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tracey_stewart's review
4.0
This was very nearly a one-sitting book (from Netgalley, thank you). I wandered off from what I was already reading, dipped into a couple of other stories, and realized with a kind of guilty start that I'd had Dust Girl for quite a while and needed to see if I wanted to commit to it. Three hours later I was 80% of the way through it and had to turn off the light because of my stupid job. Note: As usual, the Kindle galley was a bit funky – erratic indentations and line breaks, and randomly placed pagination and whatnot – but not nearly as bad as some.
I'm thisclose to giving it five stars. I think I was put off as long as I was because of the introduction, featuring incredibly creepy voices and magic-by-angry-piano – which combined with the creepy, creepy face on the cover to give the wrong impression of the book. It's not a horror novel. There are some absolutely horripilating things in it – the Hoppers were some of the … creepiest (note to self: need new word) characters I've read in a while, and as for the Sheriff … yeah. Creepy.
But the primary genre is not horror: it is, in fact, a fairy tale of sorts, in keeping with the name of the projected series: The American Fairy Trilogy. By which I mean not an adaptation of a classic, but something new and different and fresh which fits with a click into the classic mold. It makes use of the classic tropes of faery in much the same way Emma Bull did in [b:War for the Oaks|70582|War for the Oaks|Emma Bull|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1312059051s/70582.jpg|144029], revealing how the Seelie and Unseelie Courts rub up against and coexist with the mundane world, but this take on the relationship is beautifully unique.
I think part of this was the only real drawback to the book, and that may have been more my own expectations rather than the storytelling: I still don't know what makes one Court Seelie while the other is Un. Not to spoil anything, but there didn't seem to be much to choose between them. Still, that might be explored in the rest of the trilogy. And the fae who are encountered in the course of this book are excellent characters – they're slippery, shifting shape and surroundings and the truth as suits their whim, until nothing – not their words nor their actions nor even their surroundings – can be trusted. Oh, and they can create zombies.
There was one other place that gave me pause, now that I think of it: as the book description says, Callie's mother goes missing in a dust storm – which, by the way, was one of the scariest things I've read in a while. But Callie fetches back up in the house, having rescued a strange and mysterious man who can't seem to hold a shape, and loses all track of her mother … and hares off on a kind of half-cocked search with no solid reason for her destination. I wouldn't have wanted to read page after page about her moping or panicking, but she seemed to accept the new bizarreness in her world as well as the disappearance of her mother with more aplomb than I might expect from anyone, much less a teenager.
The setting is different – the Dust Bowl, 1930's Kansas to start out – and well-drawn. I love that this is placed in the 30's in the Midwest, which seems an under-utilized time and place, and is well-suited to the action. Jack Hollander fits right in as the young man Callie encounters before setting off on her search, with whom she forms the kind of quick bond that does tend to happen when two people help each other survive a horrific experience. That he and Callie do not immediately fall in Teenage Love is both refreshing and believable. That Callie has the intelligence to keep in mind that, like everyone else in her world after her mother disappears, his motives are not transparent and her trust has to be carefully placed – this is even more refreshing and welcome. Callie is not a cuddly protagonist, but she is sharp and self-sufficient and good company for a few hours' reading. Just block out a space for it that won't take you past your bedtime.
I'm thisclose to giving it five stars. I think I was put off as long as I was because of the introduction, featuring incredibly creepy voices and magic-by-angry-piano – which combined with the creepy, creepy face on the cover to give the wrong impression of the book. It's not a horror novel. There are some absolutely horripilating things in it – the Hoppers were some of the … creepiest (note to self: need new word) characters I've read in a while, and as for the Sheriff … yeah. Creepy.
But the primary genre is not horror: it is, in fact, a fairy tale of sorts, in keeping with the name of the projected series: The American Fairy Trilogy. By which I mean not an adaptation of a classic, but something new and different and fresh which fits with a click into the classic mold. It makes use of the classic tropes of faery in much the same way Emma Bull did in [b:War for the Oaks|70582|War for the Oaks|Emma Bull|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1312059051s/70582.jpg|144029], revealing how the Seelie and Unseelie Courts rub up against and coexist with the mundane world, but this take on the relationship is beautifully unique.
I think part of this was the only real drawback to the book, and that may have been more my own expectations rather than the storytelling: I still don't know what makes one Court Seelie while the other is Un. Not to spoil anything, but there didn't seem to be much to choose between them. Still, that might be explored in the rest of the trilogy. And the fae who are encountered in the course of this book are excellent characters – they're slippery, shifting shape and surroundings and the truth as suits their whim, until nothing – not their words nor their actions nor even their surroundings – can be trusted. Oh, and they can create zombies.
There was one other place that gave me pause, now that I think of it: as the book description says, Callie's mother goes missing in a dust storm – which, by the way, was one of the scariest things I've read in a while. But Callie fetches back up in the house, having rescued a strange and mysterious man who can't seem to hold a shape, and loses all track of her mother … and hares off on a kind of half-cocked search with no solid reason for her destination. I wouldn't have wanted to read page after page about her moping or panicking, but she seemed to accept the new bizarreness in her world as well as the disappearance of her mother with more aplomb than I might expect from anyone, much less a teenager.
The setting is different – the Dust Bowl, 1930's Kansas to start out – and well-drawn. I love that this is placed in the 30's in the Midwest, which seems an under-utilized time and place, and is well-suited to the action. Jack Hollander fits right in as the young man Callie encounters before setting off on her search, with whom she forms the kind of quick bond that does tend to happen when two people help each other survive a horrific experience. That he and Callie do not immediately fall in Teenage Love is both refreshing and believable. That Callie has the intelligence to keep in mind that, like everyone else in her world after her mother disappears, his motives are not transparent and her trust has to be carefully placed – this is even more refreshing and welcome. Callie is not a cuddly protagonist, but she is sharp and self-sufficient and good company for a few hours' reading. Just block out a space for it that won't take you past your bedtime.
moirwyn's review
4.0
For a full review, see:
http://bookswithoutanypictures.wordpress.com/2012/07/04/dust-girl-by-sarah-zettel/
I'm a big fan of books that blend genres to create something distinctive. In this case, we get to experience the Great Depression through the eyes of a biracial girl who also happens to be a fairy. I loved the way that Zettel used music to create a magic system and to give the book a greater sensory dimension. Can't wait to read the next one!
http://bookswithoutanypictures.wordpress.com/2012/07/04/dust-girl-by-sarah-zettel/
I'm a big fan of books that blend genres to create something distinctive. In this case, we get to experience the Great Depression through the eyes of a biracial girl who also happens to be a fairy. I loved the way that Zettel used music to create a magic system and to give the book a greater sensory dimension. Can't wait to read the next one!
nancysbrandt's review
4.0
This was set in a time period I haven't read much about, and I found some of the middle bits somewhat slow as the author lets us know how terrible the Dust Bowl was. I kept wondering when we would get to the "action," but when it happened, my attention was captured and I was eager to see what happened next. The mythology of the story is a not like anything I've seen before and even at the end I'm still unsure who the good guys are, besides our main character (although being first person makes her suspect - obviously she thinks she's a good guy). I will be interested to see where the story goes in the next book.
dlarkin's review
3.0
A solid read with some interesting ideas. However, I lacked some connection with the protagonist and the end was a bit of a whirlwind. Still a good book, though, and I think the sequel will be even better. For more review check out http://epicbookreviews.blogspot.com
tanaise's review
5.0
Very very good. A mixed race girl--both figuratively and literally, as her father was a Prince of Faerie--and her friend try to rescue her mother. Set in the Dust Bowl, with about the most depressing settings you can imagine, it was still an excellent story with a good strong female character. I expected nothing less from Sarah Zettel, as I've read and loved her SF in the past, but it is always good to have your expectations confirmed. Add this one to the list of good books to give to girls, for certain.
ksbrennan's review
3.0
"The makers, the beautiful, the ones cast out because their light was too brilliant for the world beyond. The ones who wish true and deep with their whole hearts for more than they have. They come here, and we love them."
This is a tough one, because I love the worldbuilding, and I think Callie and Jack are great main characters. Zettel manages to make them realistic and dynamic, with relatable flaws and unique strengths. The magic developed here is also interesting, taking a lot from traditional fairy lore, but embedding it in the unique cultural context of the 1930s Dust Bowl in Kansas. It's a unique setting that adds a lot of ambiance to the story.
On the other hand, I find it frustrating when books in a series don't resolve in any meaningful way. This book doesn't have an actual resolution, and while I do plan on reading the rest of the series, I really hate it when there's no individual story to the book itself, rather than just furthering the series as a whole, if that makes sense. And, given that the book is entirely in service to the larger series plot, it's also frustrating that I don't even feel like I have a great grasp of what the overall plot is, in terms of the prophecy and the motivation of the major players. Callie's motivation is very clear, but both of the courts, I'm not as sure.
Still, the book zips along at a fast pace, and I enjoyed the characters, the magic, and the setting enough to carry me through to the next one.
This is a tough one, because I love the worldbuilding, and I think Callie and Jack are great main characters. Zettel manages to make them realistic and dynamic, with relatable flaws and unique strengths. The magic developed here is also interesting, taking a lot from traditional fairy lore, but embedding it in the unique cultural context of the 1930s Dust Bowl in Kansas. It's a unique setting that adds a lot of ambiance to the story.
On the other hand, I find it frustrating when books in a series don't resolve in any meaningful way. This book doesn't have an actual resolution, and while I do plan on reading the rest of the series, I really hate it when there's no individual story to the book itself, rather than just furthering the series as a whole, if that makes sense. And, given that the book is entirely in service to the larger series plot, it's also frustrating that I don't even feel like I have a great grasp of what the overall plot is, in terms of the prophecy and the motivation of the major players. Callie's motivation is very clear, but both of the courts, I'm not as sure.
Still, the book zips along at a fast pace, and I enjoyed the characters, the magic, and the setting enough to carry me through to the next one.
thisgrrlreads's review
3.0
This book made me wish I liked books about fairies more. Loved the setting, the Dust Bowl is so clear and such a perfect setting for someone to be whisked away from. Callie is a spunky character who may be special, and yet again, she may not be. We know what adventures await in book 2! Though most loose ends are tied up almost too tightly at the end of the book.
malkav11's review
4.0
There are some really compelling images in this Dustbowl-era fairy tale, nightmarish and powerful, and issues like class and race mix with traditional faerie conflicts like Seelie and Unseelie. Cool stuff, to be sure. It doesn't -quite- gel, though, in my opinion. I think it may just be that I'm older than the intended age level, or it might be that Zettel's not used to working in YA, or I don't know what.
jacquelynjoan's review
5.0
Wow, wow, wow. New favorite! I just ordered the other two from the trilogy.
History, race, class, fantasy, mystery, jazz, heroine's journey type adventure stuff!
Of course I thought about The Wonderful Wizard of Oz because it's mentioned and it's in Kansas. And of course I thought of The Grapes of Wrath because of the dust bowl and everything.
It really reminded me of one of my other favorite series though: The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making. <3 <3 <3 <3 <3
History, race, class, fantasy, mystery, jazz, heroine's journey type adventure stuff!
Of course I thought about The Wonderful Wizard of Oz because it's mentioned and it's in Kansas. And of course I thought of The Grapes of Wrath because of the dust bowl and everything.
It really reminded me of one of my other favorite series though: The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making. <3 <3 <3 <3 <3