Today's Read Contributor Eric Puchner’s latest novel, Dream State, released in January 2025, is an evocative family saga set against the harrowing backdrop of a climate in crisis. The novel intricately weaves together personal stories with broader environmental concerns, highlighting how the looming challenges of climate change affect not only the world at large but the intimate lives of individuals caught in its storm.
At the heart of Dream State is the story of a family grappling with loss, change, and the relentless passage of time as they try to adapt to a world becoming increasingly inhospitable. Puchner explores how environmental collapse touches every aspect of life, from relationships and personal identity to survival and resilience. The family’s journey unfolds in a setting that is both familiar and unsettling, as the natural world around them grows more unpredictable and dangerous.
The novel is as much about personal transformation as it is about the environmental crisis. The characters face their own dilemmas and struggles, ranging from difficult family dynamics to the larger existential questions posed by the deteriorating planet. As the family members attempt to navigate these challenges, they each learn that survival is not just about physical endurance but also about emotional and psychological adaptation.
Puchner’s prose is haunting and lyrical, painting a vivid portrait of a world on the brink of collapse. He does not shy away from portraying the anxiety, grief, and uncertainty that many feel about the future. However, there is also a strong current of hope throughout the novel, as the characters find strength in one another and in the possibility of rebuilding.
While the narrative of Dream State centers on a single family, its themes are universal. The novel encourages readers to reflect on their own relationships with the environment, how they are complicit in its destruction, and how they might begin to repair what has been broken. Through his characters, Puchner presents a nuanced vision of adaptation—one that is not about resignation but about actively reshaping one’s understanding of the world and one’s place within it.
In Dream State, the climate crisis is not just an external event but an internal one, influencing every decision, action, and thought. By blending the personal and the environmental in such a seamless way, Puchner creates a compelling narrative that resonates deeply with our current moment, making it both a timely and timeless exploration of survival in a rapidly changing world.
