Claudia Mills, Ph.D. (Children's Literature)
In this stunning novel, the New Zealand writer’s first novel for young adults, Knox establishes herself as one of the most mesmerizing voices writing for young readers today. Cousins Laura and Rose are awaiting the moment when they will be of age to make their life-defining “Try” to enter “the Place” to see if they have the rare gift to cross over the boundary from our world into the barren, dusty landscape of the hidden territory of dreams. There they could become licensed dreamhunters who capture dreams that they can share with others in elaborately staged performances in sumptuous dream palaces. Knox’s creation of the history, geography, and magical dimension of Southland is absolutely convincing in every carefully constructed detail. The book reads like a richly realized historical novel, rather than a fantasy: maybe there really is somewhere on Earth “a whole territory hidden in a fold in a map.” The shifting dynamics of the relationship between Rose and Laura, as each finds her way to a different destiny, are brilliantly observed in every psychological nuance; we know them as well as we know the members of our own family. The plot reveals a dark scheme of political intrigue, where the powers of the dreamhunters can be abused in the service of great evil, and builds to a shattering conclusion. The first of a projected “Dreamhunter Duet,” this is a haunting and powerful book that will be long remembered. 2005, Farrar Straus and Giroux, $19.00. Ages 12 up.

CCBC (Book One of the Dreamhunter Duet) (Cooperative Children’s Book Center Choices, 2007)
Only a few people are able to enter “the Place,” a recently discovered land whose visitors bring back dreams they have the ability to share with others. In this slightly altered world of the early 1900s, an entire industry has quickly built up around the entertainment and healing value of the shared dreams. Dreamhunters, especially the very skilled ones, are paid well for the powerful and vivid images they project to nearby sleepers. Two fifteen-year-old cousins, Laura and Rose, both daughters of successful dreamhunters, have reached the age when they are allowed to attempt an entry to the Place. One is able to enter, while the other cannot break through the border. Their relationship and that of their families is strained by these events, and then shattered when Laura’s father, the man who first discovered the Place, disappears. A complex political scheme to manipulate public opinion by planting thoughts through dreams begins to unfold in this compelling fantasy that ends on a precipice. Described as book one of the Dreamhunter Duet, the successful blend of a highly original concept, intricate plot, well-rounded characters, and mounting suspense will leave readers breathless for book two. CCBC Category: Fiction for Young Adults. 2006, Frances Foster Books / Farrar Straus and Giroux, 365 pages, $19.00. Ages 12-16.

Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews, March 1, 2006 (Vol. 74, No. 5))
A lyrical, intricate and ferociously intelligent fantasy explores the ramifications of treating dreams as commodities. Laura Hame, the adolescent daughter of the first and most famous "dreamhunter," is content with her privileged life, dominated by her confident cousin Rose. Everything changes when she becomes one of the tiny minority able to enter the otherworldly "Place," where free-range dreams can be captured and brought back to be sold-for healing, for entertainment and for other, darker, purposes. But when Laura's father mysteriously disappears, she and Rose are thrust into a web of official intrigue and deceit, and Laura discovers that there is more to her heritage than she ever suspected. Knox starts off slowly, gradually piling on the details of two utterly convincing worlds-one reminiscent of a genteel, turn-of-the-century Australia, the other arid, unsettling and surreal-both of which mask underlying corruption and grim purpose. The characters display equal complexity, with hidden depths and tragic flaws. Once the plot gathers momentum, it builds inexorably to a nightmare climax that satisfies fully while pointing to the promised sequel. Provocative and compelling. 2006, Frances Foster/Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 384p, $19.00. Category: Fantasy. Ages 13 up. Starred Review. © 2006 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.

Michele Winship (KLIATT Review, March 2006 (Vol. 40, No. 2))
Dreamhunters go into “the Place,” a protected area filled with fantastic dreams, catch the best and most enticing, and then share them with paying audiences who come to sleep and experience these dreams with the Dreamhunters. It is a lucrative profession, but only certain individuals have the gift that allows them to enter the Place. Fifteen-year-old Laura and her cousin Rose, both children of famous Dreamhunters, have come of age to make their Try, watched over by the Rangers that the government has established to control dreamhunting. They know the hardships of the Dreamhunter’s life, going off for long periods of time and traveling over many hundreds of miles in the Place to procure just the right dream. However, Laura learns that the Place is more than what it seems, that it has its own needs that Dreamhunters are called to fulfill. When Laura’s father disappears after boarding a government train, she is charged with carrying out his last request, learning that dreams can indeed be nightmares. Knox’s original concept is intriguing and thought provoking, a prefect blend of fantasy and suspense. Readers will be anxious for the second book of the Dreamhunter Duet. (Book One of the Dreamhunter Duet) Category: Hardcover Fiction. KLIATT Codes: JS--Recommended for junior and senior high school students. 2005, Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 365p., $19.00. Ages 12 to 18.

Horn Book (The Horn Book Guide, Fall 2006)
In this New Zealander fantasy, "dreamhunters" enter the "Place" and bring back dreams to share with the public. When Laura, daughter of the most potent dreamhunter, enters the Place, she begins to untangle a web of exploitation. A highly original exploration of the idea of a collective unconscious, mixed with the brave, dark qualities of the psyche of an adolescent female. Category: Older Fiction. 2006, Farrar/Foster, 367pp, 19.00. Ages 12 to 14. Rating: 2: Superior, well above average.