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abarkmeier's review against another edition
3.0
Objectively masterful and beautiful writing with a thoughtful and complex plot. I just could not get into it, no matter how long I sat with the text.
bluestarfish's review against another edition
3.0
The first hundred pages had me longing for a nice, normal, sentence of a reasonable length and straightforward meaning. Then about 100 pages in the story took over and was interesting enough to finish the book, but I did wonder at first if I would make it. The prose is kaleidoscopic and fragmented, and it does reflect the character's fragmented existences...but I did long for that normal sentence in there. At least one every now and again.
The sins and silences of the fathers come to haunt the sons and daughters in Kenya as the history still echoes through to the modern age. And the glimpses in the beginning do add up to a story.
The sins and silences of the fathers come to haunt the sons and daughters in Kenya as the history still echoes through to the modern age. And the glimpses in the beginning do add up to a story.
terrypaulpearce's review against another edition
3.0
An incredibly beautiful book, with amazing prose. However, I found it quite confusing a lot of the time; the way she uses language is very poetic and evocative, but for me that was at the cost of clarity as to what was going on. However, it's a hard line to balance on for any author, and I'd rather she came down on this side of it than the other.
squidjum's review against another edition
4.0
Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor's writing is poetry. I quite liked this particular work as well, and I look forward to reading more from her!
emjay24's review against another edition
3.0
This was a very smart, slow, & difficult book to read. It took me so long, that it was overdue at the library! The first part is the most confusing since I had no frame of reference for time, place, words. I think it was worth reading something that is a little less storylike than I am used to and open up my mind. Don’t read this if you’re looking for a quick or thoughtless read.
literary_hazelnut's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
manaledi's review against another edition
5.0
This book felt almost like a mix of Toni Morrison and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, but that's an oversimplification that's unfair to Owuor's own power as a narrator and command of language. I fully admit that some of the story and Kenyan history and language was lost on me, but I believe it's really important to read books that challenge us. Also, I think I particularly liked this book because it's about a brother, and the strength of sibling relationships, and I love my brother.
esessa's review against another edition
5.0
This is one of the most beautiful books I've ever read. Her voice and style are bleak, stark, and unique. One of the quotes on the back cover likens her to Pynchon and Faulkner, and magical realism is there as well. Her voice does not mimic these authors or genre, though, but blends elements of postmodern literature with a distinct and desolate beauty that seems to embody the aridness of the Kenyan landscapes she's writing about. I cannot wait to read more from her. (Oh, and the book also has one of the most gorgeously designed covers I've ever seen!)
keight's review against another edition
5.0
A dense and beautiful novel, Dust is largely focused on one splintered family and how their stories are interwoven with violent events in Kenya’s post-colonial history. Owuor writes with emotional intensity, and while her language feels lush and expansive overall, much of the narrative is peppered with lyrical fragments. The rhythm of these staccato interludes can take some time to grasp, but once it becomes familiar, the story progresses smoothly, even as the cadence varies. Read more on the booklog
michael5000's review against another edition
3.0
This is a very literary novel, in the University of Iowa sense. It does have a plot and strong characters and a narrative arc and a satisfying resolution, but one does have to work for them a bit amidst all of the literary excellence.