Review: The Daydreams by Laura Hankin
Thank you Berkley for my copy of The Daydreams! All thoughts are my own.
I’m just gonna go out on a limb here and say that if you’re looking for a book that will totally pull you in this Summer, this is the book you should read. As someone who grew up during the heydey of Disney Channel stars, this book drew me in and I couldn’t put it down. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve done a lot of thinking and reflecting on the media I consumed as a tween and teen. It’s crazy to look back on how some of these young actresses were spoken to! Remember when there was a countdown for Hayden Panettierre to turn 18? And it was just casually talked about? Literally so GROSS. And the David Letterman with Lindsay Lohan? So disgusting.
This book is juicy and fun, but it also left me wishing I could personally apologize to every young star from that time who just wanted to make their dreams come true. I’m also really grateful my parents didn’t listen when I asked to audition for the Disney channel.
Synopsis:
“Back in 2004, The Daydreams had it all: a cast of innocent-seeming teenagers acting and singing their hearts out, amazing ratings, and a will-they-or-won’t-they romance that steamed up fan fiction forums. Then, during the live season two finale, it all imploded, leaving everyone scrambling to understand why.
Afterward, the four stars went down very different paths. Kat is now a lawyer in Washington, DC. Liana is the bored wife of a famous athlete. Noah, the show’s golden boy, emerged unscathed and is poised to become a household name. And Summer, the object of Noah’s fictional (and maybe real-life) affections, is the cautionary tale.
But now the fans are demanding a reunion special. The stars all have private reasons to come back: forgiveness, revenge, a second chance with a first love. But as they tentatively rediscover the magic of the original show, old secrets threaten to resurface—including the real reason behind their downfall.
Will this reunion be a chance to make things right? Or will it be the biggest mess the world has ever seen? No matter what, the ratings will be wild.”—Goodreads
What I Liked:
The Nostalgia—This book perfectly captures the celebrity culture of the early 2000’s, before social media, when the paparazzi were everywhere. And the shows that we watched! I think even if you weren’t a Hannah Montana or Victorious watcher, you’ll still enjoy it because it was such a significant book in time.
The Pacing—The first 60% of this book was so well paced! I couldn’t stop reading and had that “one more chapter” feeling I crave.
The Twists and Turns—I kept being surprised, until the very end. Not an ounce of it was predictable to me.
What Didn’t Work:
The Character Choices at the End—I don’t want to judge their decisions, but without spoiling, I just think there would have been a LITTLE more care from each of them.
Character Authenticity: 4/5 Spice Rating: 0/5 Overall Rating: 4.75/5
Content Warnings:
substance abuse, body shaming, disordered eating thoughts, fatphobia, sexual assault, sexual harassment, death of a parent, grief, grooming, gross men in hollywood, toxic relationships