The Dream Collector, Book II
Sabrine and Vincent
The Reviews Are Coming In!
The Dream Collector is without a doubt one of the most accomplished Historical Fiction books I have read in a very, very long time. RW Meek has, with his beautiful, fluid writing captured the world of psychosis, the burgeoning Impressionist Art movement and the dilemma of two sisters; one suffering psychosis the other trying to understand, guiding her sister through troubled times.
The Dream Collector weaves fact and fiction together in a passionate, vibrant and intimate discovery of relationship, belonging and love creating a brilliant return to a time of intense scientific discovery, flamboyant art and immense change. A wonderful read regardless of whether you are an art aficionado or simply passionate about historic fiction.
Blue Wolf Review
Janet Mawdesley
A mesmerizing ode to love, art, and human obsession R.W. Meek’s Sabrine & Vincent Van Gogh, the second installment of The Dream Collector series, invites readers into the vibrant world of 1886 Paris. Sabrine's liberation from the confines of the Salpêtrière Asylum, orchestrated by her sister Julie Forette and the pioneering psychiatrist Sigmund Freud, marks the beginning of a mesmerizing journey filled with art, poetry, and psychological intrigue.
Only Meek can be as skillful at creating a love story as he is at dismantling it, sentence by sentence, word by word.
It may be long, but it would be an utter shame for Meek’s work to be even one page less. He has crafted a narrative that seamlessly integrates into its historical setting, pulsating with vivid life and authenticity. Each character transcends mere historical representation, embodying the essence of their time with palpable struggles and triumphs. From Vincent van Gogh’s tumultuous mental state to Gauguin’s oscillation between despair and artistic revival, Meek masterfully develops each character, enriching the story with depth and complexity. As a sequel, it not only lives up to its predecessor but stands out as a remarkable work of historical fiction in its own right.
The Independent Review
Starred Review by Lauren Hayataka
Sisters in the Woods by Monet
Set against the historical backdrop of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist Art, Book II follows the ardent journey of two sisters, overcoming secret traumas of the past, toward meaning and self-empowerment.
Lovers Vincent van Gogh
SABRINE, hospitalized for five years at the Salpêtrière Asylum for Women, gains her release due to intervention of her sister Julie Forette and Sigmund Freud. The reunited sisters are introduced to the dazzling art milieu of 1886 Paris, and soon become close friends to the leading Impressionists, Camille Pissarro, Edgar Degas, Claude Monet and Toulouse-Lautrec. Sabrine, encouraged by avant-garde art critic Félix Fénéon and poet Paul Verlaine, attracts a cult following as a poetess, the enigmatic “Haiku Princess”. Seemingly cured by Freud of her Grand Hysteria and hystero-epileptic attacks, Sabrine soon enters into tumultuous relationships with brothers Theo and Vincent van Gogh.
VINCENT VAN GOGH comes to Paris in 1886 to live with his brother, Theo, a picture dealer, who introduces him to the revolutionary art of Impressionism. Excited by the novel techniques of broken brushstrokes and coloured shadow, Vincent works feverishly to develop his own style. Overtaxed by his hectic lifestyle, drinking, and involvement with the mentally disturbed Sabrine, he journeys to Arles where his friend Lautrec says he will find the light of Japan. Vincent's hope is to establish a brotherhood of artists and form a partnership with Paul Gauguin. Only subconscious conflicts will paint another ending for Vincent van Gogh.