Kriti | Armed with A Book's Reviews > The Capital of Dreams
The Capital of Dreams
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Anyone who enjoys magical realism and literary fiction that offers commentary on big themes like war and feminism would gleam a lot from The Capital of Dreams.
The magical atmosphere and the nightmarish scenario of a young girl travelling alone in a dangerous war-torn land, whether it be forests or deserted houses or empty villages, sets a dark fairy tale tone to the book. Having a talking goose companion added a dreamy attribute to the story.
After getting off the train with the children, Sofia looks for safety. On the way to her grandmother's house, she meets a talking goose. The goose has opinions about the world and knows about how its species is often compared to swans. Sofia’s conversations and conflicts with the goose as they traveled together were thought-provoking.
The truths Sofia discovers about humanity, safety, her relationship with her mother, her duty towards her home and herself offer a rich narrative. Having grown up with an erudite mother, Sofia read older than her 14 years of age to me in The Capital of Dreams. For all these years, she has grown up feeling secondary to her mother. Clara has often remarked how she never wanted kids and her career as a writer and activist means everything to her. It is only when their home city is invaded that Clara starts to be more caring towards her daughter.
The Capital of Dreams is meditative and serious. A young girl traversing a war affected area is not a fun situation to read about. I was reminded of the little red riding hood and felt constantly worried for Sofia and what she would encounter. The story is told through chapters set in the past and present, as Sofia thinks about her relationship with her mother in the past now that she is separated from her in the present. It is a book for a certain mood.
- Kriti, Armed with A Book | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
The magical atmosphere and the nightmarish scenario of a young girl travelling alone in a dangerous war-torn land, whether it be forests or deserted houses or empty villages, sets a dark fairy tale tone to the book. Having a talking goose companion added a dreamy attribute to the story.
After getting off the train with the children, Sofia looks for safety. On the way to her grandmother's house, she meets a talking goose. The goose has opinions about the world and knows about how its species is often compared to swans. Sofia’s conversations and conflicts with the goose as they traveled together were thought-provoking.
The truths Sofia discovers about humanity, safety, her relationship with her mother, her duty towards her home and herself offer a rich narrative. Having grown up with an erudite mother, Sofia read older than her 14 years of age to me in The Capital of Dreams. For all these years, she has grown up feeling secondary to her mother. Clara has often remarked how she never wanted kids and her career as a writer and activist means everything to her. It is only when their home city is invaded that Clara starts to be more caring towards her daughter.
The Capital of Dreams is meditative and serious. A young girl traversing a war affected area is not a fun situation to read about. I was reminded of the little red riding hood and felt constantly worried for Sofia and what she would encounter. The story is told through chapters set in the past and present, as Sofia thinks about her relationship with her mother in the past now that she is separated from her in the present. It is a book for a certain mood.
- Kriti, Armed with A Book | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
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