Dreamland

Dreamland (2000) is a young adult novel by the American author Sarah Dessen.

Summary

The book is split into three parts.

Part I: Cass

Caitlin O'Koren has just realized that her 18 year old sister, Cass, has just run away on her 16th birthday. Her parents are broken-hearted, since she was supposed to attend Yale two weeks later. Everyone was very excited for her and even threw a get together with their next-door neighbors, Boo and Stewart Connel.

Everyone makes a desperate search for Cass, but she soon makes a call saying she is with Adam, her boyfriend. Her father is furious, saying he had better expectations for her. Later on, Caitlin's friend, Rina, asks her to join the cheerleading squad, but Caitlin keeps refusing. Caitlin gives in and makes the squad, much to Boo's dismay. Caitlin's mother is super-excited. Caitlin says that it's probably best to take her mind off Cass's departure.

Turns out, Caitlin hates cheerleading. But she is still on the squad because of her mother, who sees Caitlin as a Cass replacement.

Later on, Caitlin meets a boy named Rogerson Biscoe, who is a drug dealer. They meet at a party. They make out in the car, and would've gotten much further but it was Caitlin's curfew. Rogerson didn't keep much contact with Caitlin after the night they met. They soon become boyfriend and girlfriend.

Part II: Rogerson

Caitlin and Rogerson's relationship becomes more physical. Rogerson introduces Caitlin to drugs and a woman in her mid-twenties named Corinna. They become fast friends and begin to smoke pot, even though Caitlin knows it's wrong.

Caitlin begins to forget school which causes her to not attend classes and fail every class possible. Rogerson helps her with this, claiming that "he knows everything."

Caitlin soon gets abused by Rogerson, because she does not tell Rogerson where she is and she is seen talking to other boys. Caitlin begins writing in the gift that she received from Cass. Caitlin begins to see Cass in a TV show that Cass's boyfriend works on. Caitlin's mom engages in the show, not caring about what's happening but finally seeing her daughter again.

One day, Caitlin's friend, Rina, decides to take her out for some fun. They go to the beach, but Caitlin was terrified because she knew that Rogerson was waiting outside of her house. She tried calling him, but he never picked up the phone.

Caitlin walks away and heads home. She sees Rogerson parked in front of her house. She gets into his car and Rogerson starts yelling at her and beats her until she is literally out of the car. He pounds on her and one of the neighbors catches Rogerson and calls the police. Caitlin's parents hurry over to her and pull her away from Rogerson until the police come and arrest Rogerson.

Part III: Me

Caitlin joins the Evergreen Rest Care Facility after Rogerson is arrested. She comes in because of drug addiction. She begins counseling and begins a slow improvement.

Caitlin receives a letter from her friend, Corinna, saying that she left her boyfriend, Dave, and is in California living her life. She says she hopes to see Caitlin again soon. She also receives a letter from her sister, Cass, saying that she did not want to go to Yale. She also said that she was never perfect. She was having a tough time and wasn't happy with her parents' plan for college which explains her sudden departure.

At the end of the book, Caitlin comes home a better person, and her family throws her a party with Cass as a special guest.

Characters

Caitlin O'Koren - Caitlin is sixteen years old. Her older sister, Cass, ran away the morning of her sixteenth birthday. Her best friend is Rina. Rina made her try out for the cheerleading squad, which Caitlin hates. Throughout the story, she becomes addicted to drugs because of her boyfriend, Rogerson.

Rogerson Biscoe - Rogerson has curls that look like dreadlocks and is described as very attractive and charming. Rogerson is a drug dealer who is abused by his father. He is from a wealthy family and lives in the pool house behind his parent's house. He begins dating Caitlin and falls in love with her. He only admits that he loves her after the first time he hits her. He hits her when she does something "wrong" like talking to another guy, or being late to meet him. He begins to hit her harder as their relationship progresses but he refrains from hitting her where it was visible to avoid suspicion. He gets Caitlin addicted to marijuana.

Cassandra "Cass" O'Koren - Cassandra is Caitlin's older sister that ran away from home on Caitlin's birthday to be with her boyfriend, Adam, instead of going to Yale. Having overshadowed Caitlin in terms of accomplishments, Caitlin is at a complete loss when her sister suddenly disappears. She works on a TV show called "The Lamont Whipper Show", which is much like "Jerry Springer."

Rina Swain- Rina is Caitlin's best friend. She is said to have strawberry blond curls. She is a cheerleader like Caitlin and is hated by many girls because she is very pretty and has lots of boyfriends. Her mother is very unsuccessful in marriages. Caitlin says that Rina's mother only marries men for money, not for love.

Corinna - Corrina is Caitlin's new friend. She lives in a small farm house with her boyfriend, Dave. She attended the same high school as Caitlin and Cass, but was disowned by her parents after running off to live a life similar to Cass's – away from the pressure to be perfect, away from smothering parents. Corinna dreams of getting away to California. She also smokes pot and has jingley-jangley bangles which is her trademark throughout the novel.