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A review by ashleysbooknook
Dust by Alison Stine
5.0
This was surprisingly good! I don’t know why this book isn’t more popular.
It’s a different take on dystopian fiction. Instead of talking about overbearing governments, this is about natural disasters that shape the way people are forced to live. What happens when dust storms control the land and thus the way society functions?
This is also a story about belonging and family and home. What is home? What is family? What is the role of parents and how do they keep their kids safe? What role does community play?
The characters are very well written. I am so picky about this, but Stine writes them masterfully! That makes it so relatable. As a parent I could understand the desire to protect your kids, even if I completely disagreed with a lot of decisions being made. I would imagine this book would be very relatable to teens and pre-teens also. Overbearing parents, kids wanting to have more independence, not knowing how to talk to your parents about what is important to you, etc…. But what I really liked is that you get insight into why the parents are the way they are. Readers (ahem teenagers) can see that even parents who seem the most strict and unwilling to listen, are doing it out of love, and that maybe, just maybe, they can come around.
There is also a theme of listening- literally, with the deaf characters, and symbolically, with the relationships that need some good heart to hearts. I know teens can relate to the topic of not feeling understood or “heard” and trying to stand up for their own needs.
I think this book I would be a great one to read in a high school or middle school literature class. You could have great discussions (and write some interesting essays 😉). I just recently finished the new Hunger Games prequel and my son finished the first 4 books, so that’s on my mind. I would call that series a modern classic, with lots of literary merit, as well as things worthy of discussing and learning from. This book can hold its own against that. Great read!
ETA: I read a review that says you are immersed in this story, into the world, as if you are stuck in the town with Thea. It’s true. I love that description.
It’s a different take on dystopian fiction. Instead of talking about overbearing governments, this is about natural disasters that shape the way people are forced to live. What happens when dust storms control the land and thus the way society functions?
This is also a story about belonging and family and home. What is home? What is family? What is the role of parents and how do they keep their kids safe? What role does community play?
The characters are very well written. I am so picky about this, but Stine writes them masterfully! That makes it so relatable. As a parent I could understand the desire to protect your kids, even if I completely disagreed with a lot of decisions being made. I would imagine this book would be very relatable to teens and pre-teens also. Overbearing parents, kids wanting to have more independence, not knowing how to talk to your parents about what is important to you, etc…. But what I really liked is that you get insight into why the parents are the way they are. Readers (ahem teenagers) can see that even parents who seem the most strict and unwilling to listen, are doing it out of love, and that maybe, just maybe, they can come around.
There is also a theme of listening- literally, with the deaf characters, and symbolically, with the relationships that need some good heart to hearts. I know teens can relate to the topic of not feeling understood or “heard” and trying to stand up for their own needs.
I think this book I would be a great one to read in a high school or middle school literature class. You could have great discussions (and write some interesting essays 😉). I just recently finished the new Hunger Games prequel and my son finished the first 4 books, so that’s on my mind. I would call that series a modern classic, with lots of literary merit, as well as things worthy of discussing and learning from. This book can hold its own against that. Great read!
ETA: I read a review that says you are immersed in this story, into the world, as if you are stuck in the town with Thea. It’s true. I love that description.