Dreamland Burning is a story based on the link between past and present. The novel involves the story of Rowan Chase living in the present day and that of William Tillman living nearly a century ago. William is a young black man who is enthralled by the beauty of a white girl called Adeline Dobbs. When another black man called Clarence Banks seats next to Adeline, William gets infuriated and confronts him. The confrontation draws the attention of the police. The police officers beat Clarence to death. The cases of racial profiling by police officers and white members of the public are many.
Nearly a century later after the death of Clarence, Rowan and her friend James are shocked by the discovery of a skeleton beneath the floor of the house. Rowan’s tale is linked to the past. She is working in a medical clinic but wonders why black people are subjected to racism. James argues that the time might have changed but the power and prejudice are rooted deeply in past events. African Americans are subjected to bias and discrimination in the present day just like they were treated almost a century ago.
The novel explores how unaddressed atrocities of the past haunt present-day communities and societies. Rowan is a keen observant who realizes that people of color are still imperiled to racialized violence. For instance, when she gets into an accident, a black man who comes to help her is pushed by a white man into traffic. The black man dies but the man who shoved him is not held accountable. The action shows the bias and prejudices subjected to people of color.
