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3.14 AVERAGE
3.14 AVERAGE
Ken Nicholson returns to New Orleans after his son is hospitalized and encounters all of the mistakes and mysteries of his past. Years ago, he lived in a strange club called Wonderland which closed after the tragic events of a single night; now, its influences return to haunt Ken and threaten his family. This is, for me, an unusual review: I am reviewing the book without finishing it. I found The Dust of Wonderland so bad, with poor writing and ill-paced plot, that I was unable to finish it. As other reviews are uniformly positive, I feel obligated to provide a negative review to warn readers: some people may not enjoy this book or impossible to read. I don't recommend it.
Since I didn't finish this book, I can't properly critique it as a whole. Perhaps it contains carefully developed themes or characters that can only be appreciated over the course of the entire novel. What I do know, however, is the book's writing style: it is poorly written, rife with italicized flashbacks and thoughts, fragmented sentences, and passive voice. The flashbacks and Ken's thoughts serve to give the reader a peek into Ken's dark past and his terrified emotions, but they are amateur attempts which destroy the story's flow. Why Thomas uses fragmented sentences and passive voice, I'm not sure; they only serve to make it an effort to slog through each poorly written page, and they make the plot feel random and undirected.
The plot is similarly ill-written: the premise of a haunted past is interesting, but Thomas destroys his plot even as he builds it. Flashbacks give up too much information about the past and steal time from the present so that the current plotline seems to go nowhere. Moments of extreme violence, some of which are only hallucinations, begin so early and occur so frequently that they lose their impact. Ken is a passive protagonist (especially when narrated in passive voice), blundering into plot points and victim to his situation, and the reader quickly loses interest in—and track of—his story.
As evidenced by other reviews, some readers enjoy and appreciate The Dust of Wonderland. I don't hold it against them, but I also don't know what they see. Personally, I found this book disappointing and, more importantly, unreadable. I made it halfway through, but the writing style made it too painful to continue and, without any attachment to Ken or interest in his story, the plot gave me no reason to try. Therefore, I strongly recommend the reader against The Dust of Wonderland—this book is not as good as other reviews make it out to be.
Since I didn't finish this book, I can't properly critique it as a whole. Perhaps it contains carefully developed themes or characters that can only be appreciated over the course of the entire novel. What I do know, however, is the book's writing style: it is poorly written, rife with italicized flashbacks and thoughts, fragmented sentences, and passive voice. The flashbacks and Ken's thoughts serve to give the reader a peek into Ken's dark past and his terrified emotions, but they are amateur attempts which destroy the story's flow. Why Thomas uses fragmented sentences and passive voice, I'm not sure; they only serve to make it an effort to slog through each poorly written page, and they make the plot feel random and undirected.
The plot is similarly ill-written: the premise of a haunted past is interesting, but Thomas destroys his plot even as he builds it. Flashbacks give up too much information about the past and steal time from the present so that the current plotline seems to go nowhere. Moments of extreme violence, some of which are only hallucinations, begin so early and occur so frequently that they lose their impact. Ken is a passive protagonist (especially when narrated in passive voice), blundering into plot points and victim to his situation, and the reader quickly loses interest in—and track of—his story.
As evidenced by other reviews, some readers enjoy and appreciate The Dust of Wonderland. I don't hold it against them, but I also don't know what they see. Personally, I found this book disappointing and, more importantly, unreadable. I made it halfway through, but the writing style made it too painful to continue and, without any attachment to Ken or interest in his story, the plot gave me no reason to try. Therefore, I strongly recommend the reader against The Dust of Wonderland—this book is not as good as other reviews make it out to be.
Tell me a story. Those words haunted Kenneth Nicholson for years, terrorized his waking hours to the point where he had been forced to abandon his family and the man he loved to start a new life in another state. Not that his new life was anything to brag about -- work and a string of meaningless relationships -- but it wasn't haunted by his past.
When the phone call comes from his ex-wife to tell him that their son has been brutally beaten and his chances of survival are slim, Ken is forced to return to New Orleans. Nobody except his ex-wife knew he was coming back, so when the phone rings and a woman on the other end says, "Welcome home, baby," followed by, "Tell me a story," Ken knows there is something more to his son's attack than just a random beating. When it is discovered that his son's fiancee has vanished, Ken believes she had something to do with it. This is confirmed when the address the woman has given turns out to be where Ken spent a portion of his youth -- and the source of his nightmares.
The home is a rundown mansion formerly known as Wonderland. It was also the home of Travis Brugier, Ken's one-time lover and a man of formidable wealth, influence, and Power. Ken knows in that instant that Travis is responsible for what happened to his son. But Travis is dead by his own hand. The man committed suicide when Ken made it known he wanted out. Now Travis wants him back, and he will stop at nothing until Ken returns to him, even murder, as he demonstrates when Bobby, Ken's son, is killed while in the hospital. Can Travis be stopped before everyone close to Ken suffers?
Rarely have I been blown away by a book the way I was with The Dust of Wonderland. I bought it a couple of years ago and just let it sit on my shelf. It's published by Alyson Books, an established gay and lesbian publisher, and that in itself was enough to make me keep it on the shelf. It has been my experience that many of the gay and lesbian novels I have read are so poorly written and boring, it takes me forever to get through them. In short, I was afraid to pick it up because I didn't want to be disappointed. After reading Lee Thomas' novel, I can only say, What the hell was keeping me from this book?
With The Dust of Wonderland, Lee Thomas has created a haunting, heartbreaking masterpiece that will have you on the edge of your seat to the very last page. He paints a portrait of a man who is forced to confront the nightmares of his past in order to save the ones he loves. You can feel his terror and his despair as he tries race against the clock to stop a creature that has the ability to reach from beyond the grave. Thomas' novel is well written and well paced. Each chapter ends on a note that keeps you wanting to read on to find out how things turn out. The Dust of Wonderland is an excellent novel and is one that should be on everybody's MUST READ list.
When the phone call comes from his ex-wife to tell him that their son has been brutally beaten and his chances of survival are slim, Ken is forced to return to New Orleans. Nobody except his ex-wife knew he was coming back, so when the phone rings and a woman on the other end says, "Welcome home, baby," followed by, "Tell me a story," Ken knows there is something more to his son's attack than just a random beating. When it is discovered that his son's fiancee has vanished, Ken believes she had something to do with it. This is confirmed when the address the woman has given turns out to be where Ken spent a portion of his youth -- and the source of his nightmares.
The home is a rundown mansion formerly known as Wonderland. It was also the home of Travis Brugier, Ken's one-time lover and a man of formidable wealth, influence, and Power. Ken knows in that instant that Travis is responsible for what happened to his son. But Travis is dead by his own hand. The man committed suicide when Ken made it known he wanted out. Now Travis wants him back, and he will stop at nothing until Ken returns to him, even murder, as he demonstrates when Bobby, Ken's son, is killed while in the hospital. Can Travis be stopped before everyone close to Ken suffers?
Rarely have I been blown away by a book the way I was with The Dust of Wonderland. I bought it a couple of years ago and just let it sit on my shelf. It's published by Alyson Books, an established gay and lesbian publisher, and that in itself was enough to make me keep it on the shelf. It has been my experience that many of the gay and lesbian novels I have read are so poorly written and boring, it takes me forever to get through them. In short, I was afraid to pick it up because I didn't want to be disappointed. After reading Lee Thomas' novel, I can only say, What the hell was keeping me from this book?
With The Dust of Wonderland, Lee Thomas has created a haunting, heartbreaking masterpiece that will have you on the edge of your seat to the very last page. He paints a portrait of a man who is forced to confront the nightmares of his past in order to save the ones he loves. You can feel his terror and his despair as he tries race against the clock to stop a creature that has the ability to reach from beyond the grave. Thomas' novel is well written and well paced. Each chapter ends on a note that keeps you wanting to read on to find out how things turn out. The Dust of Wonderland is an excellent novel and is one that should be on everybody's MUST READ list.
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
If you read one Lee Thomas book, read The German.
This one was just... not as good. The writing was repetitive. The story was eh. I really wanted to like it too.
This one was just... not as good. The writing was repetitive. The story was eh. I really wanted to like it too.
(If at all possible, don't read the descriptive blurb to this book!)
I found this book on a list of essential queer horror novels.
I had never heard of Lee Thomas before. My search for a copy of this book led me to weightless books.com and an entire trove of lgbt (mostly gay, white) novels, especially those of Lethe Press. After an hour of looking through titles I ended up purchasing the Dust of Wonderland, Lee Thomas's other novel The German, and about 8 more ebooks. I highly suggest those interested in queer and small press books check this site out.
I've never been to New Orleans, but the descriptive prose of Lee Thomas made me feel as if i could smell the air. His descriptions of the city were accessible, unlike New York or L.A. novels where street names and locales are thrown about as if we all are supposed to know every part of those cities.
This book introduced me to storylines about gay men i usually don't see in more recent books. It may be due to Lee Thomas being of an older generation of gay men, those who lived through AIDS and a pre internet homophobia. Either way it was illuminating to read about the struggles of a gay man who has children from a previous marriage.
Overall I found this book to be haunting, poignant, and mysterious. I didn't want it to be over as much as I wanted to get to the end to figure out all it had to offer. Decent psychological horror dealing with gay men is hard to find, especially those that don't bend to the cliche of homophobia or self hate.
I highly suggest this book to anyone seeking queer horror or for fans of novels such as Plain Bad Heroines, Summer Sons, and the Picture of Dorian Gray.
I found this book on a list of essential queer horror novels.
I had never heard of Lee Thomas before. My search for a copy of this book led me to weightless books.com and an entire trove of lgbt (mostly gay, white) novels, especially those of Lethe Press. After an hour of looking through titles I ended up purchasing the Dust of Wonderland, Lee Thomas's other novel The German, and about 8 more ebooks. I highly suggest those interested in queer and small press books check this site out.
I've never been to New Orleans, but the descriptive prose of Lee Thomas made me feel as if i could smell the air. His descriptions of the city were accessible, unlike New York or L.A. novels where street names and locales are thrown about as if we all are supposed to know every part of those cities.
This book introduced me to storylines about gay men i usually don't see in more recent books. It may be due to Lee Thomas being of an older generation of gay men, those who lived through AIDS and a pre internet homophobia. Either way it was illuminating to read about the struggles of a gay man who has children from a previous marriage.
Overall I found this book to be haunting, poignant, and mysterious. I didn't want it to be over as much as I wanted to get to the end to figure out all it had to offer. Decent psychological horror dealing with gay men is hard to find, especially those that don't bend to the cliche of homophobia or self hate.
I highly suggest this book to anyone seeking queer horror or for fans of novels such as Plain Bad Heroines, Summer Sons, and the Picture of Dorian Gray.
This was an incredibly frustrating read. Poorly written at the start, not particularly likeable main character, the horror element kicks in halfway through the book. Until that point it was nearly a DNF for me & I pretty much hate-read it until the end.
Am I glad I finished it? Meh. Do I think you should? Possibly, your mileage may vary. Not for me though, not at all.
Am I glad I finished it? Meh. Do I think you should? Possibly, your mileage may vary. Not for me though, not at all.
While a bit slow out of the gate, this tale seeps into your skin and festers as you read. When you're done, it sits, quietly stewing in the back of your mind. A week later, I'm still debating some of the conflict resolutions, still pondering the abilities of Travis, and have put the book on the re-read shelf. Yes, that's a good sign.
The story was a new twist on an old stand by—nothing in it has been overused, abused, or done to the point that you want to throw it. It's almost a ghost story that isn't, a serial killer tale that isn't, and most definitely a revenge tale in which who is getting revenge on whom is the question rather than the result. The dynamics of the characters are fresh—using angles and conflicts that are intriguing, passionately personal no matter who you are, and will divide you as much as it does the characters. Themes of redemption run rampant, but the real question is the same as it was when Ken started on this journey twenty years ago... When you don't know if you can save yourself, do you rescue your past or your future?
Even though New Orleans has been used enough in literature and film to have built a ready-made preconceived atmosphere with people, if you let Thomas paint the picture for you, it’s a whole new atmosphere in the Garden District. The mystery is intertwining, the people are urban exotic, and their surroundings are suggested secrets, subtly whispered by memories, that pull you along—like a tour guide in Lafayette No. 1.
As I mentioned above, the pace is a little slow at the beginning, as he takes his time giving you enough details about the characters to care whether they live or die. But give him your patience, because you will care who lives and dies—and may hunt him down at a convention to tell him how wrong he was! Thomas' style is, as always, graceful. He is a well-rounded storyteller that draws you in and makes you believe—and yes, he would make an incredible refrigerator salesman in Alaska.
But what did I really think? The story was interesting, the characters were sufficient, and the atmosphere was natural. But like all good things, it's not the ingredients that make the mouth water, it's the final dish. In lesser hands this may have been under cooked, in better hands the spices would have been changed and the subtle burn in the back of your throat may have been absent. As it is, I thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of this [other than that pokey beginning] and will definitely re-read it at some point. Thus, it gets more than 3 stars… how about 4-1/2? Pretty-version hard covers should be available, ohhhhhhhh about now—go, get one.
.......................
Originally posted at Horror-Web
The story was a new twist on an old stand by—nothing in it has been overused, abused, or done to the point that you want to throw it. It's almost a ghost story that isn't, a serial killer tale that isn't, and most definitely a revenge tale in which who is getting revenge on whom is the question rather than the result. The dynamics of the characters are fresh—using angles and conflicts that are intriguing, passionately personal no matter who you are, and will divide you as much as it does the characters. Themes of redemption run rampant, but the real question is the same as it was when Ken started on this journey twenty years ago... When you don't know if you can save yourself, do you rescue your past or your future?
Even though New Orleans has been used enough in literature and film to have built a ready-made preconceived atmosphere with people, if you let Thomas paint the picture for you, it’s a whole new atmosphere in the Garden District. The mystery is intertwining, the people are urban exotic, and their surroundings are suggested secrets, subtly whispered by memories, that pull you along—like a tour guide in Lafayette No. 1.
As I mentioned above, the pace is a little slow at the beginning, as he takes his time giving you enough details about the characters to care whether they live or die. But give him your patience, because you will care who lives and dies—and may hunt him down at a convention to tell him how wrong he was! Thomas' style is, as always, graceful. He is a well-rounded storyteller that draws you in and makes you believe—and yes, he would make an incredible refrigerator salesman in Alaska.
But what did I really think? The story was interesting, the characters were sufficient, and the atmosphere was natural. But like all good things, it's not the ingredients that make the mouth water, it's the final dish. In lesser hands this may have been under cooked, in better hands the spices would have been changed and the subtle burn in the back of your throat may have been absent. As it is, I thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of this [other than that pokey beginning] and will definitely re-read it at some point. Thus, it gets more than 3 stars… how about 4-1/2? Pretty-version hard covers should be available, ohhhhhhhh about now—go, get one.
.......................
Originally posted at Horror-Web
I struggled to enjoy, let alone finish, this supernatural mystery novel with gay elements. Some plot points strain incredulity and the characterisation is perfunctory, while the horror is tired and has been done much better in novels such as Coldheart Canyon. Disappointing. However, the writing shows promise, and I will look out for the award-winning The German after this.