Description
Here, Paige is immersed in a dream reality called ‘the Journey’. If patients finish the Journey, then they can go home.
Secrets are exposed as Paige bonds with other teens who don’t belong. The Journey is meant to be a cure – but Paige soon discovers dark forces within the hospital, and that the dream reality is the stuff of nightmares. Paige and her friends have limited chances to show progress, before it’s too late.
Can they escape the ward? And can Paige find reasons to live?
Review
Set in a futuristic world where ‘depressives’ are not tolerated - as they can only spread this to others. People are monitored, and crying is not allowed.
Our main character, Paige, finds herself in the state run institution where she must complete The Journey - three dream immersed challenges, that are performed with others, making teamwork vital.
Paige has no regard for her own life, but hates to see her friends suffer, so when she learns the reality of what happens if The Journey is not completed, she finally has a reason to succeed.
The Matron who runs the program does not want people with problems out in the community, and so does all she can to see them fail.
Paige has some people, both inside and outside the hospital, assisting her on The Journey, but will this be enough to get her through?
This is a somewhat dark and bleak look at an intolerant future world, with a fair degree of violence, that makes it best suited to readers 15 years and older. Despite the darkness, it does provide hope in the end, which for me is always an important consideration in recommending this type of novel to you.
Reviewed by Rob
