Devon’s review of Before I Wake (Nightmare Chronicles #1) by Kathryn Smith
Urban Fantasy released by Avon 29 Jul 08

What is it about Urban Fantasy that lends itself to first person point of view? Something to ponder. Before I Wake joins the Night Huntress series by Jeaniene Frost and the Aisling Grey series by Katie MacAlister (among others), as part of a new trend: books which straddle the line between urban fantasy and romance, told in the first person from the heroine’s point of view and following the same group of characters. Although some readers may be frustrated by the lack of a traditional HEA, I have rather enjoyed this new trend, and Before I Wake is no exception. Despite having some issues, I found this to be an entertaining and compelling read.

Dawn Ryder is a 28 year old New York City psychologist who also happens to be the daughter of the God of Dreams, Morpheus, born of his illicit relationship with a human. When one of her patients at the sleep clinic is threatened with danger, Dawn has to re-enter the Dream Realm, to face her estranged parents and accept her abilities as a Nightmare.

I have never read anything by Smith before, but I’m pretty sure this is her first book with a present day setting. She has a very good contemporary voice. Dawn emerges as a fully fleshed out, sometimes sympathetic, sometimes annoying character, in that way that all people are. The problem with first person point of view is that you don’t get a break from their inner monologue, so they start to seem too much after awhile—too snarky, too angry, too whatever. That does happen sometimes here. Also the head to toe descriptions of Dawn’s make-up, hair, and fashion choices got too be a bit much. But overall, the pop culture references were spot-on, and Dawn felt like a twenty something urbanite, trying to overcome a difficult past and make a normal life for herself.

She has really good reason to be a bit angry and snarky. I found the relationship between Dawn and her parents to be very compelling. As a child Dawn was close to both her parents, but the relationship with her father grew strained as she realized how different her abilities made her. Then her mother went to join Morpheus in the Dream Realm while her body remains in this world in a comatose state. Dawn has to watch her half-siblings and the man who raised her mourn and fret over her mother, while suffering the guilt of being the only one who knows what really happened to her mother, and being able to communicate with her when the others can’t. She loves her parents, but can’t forgive their selfishness.

I was ambivalent about Noah, Dawn’s love interest. The fact that he started out as her patient is a little weird for me. And Noah, an artist and powerful lucid dreamer, is mysterious, in kind of a sketchy way. He’s very reserved, and some of his secrets are hinted at, but there’s gonna be more to that story, methinks. There was also a charming side to him, and he genuinely seems to respect and appreciate Dawn. There was some good chemistry between them, but I’m not sold. I’ll have to reserve judgment.

Things started off a bit slowly for me, but once it got going, I was hooked. The world of dreams and what they mean to people was very interesting. The villain was disturbing, and very threatening. The ending felt a bit abrupt to me, given all the build-up. Wasn’t sure why she just didn’t do that sooner. But the story of Dawn coming to terms with her parentage, her powers, and who she is, really kept me hooked. The romance felt a bit secondary, but I’m looking forward to seeing what develops.

Grade: B

The Summary:

You may call it a dream job…

And in some ways, you’d be right. I actually get paid to study people’s dreams. It comes much easier than my employers at the Sleep Center suspect; after all, I, Dawn, am the daughter of the king of the dream world, and I can roam the dreams of others, battling the nightmares that plague them.

I call it a nightmare…

Honestly, I could use a good night’s sleep. But ever since I met Noah Clarke, I’m even more torn between the two worlds: smart, sexy, and able to control his own dreams, Noah could be my perfect man, except he’s being stalked in his sleep by an unearthly evil, hell-bent on destroying him … and the entire world.

Read an excerpt.