Book Review: Dust City
Dust City
By: Robert Paul Weston
Published by Razorbill
Release Date: Sept. 30, 2010
Genre: Young Adult fantasy/adventure
My thoughts:
I liked this book so much more than I anticipated! It's YA based on fairy tale characters, and I had a bad experience with that once; I had to put Beastly aside after about 40 pages because just couldn't get into it. Dust City was much more readable, and after a while, I got past the fact that the characters are the same ones from the fairy tales, and just enjoyed the great story.
The grown-up interpretations of fairy tale elements were wonderfully woven into a great crime adventure story. You will recognize many of the characters, but in a way that almost seems as if the stories are based on these "real" people. You will definitely recognize many of the urban elements of the plot; the description of the city is gritty and overcast, creating a sense of danger that kicks the adventure factor up a notch.
I was half-expecting a silly little spoof on the Big Bad Wolf's tale. Instead, I got an engaging plot line that made the recycled characters really pop to life.
This book would be perfectly appropriate for those who like YA fantasy and/or adventure stories.
I liked this book so much more than I anticipated! It's YA based on fairy tale characters, and I had a bad experience with that once; I had to put Beastly aside after about 40 pages because just couldn't get into it. Dust City was much more readable, and after a while, I got past the fact that the characters are the same ones from the fairy tales, and just enjoyed the great story.
The grown-up interpretations of fairy tale elements were wonderfully woven into a great crime adventure story. You will recognize many of the characters, but in a way that almost seems as if the stories are based on these "real" people. You will definitely recognize many of the urban elements of the plot; the description of the city is gritty and overcast, creating a sense of danger that kicks the adventure factor up a notch.
I was half-expecting a silly little spoof on the Big Bad Wolf's tale. Instead, I got an engaging plot line that made the recycled characters really pop to life.
This book would be perfectly appropriate for those who like YA fantasy and/or adventure stories.
Summary from GoodReads:
Who's afraid of the big bad wolf?
His son, that's who.
Ever since his father's arrest for the murder of Little Red Riding Hood, teen wolf Henry Whelp has kept a low profile in a Home for Wayward Wolves . . . until a murder at the Home leads Henry to believe his father may have been framed.
Now, with the help of his kleptomaniac roommate, Jack, and a daring she-wolf named Fiona, Henry will have to venture deep into the heart of Dust City: a rundown, gritty metropolis where fairydust is craved by everyone-and controlled by a dangerous mob of Water Nixies and their crime boss leader, Skinner.
Can Henry solve the mystery of his family's sinister past? Or, like his father before him, is he destined for life as a big bad wolf?
His son, that's who.
Ever since his father's arrest for the murder of Little Red Riding Hood, teen wolf Henry Whelp has kept a low profile in a Home for Wayward Wolves . . . until a murder at the Home leads Henry to believe his father may have been framed.
Now, with the help of his kleptomaniac roommate, Jack, and a daring she-wolf named Fiona, Henry will have to venture deep into the heart of Dust City: a rundown, gritty metropolis where fairydust is craved by everyone-and controlled by a dangerous mob of Water Nixies and their crime boss leader, Skinner.
Can Henry solve the mystery of his family's sinister past? Or, like his father before him, is he destined for life as a big bad wolf?
I read this book and I didn't like it all that much. I thought it was just me, but I let my friend read it and she couldn't even finish it. I'm glad you like it though. Just goes to show you that a book you weren't fond of might be great for someone else. Great review!
ReplyDelete-Kim
Great review! So glad you loved it. I'm looking forward to reading his sequel.
ReplyDeleteI hadn't heard of this one, now I can't wait to read it!!!
ReplyDeleteI really loved this one, too, and I'm happy to hear you enjoyed reading it. :) Weston just has a way with words that just brings you into the story. And it's such a unique and different type of fairy tale, too! Thank you for the great review, Paula.
ReplyDeleteThanks for all your comments- it seems that there are several of us who like this book, but as with everything, it's not for everyone.
ReplyDelete