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A review by definitelynotreading
Sand by Hugh Howey
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Reading Sand nearly immediately after Wool and Shift, I can't help but compare the two series. The settings are very different as are the plots, but they are both, fundamentally, near future dystopian stories. I was sucked into the world of Sand nearly as quickly as I was into the world of the Silo, but the story didn't have the same power over me that Wool did. The world of Sand feels less developed than the world of the Silo and while Sand's setting itself is far vaster, the depth of the world building seems shallow.
Don't get me wrong- I still loved this book and flew through it in a single day, but if you're looking for an experience to rival Wool, this won't be it. There were aspects of it that were reminiscent of Dune (if Dune took place in the United States in a post-apocalyptic near future), in terms of the ways humanity learned to live in a world covered in sand. The direct comparisons are few, but I did have memories of reading Dune as I began to read Sand.
I loved that the characters in Sand are already connected in clear ways as you jump between POVs and really enjoyed the relationships that developed and grew throughout. While I wouldn't necessarily call this a character driven story, the reader cares about the plot because it cares about these characters.
Howey is ultimately a very vivid writer and that's what compels readers to continue reading without breaks or thoughts, just a hunger to know what comes next. But my hunger for answers didn't feel sated at the end. I'm hoping those answers come in the sequel, but after the depth of the Silo's world, I was hoping for something a bit more satisfactory. It was clear, even from the very beginning, that the Silo had a vast lore and explanation, and that was more fully expounded in Shift (and I imagine even more so in Dust, which I haven't gotten to yet). Sand doesn't seem to have that.
The reader can pretty quickly pick up on familiar locations and their counterparts in this new world, but nothing truly explains how we got here. Why is the world covered in sand? Was it a major cataclysm or a slow and steady change over years and years? There are so many fascinating aspects of the way the current society works, and a few hints at what else might be out there, but I wanted deeper lore, more world building, and above all, answers.
Don't get me wrong- I still loved this book and flew through it in a single day, but if you're looking for an experience to rival Wool, this won't be it. There were aspects of it that were reminiscent of Dune (if Dune took place in the United States in a post-apocalyptic near future), in terms of the ways humanity learned to live in a world covered in sand. The direct comparisons are few, but I did have memories of reading Dune as I began to read Sand.
I loved that the characters in Sand are already connected in clear ways as you jump between POVs and really enjoyed the relationships that developed and grew throughout. While I wouldn't necessarily call this a character driven story, the reader cares about the plot because it cares about these characters.
Howey is ultimately a very vivid writer and that's what compels readers to continue reading without breaks or thoughts, just a hunger to know what comes next. But my hunger for answers didn't feel sated at the end. I'm hoping those answers come in the sequel, but after the depth of the Silo's world, I was hoping for something a bit more satisfactory. It was clear, even from the very beginning, that the Silo had a vast lore and explanation, and that was more fully expounded in Shift (and I imagine even more so in Dust, which I haven't gotten to yet). Sand doesn't seem to have that.
The reader can pretty quickly pick up on familiar locations and their counterparts in this new world, but nothing truly explains how we got here. Why is the world covered in sand? Was it a major cataclysm or a slow and steady change over years and years? There are so many fascinating aspects of the way the current society works, and a few hints at what else might be out there, but I wanted deeper lore, more world building, and above all, answers.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment
Contains crass jokes that may be offensive to some readers and quite a few instances of sexual innuendo