”You were created for more than to bear the weight of your shadows—but you have to choose to no longer let them define you. You have to choose to let the light shine through the shattered pieces.” ~Dust
~Review~
(SPOILER FREE)
5/5 Stars
This book pulled me right out of a reading slump and took me on an adventure in the sky of imagination. Kara Swanson writes magic and beauty with her words.
(Briefing)
Dust, a Peter Pan retelling, full of magnificent twists and turns, shapes the classic fairytale into something beautiful and original. It follows the life of Claire, a girl afraid of the shadows lurking beneath her skin, and Peter, a boy running from his past and the acceptance of growing up. Darkness is a familiar concept to both.
For Claire, it’s the chasm of loneliness left behind when her brother was stolen away. For Peter, he’s trapped on earth while his home is being torn apart. But when Claire meets Peter her world has new light to it, and Peter finds Claire to be so much more than a means to saving Neverland. However, there’s something else lurking in the corners of their hope, a dark shadow following too close behind both of them. The grief in Claire’s life overflows in her heart, and one more chip in the dam she’s built may send her over the edge.
Neverland is falling apart at the seams, and Peter is nearing the end of his options to save it. With the magical island close to ruin, Claire may be the only light to break through the shadows. Can she save Neverland, and her forgotten brother? Will Peter finally face his past and overcome his selfishness to save the ones he loves? Or will the shadows overtake their lives once more, drowning out the light for good?
(First Impression 5/5)
My goodness, I love Kara Swanson’s books. She is undoubtedly a favorite author. She never fails to pull me into the stories she creates. From chapter one, it was like I jumped into an ocean of mysterious wonder. Breathing while submerged, I could see everything so clearly beneath the surface. It was no difficult task putting myself in Claire and Peter’s perspectives.
(Character Development 5/5)
Kara did amazing with the diversity between the characters. It must’ve been a challenge to create two people from such culturally different backgrounds. One person from London, England and Neverland, the other having grown up in California. Not to mention all the side characters and the antagonist of course. There were similarities lightly brushed throughout Dust that correlated with the classic Peter Pan story in some way, but the characters were delightfully different. For instance, Tiger Lily. We love a tribal queen who can hold her own against a group of angry Lost Boys and violent shadows. And let’s not forget Captain Hook! However, in this book, he pulls out surprising twists that had me at the edge of my seat, and he wasn’t the only one. For what is an antagonist without henchmen and unlikely allies?
I loved reading from both Claire and Peter’s POVs. Seeing how they view things and the way their thoughts worked and differed in dialect added a depth to the protagonists that many books sometimes lack. Peter’s slang was by far one of my favorite details in this book, a great replacement for crude language and far more entertaining in my opinion. I also loved how relatable the protagonists were with their thoughts and reactions to the plot twists (though I must say, the way Peter handles dire situations was a smidge idiotic. What with him laughing his pixie dust off as he’s being chased through narrow alleyways by guys with guns and knives, one carrying a freakin HATCHET. I can’t help but love how different and how ”Peter” Peter is. Gotta love him and his childish antics). The humor tossed in with the danger was hilarious and perfect. A modern twist to the classic fairytale I love, and a great way to solidify characters to make them seem even more real.
Both Peter and Claire change and grow tremendously in emotion, mentality, and boldness as the story carried on, all the way to the second book (Shadow). From Claire being afraid to let go and fly, to soaring high above the shadows that had anchored her to her past for so long. And Peter, the boy who refuses to grow up, afraid to look reality in the eye, becomes a person everyone can rely on, and realizes growing up isn’t all bad, but simply ”a new adventure”.
(World-Building 5/5)
I was with Claire, Peter, and Lily in every word I read. Kara painted a beautiful picture with her words. London, England—though a normal, somewhat easy setting to imagine—in this book held a magical twist that sent my heart on a wondrous soaring adventure.
Now, Neverland is a different story. This Neverland is so very different from the one we all know. In Dust, it is shrouded in a shadow of uncertainty and fear, with an underlining of hope and light straining to breach the surface. It is a place full of wonder and magic, but also darkness and pain. A perfect representation of how the past can drag us down with its vicious claws, but not forever if we find that spark of hope and let it ignite in our hearts.
(Pace 4/5)
For the most part, the plot and subplots flowed flawlessly, but there were a few moments I thought had been a little rushed, and moments that had dragged a bit. Nevertheless, it’s a challenge to find any major errors in this book. It’s just that incredible.
(Emotions 4/5)
I didn’t cry as much with this book as I have with others, but there were tears shed. No doubt the emotional level in this retelling is as intense as the storyline. The grief, the betrayal, the loneliness, the love…it all mixes so well together. A story that doesn’t fail to tug at your heart and create a gushing wave of sympathy for our protagonists.
(Writing Style 5/5)
Love, love, love the way Kara writes! When I first began Dust, I was unaware it would be multiple point-of-view. Various perspectives in books can either be amazing, or they drag on to infinity as though you were floating in outer space for years begging for a chapter in your favorite character’s POV. It’s a very complicated way to write, keeping each character with their knowledge and experiences. How easy it could be to totally warp it all in one big mess. Kara destroyed those messy possibilities and made a work of art.
(Cleanliness 5/5)
We adore a clean, fantastic read. There is no crude language unless you count the creative back talk of Peter. I’m still not sure what he meant in various parts of the book, but he never failed to bring a laugh from me. Mentions and debating self-harm are incorporated in the story, which I think is a beautiful way to bring hope to those who are lost in the darkest parts of themselves, to show people there is a way out and you can be free.
The violence, I suppose, was probably the most dramatic; a bit of a dark twist to the airy Peter Pan story, but nothing too extreme. The romance was sweet and innocent. One kissing scene and it is SO CUTE OMG…HDHFJWSHFHJ
Sorry, anyways…
Yes, a clean read for sure.
(I won’t blog my review of Shadow, but know it gets even more intense and romantical, in a clean way, don’t worry. There’s more than just one teeny kiss *smirky face*. Also, a 5-star read.)
(Conclusion 5/5)
I think this lengthy review speaks for itself. I adored this book, this duology. I highly recommend you read the Heirs of Neverland and explore the amazing stories of Kara Swanson. This author creates beautiful adventures that leave you craving for more.
Genres: Retellings, Fantasy, Christian, Young Adult, Romance
!TRIGGER WARNING!
Mentions of self-harm, self-deprecation, mild violence
Follow author on Insta: @karaswanson
Follow publisher on Insta: @enclavepublishing
”The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” John 1:5 ESV
Julia Rose Books 