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Liv Silver, fifteen, has lived in six countries in eight years and she and her sister yearn for a real home and normalcy, but soon after moving in with her mother's boyfriend in London, Liv's dreams turn bizarre, filled with talking stone statues, mysterious corridors, and strange rituals conducted by four boys who happen to be her new classmates.Tags
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Published in English, as Dream a Little Dream.
Given my earnest attempts to avoid getting into yet another German YA, I honestly couldn't say why "Silber: Das erste Buch der Träume" ended up on my reading list. The unusual cover of the German edition could be one of the reasons, as I was hoping for some modern surrealist stuff. Then again given the number of YA books on GR, maybe it's just a question of statistics.
I haven't researched either the author or the book before starting, and the brief glance over its reviews left me vaguely annoyed. Turns out I had apparently managed to choose the cheesiest of chart toppers, that everyone raves about... to say nothing of the romantic pairing possibilities.
The story begins with Liv and her show more sister Mia, returning from their summer holiday in Switzerland, ready to begin a promising new life in a cozy little cottage in Oxford.
That's the plan at any rate. Not only does Liv's swiss cheese souvenir attract the interest of a drug dog at the airport, but her mother also announces a slight change of plans... of the new boyfriend variety. Since their Oxford dream house wasn't quite so dreamy, they'd be moving into a posh London neighborhood instead, and attend the fancy (fictional) "Frognal Academy". All thanks to Ernest (the boyfriend), whose own two children are also coincidentally attending said school.
So far so bad, but then Liv manages to top it all by meeting the school's 4 most popular guys for an impromptu seance session at the Highgate Cemetery... in a dream.
The story is narrated from Liv's perspective, peppered with lots of humorous quips which often had me giggling like mad. As unoriginal as the plot may sound, I greatly enjoyed our heroine's dream wanderings as well as the concept behind how things in the dream world worked... or didn't work. Though I didn't find any memorable one-liners, the generally funny undertone of the story definitely helped boost its rating by at least a star.
The ending was very satisfying, though some reviewers criticize it due to distinct lack ofdemonic activity , it didn't bother me. The characters were quite interesting, and to a certain degree also likable; even the annoying ones (like Persephone and Florence).
My favorite character here was probably Mia, inspite of her small "screen time" she had the best lines:
The main reason for that 'lost' star, are minor issues, but they added up by the end of the book. For example - the narrator's rather odd fascination with eye colors:
- lots of "lit up" eyes
- Henry's slate gray eyes
- Grayson's caramel-candy-colored eyes
- and last but not least Anabel's amazing turquoise-colored eyes
On the whole lots of fun, perhaps a bit reminiscent of Gossip Girl due to the mysterious Secrecy, who regularly airs Frognal Academy's dirty laundry on the Tittle-Tattle Blog.
Verdict: 4/5 stars
Suffice to say, I liked it enough to immediately pick up the sequel, Silber: Das zweite Buch der Träume.
============================================
review of the 2nd book: Silber: Das zweite Buch der Träume
review of the 3rd book: Silber: Das dritte Buch der Träume show less
Given my earnest attempts to avoid getting into yet another German YA, I honestly couldn't say why "Silber: Das erste Buch der Träume" ended up on my reading list. The unusual cover of the German edition could be one of the reasons, as I was hoping for some modern surrealist stuff. Then again given the number of YA books on GR, maybe it's just a question of statistics.
I haven't researched either the author or the book before starting, and the brief glance over its reviews left me vaguely annoyed. Turns out I had apparently managed to choose the cheesiest of chart toppers, that everyone raves about... to say nothing of the romantic pairing possibilities.
The story begins with Liv and her show more sister Mia, returning from their summer holiday in Switzerland, ready to begin a promising new life in a cozy little cottage in Oxford.
That's the plan at any rate. Not only does Liv's swiss cheese souvenir attract the interest of a drug dog at the airport, but her mother also announces a slight change of plans... of the new boyfriend variety. Since their Oxford dream house wasn't quite so dreamy, they'd be moving into a posh London neighborhood instead, and attend the fancy (fictional) "Frognal Academy". All thanks to Ernest (the boyfriend), whose own two children are also coincidentally attending said school.
So far so bad, but then Liv manages to top it all by meeting the school's 4 most popular guys for an impromptu seance session at the Highgate Cemetery... in a dream.
The story is narrated from Liv's perspective, peppered with lots of humorous quips which often had me giggling like mad. As unoriginal as the plot may sound, I greatly enjoyed our heroine's dream wanderings as well as the concept behind how things in the dream world worked... or didn't work. Though I didn't find any memorable one-liners, the generally funny undertone of the story definitely helped boost its rating by at least a star.
The ending was very satisfying, though some reviewers criticize it due to distinct lack of
My favorite character here was probably Mia, inspite of her small "screen time" she had the best lines:
"We are also extremely excited to be here", said Mia, after a few seconds of embarrassed staring. "Is there at least something good to eat?"
"Does Mrs Finchley still collect those lovely porcelain figurines?"
I was contemplating whether I could answer with yet another "Yes, very interesting," without seeming obnoxious, but Mia had already answered:
"No! She's now collecting quite horrible and cheesy stuff. Some imbecilic-looking dancers."
"She's American. She could be a marriage dodger, or a psychopath,or …"
"… messy, kleptomaniac, republican, Jehova's Witness …" I suggested.
"That's not funny," said Florence.
"Do you have anything against Jehova's Witnesses?", asked Mia innocently.
"And now tell me, is your dad an internationally wanted terrorist or a serial killer?" Mia inquired sweetly behind me.
The main reason for that 'lost' star, are minor issues, but they added up by the end of the book. For example - the narrator's rather odd fascination with eye colors:
- lots of "lit up" eyes
- Henry's slate gray eyes
- Grayson's caramel-candy-colored eyes
- and last but not least Anabel's amazing turquoise-colored eyes
On the whole lots of fun, perhaps a bit reminiscent of Gossip Girl due to the mysterious Secrecy, who regularly airs Frognal Academy's dirty laundry on the Tittle-Tattle Blog.
Verdict: 4/5 stars
Suffice to say, I liked it enough to immediately pick up the sequel, Silber: Das zweite Buch der Träume.
============================================
review of the 2nd book: Silber: Das zweite Buch der Träume
review of the 3rd book: Silber: Das dritte Buch der Träume show less
What fun this book was! I'm already quite partial to Kerstin Geir, ever since the Ruby Red trilogy was translated to English. Dream A Little Dream has everything you need to get lost in a quick read. Adorable family drama, a protagonist with a sharp wit, and some pretty boys who are hard to look away from. Best of all, there's no love triangle! YA abounds with these, and so reading a book where that isn't necessary is essentially the best thing ever.
Let's talk about Liv, our protagonist, first. I absolutely adored her. Liv's character is adorably awkward. She's sweet, has a wit to be reckoned with, and doesn't fold under pressure. In fact, what I loved most about her was how vibrant she was. Even in the face of darkness, because trust show more me when I say that this book isn't all sunny skies, Liv shines. She's a logical character which doesn't quite stop her from being all swoony over boys, but it does make it much more fun to read.
Even better, is the family relationship in this story. Liv's mother travels constantly for work. As such, Liv and Mia are shipped off all over the globe and never really settle. Their mother is a bit flighty, but her love for them comes through. Still, it's the relationship between Liv and Mia that takes center stage. These sisters are so sweet! Sure, there's the normal banter and bickering. There's also a ton of adoration and support there too. I love sister relationships, and this one was perfection.
Story wise, things move quickly but there's always just enough explanation to make it easy to follow. I'll admit that there are a few plot holes, I definitely had some questions at the end, but I'm heartened by the fact that this is a trilogy! I need more as soon as possible. show less
Let's talk about Liv, our protagonist, first. I absolutely adored her. Liv's character is adorably awkward. She's sweet, has a wit to be reckoned with, and doesn't fold under pressure. In fact, what I loved most about her was how vibrant she was. Even in the face of darkness, because trust show more me when I say that this book isn't all sunny skies, Liv shines. She's a logical character which doesn't quite stop her from being all swoony over boys, but it does make it much more fun to read.
Even better, is the family relationship in this story. Liv's mother travels constantly for work. As such, Liv and Mia are shipped off all over the globe and never really settle. Their mother is a bit flighty, but her love for them comes through. Still, it's the relationship between Liv and Mia that takes center stage. These sisters are so sweet! Sure, there's the normal banter and bickering. There's also a ton of adoration and support there too. I love sister relationships, and this one was perfection.
Story wise, things move quickly but there's always just enough explanation to make it easy to follow. I'll admit that there are a few plot holes, I definitely had some questions at the end, but I'm heartened by the fact that this is a trilogy! I need more as soon as possible. show less
Cheese wedges! Uniforms! Private academies! School balls! Mystic playacting! Arcane rituals! A delightful novelty (since my time, that is), a school gossip blog written by a mysterious person who knows all your secrets! The Flowers Four, ehm the four superlicious school idols, the ones every girl drools after (tally-ho!) and who, most unexpectedly, take a sudden interest in the protagonist!
I used to read manga during my high school years, and a good part of the setting and tropes of this book (Hanayori dango meets Marmalade Boy meets Kiss of Rose Princess) feels like the good old times. This personal part said, the book target audience is people around the MC age - who turns sixteen during the tale - or who still remember the feel of show more school desks, the thrill of classmates or the evil blonde cheerleader who made their life miserable (regardless of the gender. But you will get your satisfaction at the ten years after graduation party. Maybe).
Dirndls and Shakespeare!
The protagonist is a nice girl with a shabby dressing style (but of course, with her hair down and contact lenses, she is positively stunning!) and a very sharp, practical mind, whose no-nonsense attitude helps her cope with a one-parent family, many relocations and an immature mother. The first person narration allows for a nice dose of cynical thoughts and witty observations, which I liked very much and added to the story; also, her skepticism towards the paranormal makes for great entertainment when she is confronted with disturbing dreams and tales of occult. She is a lover of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (great taste) and tries the scientific approach of Sherlock Holmes to mysterious cemetery rendezvous, bloggers and hot boys when she moves to London and enrolls in her new step-siblings exclusive school.
Nicely written and translated, the story flows with steady pace and no difficulties. It is YA and stays YA, the plot is linear, the surprises not difficult to anticipate as the clues are plain, but I wouldn’t want otherwise from this kind of novel, it was seriously fun, the characterization is fitting (only the young, of course. Adults file under the categories of sympathetic idiots or antagonistic idiots or simply idiots) and I had a good time with this book, the theme of the dreams is very intriguing. Also, no cliff-hanger, though the story is open to a sequel. The end is a bit far-fetched, but it doesn't detract from the overall enjoyment. show less
I used to read manga during my high school years, and a good part of the setting and tropes of this book (Hanayori dango meets Marmalade Boy meets Kiss of Rose Princess) feels like the good old times. This personal part said, the book target audience is people around the MC age - who turns sixteen during the tale - or who still remember the feel of show more school desks, the thrill of classmates or the evil blonde cheerleader who made their life miserable (regardless of the gender. But you will get your satisfaction at the ten years after graduation party. Maybe).
Dirndls and Shakespeare!
The protagonist is a nice girl with a shabby dressing style (but of course, with her hair down and contact lenses, she is positively stunning!) and a very sharp, practical mind, whose no-nonsense attitude helps her cope with a one-parent family, many relocations and an immature mother. The first person narration allows for a nice dose of cynical thoughts and witty observations, which I liked very much and added to the story; also, her skepticism towards the paranormal makes for great entertainment when she is confronted with disturbing dreams and tales of occult. She is a lover of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (great taste) and tries the scientific approach of Sherlock Holmes to mysterious cemetery rendezvous, bloggers and hot boys when she moves to London and enrolls in her new step-siblings exclusive school.
Nicely written and translated, the story flows with steady pace and no difficulties. It is YA and stays YA, the plot is linear, the surprises not difficult to anticipate as the clues are plain, but I wouldn’t want otherwise from this kind of novel, it was seriously fun, the characterization is fitting (only the young, of course. Adults file under the categories of sympathetic idiots or antagonistic idiots or simply idiots) and I had a good time with this book, the theme of the dreams is very intriguing. Also, no cliff-hanger, though the story is open to a sequel. The end is a bit far-fetched, but it doesn't detract from the overall enjoyment. show less
Dream a little dream is a book about learning how everything is not always as it seems. We walk by people everyday and don't realize what kind of things they could be doing or thinking. Well, Liv Silver is about to find out. This book is a really good fantasy teen read, I did feel that Liv did act childish sometimes, but she is still young and we all do things that we know we shouldn't. I enjoyed the relationship between Liv and Henry, and how even though there is a fantasy element to the book you can still relate to mundane situations the characters go through I would recommend this book for fans of The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvator, both books are amazing and have 4 incredibly hot guys and magical elements to them.
This book was oddly appropriate to finish reading on Halloween, even through I hadn't planned it that way. Liv, short for Olivia, Silver arrives in London and quickly finds herself in an awkward living situation with her mother's new boyfriend and his family. She's also at a new school, where secrets are being spread via a gossipy blog run by an unknown classmate. Then she finds herself experiencing all too vivid dreams, with all too real consequences. It all may, or may not, be connected to a strange ritual several classmates performed to raise a demon, and the story only gets weirder from there. Overall, this book makes for a good read and it the story comes to satisfying conclusion, even if the door is left open for more books to follow.
I have many guilty pleasures, and it seems one of them is reading Kerstin Gier. Though, none of her books (translated from German to English by Althea Bell) are especially enriching or even unique in every single way, I do so enjoy reading her work.
The Ruby Red Trilogy got me hooked a few months back, and I decided to get my hands on Dream a Little Dream, the first book in her Silver Trilogy, because it just sounded like the perfect book to wind down with. And it was a great book to read when you're not especially in the mood for something that'll hurt your brain. In fact, it's the perfect "palate cleanser" read between heavier books (I actually picked it up between reading Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter and Every Night I Dream of Hell show more by Malcolm Mackay).
Before I continue, please take note that although the summary of Dream a Little Dream sounds a lot like Maggie Stiefvater's The Raven Boys, it is nothing like it. The only similarities you'll find is 1.) There are four boys; and 2.) It revolves around dreams. That's it.
What you can expect in Dream a Little Dream is demons, mean girls, and some intriguing dream sequences that's mostly fast-paced. The book isn't especially long, so I flew through it in one sitting, but I still enjoyed it.
"But, Monique," you ask. "What's up with the star rating then?"
Well, although it's a good book to read on a rainy afternoon, and although I'll read the next books, it's not what I'd call a must-read. It won't kill you if you skip it, because there's nothing wholly unique about it. Dream a Little Dream is a guilty pleasure that would've gotten an even lower rating if this was my first taste of Kerstin Gier. So, honestly, it's not the best book out there. Still, it did have its moments and I'll probably read it again in the future.
All in all, if you're familiar with Kerstin Gier (and you like the Ruby Red Trilogy), you'll grow to love-hate Dream a Little Dream. If not, rather skip it. show less
The Ruby Red Trilogy got me hooked a few months back, and I decided to get my hands on Dream a Little Dream, the first book in her Silver Trilogy, because it just sounded like the perfect book to wind down with. And it was a great book to read when you're not especially in the mood for something that'll hurt your brain. In fact, it's the perfect "palate cleanser" read between heavier books (I actually picked it up between reading Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter and Every Night I Dream of Hell show more by Malcolm Mackay).
Before I continue, please take note that although the summary of Dream a Little Dream sounds a lot like Maggie Stiefvater's The Raven Boys, it is nothing like it. The only similarities you'll find is 1.) There are four boys; and 2.) It revolves around dreams. That's it.
What you can expect in Dream a Little Dream is demons, mean girls, and some intriguing dream sequences that's mostly fast-paced. The book isn't especially long, so I flew through it in one sitting, but I still enjoyed it.
"But, Monique," you ask. "What's up with the star rating then?"
Well, although it's a good book to read on a rainy afternoon, and although I'll read the next books, it's not what I'd call a must-read. It won't kill you if you skip it, because there's nothing wholly unique about it. Dream a Little Dream is a guilty pleasure that would've gotten an even lower rating if this was my first taste of Kerstin Gier. So, honestly, it's not the best book out there. Still, it did have its moments and I'll probably read it again in the future.
All in all, if you're familiar with Kerstin Gier (and you like the Ruby Red Trilogy), you'll grow to love-hate Dream a Little Dream. If not, rather skip it. show less
I got a copy of this book to review through NetGalley. I really enjoyed Gier’s Ruby Red trilogy and was eager to read her new series. I really ended up enjoying it. The world, the characters, and story are amazing. However, it is plagued by poor translation and awkward language.
Liv and her sister have not had an easy time of it. They are constantly moving from place to place to live with one parent or the other; their only constant has been their au pair Lottie. They hope things will settle down when their mother takes a job at a University in London. Then there is some more surprising news, Liv and her sister and mother will be moving in with her mother’s boyfriend. It’s a lot to deal with on top of starting at yet another new show more school. However things take a turn for the strange when Liv starts having strange dreams about a green door and a graveyard and a group of boys. Oddly enough the boys in the dream end up being boys from Liv’s school. Even odder they all remember the dream the same way. As things progress Liv finds out that these aren’t normal dreams and the boys in question are involved in some potentially dangerous magical doings.
I really liked the world, story, and characters in this novel. It was a fun read. The only disappointment was that this book, like the Ruby Red trilogy, is plagued by awkward language and just not translated into English as well as it could be.
The awkwardness of the translation is something that you start to get used to as you read the book. The main problem is English sayings or colloquialisms are quoted wrong or words are out of order. It bothered me for maybe the first 25% of the book and then I got over it.
The story is pretty darn neat and I really enjoyed the characters a lot. I ended up really really liking it. Honestly this would have been a 5 star review if not for the awkward translation from German to English. Hopefully it is something they will work on and improve before the book is actually released in April.
Liv is a very down to earth girl with an inquisitive streak. She just can’t let the mystery of her dreams and the green door go. Her inquisitiveness gets her into trouble more than once and ends with her involved in a potentially life threatening mystery.
There is some magic in this story but it is mainly a mystery. The way the story is done there is never really any proof that something magical actually happens, so more magical realism than anything.
As with all YA novels there is a bit of a romance going on between Liv and one of the other boys who dreams these very realistic dreams.
Overall I really enjoyed this book. It was a creative and intriguing YA paranormal type of read. It’s mostly a mystery with some magical realism. I would definitely recommend to fans of creepy paranormal YA books even with the awkward writing. I plan on reading future books in this series, but really hope that some of the translation problems are fixed in future books. show less
Liv and her sister have not had an easy time of it. They are constantly moving from place to place to live with one parent or the other; their only constant has been their au pair Lottie. They hope things will settle down when their mother takes a job at a University in London. Then there is some more surprising news, Liv and her sister and mother will be moving in with her mother’s boyfriend. It’s a lot to deal with on top of starting at yet another new show more school. However things take a turn for the strange when Liv starts having strange dreams about a green door and a graveyard and a group of boys. Oddly enough the boys in the dream end up being boys from Liv’s school. Even odder they all remember the dream the same way. As things progress Liv finds out that these aren’t normal dreams and the boys in question are involved in some potentially dangerous magical doings.
I really liked the world, story, and characters in this novel. It was a fun read. The only disappointment was that this book, like the Ruby Red trilogy, is plagued by awkward language and just not translated into English as well as it could be.
The awkwardness of the translation is something that you start to get used to as you read the book. The main problem is English sayings or colloquialisms are quoted wrong or words are out of order. It bothered me for maybe the first 25% of the book and then I got over it.
The story is pretty darn neat and I really enjoyed the characters a lot. I ended up really really liking it. Honestly this would have been a 5 star review if not for the awkward translation from German to English. Hopefully it is something they will work on and improve before the book is actually released in April.
Liv is a very down to earth girl with an inquisitive streak. She just can’t let the mystery of her dreams and the green door go. Her inquisitiveness gets her into trouble more than once and ends with her involved in a potentially life threatening mystery.
There is some magic in this story but it is mainly a mystery. The way the story is done there is never really any proof that something magical actually happens, so more magical realism than anything.
As with all YA novels there is a bit of a romance going on between Liv and one of the other boys who dreams these very realistic dreams.
Overall I really enjoyed this book. It was a creative and intriguing YA paranormal type of read. It’s mostly a mystery with some magical realism. I would definitely recommend to fans of creepy paranormal YA books even with the awkward writing. I plan on reading future books in this series, but really hope that some of the translation problems are fixed in future books. show less
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German author Kerstin Gier was born in 1966. She is the author of the young adult series The Ruby Red Trilogy, which was translated into English by Anthea Bell. Her adult books including In Wahrheit Wird Viel Mehr Gelogen, Auf der Anderen Seite ist das Gras Viel Grüner, and Die Mütter-Mafia und Friends. (Bowker Author Biography)
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Common Knowledge
- Canonical title*
- Silber - Das erste Buch der Träume
- Original title
- Silber - Das erste Buch der Träume
- Original publication date
- 2013
- Important places
- London, England, UK
- Dedication*
- Für F.
Es ist immer wieder schön, mit dir zu träumen. - First words
- The dog was snuffling at my bag.
- Last words*
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)"Denn in Wirklichkeit hat es gerade erst begonnen."
- Original language
- German
*Some information comes from Common Knowledge in other languages. Click "Edit" for more information.
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- 37,106
- Reviews
- 27
- Rating
- (3.84)
- Languages
- 14 — Czech, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Turkish
- Media
- Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 33
- ASINs
- 10
