The Law of Dreams
Encyclopedia
The Law of Dreams is a historical fiction
novel about the Irish potato famine by Canadian
author Peter Behrens
. Published in 2006 by House of Anansi Press
, it was the recipient of that year's Governor General's Award
for English language fiction.
The novel follows the young Fergus O'Brien, who lives and works with his tenant family on a potato
farm in Ireland
. When the Great Famine begins in 1847, a mold spreads through the potato farms of the country, ruining the crop. Even after ten weeks of the famine, Fergus's father refuses to leave the farm, and eventually the family, save Fergus, is burned alive in their shack as the lie in bed, weak with hunger. Fergus is sent to a workhouse
, where he comes to realize that he must leave soon before he dies of either fever or hunger. After escaping, he travels across the country, to Liverpool
and Wales
, joining a gang of thieves, working on the railways, and dreaming of the unknown land of America
where he eventually immigrates.
's Book World section, named it his favourite of 2006 and compared Behrens' style to "pure magic".
Although one reviewer criticized the novel for "veer[ing] dangerously close to melodrama", another praised Behrens for "teach[ing] us again ... that the past was indeed ... a very real place". The character of Fergus was called "thin and unconvincing as a narrator" by one critic, but another praised the narration as "a mingling of Behrens's rich narrative voice and scraps of startling wisdom that seem to emanate directly from Fergus's mind". The author's style was also commended for its "strange, hard poetry" and "stark style admirably suited to conveying the horrors of starvation and despair."
for English-language fiction, along with a CAN$
15,000 prize, awarded by the Canada Council for the Arts. The jury praised the book as an "artfully-woven tale of mythic scope" and called Fergus a "complex and morally-heroic character".
In 2007, the novel was also nominated for the Amazon.ca/Books in Canada First Novel Award
, the Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize
, and the Commonwealth Writers' Prize
for Best Book from Canada and the
Caribbean.
Historical fiction
Historical fiction tells a story that is set in the past. That setting is usually real and drawn from history, and often contains actual historical persons, but the principal characters tend to be fictional...
novel about the Irish potato famine by Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
author Peter Behrens
Peter Behrens (writer)
Peter Behrens is a Canadian novelist, screenwriter and short story writer. His debut novel, The Law of Dreams, won the 2006 Governor General's Award for English fiction....
. Published in 2006 by House of Anansi Press
House of Anansi Press
House of Anansi Press is a Canadian publishing company, founded in 1967 by writers Dennis Lee and Dave Godfrey. The company specializes in finding and developing new Canadian writers of literary fiction, poetry, and non-fiction....
, it was the recipient of that year's Governor General's Award
2006 Governor General's Awards
The shortlisted nominees for the 2006 Governor General's Awards for Literary Merit were announced on October 16. Winning titles were announced on November 21...
for English language fiction.
The novel follows the young Fergus O'Brien, who lives and works with his tenant family on a potato
Potato
The potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae family . The word potato may refer to the plant itself as well as the edible tuber. In the region of the Andes, there are some other closely related cultivated potato species...
farm in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. When the Great Famine begins in 1847, a mold spreads through the potato farms of the country, ruining the crop. Even after ten weeks of the famine, Fergus's father refuses to leave the farm, and eventually the family, save Fergus, is burned alive in their shack as the lie in bed, weak with hunger. Fergus is sent to a workhouse
Workhouse
In England and Wales a workhouse, colloquially known as a spike, was a place where those unable to support themselves were offered accommodation and employment...
, where he comes to realize that he must leave soon before he dies of either fever or hunger. After escaping, he travels across the country, to Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
and Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, joining a gang of thieves, working on the railways, and dreaming of the unknown land of America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
where he eventually immigrates.
Reception
The Law of Dreams was widely acclaimed by critics, who called it an "ambitious epic", "impressive, swiftly paced saga", "fearsome story," and "absorbing, unsparing and beautifully written account". Ron Charles, a senior editor of The Washington PostThe Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
's Book World section, named it his favourite of 2006 and compared Behrens' style to "pure magic".
Although one reviewer criticized the novel for "veer[ing] dangerously close to melodrama", another praised Behrens for "teach[ing] us again ... that the past was indeed ... a very real place". The character of Fergus was called "thin and unconvincing as a narrator" by one critic, but another praised the narration as "a mingling of Behrens's rich narrative voice and scraps of startling wisdom that seem to emanate directly from Fergus's mind". The author's style was also commended for its "strange, hard poetry" and "stark style admirably suited to conveying the horrors of starvation and despair."
Awards
The Law of Dreams was the recipient of the 2006 Governor General's Award2006 Governor General's Awards
The shortlisted nominees for the 2006 Governor General's Awards for Literary Merit were announced on October 16. Winning titles were announced on November 21...
for English-language fiction, along with a CAN$
Canadian dollar
The Canadian dollar is the currency of Canada. As of 2007, the Canadian dollar is the 7th most traded currency in the world. It is abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or C$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
15,000 prize, awarded by the Canada Council for the Arts. The jury praised the book as an "artfully-woven tale of mythic scope" and called Fergus a "complex and morally-heroic character".
In 2007, the novel was also nominated for the Amazon.ca/Books in Canada First Novel Award
Books in Canada First Novel Award
The Amazon.ca First Novel Award, formerly the Books in Canada First Novel Award, is a literary award given annually to the best first novel in English published the previous year by a citizen or resident of Canada. It has been awarded since 1976....
, the Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize
Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize
The Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize is a Canadian literary award presented by Rogers Communications and the Writers' Trust of Canada after an annual juried competition between publishers who submit entries....
, and the Commonwealth Writers' Prize
Commonwealth Writers' Prize
Commonwealth Writers is an initiative by the Commonwealth Foundation to unearth, develop and promote the best new fiction from across the Commonwealth. It's flagship are two literary awards and a website...
for Best Book from Canada and the
Caribbean.