Fact or Fiction?

Dystopian stories, set in an imagined future that often rests on an actual past and present, can make for disconcerting reads. How much more so if this imagined future isn`t in fact that far ahead. Rosa Rankin-Gee`s novel Dreamland falls into that category which is perhaps why, in an author`s note at the end of the book, she goes to the trouble of pointing out that while the story may be fictional "it builds on events and policies that are occurring today" which she then proceeds to delineate, in order to "be clear about which elements are based on fact".

And that`s a sobering thought once you`ve read the novel.  It`s a powerful read made all the more so by the strong first person narration. Chance is one of those characters you remember long after you finish the book. Buffeted by political forces outwith her control, social deprivation, family upheaval and the imminent threat of the consequences of climate change, Chance tries to navigate a way to survive. It sounds grim, it is grim, but there are moments of humour, of love and sheer human resilience that keep you reading on and rooting for Chance to succeed despite the constant, often inevitable, setbacks she faces. 

The backdrop is the town of Margate, a seaside resort whose fortunes have yo-yoed over the years but which, Rankin-Gee tells us in her author`s note, is currently enjoying another renaissance. Nevertheless part of its recent history mirrors the "relocation" theme which in many ways is central to Dreamland and where fact and fiction bump into each other. 

 By the end Dreamland is hard to put down: you`re  holding your breath as Chance aims to take control of her life and prioritise the things that really matter to her. And you`re left in no doubt that if she were to manage that Herculean task, she`d be one of the `lucky` ones.