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Dreamworld
When it comes to crime in Dreamworld, the sprawling Florida vacation resort might as well be never-never land. That's because the bad things that happen there never reach the press. As an ambitious rookie cop on the community's security force, twenty-five-year-old Sylvia Avery toes the company line, smoothing over disturbances that might tarnish the utopian image of Dreamworld and its hugely popular ImagiNation theme park.
But that flawless facade is shattered when a horrific murder-suicide takes place "on property." Thrown into a company-sponsored cover-up, Avery discovers bizarre and disturbing experiments taking place at Dreamworld's ultrasecret research center. Torn between her loyalty to her new boss -- and lover -- and a need to uncover the terrifying truth, Avery enters the dark and twisted world beneath Dreamworld's picture-perfect surface. Now, in a place where fantasy rules and illusion is everything, Avery is about to come face-to-face with a cold and deadly reality.
But that flawless facade is shattered when a horrific murder-suicide takes place "on property." Thrown into a company-sponsored cover-up, Avery discovers bizarre and disturbing experiments taking place at Dreamworld's ultrasecret research center. Torn between her loyalty to her new boss -- and lover -- and a need to uncover the terrifying truth, Avery enters the dark and twisted world beneath Dreamworld's picture-perfect surface. Now, in a place where fantasy rules and illusion is everything, Avery is about to come face-to-face with a cold and deadly reality.
336 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2000
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
May 26, 2024
While Goldman excels at screenplays, she doesn't when it comes to novels.
You'd think a murder mystery set in a theme park would be more playful and zany but Dreamworld surprisingly underutilizes the premise. Goldman seems more interested in the internal politics behind the scenes; how the family friendly good times are kept ticking over by a vigilant security team independent of county police and a network of staff tunnels between the rides and attractions.
Our protagonist Sylvia Avery never quite cohered as a three-dimensional character for me, let alone a diligent detective. We see glimpses of her back story but her introspective moments don't quite tie everything together with how the main plot is affecting her emotionally. Whenever we do spend time with her as a person, it's her horniness and voluptuousness that are most prominent, not to mention some dated pop culture references that feel shoe-horned into her dialogue.
As for the mystery itself, there aren't many suspects presented early in the investigation meaning that, when the murderer and motive are revealed, it comes as very little shock. Also detailed description of how the theme park runs slow down any momentum built up by the direct action.
Dreamworld reads like a first draft where Goldman was stuffing as much as she could into the plot to keep things interesting for herself. Unfortunately the editing I presume the publishers provided, feels too light.
I don't like to disparage Goldman as I honestly love most of the films which she helped script. I just feel this novel needs a damn good restructuring with a stronger thematic purpose. That being said, if you can forgive the issues mentioned above because you enjoy the idea of a bloody chase through a Disneyland facsimile, then you might enjoy Dreamworld.
You'd think a murder mystery set in a theme park would be more playful and zany but Dreamworld surprisingly underutilizes the premise. Goldman seems more interested in the internal politics behind the scenes; how the family friendly good times are kept ticking over by a vigilant security team independent of county police and a network of staff tunnels between the rides and attractions.
Our protagonist Sylvia Avery never quite cohered as a three-dimensional character for me, let alone a diligent detective. We see glimpses of her back story but her introspective moments don't quite tie everything together with how the main plot is affecting her emotionally. Whenever we do spend time with her as a person, it's her horniness and voluptuousness that are most prominent, not to mention some dated pop culture references that feel shoe-horned into her dialogue.
As for the mystery itself, there aren't many suspects presented early in the investigation meaning that, when the murderer and motive are revealed, it comes as very little shock. Also detailed description of how the theme park runs slow down any momentum built up by the direct action.
Dreamworld reads like a first draft where Goldman was stuffing as much as she could into the plot to keep things interesting for herself. Unfortunately the editing I presume the publishers provided, feels too light.
I don't like to disparage Goldman as I honestly love most of the films which she helped script. I just feel this novel needs a damn good restructuring with a stronger thematic purpose. That being said, if you can forgive the issues mentioned above because you enjoy the idea of a bloody chase through a Disneyland facsimile, then you might enjoy Dreamworld.
December 5, 2014
I haven't quite read another book like this. I really liked the narrator's voice, particularly how Goldman demonstrates that you can write about romance and physical attraction in a mystery setting without falling back on sexist and misogynist tropes--a rarity in the genre. The narrator engages in relationships but maintains her autonomy and agency, and discusses physicality without the reductionism and objectification that is so intimately tied up with American media, especially mystery fiction. There's a bit about the attractiveness of someone's hands that I still think about years after reading it.
And the story!--it revolves around a fictional competitor to Disneyworld doing some despicable and disturbing things. I especially appreciate how Goldman constructs her narrative in a way that allows a sustained and subtle critique of the artificialness and creepiness of places like Disneyworld, without being overtly preachy. It comes out naturally because Goldman never allows it to overtake the narrative. In short, she respects her reader's ability to make their own inferences; it never seems like she wants the reader to come to any particular conclusion.
I would say the voice and content of this book wouldn't make a good fit for some readers, but it really resonated with me. One of the few books I intend to read a second time.
And the story!--it revolves around a fictional competitor to Disneyworld doing some despicable and disturbing things. I especially appreciate how Goldman constructs her narrative in a way that allows a sustained and subtle critique of the artificialness and creepiness of places like Disneyworld, without being overtly preachy. It comes out naturally because Goldman never allows it to overtake the narrative. In short, she respects her reader's ability to make their own inferences; it never seems like she wants the reader to come to any particular conclusion.
I would say the voice and content of this book wouldn't make a good fit for some readers, but it really resonated with me. One of the few books I intend to read a second time.
October 18, 2007
Perhaps when I have more time on my hands, I will try to finish reading this book. But as it stands, it wasn't really what I was expecting. I couldn't get into the writing style-- which was serviceable, and smooth, but something about the word choice bugged me. As if it was too breathy, or trying to hard to get to the sort of emotionalism that appeared in the two other MTV books I've read, 'Dogrun' and 'Floating'. The reason I prefer either of those books to this one has to deal with the leading female protagonists.
While both are sort of 'coming into yourself' or life searching sorts of stories, their key difference lie in female protagonists that are adult, fully capable of supporting themselves and are pretty self-aware. They just happen to be confused at the moment. Understandable. And it's intriguing how they deal with their problems.
The lead in Dreamworld is some sort of helpless, lost little girl and while-- perhaps if I were in a better mood-- I might be willing to read her journey into finding herself, I don't find it nearly as interesting as the other books-- about women who already have found themselves, lost it, and then found themselves again.
While both are sort of 'coming into yourself' or life searching sorts of stories, their key difference lie in female protagonists that are adult, fully capable of supporting themselves and are pretty self-aware. They just happen to be confused at the moment. Understandable. And it's intriguing how they deal with their problems.
The lead in Dreamworld is some sort of helpless, lost little girl and while-- perhaps if I were in a better mood-- I might be willing to read her journey into finding herself, I don't find it nearly as interesting as the other books-- about women who already have found themselves, lost it, and then found themselves again.
January 18, 2010
I read this when I was in high school originally. I recently got it back out again because I remember liking it so much the first time around. I had forgotten most of what happened in the book so re-reading it was almost like reading it for the first time.
Sylvia Avery works for the amusement park Dreamworld as security personnel, hiding anything or anyone undesirable from the public, so as to maintain the pristine image of the park.
One day instead of ushering drunks off the grounds, life is turned upside down upon the discovery of an apparent murder-suicide within the park.
As a result of her involvement in finding the bodies, she is promoted to help cover up this nasty incident before it ruins Dreamworlds image. Her boss, that she sometimes sleeps with, is trying to keep her focused on the job. She has a desire to get to the bottom of the mystery. What she finds is not only shocking, but nothing she-or I- could have ever expected.
Now she is face to face with something bigger than she, and more than just her job is on the line, her life is as well.
Sylvia Avery works for the amusement park Dreamworld as security personnel, hiding anything or anyone undesirable from the public, so as to maintain the pristine image of the park.
One day instead of ushering drunks off the grounds, life is turned upside down upon the discovery of an apparent murder-suicide within the park.
As a result of her involvement in finding the bodies, she is promoted to help cover up this nasty incident before it ruins Dreamworlds image. Her boss, that she sometimes sleeps with, is trying to keep her focused on the job. She has a desire to get to the bottom of the mystery. What she finds is not only shocking, but nothing she-or I- could have ever expected.
Now she is face to face with something bigger than she, and more than just her job is on the line, her life is as well.
June 26, 2009
I love this book. It's brain candy, but it's really good brain candy-- tons of pop-culture references that aren't even that dated almost 10 years later, a female lead who's tough and intelligent and much cooler than your average chicklit heroine, a decent mystery to unravel, and of course a brilliant (if derivative, but then again that's the point) setting.
There's something deliciously twisted about the idea of murder and mayhem lurking just below the surface of the happiest place on earth, and Goldman absolutely makes the most of the concept, particularly in the unlikely and inspired setting of the novel's climax. Upon rereading most of the plot twists seemed pretty obvious, but I remember it kept me guessing well enough the first time around. Recommended if you're looking for a witty, quirky mystery with a unique setting.
There's something deliciously twisted about the idea of murder and mayhem lurking just below the surface of the happiest place on earth, and Goldman absolutely makes the most of the concept, particularly in the unlikely and inspired setting of the novel's climax. Upon rereading most of the plot twists seemed pretty obvious, but I remember it kept me guessing well enough the first time around. Recommended if you're looking for a witty, quirky mystery with a unique setting.
April 12, 2023
I truly thought this book was going to go in a weirder direction than it did and I’m a little bummed it didn’t…
The writing style of this felt a little confusing, the author alternates calling characters by their first or last name, and there was a lot of people to keep track of. The plot was interesting and kept me going but there was a lot of book in there that really didn’t need to be in there and I found myself skipping over parts.
This book was good but it could have been so so so much better .
The writing style of this felt a little confusing, the author alternates calling characters by their first or last name, and there was a lot of people to keep track of. The plot was interesting and kept me going but there was a lot of book in there that really didn’t need to be in there and I found myself skipping over parts.
This book was good but it could have been so so so much better .
March 27, 2008
I loved this book. It completely mimicked Disney World, so I had a unique way of relating to the book. Very easy to read.... sort of a mystery. I loved it and have thought of re-reading it several times. Just too many other books to be read!
October 16, 2019
La novela tenía todos los ingredientes para ser un novelón....un parque de atracciones, unos asesinatos y el descubrimiento de un laboratorio experimental para crear nuevas atracciones de carácter sensorial.. y al final mi sensación ha sido...meh! 🤔
Me ha dejado indiferente, no es que sea mala es que yo esperaba otra cosa, otros acontecimientos...quizás algo muuuucho más macabro🤣🤣. Habían partes que captaban mi atención y otras que me parecían un tanto aburridas y lentas, al final me ha resultado una lectura un poco pesada y eso que la temática me parecía interesantísima. A mí se me ha quedado flojita. 😐😐
Me ha dejado indiferente, no es que sea mala es que yo esperaba otra cosa, otros acontecimientos...quizás algo muuuucho más macabro🤣🤣. Habían partes que captaban mi atención y otras que me parecían un tanto aburridas y lentas, al final me ha resultado una lectura un poco pesada y eso que la temática me parecía interesantísima. A mí se me ha quedado flojita. 😐😐
April 5, 2021
3/5 ⭐️ - dreamworld is a thriller detective type novel set in an amusement park. it follows sylvia avery as she investigates a murder of a park employee, but in her search for the truth, she uncovers a darker, malevolent side of dreamworld.
it was a bit slow in the beginning but i liked getting to know avery. she’s a really cool, interesting main character. once the action got going, i couldn’t put it down - but the end ultimately felt unsatisfying. i was able to guess the twist/whodunnit. i think i was expecting the book to be something that it wasn’t and that ultimately led to disappointment. overall, it wasn’t a bad leisure read.
it was a bit slow in the beginning but i liked getting to know avery. she’s a really cool, interesting main character. once the action got going, i couldn’t put it down - but the end ultimately felt unsatisfying. i was able to guess the twist/whodunnit. i think i was expecting the book to be something that it wasn’t and that ultimately led to disappointment. overall, it wasn’t a bad leisure read.
April 9, 2024
I'd no idea MTV was in the book business but this is one of a series of books published under their banner by Pocket Books/Simon & Schuster. Goldman is most notably a screenwriter and producer (among her work are X-Men: First Class and Kingsman: The Secret Service. This is her only novel and it tells an engaging tale of murder, duplicity, and subterfuge around a fictional Disneyworld knockoff theme park. Despite the killer being fairly obvious from early on, the pace and narrative voice kept me engaged till the end.
Brain candy, yes. But tasty!
Brain candy, yes. But tasty!
June 8, 2021
Pretty good light mystery/thriller. I generally like any of these books from the MTV books series they put out in the 2000s. It was a fun thing to read during the weekend. I liked the "Disneyworld" type theme park backdrop. Avery was an interesting main character. There were some twists that I saw coming and some that I didn't. It's all tied up in a neat bow at the end.
June 12, 2023
This is a really hard one for me to rate because I overall had a really good time with it and feel like I will be thinking about some of the elements of this book for a long time, however, there were some pretty blatant issues at least for me. But I can guarantee that you will never ride Disney's Small World ride without thinking about this book again.
June 1, 2024
omg, it's friggin' incredible! what a storyteller Goldman is!!!!
November 28, 2012
I found this book randomly in the patient library at the hospital where I used to be night security. Initially attracted by the bright colors, I eventually became enthralled and would come and read it during my breaks. I quite enjoyed the book in an I-have-been-awake-forever-please-don't-make-me-think-blarrrrrr sort of way. Jane Goldman built an enthralling world of hyper-bright scenery and intricate passageways. However, aside from the main character none of the others stood out as anything other than flat cliches, and the plot was rather dull. I honest felt like it was getting in the way of the things I wanted to hear about, like what was going on in Sylvia's brain and the ins and outs of Dreamworld.
September 8, 2009
I don't know if I wouold have read this book had it not been a dollar at Borders. But anyhow, it was an easy read that had a very predictable plotline. I liked all the pop culture references. Not what you would call a literary classic by any means, but a simple easy read if you're just looking to veg out and read something totally pointless and meaningless. I think the author is trying to get to some level of big brother theories and who can you really trust? type things, but it's very shallow and apparent. It's a straight to the point, useless information brain candy type book. Kinda like when you watch MTV, oddly enough.
September 18, 2007
A girl works at a disneyland like themepark and has to cover up a murder so as not to upset the parks patrons. She snoops a little too far, finding a research faclity on site.... and thats about all i rememeber.
It was interesting when i read it, years ago now, and I remember flying through it. I wouldnt recommend it for someone of my current age, but perhaps its more for the high school or college girl.... the main character is someone they can easily relate to...
It was interesting when i read it, years ago now, and I remember flying through it. I wouldnt recommend it for someone of my current age, but perhaps its more for the high school or college girl.... the main character is someone they can easily relate to...
June 24, 2015
This is not a highly acclaimed philosophical literature.
This makes for a good travel, summer or an inbetween huge novels read.
There is a little bit of crime with the murder-suicide and a little bit of mystery surrounding it. There is a little bit of relatioships between people and a few tiny bits of action.
This works just as it is meant to be enjoyed: An entertaining piece of writing.
This makes for a good travel, summer or an inbetween huge novels read.
There is a little bit of crime with the murder-suicide and a little bit of mystery surrounding it. There is a little bit of relatioships between people and a few tiny bits of action.
This works just as it is meant to be enjoyed: An entertaining piece of writing.
July 26, 2009
Fun airport novelette. Especially if you are like me, and are suspect of entities like Disney World. The protagonist is unburdened of her naivete, "Dreamworld" of it's veneer of perfection, and whodunits stagger forward.
February 5, 2010
Sylvia Avery works security at a Disney competitor in Florida. She is brought into a sensitive investigation into a murder/suicide by her lover, a VP, and her boss.
Her investigations cut up and into the amusement park phenomena. It's well written and very relate-able.
Her investigations cut up and into the amusement park phenomena. It's well written and very relate-able.
February 13, 2014
I didn't like this book at all. I read about 100 pages and I couldn't bear to go on. It was so boring and badly written. Definitely would not recommend. If I could give less than one star I would have.
September 1, 2014
I really enjoyed this book. It was a perfect murder/mystery that keep me wanted to read on. I will say that it feel a little short at the ending which is why I only gave it 4 stars but other than that it was a good book and I would recommend it!
December 23, 2008
Can't even remember if I finished this one, it was so hard going. Passed it along in a swap, if I remember rightly.
November 23, 2010
This was a really odd, fun little book! A great read!
August 28, 2011
I read this in highschool. I've always wondered about 'those places'
Read
August 23, 2017Kind of a creepy detective Disneyland story.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews