Book Summary and Reviews of The Last Dreamwalker by Rita Woods

Book Summary

From Hurston/Wright Legacy Award-winning author Rita Woods, The Last Dreamwalker tells the story of two women, separated by nearly two centuries yet inextricably linked by the Gullah-Geechee Islands off the coast of South Carolina―and their connection to a mysterious and extraordinary gift passed from generation to generation.

In the wake of her mother's passing, Layla Hurley unexpectedly reconnects with her mother's sisters, women she hasn't been allowed to speak to, or of, in years.

Her aunts reveal to Layla that a Gullah-Geechee island off the shore of South Carolina now belongs to her. As Layla digs deeper into her mother's past and the mysterious island's history, she discovers that the terrifying nightmares that have plagued her throughout her life and tainted her relationship with her mother and all of her family, is actually a power passed down through generations of her Gullah ancestors. She is a Dreamwalker, able to inhabit the dreams of others―and to manipulate them.

As Layla uncovers increasingly dark secrets about her family's past, she finds herself thrust into the center of a potentially deadly, decades-old feud fought in the dark corridor of dreams.

The Last Dreamwalker is a gripping, contemporary read about power and agency; family and legacy; and the ways trauma, secrets, and magic take shape across generations.

Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!

1. After her mother's unexpected death, Layla learns that her mother Elinor has been withholding generational and historical secrets. How did you feel about Elinor's decision to leave the past behind and start a new life?
2. Family legacy is a core theme of the novel. How did you respond to Layla's unexpected inheritance? What would you have done in her situation?
3. The gift of dreamwalking is passed down to women in the family; the third daughter of a third daughter, until it transforms and is passed down to the sole daughter, as in the case of Layla. What do you believe is the significance of women holding this distinct power? How would you use this gift, if you inherited it?
4. How were you affected by the novel's ...