Children's Writer, Book Reviewer, Teacher, Artist
I'm so delighted to have had the chance to read a limited edition proof of Nazima Pathan's middle grade debut. Out in August, Dream Hunters is a spectacular adventure, simmering with dream-magic and sizzling with treachery and nightmares. Nazima Pathan's writing is pacy, powerfully vivid and bursting with sensory detail. From a hidden Citadel that bottles and sells dreams to the hectic streets of Mumbai to a palace of a King, Dream Hunters is an extraordinary debut that blends the power of dreams with the bustle of a re-imagined India. With characters to adore and despise, this makes for an utterly absorbing read. Mix the adventure of a Vashti Hardy with the pace and vivid settings of a Nizrana Farook with the myth and magic of a Jasbinder Bilan and get Nazima Pathan's debut! I loved Dream Hunters. The debut of the year!
Set in a reimagined India where dreams can be bottled, and nightmares used as weapons, DREAM HUNTERS follows a young girl's adventure to save the king and rescue her parents.
Having known Nazima Pathan from the Golden Egg Academy as a fellow writer and then seeing her at the Simon and Schuster's Children's Book Showcase, I am so proud of what she has accomplished! Getting a first book out into the world is no mean feat, and Dream Hunters is such a wonderful debut. My favourite debut of last year was Zohra Nabi's (another Simon and Schuster author) The Kingdom Over the Sea. If you loved that book, you will love Dream Hunters in equal measure. Both books utterly transport and enchant you, while being beautifully written.
I love India - its culture, landscape and people - having travelled there when I was younger, and Nazima Pathan wonderfully brings the country to life, while suffusing it with a magical system that makes complete sense and instantly hooks the reader in. Mimi is a great protagonist with a mature and involving voice, while Aunt Moyna is a villain to make your skin crawl, especially when her shoes click, clack as she approaches! I loved the personal dream creatures, which are reminiscent of Phillip Pullman's daemons. I also really loved how social issues, such as with the living conditions of children in Mumbai, were woven into the plot so well. There is so much to admire here.
I highly recommend Dream Hunters. It's a great read for Key Stage Two. I cannot wait to share the story with my class!
Thank you to Ellen Abernethy and the team at Simon and Schuster for my copy to review.
https://www.waterstones.com/book/dream-hunters/nazima-pathan/9781398531888