Perchance to Dream by Lisa Mantchev

Title: Perchance to Dream
Author: Lisa Mantchev
Published: May 2010
Source: Around the World Tours
Synopsis from Goodreads:
Act Two, Scene One


Growing up in the enchanted Thèâtre Illuminata, Beatrice Shakespeare Smith learned everything about every play ever written. She knew the Players and their parts, but she didn’t know that she, too, had magic. Now, she is the Mistress of Revels, the Teller of Tales, and determined to follow her stars. She is ready for the outside world.

Enter BERTIE AND COMPANY

But the outside world soon proves more topsy-turvy than any stage production. Bertie can make things happen by writing them, but outside the protective walls of the Thèâtre, nothing goes as planned. And her magic cannot help her make a decision between—

Nate: Her suave and swashbuckling pirate, now in mortal peril.

Ariel: A brooding, yet seductive, air spirit whose true motives remain unclear.

When Nate is kidnapped and taken prisoner by the Sea Goddess, only Bertie can free him. She and her fairy sidekicks embark on a journey aboard the Thèâtre’s caravan, using Bertie’s word magic to guide them. Along the way, they collect a sneak-thief, who has in his possession something most valuable, and meet The Mysterious Stranger, Bertie’s father—and the creator of the scrimshaw medallion. Bertie’s dreams are haunted by Nate, whose love for Bertie is keeping him alive, but in the daytime, it’s Ariel who is tantalizingly close, and the one she is falling for. Who does Bertie love the most? And will her magic be powerful enough to save her once she enters the Sea Goddess’s lair?

I liked Eyes Like Stars, but I love Perchance to Dream! Everything great about Eyes Like Stars was in this book, but with more romance! Yay! I was team Nate, but now I'm just as torn as Bertie! How is a girl to choose?

I absolutely adore the writing style. It's a mix of Shakesperean and modern, and it's absolutely gorgeous. The imagination the Lisa Mantchev must have is spectacular! The things that happen in this book are ridiculously awesome, and yet what really steals the show are the characters. I have absolutely no idea how she does it.

Bertie meets some new people on this trip, and they are easily folded into the storyline and become part of the cast with no qualms. The old characters are just as charming, especially the fairies. Ariel is so much more than I thought he was, and Nate is just the same. I'm anxious to see how the love triangle works out.

When Bertie uses her book in the outside world things tend to go hilariously awry, which is part of the reason why I love this book so much. Bertie not being able to rely on her just writing how she wants things to be makes her develop and use her resources and skills that she probably wouldn't have otherwise.

Basically I adored this book! The only problem that I had was that sometimes things got a bit confusing.

Characters: 10/10
Writing: 10/10
Originality: 10/10
Plot: 9/10
Ending: 10/10
Overall: 49/50 A+