When I found Um Catálogo de Sonhos (A Dream Catalogue) I instantly decided to buy it, not only because I loved A Metrópole Feérica, by the same author, but also because I was reading The Palace of Dreams by Ismail Kadare and I couldn't let the coincidence pass me by.
The novel starts off with a man finding out he's a dream pulled to reality out of the catalogue by Mr. Slumber. He manages to run away with the catalogue before Slumber can return him and his escape drives the reader through the story, while presenting characters as policemen, politicians, revolutionaries and others. With simple black and white illustrations, a small 48 page-wide story, and a few characters, the author uses a totalitarian regime in a society where dreams have been abolished and a dream catalogue to convey some ideas about the power of dreams.
The graphic novel is a quick and apparently easy read, but the metaphors and the implications left me feeling I should read it again in a while, to try and separate the dreams from supposed reality. In spite of having enjoyed it, Um Catálogo de Sonhos wasn't nearly as interesting and even astonishing as A Metrópole Feérica and perhaps having read it before made me expect too much.
I'm currently writing reviews on The Stranger and on The Palace of Dreams and reading some comics while I take a much needed rest from intensively reading The Grapes of Wrath.
I haven't read "The Palace of Dreams" but the premise sounds similar to this one... Looking forward to your review.
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