* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review. *

There is a group of magical realism reads that tend to remind me of Sarah Addison Allen's work. Allen is a master of the original magical realism and anyone who can follow successfully in her footsteps can write a story I'll love to read. This book falls quite nicely into that camp. Built around a small town where magical things just seem to happen, The Kiminee Dream is a well-written novel with a lot packed into a nicely paced plot.

Holland's writing is beautiful and lyrical, flowing easily and smoothly. It didn't take long for me to get wrapped up in the story and start falling in love with the town and its inhabitants. The entire story only took me two days to read, as caught up as I was in everything that was happening.

Writing a magical realism novel well takes some real talent, melding the believable with the magical in a way that still feels natural. This is well done in this case. There is one small scene near the end of the book that I felt left the confines of what felt natural for the genre and the book, but beyond that everything just seemed to fall rightly into place. The progression of the plot makes sense while still remaining mysterious and intriguing.

While I am more often drawn to a plot-driven novel, I also need reads where I can find myself interested in the characters. There was no short supply of interest in this case. The characters are clearly written with great care, with even minor characters having very distinct personalities and being built quite dynamically. This wonderful cast, combined with the magical elements that are sprinkled here and there, bring the small town to life and create a home base for this narrative that begs you to return. The true magic to a magcial realism read is having a town that makes you want to visit. Kiminee is that place. Even as the plot meanders here and there, gathering bits of story, there is always the anchor of Kiminee holding it all together and drawing the reader even more closely in. The multiple story lines build on one another and give great depth to the overall picture.

The Kiminee Dream is incredibly imaginative, sometimes terribly heartbreaking, and full of magical whimsy. Highly recommend for those who love a magical realism tale built upon a charming town.