Dust / Alison Stine / Book Review

DUST

There was a flood. And the rent went up. And her father had a dream. Now Thea and her family are here, trying to make a life for themselves in southern Colorado's Bloodless Valley. It's a return to tradition, to the way things should be: just a man and his family and the land that he owns, the land that will provide.

Except the land isn't providing. The river is dried up. There's no water in the well. The crops are shriveling. And the dust... The dust just won't let up. It's in the fields. It's between the floorboards. It's in their hair, in their clothes, in their lungs.

Thea's parents are afraid of the outside world's dangerous influence on their daughters, but sometimes there's no choice. To make ends meet, Thea is allowed to leave the homestead to work at the only café in town. Work and home: that's all Thea knows. But as hot and barren as this valley is, the residents are friendly. And they're not going to let anyone weather this alone... even if that means helping Thea against her parents' will.

THOUGHTS

The whole atmosphere of this book is set up to give readers shivers, not because it is so horrifically different from everyday life but because it feels so familiar. It feels so possible. It is apocalyptic and numbing... and right on the horizon. You can feel the dust on these pages, taste the sand in your mouth, and it's done so well.

PROS

Disability Rep	Thea is Hard of Hearing, and that's a real burden for her. She misses bits and pieces of what people are saying around her, and as readers following her perspective, we do, too. There are gaps in the dialogue, things that aren't printed on the page (and can't necessarily be filled in with context clues). And I loved the way this was written, because it absolutely puts readers in Thea's shoes. Readers have to experience the world the way she does, and that's excellent.
Disability Ignorance	Thea's parents don't want to admit that their daughter has a disability. There's a lot of stigma and shame around disability, especially when the rest of the family is able-bodied. Thea's younger sister is willing to adapt and communicate with her as she needs, but her parents (especially her father) just want to ignore Thea's struggle. They want her to be "normal," which only makes life harder for Thea. And as awful as that is, it also feels horribly realistic.
Biblical	The dust, the storms, the locusts: everything about this book feels apocalyptic. Apocalyptic to actual, biblical proportions. Even down to the flood that sent them running to the desert. And the dust, the dust, the dust...

CONS

For a girl who has supposedly been "unschooled" since middle school, Thea seems very aware of the world she is missing out on. Don't get me wrong. I can absolutely see a girl who has been "sheltered" so long longing for the outside world and imagining what it might contain. But a girl who hasn't really been taught anything being so acutely aware of what climate change is, where feminist movements have led, and how disability awareness is shifting feels... off. I can see her digging into these topics, once she's allowed (or at least gets) to explore the library, but to already be aware of all that she's missing out on feels... less than realistic.	Too Knowledgeable
As much as I loved the sister bond in this book (and I did, especially the way Thea's little sister sticks up for her in regards to her disability), there isn't a nine-year-old child who speaks like this. Especially not a third grader who hasn't actually been to school. Who hardly has anyone to talk to. Who hasn't really lived much life at all, sheltered as she is. The way Thea's sister speaks feels too mature for her age, and that was another knock against this book's realism.	Too Old
This book ends on a warm and fuzzy note, and I loved that. I did. I wanted it to end this way, so I can't really say this too harshly. But... I don't think it would have ended this way. Thea's dad is so hardcore in his beliefs up until this point that I don't think anything short of a full-scale apocalypse would have shaken him. Don't get me wrong. I like that he listened to reason, that he was willing to adapt. I just don't see something like that actually happening.	Too Clean

Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
9/10

Fans of Tara Westover's memoir Educated will like deconstructing this unschooled family and their new homestead. Those who appreciated Mary G. Thompson's The Word will love following along with Thea's re-education.

Details Publisher: Wednesday Books Date: December 3, 2024 Series: N/A Add to Goodreads Buy it HERE

Note: I was provided with an ARC by the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions here are my own.