is not the best book I've read in a long time, but it does have one of the most interesting premises I've seen. This is one of those rare instances that I am just sure the movie is going to be way better than the book (because, honestly, nobody else can write dialogue that badly).If you're not familiar with the Dreamcatcher book series, it centers around Janie, a high school girl from the wrong side of the tracks with a unique ability: she can fall into the dreams of people around her. This is embarrassing, horrifying and terribly exhausting. Wake, the first book in the trilogy centers around Janie learning about her power; how to use it, what it means, etc.
Janie Hannagan starts the series as a 16 year old junior in high school (there are some flashbacks, all the way to age 8, but I'm not going to try casting a part that will likely have two lines, at best) and the series carries her all the way through to 18, gearing up for college. She's tormented in the worst kind of way, and I think whoever plays this role is gonna need some serious chops. And some serious 'tude. She's no Little Miss Sunshine, you know? I suggest Ellen Page.
She's cute, so you'll root for her, but she'd be believable as the "white trash" type of character that Janie needs to be. She's a big name and could carry the whole trilogy.
Carrie Brandt is Janie's best friend and next door neighbor. She's the epitome of the wrong side of tracks and gets into a fair bit of trouble as time goes by. I think Taylor Momsen is begging for this role. Who knew that adorable little Cindy Lou Who would grow up to be a total skank, right?
Cabel Strumheller is an ex-stoner turned undercover agent for the police with no parents around. Totally a believable character. On a serious note, though, he's got to be a street tough type of kid, and he can be a bit older looking- since he supposedly failed a grade or two. Somebody like Kevin Zegers.
Melinda Jeffers and Shay Wilder are the popular rich girls that torment Janie. They are so stereotypical it hurts: pretty, rich cheerleaders that party too much and pick on girls with no money. I want to see some Disney/ Nickelodeon princesses muck it up and play jerks: Miranda Cosgrove and Selena Gomez.
Captain is a really weird character, to me. She is the captain of the drug task force, vice squad, undercover operations and apparently several other police squads. She makes people call her "Sir". She also talks like she's on Dragnet. My choice is completely inspired by the super-beast this woman played on a little TV show. Christa Miller. Hee hee.
Martha Stubin is a sweet old lady at the nursing home Janie works at. She holds a secret that can help Janie a whole lot. Too bad she's dead. I am torn on this; we see Martha Stubin as an old woman. We see her as a young woman. But we also find out that she was crippled young, so she could have been in a nursing home from an early age. So, how will she be played? I know this is a long shot, but, (I've said it before and I'll say it again) this is fantasy casting. Helen Mirran.
Wise. Beautiful. Perfection.
Dorothea Hannagan, Janie's mom is not around a lot. At least not in this book. She's a full blown alcoholic and for the first book basically appears once in awhile to prove that a parent actually exists. Later on, however, she is around a bunch, and she has some pretty heavy lifting to do. I like Maria Bello. She even looks a little like Ellen Page, in her face, don't you think?
Agree? Disagree? Post your thoughts in the comments?
You can read my review of this book on GoodReads.com
