“A haunting fantasy . . . O’Neill masterfully blends moments of whimsy with the grim realities of war, exploring themes of art, loyalty, and the complexities of mother-daughter relationships. The lush prose and fantastical elements draw readers into a magical and heartbreaking world. Like the best fairy tales, the result feels both timeless and painfully relevant.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“The novel is told in fairy tale cadence and peppered with sophisticated animals, sensitive objects, and the enduring magic of folklore forests; its raw power lies in the way it blends the realities of war with the equally trenchant realities of its child narrator’s perspective as she navigates her suddenly irredeemable world . . . . A powerful novel—heartbreaking, magical, and real.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“A stirring combination of a picaresque quest . . . and a poignant interior exploration of the challenges inherent in mother-daughter relationships . . . . truly one of Heather O’Neill’s most imaginative and richly allegorical works—and one that can undeniably be read as a reflection of our current geo-political times—The Capital of Dreams will appeal to readers of fantasy and adventure, as well as those interested in a novel that explores the dark corners of human relationships, the limits of love in the face of survival, and the toll of war." — Chicago Review of Books
“O'Neill presents a dark fairy tale set in a tiny European country, Elysia, which renounces its pantheistic, forest-dwelling ways to build a thriving artistic culture centered in the Capital. . . . . Like the heroines of her favorite folktales, Sofia navigates her own adolescence along with the treacherous landscape, emerging from the woods with a hard-won sense of self. O'Neill's feminist fairy tale will appeal to fans of Kelly Link and Karen Russell, [and] Sofia's coming-of-age fairy tale will [also] resonate with teens.” — Booklist (starred review)
"The Capital of Dreams is not so much a novel to read but one to live (and dream) in. A dark, wistfully comic fable that's as imaginative as it is poignant. An entire world that only Heather O'Neill could create." — Iain Reid, bestselling author of We Spread and Foe
“The Capital of Dreams is one of those rare books that when finished leaves the reader both slightly mystified yet completely held in its thrall, dazzled by the imaginary world created by author Heather O’Neill. It defies standard genre classification as this novel-length fable blends magical realism with literary fiction in a dark dystopian setting . . . . [and] leads the reader on a surreal journey into uncharted territory filled equally with terrors and enchantment.” — BookTrib
"The Capital of Dreams is a profound and powerful example of the search for renewed self in dark, desperate times." — Ancillary Review of Books
“Uncommonly poetic, nuanced and insightful, The Capital of Dreams is a masterpiece of the tangled threads and beating hearts that make us both ordinarily human and extraordinarily magical. I wish every girl could replace her mirror with pages of O’Neill’s work, to see herself as a fierce and lusty creature well-placed to weave new worlds. The Capital of Dreams will make you grateful you wandered up a dark path and tumbled down a rabbit hole.” — Cherie Dimaline, bestselling author of Empire of Wild and VenCo
"In The Capital of Dreams, Heather O'Neill unpacks meaty themes around identity and coming-of-age; mother-daughter relationships; and war, occupation, and genocide . . . .This novel reads like a modern Grimms' Fairy Tales, the original dark, twisted tales, rather than the kinder versions we tell children as bedtime stories." — BookBrowse
"A refined but dark fairy tale . . . . A harrowing and all too timely account."
— The Literary Review of Canada
“Heather O’Neill’s The Capital of Dreams is a feminist adventure with all of the darkness of a war novel, the charm of a fairy tale, and the heart of a coming of age story. O’Neill’s crystal-clear, aphoristic prose reveals complex themes about freedom, desire, and destiny. I underlined passages with one hand and turned pages with the other, rapt right through the stunning final twist.” — Maria Adelmann, author of How to Be Eaten
"The Capital of Dreams will thrill readers who enjoy a bit of darkness with their dystopian fairytales." — Novels Alive
“O’Neill, an award-winning, best-selling author, has crafted a narrative that is beautiful, emotional, and, ultimately, heartbreaking.” — Woman Around Town
"A new Heather O’Neill novel is always a reason to celebrate!" — Book Riot
"Magical and brutal, haunting and searing . . . . Against the harsh backdrop of war, O’Neill elegantly tackles intimate, complex questions about maternal devotion, freedom, individuality, creativity, and sexuality." — The Quill and Quire (starred review)