Title: Livin’ the Dream
Author: Michael J. Bruijn
Publisher: XlibrisUS
ISBN: 978-1-5434-0716-7
Pages: 182
Genre: Fiction
Reviewed by: Allison Walker
Pacific Book Review
The mid to late 1900’s are synonymous with a lot of things: cheesy horror films, big hair, bell-bottom jeans, and really great music. If anyone knows about these era-defining tunes, author Michael J. Bruijn is definitely an expert. His novel, Livin’ the Dream, is a playful tribute in narrative form, containing lyrics from over 30 different artists and spanning periods from as early as the 1950’s.
When a family emergency carries Jack away from America and away from his beloved girlfriend Lil, the young couple worries the distance might be too much for their budding love to bloom. They soon discover the challenges they’re meant to face far exceed the ocean between them. When a mysterious and frightening dream prompts Jack to visit a gypsy fortuneteller, the young lovers are given a choice: play it safe and live a safe life, or take a big risk and reap the rewards – or regret the consequences. Armed with a handful of cash, their hearts full of love and Jack’s guitar, the couple makes their way across continents and toward destiny.
Jack and Lil’s love affair is the perfect pop culture romance. Think Grease, think Dirty Dancing, think Footloose, think young lovers overcoming the odds and finding true love and happily ever after with each other. Plus, there’s a great soundtrack. The entire novel is based on mid to late 1900’s rock music. Chapters feature such immortal artists as Queen, Talking Heads and ZZ Top, as early as Elvis and as recent as Coldplay. The lyrics start on page one and they don’t stop coming until the end of the last chapter. If I was a better music buff I might recognize half of them. Brujin’s familiarity with music is definitely impressive and not a little awe-inspiring. His musically inclined narrative gives the story a fun vibe, keeping the novel light and lively. The clever way recognizable lyrics are woven into the dialogue make the novel part story time and part seek and find.
Livin’ the Dream is lighthearted and fun if you don’t take the story too seriously, you’re meant to enjoy the beat, not study the moral. But Livin’ the Dream is more than just a songful story, the plot itself is active enough to keep the reader interested. The characters are sometimes outrageous in their dialogue but honest in their actions. Besides being a music enthusiast, Bruijn is also a gifted storyteller. It’s no small feat to build a story using song lyrics, and still creates likable characters, among equal parts romance and adventure. You might not sit at the edge of your seat, but you’ll tap your foot to the beat.
