Dream Girl had me reeling by the time I got to the end, as nothing was quite what it purported to be.
Our main character, Gerry Andersen, is an author of some repute. He is injured in an accident, confined to his bed and starts to doubt his recall when he believes he is being contacted by a woman of the name Aubrey – the same person who is the main character in his most popular novel.
When the story begins it’s hard to work out quite where things are headed. I was getting definite Misery-style vibes and wondered quite what we would uncover.
Without giving anything away, we eventually uncover some rather disturbing events.
Through the course of the novel we learn more about Gerry’s past. There are certainly some details that paint him in a less appealing light, but we can also see that he is (eventually) as much a victim as those we initially place in that role.
I enjoyed the focus on the literary process. My thoughts about Gerry fluctuated, though I did retain some sympathy for him by the end. Audacious in the way Gerry’s story was resolved, and I found the whole experience darkly enjoyable.