The Dreaming

The Dreaming

written and illustrated by Queenie Chan. 2005. Los Angeles: Tokyo Pop. (1598163825).

Author/Illustrator Website: http://www.queeniechan.com/

Media: pen and ink on Deleter brand A4 comic paper

Awards and Honors: none

 

Annotation:
Twin sisters Jeanie and Amber are accepted to a prestigious and isolated boarding school in the Australian bush that harbors some dark secrets.

Personal Reaction:

     The Dreaming is a traditionally drawn manga comic with spooky and suspenseful plot. Twin sisters Jeanie and Amber are accepted to a prestigious and isolated boarding school in the Australian bush, but from the minute they arrive strange things begin to happen. There's a creepy vice principal, a walled-off room, bizarre paintings and some really disturbing dreams. These occurrences coupled with the scary rumors they hear from their fellow students are enough to spook Amber, but Jeanie thinks it's all a lot of nonsense until one of their friends goes missing in the middle of the night. The book is the first in a trilogy and leaves off at the height of the suspense. I've never been a fan of the manga genre, but teens (especially girls) would likely enjoy this series. The dialogue is believable, the illustrations are detailed and expressive, and the storyline is engaging and suspenseful.