“Art is the only way we know past civilizations exist. Without art, there is no meaning, no identity.” Heather O’Neill
Sofia Bottom lives in Elysia, a small country known for its rich culture that boasts talented writers, musicians, and artists, as well as a fantasy world where fairies exist, animals talk, and trees can express feelings. Sofia enjoys a special status since her mother, Clara, is part of the country’s intelligentsia, has made her views known through her writings, and is a sought after speaker. Sofia is in awe of her mother, but like so many children whose parents are famous, she often feels unloved and alone.
When The Enemy, the name given to an invading force determined to destroy Elysia’s culture and its people, reaches The Capital, trains begin evacuating children to the country to keep them safe. Although Sofia begs to stay with her mother, Clara insists she must leave and gives her a mission. Clara’s latest manuscript will tell the world of the horrors unfolding inside Elysia. Sofia must make it to the border and deliver the book to one of Clara’s contacts so it can be published.
Heather O’Neill (Photo Credit: Julie Artacho)
Sofia boards the train, but when it stops without notice in the forest, she senses danger. Along with a few other children, she escapes and runs into the woods. Turns out her intuition was right since the children are not being saved, but will be killed. In the rush to evade The Enemy, Sofia loses her suitcase which contains Clara’s manuscript. She’s devastated and frightened and unsure where to go for help. In times of war, even former friends can become enemies. But she meets a companion she can trust, a talking Goose. The duo board a wagon to begin their journey to find the Black Market, where Sofia hopes to recover her mother’s manuscript.
A few chapters into The Capital of Dreams, it’s clear that the fictional events in Elysia echo what’s happening in Ukraine and Gaza. In a press release sent out with review copies, the author, Heather O’Neill, says that her father, although a brutal man, had a talent for storytelling and had often talked about his experience in World War II, relating the stories as fairy tales. Knowing she wanted to write about war, she did her research, including a trip in 2023 to Gaza. Experiencing war through the eyes of a child makes the dangers and horror of conflict excruciatingly real. O’Neill, an award-winning, best-selling author, has crafted a narrative that is beautiful, emotional, and, ultimately, heartbreaking.
O’Neill tells Sofia’s story from before and after the invasion by The Enemy. Even before the war began, Sofia’s father had left for the U.S., unlike his wife, Clara, who was determined to stay and fight. When The Enemy arrived, school was canceled which meant that Sofia spent more time with her mother, something she enjoyed since she never had many friends. Clara, who was known for her high style, would often dress down, knowing she was a target. Soldiers break into homes helping themselves to antique furniture, jewelry, and artwork. The irony is that these Enemy soldiers are uneducated and have no idea what these items are worth and what they say about the Elysian culture. Clara remains stoic during these invasions, but doubles her efforts to work on her book.
As a young girl who was brought up in a sheltered environment, Sofia might doubt her ability to survive. But once she’s put to the test, she excels. The Goose serves as both her teacher and conscience, challenging Sofia whenever she veers from her mission to find the Black Market. During their journey, they come upon Sofia’s grandmother’s house, now occupied by two Elysian boys, Balthazar and Abelard. Even though the Goose warns Sofia they are not safe, she insists they stay. The encounter ends badly and they are forced to flee for their lives.
On another occasion, Sofia meets one of Clara’s former maids, Celeste, a beautiful young girl who has been living with Enemy soldiers. Sofia wants to rescue Celeste and hopes she will leave with them. But Celeste likes being admired by the soldiers and even tells Sofia about the sexual encounters she has had with several of the men. Women are often the collateral damage from war and Celeste’s attitude, although based on survival, horrifies and saddens Sofia.
Men, in general, come off badly in this story. When Sofia and the Goose take shelter in a small house behind a church, they allow a man fleeing the Enemy to stay with them. Sofia’s feelings about the man are complicated. She’s on the threshold of puberty and just beginning to feel an attraction for the opposite sex. The man is handsome and shares some chocolate with her. But when he finally reveals his true colors, Sofia is hurt and confused. Will she ever find a man she can trust?
In the end, Sofia must trust herself and she survives by doing things she never thought possible – killing, skinning, and cooking hares for food, for example. She also faces her deepest fears about the trees in the forest, once seeing them as threats, but now seeing some of them as creating a refuge. And when she finally reaches the Black Market, it’s nothing like she envisioned.
There are millions of Sofias, children who have grown up with war and carry with them the scars. What will their futures be like? In the end, Sofia’s holds promise. So many others, however, may not be able to put behind them everything they saw and endured. And that’s not fiction. That’s reality.
The Capital of Dreams
Heather O’Neill
Top photo: Bigstock
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