The Invisible Road

Title: The Invisible Road
Author: Elizabeth Knox
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Price: $32.99

She is one of New Zealand’s most imaginative, dramatic and successful authors for adults and after devouring The Invisible Road, the first novel by Elizabeth Knox I have had the pleasure of reading, I can see why.

Set in the early 20th century, in a place called Southland (a New Zealand-like country), the story revolves around “The Place,” a mysterious land that only a select few “The Dreamhunters” can enter.

Our heroine is Laura whose father was the very first dreamhunter. Following in his famous footsteps, Laura collecting dreams from “The Place” and performs them at The Rainbow Opera Theatre to slumbering patrons.

But the dreams are not merely beautiful images to enchant the public, Laura discovers they are messages concerning the nature of humanity. She must figure out what “The Place” is, and what the dreams caught there are trying to reveal.

This stunning novel is a dichotomy of delight and darkness; Knox conjures up stunning imagery as she described “The Place” and the dreams and nightmares captured there.

But this beauty and inventiveness contrasts starkly with the sinister skullduggery of those who are exploting “The Place” and its treasures.

The Invisible Road (which if you can’t tell, I have fallen completely in love with) was originally published as two separate novels, Dreamhunter and Dreamquake. Repackaged as one seamless novel, this fantasy world for grownups will leave you gasping – in anticipation and bewitchment.