After reading Cat Winter's RITBA 16 nominee, In the Shadow of Blackbirds, I decided that I must try her newer book The Cure for Dreaming. It did not disappoint. The time period is about the same, early twentieth century. This time, Winters tackles the building tension in the United States around the issue of women's suffrage. The main character, young Olivia Mead dreams of an education and a writer's life, something that young ladies of 'character' would not have wanted during this era. Her father wants her to pursue domestic arts like cooking and cleaning as a way of preparing her for life as a wife. |
In order to force Olivia to do his bidding, her father hires a young mesmerist to hypnotize her into obedience. The results are very unexpected. This is another of Winter's books that captures the essence of an historical era while still telling an interesting story.