoyed the musings on happiness because I’m trying to learn to find more joy in my life as I think most of us are.
I’m not just going to rant at the author without giving some advice and that would be to:
March 7, 2025
I’m actually confused as to why Oprah picked this. I was saving her podcast episode with the author until after i finished, but I did not like this book. Characters were not likeable, it jumped all over the place, the climate change woven through was a bit much for me, not being a skiier, I wish some of the terms had been explained a bit, and the only part i thought was really touching was the description of Cece’s illness from her point of view.
March 1, 2025
I am giving this book two stars because while I did not enjoy it, it does deserve praise for how the author captures three themes very well. The loneliness of the human condition, the absurdity of pursuing personal meaning during a climate crisis, and how fast death approaches without announcing itself. The characters were so selfish and unlikable that I was pretty depressed after being immersed in their inner thoughts while reading.
I feel like none of the main triad truly saw each other as people, instead they saw life rafts from their own boring and unfulfilling lives, that somehow the other character was going to save them from themselves, but instead they populated more misery together. I was annoyed by the lack of accountability and responsibility any of the three took and all in all it was depressing.
I feel like none of the main triad truly saw each other as people, instead they saw life rafts from their own boring and unfulfilling lives, that somehow the other character was going to save them from themselves, but instead they populated more misery together. I was annoyed by the lack of accountability and responsibility any of the three took and all in all it was depressing.
May 9, 2025
Wow, talk about messed up lives! And the setting too is a messed up world, burning up from climate change. Set in Montana, the story begins with wedding plans in 2004, followed by a decision that will change the lives of two close friends, the ripple effect of which will continue to appear over the next fifty years of their lives. I would use the phrase 'earth-shattering' but one of these characters would object to that. Part love story and part environmental fiction, very much a character-driven novel about the vagaries of the human heart and the meaning of life. "'If you look for meaning,' Tarkovsky once said, 'you'll miss everything that happens.'"
September 1, 2024
Achingly beautiful and deeply moving, DREAM STATE follows three people whose lives are woven together through love, regret, friendship, and betrayal. Set against the vivid backdrop of the Montana landscape this tender masterpiece expertly explores the full range of human emotion. I started reading and simply could not stop.
I haven’t been so immersed in a novel with such fantastic landscape writing since I read “Where the Crawdads Sing.” Also, as someone who has worked at an independent bookstore for the last 17 years I loved the accuracy and perfection of Cece’s time as an independent bookstore owner.
Not every fantastic book is a good contender for book clubs but DREAM STATE will be perfect for book club discussions. This is the perfect read for readers who love:
• multigenerational novels
• stunning landscape writing that make you ache for a place you’ve never been
• stories about love, regret, and the shadows that lie within relationships
I loved DREAM STATE and will miss these characters. Thank you, Doubleday, for the ARC. I can’t wait for this book to be out in the wild!
I haven’t been so immersed in a novel with such fantastic landscape writing since I read “Where the Crawdads Sing.” Also, as someone who has worked at an independent bookstore for the last 17 years I loved the accuracy and perfection of Cece’s time as an independent bookstore owner.
Not every fantastic book is a good contender for book clubs but DREAM STATE will be perfect for book club discussions. This is the perfect read for readers who love:
• multigenerational novels
• stunning landscape writing that make you ache for a place you’ve never been
• stories about love, regret, and the shadows that lie within relationships
I loved DREAM STATE and will miss these characters. Thank you, Doubleday, for the ARC. I can’t wait for this book to be out in the wild!
March 14, 2025
3.75 stars. Rtc. 📖🎧
April 15, 2025
DNF - I had such high expectations for this, and thought the writing was actually terrible.
March 22, 2025
I told myself that I was not going to suffer through books this year. DNF’d around 40%. Boring, so slow moving, and depressing. Couldn’t connect to any of the characters or the story at all. And this is an Oprah recommended book. I’m dying to find out what the requirements are for such. 🫠
March 3, 2025
I'm sad to say that I had to struggle to finish this book. The beginning captivated me, up to about the middle, and then...........it became so languorous, almost as though it was trying to regenerate itself. Unfortunately, it was too late. The narrative ambled on as though the editor forgot to check the book's second half.
I enjoyed the first half immensely and looked forward to picking the novel up and reading. The events interested me and some of the characters became partially knowable. However, none of the characters were painted thoroughly and their descriptions sounded like they were put together by AI.
I know what happened to whom, usually when it happened and sometimes even why. That was no substitute for good characterization. The story is told in different timeframes and the chapters move forward at incredible speed. Each chapter usually focuses on a single character and the passage of time felt like the speed of light.
The gist of the story is about a group of friends who met in college. Yes, think 'The Big Chill'. Charlie and Cece are getting married and the whole gang is at the wedding. Most of the friends are already married and have children but Charlie and Cece are late to the game. Then there is Garrett, Charlie's best friend, who steals the bride away. It probably wasn't too difficult as many of the guests had Norovirus, or 'the wedding plague' as it was called.
We follow the main characters through decades but, as the chapters jump up to three or four decades forward, the reader has to fill in the blanks. There are the main characters' children, their successes and failures, and the interactions between Charlie, Cece, and Garrett.
I'm glad that Oprah picked this book because it's like a short course on ontology. Garrett is forever wondering about the meaning of it all and why it even matters. To quote from the book itself, "If you look for a meaning, . . ., you'll miss everything that happens.
I won't give any more of the story away, not that there's a whole lot more to give, but other than Garrett, the characters felt like silhouettes. I liked Garrett and could identify with his struggles. He is a loner who happened to room with Charlie for a bit in college. He is a philosopher, the keeper of secrets, and the friend who stands in the shadows. When he needed friends, no one was there for him.
Oprah's stamp will likely make this an immediate best seller and I love when people read. It is a bit of a tome that I think could be made spectacular with a lot of editing.
I enjoyed the first half immensely and looked forward to picking the novel up and reading. The events interested me and some of the characters became partially knowable. However, none of the characters were painted thoroughly and their descriptions sounded like they were put together by AI.
I know what happened to whom, usually when it happened and sometimes even why. That was no substitute for good characterization. The story is told in different timeframes and the chapters move forward at incredible speed. Each chapter usually focuses on a single character and the passage of time felt like the speed of light.
The gist of the story is about a group of friends who met in college. Yes, think 'The Big Chill'. Charlie and Cece are getting married and the whole gang is at the wedding. Most of the friends are already married and have children but Charlie and Cece are late to the game. Then there is Garrett, Charlie's best friend, who steals the bride away. It probably wasn't too difficult as many of the guests had Norovirus, or 'the wedding plague' as it was called.
We follow the main characters through decades but, as the chapters jump up to three or four decades forward, the reader has to fill in the blanks. There are the main characters' children, their successes and failures, and the interactions between Charlie, Cece, and Garrett.
I'm glad that Oprah picked this book because it's like a short course on ontology. Garrett is forever wondering about the meaning of it all and why it even matters. To quote from the book itself, "If you look for a meaning, . . ., you'll miss everything that happens.
I won't give any more of the story away, not that there's a whole lot more to give, but other than Garrett, the characters felt like silhouettes. I liked Garrett and could identify with his struggles. He is a loner who happened to room with Charlie for a bit in college. He is a philosopher, the keeper of secrets, and the friend who stands in the shadows. When he needed friends, no one was there for him.
Oprah's stamp will likely make this an immediate best seller and I love when people read. It is a bit of a tome that I think could be made spectacular with a lot of editing.
March 31, 2025
Dream State
By Eric Puchner
This is Oprah's latest book club pick, and watching her podcast episode which featured the author, it was interesting to see the effect her gushing about the charms of this book had on him. He appeared a little baffled about it's reception. I thought, what a humble guy. To be plucked from relative obscurity and your book to be lauded by someone with the platform to propel your career into orbit, well, this was going to be something special, wasn't it?
Maybe not. Without going into the plot details, which are spoilery from almost any angle, this story about long marriage, love triangles, betrayal, climate change, biodiversity loss, addiction, regret, alzheimers disease is told with a tone that hurt my feelings for the people it portrays.
I used to know a guy who liked to drop rarely used words into conversation and then explain them as if the fact that we didn't find the use for them on a daily basis indicated that we didn't know what they meant. Reading this reminded me of being trapped in his company. Mansplaining, dad jokes, laddish attitude, purile humour. I should have set it aside, but when it comes to reviewing ARCs, I feel obligated.
It's hard to find anything to like about any of the characters, mostly because they aren't just flawed, they are one dimensional. I never once thought "this guy sure can write about women". But then, I felt no connection to any of the men either.
I love a novel where I learn new things, when the author introduces something I had never thought about before and I can go down a rabbit hole, exploring and further researching what I learned. No need here. This author knows stuff about stuff and he's desperate to show us the stuff he knows, and to explain about all the stuff he knows, whether you already know it not.
There are a few funny scenes in the early section of the story, however they resemble scenes from "Bridesmaids" and the like, so closely, mostly around uncontrollable body functions and accidentally getting high on Ambien, that the effect is diluted.
This may also have benefitted from a sensitivity reading. There are some problematic references to Montanans, Amish, Alzheimer sufferers that are supposed to be jokes, but someone missed the memo.
What is the point of this over long, tone deaf, romance/family/ wildlife/dystopian saga? I have no feel for what that is. For me the overarching theme is of disrespect. For each other, for themselves, for the way they speak about others, for the way they hold no accountability, for the attitude to birds of prey, carpenter bees, endangered animals, fragile environments, the infirm.
Oprah. What are you thinking? This is not who we are.
By Eric Puchner
This is Oprah's latest book club pick, and watching her podcast episode which featured the author, it was interesting to see the effect her gushing about the charms of this book had on him. He appeared a little baffled about it's reception. I thought, what a humble guy. To be plucked from relative obscurity and your book to be lauded by someone with the platform to propel your career into orbit, well, this was going to be something special, wasn't it?
Maybe not. Without going into the plot details, which are spoilery from almost any angle, this story about long marriage, love triangles, betrayal, climate change, biodiversity loss, addiction, regret, alzheimers disease is told with a tone that hurt my feelings for the people it portrays.
I used to know a guy who liked to drop rarely used words into conversation and then explain them as if the fact that we didn't find the use for them on a daily basis indicated that we didn't know what they meant. Reading this reminded me of being trapped in his company. Mansplaining, dad jokes, laddish attitude, purile humour. I should have set it aside, but when it comes to reviewing ARCs, I feel obligated.
It's hard to find anything to like about any of the characters, mostly because they aren't just flawed, they are one dimensional. I never once thought "this guy sure can write about women". But then, I felt no connection to any of the men either.
I love a novel where I learn new things, when the author introduces something I had never thought about before and I can go down a rabbit hole, exploring and further researching what I learned. No need here. This author knows stuff about stuff and he's desperate to show us the stuff he knows, and to explain about all the stuff he knows, whether you already know it not.
There are a few funny scenes in the early section of the story, however they resemble scenes from "Bridesmaids" and the like, so closely, mostly around uncontrollable body functions and accidentally getting high on Ambien, that the effect is diluted.
This may also have benefitted from a sensitivity reading. There are some problematic references to Montanans, Amish, Alzheimer sufferers that are supposed to be jokes, but someone missed the memo.
What is the point of this over long, tone deaf, romance/family/ wildlife/dystopian saga? I have no feel for what that is. For me the overarching theme is of disrespect. For each other, for themselves, for the way they speak about others, for the way they hold no accountability, for the attitude to birds of prey, carpenter bees, endangered animals, fragile environments, the infirm.
Oprah. What are you thinking? This is not who we are.
May 7, 2025
Dream State is a multi-generational family saga covering fifty years. It explores themes of love, betrayal, and the impact of our choices across generations. The story begins in 2004 at a picturesque lake house in Montana, where Cece is preparing to marry her charismatic doctor-fiancé, Charlie Margolis. While there, Cece meets Charlie’s best friend, Garrett, whom Charlie has asked to officiate the wedding. Something unexpected happens, which significantly changes the course of their lives.
The narrative follows the trio over the years, delving into their personal struggles, the consequences of their actions, and the intricate dynamics of their relationships. As time progresses, it incorporates the next generation. In addition to the personal stories, it touches on environmental issues, which become a larger part of the narrative toward the end (set in the future).
It is a character-driven novel, and not for those looking for lots of action. The pacing is uneven. Its strength lies in Puchner’s portrayal of the characters’ inner lives and rich descriptions of the primary setting in rural Montana. I enjoyed it as a thoughtful story about the complexities of human relationships and the passage of time.
The narrative follows the trio over the years, delving into their personal struggles, the consequences of their actions, and the intricate dynamics of their relationships. As time progresses, it incorporates the next generation. In addition to the personal stories, it touches on environmental issues, which become a larger part of the narrative toward the end (set in the future).
It is a character-driven novel, and not for those looking for lots of action. The pacing is uneven. Its strength lies in Puchner’s portrayal of the characters’ inner lives and rich descriptions of the primary setting in rural Montana. I enjoyed it as a thoughtful story about the complexities of human relationships and the passage of time.
March 21, 2025
I got lost in this book, and I mean that in the best possible way. I absolutely loved it. When I wasn’t reading it, I was thinking about it. I knew from the first few pages that I had something really special. I savoured it. I loved the entire experience. What a dream of a read.
February 9, 2025
This is the first book I've read by Eric Puchner -- I found it a little slow at first but I quickly became attached to the characters and have not been able to stop thinking about them since I finished it.
One of the things I loved the most about this book was the scope of it -- it covers so many decades and multiple generations. I loved the characters -- for all their flaws, they were doing the best they could.
One off-putting thing was how really significant events or information would be revealed out of nowhere, and then not touched on for awhile. Time passed in a very unique way, which felt jarring at times to keep up with.
Overall I would recommend this to anyone who loves literary fiction, rich characters, and complicated relationship dynamics. There are many heavy topics touched on in this book, but I feel like Eric Puchner approached them in a real and honest way. It broke my heart but also left me feeling grateful that I was impacted so deeply.
Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book!
One of the things I loved the most about this book was the scope of it -- it covers so many decades and multiple generations. I loved the characters -- for all their flaws, they were doing the best they could.
One off-putting thing was how really significant events or information would be revealed out of nowhere, and then not touched on for awhile. Time passed in a very unique way, which felt jarring at times to keep up with.
Overall I would recommend this to anyone who loves literary fiction, rich characters, and complicated relationship dynamics. There are many heavy topics touched on in this book, but I feel like Eric Puchner approached them in a real and honest way. It broke my heart but also left me feeling grateful that I was impacted so deeply.
Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book!
February 23, 2025
Masterpiece! I’ve never really understood describing a book as “sweeping” but that’s what this is. It’s so expansive, covers everything, I feel like it sums up life??? I felt like the message was two fold: In some ways, the choices we make are everything - the butterfly effect, the tiniest decision can totally shape our lives. In other ways, there is so much of life that we can’t control, even if we seemingly make all the “right” decisions. God this book was beautiful. I need to chat about it with someone
May 14, 2025
middle of the road with this one
April 26, 2025
I love a character driven novel and Dream State is such a book. My problem with it is that as time lurches forward, it is never clear why the characters find themselves behaving or acting in certain ways. The time jumps are vague and as each one occurred, it would take me a bit to realize that it was either 5 years later or hmmm, must be twenty years later. To top it all off, there is an underlying climate change catastrophe that seems to be thrown in as an afterthought. Deeply unsatisfying.
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