Review by Ian Keogh
Dreamover starts as a relatively conventional young adult story about friendship blossoming into romance, but that doesn’t satisfy Dani Diaz’s ambition, so via magical realism it develops into something far more memorable.
The starting point is Amber, Drew and Nico on a middle school trip to a beach resort. They’ve been best friends since childhood, but lately Amber’s been feeling she’d prefer to be alone with Nico, and the trip solidifies that mutual attraction. Diaz is a leisurely storyteller, and the trip and its immediate consequences occupy around the first third of Dreamover. It’s a sweet glimpse back at the faltering steps toward first love, drawn in a simple, brightly coloured style evoking an idyllic summer, although with the puzzling aspect of Amber being coloured a sort of dark olive green, making it seem as if she’s permanently poorly. It’s just before halfway through that the real weirdness starts with the moment depicted on the cover. Nico and Amber are somehow transported within the video game they both love.
Diaz has come up with a really good idea, and conveys the constant joy of existing in a world where what you need is provided at very little cost, threats can be evaporated in a magical way, and there’s always another new beguiling environment to discover. In the way of a video game, plot is minimal, which is also the case before the surprise kicks in, as Diaz tells Dreamover at a slow pace, highlighting small moments. It means there’s a consistency. The first half can drag in places as the point could be made without lingering, but the remainder is a constant delight as Amber and Nico explore new worlds and discover the impossible to be possible.
From the moment the switch is hit Dreamover is consistently imaginative, and the drawing reflects the creativity with continually eye-catching colours. Having introduced the video game format, Diaz remains true to the idea even when easier narrative options present, meaning the unexpected can turn nasty. The result is a shifting treasure aimed at the upper end of the young adult market.
