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farmfreshlisa's review
5.0
At first I was going to drop it a star because it didn’t make me cry or laugh out loud. But then I realized that it deserved 5 stars because I didn’t want to put it down! I had to read one more chapter and another and another.
I almost didn’t want to finish because as a book with a sequel I knew things weren’t going to end. Did I really want to get invested??!
Yes I did.
Dust was a brilliant unpredictable retelling of Peter Pan. I loved the story of Claire and seeing her grow into her skin. To see the changes Peter experienced. And to ride the mystery of what happened to Connor. I felt justified when it was the last chapter and I realized I HAD figured out what happened to Connor and it was this YES feeling without the let down.
Now naturally I need the sequel and sadly it’s not available as an ebook in Hoopla yet.
I almost didn’t want to finish because as a book with a sequel I knew things weren’t going to end. Did I really want to get invested??!
Yes I did.
Dust was a brilliant unpredictable retelling of Peter Pan. I loved the story of Claire and seeing her grow into her skin. To see the changes Peter experienced. And to ride the mystery of what happened to Connor. I felt justified when it was the last chapter and I realized I HAD figured out what happened to Connor and it was this YES feeling without the let down.
Now naturally I need the sequel and sadly it’s not available as an ebook in Hoopla yet.
soul_of_sunflowers's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
thebookcloser's review
adventurous
dark
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Fun read! Beginning was a little slow for me but I enjoyed the fantasy and taking me back to childhood with Peter Pan. Many Christian themes throughout. Can’t wait to continue and finish the duology!
what_ella_reads's review
4.0
Updated review: I decided to re-read Dust after starting Shadow and realizing I didn't remember Dust well lol. I enjoyed re-reading Dust and agree with my original review. I'm excited to now get to Shadow :)
My original review:
My rating: 4 out of 5 stars
I was sooo excited to read this book. I absolutely loved Kara Swanson's novella, "The Girl Who Could See," and had heard nothing about great things about "Dust," so I had REALLY high expectations for this book. I would say that, for the most part, this book lived up to them.
My favorite thing about this book was how it retold the Peter Pan story. I think that the author did a amazing job of retelling the classic Peter Pan story. There are enough changes to the original story to make it fresh, while keeping enough of traditional elements to make it still feel authentic to the original story.
Another thing I loved about this book was the pacing. My attention was kept the entire time I read it, thanks in a big part to the plot twists that keep me guessing how it would end. After reading this book and the aforementioned novella, I think Kara Swanson is a master of plot twists!
One thing that I did struggle to like about this book were the characters, particularly Peter Pan (aka Ben). It's been a little while since I have read a book that had such a morally grey male lead. Peter was downright completely unlikable in some parts of this book. So unlikable, that I'm not sure if I want him and Claire to get together at all, tbh. I will admit, though, that he did grow on me a little by the end of the book. I really hope he goes through major character growth in "Shadow" (which the end of of this book seems to hint that he will).
As for Claire, I really liked her. At first, I did struggle to understand her. As I learned about her traumas, her motives and decisions made sense. Anyone that has struggled with anxiety or depression will find it very easy to relate to Claire and her feelings. I loved that by the end of the book Claire was setting boundaries and charting her own path. I'm excited (and kind of nervous) to find out how Claire's story continues in the next book.
I also really liked two of the side characters, Lily and Jeremy. Their lives and stories seem to be really interesting. I wouldn't mind reading spin-off novellas about them!
Overall this was a really interesting and imaginative read! I will definitely be picking up the next book, "Shadow"!!!
My original review:
My rating: 4 out of 5 stars
I was sooo excited to read this book. I absolutely loved Kara Swanson's novella, "The Girl Who Could See," and had heard nothing about great things about "Dust," so I had REALLY high expectations for this book. I would say that, for the most part, this book lived up to them.
My favorite thing about this book was how it retold the Peter Pan story. I think that the author did a amazing job of retelling the classic Peter Pan story. There are enough changes to the original story to make it fresh, while keeping enough of traditional elements to make it still feel authentic to the original story.
Another thing I loved about this book was the pacing. My attention was kept the entire time I read it, thanks in a big part to the plot twists that keep me guessing how it would end. After reading this book and the aforementioned novella, I think Kara Swanson is a master of plot twists!
One thing that I did struggle to like about this book were the characters, particularly Peter Pan (aka Ben). It's been a little while since I have read a book that had such a morally grey male lead. Peter was downright completely unlikable in some parts of this book. So unlikable, that I'm not sure if I want him and Claire to get together at all, tbh. I will admit, though, that he did grow on me a little by the end of the book. I really hope he goes through major character growth in "Shadow" (which the end of of this book seems to hint that he will).
As for Claire, I really liked her. At first, I did struggle to understand her. As I learned about her traumas, her motives and decisions made sense. Anyone that has struggled with anxiety or depression will find it very easy to relate to Claire and her feelings. I loved that by the end of the book Claire was setting boundaries and charting her own path. I'm excited (and kind of nervous) to find out how Claire's story continues in the next book.
I also really liked two of the side characters, Lily and Jeremy. Their lives and stories seem to be really interesting. I wouldn't mind reading spin-off novellas about them!
Overall this was a really interesting and imaginative read! I will definitely be picking up the next book, "Shadow"!!!
abooklikeyou's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
A dark Peter Pan retelling with deeper meaning and a message of hope. This was a great story, and I can't wait to continue along with the story in the next book!
I loved the London setting, Tiger Lily, the mental health representation, and the cliffhanger.
It did feel like Claire was dumb at times. She would make irresponsible decisions and also not be able to see something that was plainly in her face for quite some time. I hope she gets better character development in book 2. But, overall, I flew through this book and enjoyed the ride!
I loved the London setting, Tiger Lily, the mental health representation, and the cliffhanger.
It did feel like Claire was dumb at times. She would make irresponsible decisions and also not be able to see something that was plainly in her face for quite some time. I hope she gets better character development in book 2. But, overall, I flew through this book and enjoyed the ride!
Content Warnings
Minor: Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide attempt, and Mental illness
rachelkris's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
rusticreadingal's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 stars
Oh my! What a wonderfully enchanting tale! I was never a huge fan of Peter Pan, but this book made me one. It's such an exciting and captivating journey.
The characters were awesome. So complex and layered. Narration switched between Claire and Peter, but I never got confused by who's POV I was reading. They were both very distinct and fascinating in their own way. When there's more than one POV, I usually have one I gravitate to more, but that wasn't the case here. They were both so great. There's no way I could pick a favorite.
I fully expected not to like Peter. And I didn't to begin with. But as the story progressed, he really grew on me. Yes, he's still that same mischievous, arrogant, selfish boy we all know, but his character growth from the beginning of the story to the end was huge. I couldn't help but like him in the end. I really appreciated the little glimpses of his backstory too. It really helped me understand him better.
I had a blast reading Dust and highly recommend it to anyone who has ever loved fairy tales. It was a great twist on a classic. I'm super anxious for the sequel!
Oh my! What a wonderfully enchanting tale! I was never a huge fan of Peter Pan, but this book made me one. It's such an exciting and captivating journey.
The characters were awesome. So complex and layered. Narration switched between Claire and Peter, but I never got confused by who's POV I was reading. They were both very distinct and fascinating in their own way. When there's more than one POV, I usually have one I gravitate to more, but that wasn't the case here. They were both so great. There's no way I could pick a favorite.
I fully expected not to like Peter. And I didn't to begin with. But as the story progressed, he really grew on me. Yes, he's still that same mischievous, arrogant, selfish boy we all know, but his character growth from the beginning of the story to the end was huge. I couldn't help but like him in the end. I really appreciated the little glimpses of his backstory too. It really helped me understand him better.
I had a blast reading Dust and highly recommend it to anyone who has ever loved fairy tales. It was a great twist on a classic. I'm super anxious for the sequel!
crimsonsparrow's review
1.0
Besides the awkward writing that also took itself WAY too seriously, there was only enough plot to warrant about 25% the length of the book - at most. The twist at the end was about the only truly interesting thing that happened, but I definitely won't be picking up book 2 to find out where it goes. Bummer.
perilous1's review
3.0
LOOK AT THAT COVER!!!
(I keep looking at it. It's hard not to.)
This isn't so much a retelling as a sort of neo-sequel paying homage to the beloved classic.
The writing itself is above par. The characterization is pretty solid, and the emotional conveyance is raw. But I didn't really feel connected to the characters.
(I keep looking at it. It's hard not to.)
This isn't so much a retelling as a sort of neo-sequel paying homage to the beloved classic.
The writing itself is above par. The characterization is pretty solid, and the emotional conveyance is raw. But I didn't really feel connected to the characters.
introverteddragonscribbles's review
4.0
Taking a dive into Neverland has never felt so...sad. Lonely. Adventerous. Real.
Kara Swanson's new book, Dust, is a retelling of Peter Pan, taking the innocent story for children and turning into something darker. Something more grown up. Claire Kenton, an orphan and a girl with a gift that she doesn't understand, wants one thing in life--to get her brother back. She doesn't know where he is, or if he's even still alive. All she knows is that he was kidnapped by Peter Pan.
All Peter wants is to return to Neverland. Since a catastrophe that left him and many other iconic characters such as Hook, Tigerlily, and the pixies, stranded in London, he has grown from a boy to a teenager. And he longs to return before he loses his childhood forever.
The narrative of the story launches quickly into Claire's adventures and her search for her brother. Dust is lined with mysteries that left me hungering to know more, and magic that left me smiling. While the tone of Dust is more adult than the story of Peter Pan ever was, it still holds notes of that childlike innocence that draws the reader in.
Swanson's characters are given depth, as each struggle with their own internal battles--Claire suffers from depression and self-hatred. Pan is running from his past. And both are pursuing a path to Neverland for their own reasons.
Overall, Dust is a heavy read, dealing with modern issues with grace and forgiveness. I really enjoyed the retelling but ached somewhat at the childlike innocence taken from it. Still, it was a delightful book, and I would recommend it to anyone who loves Peter Pan, fantasy, retellings, and stories that deal with mental health.
Kara Swanson's new book, Dust, is a retelling of Peter Pan, taking the innocent story for children and turning into something darker. Something more grown up. Claire Kenton, an orphan and a girl with a gift that she doesn't understand, wants one thing in life--to get her brother back. She doesn't know where he is, or if he's even still alive. All she knows is that he was kidnapped by Peter Pan.
All Peter wants is to return to Neverland. Since a catastrophe that left him and many other iconic characters such as Hook, Tigerlily, and the pixies, stranded in London, he has grown from a boy to a teenager. And he longs to return before he loses his childhood forever.
The narrative of the story launches quickly into Claire's adventures and her search for her brother. Dust is lined with mysteries that left me hungering to know more, and magic that left me smiling. While the tone of Dust is more adult than the story of Peter Pan ever was, it still holds notes of that childlike innocence that draws the reader in.
Swanson's characters are given depth, as each struggle with their own internal battles--Claire suffers from depression and self-hatred. Pan is running from his past. And both are pursuing a path to Neverland for their own reasons.
Overall, Dust is a heavy read, dealing with modern issues with grace and forgiveness. I really enjoyed the retelling but ached somewhat at the childlike innocence taken from it. Still, it was a delightful book, and I would recommend it to anyone who loves Peter Pan, fantasy, retellings, and stories that deal with mental health.