Book Review: The Dreamer’s Quarry

Reviewed by S.A. Evans

An authentic rendering of a writer’s angst and melancholia in a time where the American Dream has become a falsehood

The Dreamer’s Quarry follows Warner, a twenty-seven-year-old writer who is trying to balance his monotonous day-job with his writing endeavors, but he’s stuck in a creative rut.

As Warner floats through life trying to find purpose and meaning, he interacts with his wife Rose, his coworker Jack, his friend Charlie, and finally comes across a mysterious stranger at a party by the name of Jameson. After meeting him, nothing is quite the same again.

The story begins as Rose wishes Warner a good day at work, proclaiming this will be the day he will come home with a well-earned raise. At work, he chats with his coworker Jack about the common nature of the corporate world nowadays where a worker puts everything into the job only to receive very little in return. With low pay and few benefits (if any), there’s a clear decline in employee satisfaction. A sad state of work-life balance is on glittering display. 

On the day of the annual review, Warner comes home with a certificate of appreciation and a 1% increase on his annual salary. At home, he sulks in his study with an unfinished manuscript and no motivation or inspiration to propel it forward. Soon after, Warner’s friend Charlie invites him to bartend at a party. Wanting to help his friend and with no further progress on his writing, Warner goes. 

It’s during a smoke break when he meets Jameson. We don’t learn much about Jameson during their exchange, but by the end of the interaction, Jameson invites Warner to a party at his house the following night, and Warner is all the more intrigued by him. As we get to him, we start to wonder if Jameson can set free the creativity that Warner’s so desperate to release.

The Dreamer’s Quarry expertly delivers on its portrayal of a struggling creative in the current world. Warner goes about his job without passion, but he doesn’t have the motivation to do the things he cares about either. The positive feelings he has about writing are overshadowed by the criticism he’s received and self-doubt. 

When Warner is asked if he’s still writing, he responds by saying, “Not as much lately, and I feel badly about it. Like I am not trying hard enough.” As a writer myself, I can’t count how many times I’ve given that same response over the years. The coping mechanism he displays is spot-on. Rose, Charlie, and Jack all show concern for Warner, but Warner tends to brush things off, bottle up his emotions, and say he’s all right even when when deep down he’s clearly not. Warner acts as a mirror to the modern-day creative person. For those who love reading about writing, you’re going to love this depiction.

The prose is another highlight of this book, whether it be in discussing the never-ending cycle of a traditional 9-to-5 or in literary devices like foreshadowing: “He had a sturdy countenance, a flickering passion. But there was weariness in his face, a tired, defeating weight in his eyes such that, if looked at for long enough, and if alone, might procure a salty leak.” 

While the prose on the sentence level excels, a lack of scene setting and character development left me at an emotional distance. The story takes place in the Midwest from the end of Summer to early Fall, but with mild descriptions, scenes can feel like they’re happening in empty white space and characters can feel like outlines. I would have loved to learn more about Rose and Warner’s relationship, Warner and Jack’s relationship, and even Charlie’s. They are set up to be the closest people to Warner, but in reality, he’s closest to Jameson, despite them only recently meeting. I’m glad Jameson is here, of course; Warner needs a kindred spirit to ignite the flame.

The Dreamer’s Quarry is a compelling exploration into the mind of a writer. The struggles can consume you, the 9-to-5 life can drain you, leaving you feeling adrift and aimless, but there remains the possibility of inspiration from the most unexpected sources. The journey to creation is a difficult one, and one best unrushed, but this story leaves you hopeful, ready to tackle what you can, while you can.

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