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Dust City

by Robert Paul Weston (Goodreads Author)

3.51 of 5 stars 3.51 · rating details · 776 ratings · 218 reviews

When your dad is the wolf who killed Little Red Riding Hood, life is no fairy tale.

Henry Whelp is a Big Bad Wolf. Or will be, someday. His dad is doing time for the double murder of Little Red Riding Hood and her grandmother so everyone assumes crime is in Henry's blood. For years, he's kept a low profile in a Home for Wayward Wolves on the outskirts of Dust City--a gritty...more

Hardcover, 299 pages

Published September 30th 2010 by Razorbill

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May 01, 2012 Miriam rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, ya, younger

A book about being the son of the Big Bad Wolf really should not be boring. But the Big Bad Wolf is not Big or Bad at all -- he's more like a pathetic little stooge, the two-bit criminal who ends up playing the fall guy for the real masterminds. But still a criminal, someone who could be taken advantage of by the worse guys because of the position he had chosen to put himself in by working for them. He wasn't framed, just foolish. His son Henry Whelp is more of the same. He seems nice enough at...more A book about being the son of the Big Bad Wolf really should not be boring. But the Big Bad Wolf is not Big or Bad at all -- he's more like a pathetic little stooge, the two-bit criminal who ends up playing the fall guy for the real masterminds. But still a criminal, someone who could be taken advantage of by the worse guys because of the position he had chosen to put himself in by working for them. He wasn't framed, just foolish. His son Henry Whelp is more of the same. He seems nice enough at the beginning, an okay kid who has ended up in juvie through a combination of negative social assumptions based on his father, poor choices on his part, and having nowhere to go. So I started out ready to be sympathetic to him, but any time he is faced with a decision he either passively goes along with what those around him want (even when it is clearly illegal or harmful) or chooses without reasoning or consideration (even when it is clearly a bad idea). His poor judgement I actually thought was one of the more realistic aspects of this book, but combined with his bland, blank personality it did not make him an intriguing protagonist.

The whole "animal" aspect was remarkably uninteresting as well. It's a great (if not original) idea -- a vaguely fairy tale community where animals have evolved and live alongside ~~human beings~~ hominids. But there doesn't seem to be any animal quality to their behavior aside from violence, and that usually only under the influence of drugs. As far as I could gather from the meager descriptions, they look basically like the animals we know, but walk upright and have opposable thumbs (I guess? They can write letters and open doors and take photographs, etc, but their hands aren't really described) and wear clothes. It was not clear to me if they were all roughly the same size. They are not were-animals, just animals. But they don't act in any particular animals ways or live in groups approximating nature (like wolves having packs). So basically they are just furry people who the hominids are vaguely racist against for undisclosed reasons. Boring. There were also some boring fairies who lived in Eden(?!) and were helpfully helpful, again not for any reason that is really explained. They aren't in this book, anyway, because they're all gone or dead before it starts. Or as we later learn, (view spoiler) for reasons that aren't very plausible.

This slight action/fantasy is really more of a 2.5. It doesn't merit the 3 stars because I've given a number of flawed but far more enjoyable and well-written novels 3 as well, and I had to force myself to finish this by reminding myself that it was a quick and easy read that I was half-done with already, might as well get to the end, etc. But 2 stars for me usually involves some more glaring offense like significant internal inconsistencies, horribly bad writing, or offensive ideas that either distract or piss me off. And this really didn't have any of those. It didn't have much, actually. The characters were extremely underdeveloped, even the point of view protagonist Henry, whose emotional responses and inner voice we should have been seeing far more of. The plot was fairly weak, too. The world-building has some cool ideas, but, again, not sufficiently fleshed out. I suspect even the author recognized this, since the book ends with a couple characters idly wondering what's out there in the rest of the world, outside their region. Um, what?! They have, you know, technology and newspapers and stuff but no one has ever explored? That's just ridiculous unless you are writing a "walled city" type story, which this isn't. They even mention the old times before animals evolved so obviously they didn't all always live together in this town near another town. It's like the author doesn't have a very realized conception of the world he is setting the story in. Overall, the whole thing felt like a second draft, a project where the author had first gotten some ideas down, then gone through and smoothed out the writing and transitions -- the skin, if you would -- instead of building up the actual flesh of the story. Boring, and disappointing.(less)

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Oct 20, 2010 Janina rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy, fairy-tale, on-my-shelf, read-in-2010, dystopian-apocalyptic, available-for-swapping, children-s, male-pov

Starting this book, I was expecting some kind of werewolf story with a few fairytale elements thrown in. It turned out that I was way wrong …

Meet Henry. He is a wolf. Yes, a wolf. Without the were. Following some stone-throwing incident (and due to his father's bad reputation as the murderer of Little Red Riding Hood), he ends up at The St. Remus Home for Wayward Youth.
After the unexpected death of one of his only confidants there, and after finding letters from his father that have been kept fr...more Starting this book, I was expecting some kind of werewolf story with a few fairytale elements thrown in. It turned out that I was way wrong …

Meet Henry. He is a wolf. Yes, a wolf. Without the were. Following some stone-throwing incident (and due to his father's bad reputation as the murderer of Little Red Riding Hood), he ends up at The St. Remus Home for Wayward Youth.
After the unexpected death of one of his only confidants there, and after finding letters from his father that have been kept from him, Henry decides to make an escape. He wants to prove his father's innocence and find the fairies who disappeared years ago – and with them the magic of their dust – even if that means he has to work for the most dangerous criminal in the whole city.

Weston has definitely created an original world with Dust City. The premise of this book is unlike anything I've read before. It is dark and creepy, staring a lot of fairytale characters gone wrong. It is home to all kinds of creatures: animalia (wolves, ravens, mules and more) and hominids (dwarves, goblins …). It even brings up issues such as discriminations and segregations between those two groups.
But it lacks something. I can't really pinpoint what it is, but it made the book only okay for me.

First of all, the author somehow fails to create a believing picture of the wolves (or maybe my imaginations is too weak for that). It was hard for me to envision what they should look like. They were simply portrayed as animals walking on two legs instead of four and wearing clothes.
Secondly, the characters, especially Henry, remain kind of flat and therefore I never felt any true attachment. The book focuses mainly on the action and adventure part, and the aspects making out a character, such as his relationships with others for example, are only treated briefly.
Henry's 'voice' (the story is told from his perspective) never felt distinctive to me.
Thirdly, some characters are introduced just to vanish/be hurt and then not be mentioned again. You can't be sure what happened to them and funnily enough, Henry never thinks about them again, either.
And finally, at some parts of the story, I wanted to hit the characters for their stupidity. They walk into situations of extreme danger without a real plan (maybe check if one of the villains is sneaking up on you next time, huh?) and get caught in surprise in at least two or three cases, resulting in them being held prison, then escaping again … You get the picture.

I had problems deciding if I should give this book two or three stars. It certainly isn't bad in terms of writing/plot. I can imagine that a lot of people would enjoy it quite a bit, especially if they are into novels that have a lot of action and suspense, but don't mind if the part focusing on relationships remains small.
For me, though, it lacked important aspects I look for in a story. So I'm settling for two stars here.(less)

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Oct 18, 2010 Arlene rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: faeries, fantasy, paranormal, read-2010, weres-shifters, street-corner-pick, ya-paranormal, young-adult

Rating clarification: 2.5 Stars

My lower rating is no reflection of the quality of the book; it’s actually written quite well and the possibilities are there for the making of a creative story. I think… simply put… it just wasn’t for me. Maybe too young for my taste? Possibly a level of bizarre I couldn’t quite grasp?? Not sure.

Overall, the premise is unique but definitely outlandish and as I said before.. very bizarre. The main character Henry Whelp is likeable and engaging and the setting… wel...more

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Oct 23, 2010 oliviasbooks rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult-fiction, urban-fantasy-paranormal, scifi-dystopian-apocalyptic, retellings-continuations, other-creatures, faeries-elves-pixies, swapped-or-given-away, unfinished-2010, boarding-school-plot

I feel so bad about giving up, because "Dust City" is really easy to read and I would leaf through the remaining hundred pages in a blink. But I am too lazy to invest the time, because I know it will not chance my opinion - or my life, or even my day. It's too late for that after two thirds.

As we all had the same difficulties with the visuals: I imagined the evolved-towards-human-standards-intelligence animalia dystopian-fairytale-retelling-setting to be a nightmare-turned world of the Calico Cr ...more

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Oct 19, 2010 Kim rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: bookclub, ya, read-in-2010, unfinished

I decided to give up on this book and base my rating on the story so far. It's not that I don't like it, but my current mood really can't take much more of this. It doesn't feel right to quit, but it doesn't feel right to read it either. So I'll probably pick it up again later, when I'm in a more positive state of mind.

Apologies to my Street Corner Friends.

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Oct 17, 2010 ~Tina~ rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: bookers-pick, young-adult, fairy-tale, read-2010, gave-or-give-away

(3.5 Stars)

Henry Whelp is the son of the Big Bad Wolf, who killed Little Red and her grandma and is in prison for his crime. Only, Henry finds out that his father might not have been in his right mind when he did it and it's up to Henry to find the real fairies and stop a sinister dwarf gangster named Skinner. With the help of his thieving best friend Jack and a wolf named Fiona, Henry will finally get the answers he needs or be destined to be the Big Bad Wolf, himself.

This book is such a freake...more

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May 25, 2011 Krys rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, medium-length-book, urban-dark-fantasy-paranormal, first-person-narrative, retelling, fairy-tale-themed, fairy-pixie-themed, werewolf-shapeshifter, mermaids-sirens-selkies, read-in-2010, arcs-i-no-longer-have, stand-alone

Dust City by Robert Paul Weston was about what I expected, and yet nothing what I anticipated. It's a weird conglomeration of Pulp Mystery, Fairy Tale, and Werewolf tale. It reminds me a touch of Sin City... if Sin City were being told about adolescent boys... in a Grimm's Fairy Tale. It's weird, and good, but it's not perfect.

Henry Whelp lives in St. Remus, a home for wayward boys. Years ago his Father went mad and killed Red Riding Hood and her Grandmother. Henry fears he will be just like him...more

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Oct 11, 2011 Canadian Children's Book Centre added it

Ever since his father’s arrest for the double murder of Little Red Riding Hood and her grandmother, everyone has assumed that Henry Whelp has crime in his blood. For years Henry has lived in a Home for Wayward Wolves on the outskirts of Dust City — a gritty metropolis known for its black-market, mind-altering dust. When a murder at the home forces Henry to escape, he begins to suspect that his father may have been framed. With the help of a daring she-wolf named Fiona, Henry travels into the dar...more

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Apr 20, 2013 Alex rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, april

Reason for picking up the book: The cover of the book,which is a wolf, reminds me of a story that i have read when i was young called "the boy who cried wolf." I wondered if this book would be related to the story in anyway so out of curiosity I Picked the book.

Reason for finishing the book: The reason i finished the book was the exact same reason as Why I picked up the book, it was out of curiosity. It took a long time to read only half the book, so I was thinking, if i could finish the first h...more

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Feb 19, 2013 Rachel T. rated it 4 of 5 stars

In the book Dust City by Robert Paul Weston, Henry Whelp, son of the big bad wolf, wants to find out the truth about the disappearance of fairies, but many people want to keep the truth a secret so he goes on an adventure to figure it out himself. I think that this book is well written and it is easy to imagine the characters and the events inside the book. For example, when the author describes Henry’s recurring nightmare about Little Red Riding Hood and her grandmother, I could visualize him c...more

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Dec 03, 2012 Ninian rated it 2 of 5 stars

Two stars. To be fair, I have only read 5 chapters of this novel and they were the final five chapters. I was subbing today in a grade 8 classroom and I had to read the ending of the book to the students. I asked them before we started what had happened so far and their explanation was vague and dull. Okay, fair enough, 13 year olds might not be the best at giving a synopsis of a novel. They told me it was dull. Even kids that are avid readers told me it was dull.

The ending...was dull. I didn't...more

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Sep 04, 2012 Paper Droids rated it 4 of 5 stars

With the zeitgeist in the entertainment industry skewing so heavily towards fairy tale remakes, I wasn’t too impressed with that sell line when I picked this book up. Let it be known here and now that if I’d made up my mind then and there, I would have seriously missed out one one of the best fairy-tale reimaginations I’ve read or seen in quite a while.

Dust City takes fairy tales and does not just re-tell them, but re-casts them entirely into a forest of urban concrete where wolves run in gangs,...more

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Jun 30, 2012 Julia rated it 3 of 5 stars

Reviewed by Shannon at RexRobotReviews.com

Dust City is one of those books where I enjoyed the concept more than the actual story. Don’t get me wrong, it is very well written. And clever. It has a great Chandler-esqe feel to it. I can envision the black and white streets of Dust City and practically hear Skinner chomping on a cigar and saying “Yeah, see?”. And I LOVED that about Dust City. Weston takes well known fairy tale characters and tropes, turns them upside down and spits them back out int...more

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Jun 30, 2012 Becky rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, fantasy, dystopias, multi-dimensional, mystery-and-thrillers, mythology, owned, political, reviewed, romance, young-adult, challenge-1010

I picked this book up on a whim a while back, when it was on offer at a favorite discount store here. I'd never heard of it before, but thought that it looked interesting, and for $2.99 I'm willing to chance it.

So now I've read it, and... well... There were some things that I liked, and some things that didn't work for me.

I liked the interweaving of fairytale characters into the story. I thought that the way it was done was pretty neat. But I felt like they were all just kind of name-dropped,...more I picked this book up on a whim a while back, when it was on offer at a favorite discount store here. I'd never heard of it before, but thought that it looked interesting, and for $2.99 I'm willing to chance it.

So now I've read it, and... well... There were some things that I liked, and some things that didn't work for me.

I liked the interweaving of fairytale characters into the story. I thought that the way it was done was pretty neat. But I felt like they were all just kind of name-dropped, with the exception of just a few, and I wanted to know more about their alternate existences. Like Detective White, who is a tough, take-no-guff cop, who got to be so tough by fighting off the seven men she lived with... What? In what way? Sexually? Were they drunken abusers? This little tidbit raises a lot of questions, because in my mind, the Seven Dwarfs took Snow White in in her hour of need, and sheltered her, and helped her. They weren't creepy old men crawling into her bed at night, or abusers, which is what the reference in this book makes me think. Yet there's zero additional information given, nothing to clarify the statement. It's true that the characters we see in this book aren't the characters we'd expect, but... dang.

I liked the way fairydust was depicted... I liked the way it was used, and exploited, as if it's a drug (which is pretty much accurate). I really liked the way the City is kind of modernistic, with a big, name brand thaumaturgical (read: pharmacological) industry, complete with loose morals and even looser principles... and advertising, too.

I also liked the concept of the divisive nature of the City and its inhabitants... Hominids vs. Animalia. Just shows that we'll latch onto anything to keep from being too accepting of the neighbors. They're different! THE HORROR!

I didn't much care for or about any of the characters here... I thought they weren't developed well enough. (This is in addition to wanting more evidence regarding the libel perpetrated on seven innocent until proven guilty dwarfs.) I thought Henry was atrociously bad at investigation... I mean, jeez, he strolls into the Bad Guys' Lair and proceeds to ask said Bad Guys where they hide their Evil Doings. "Is it behind that curtain over there that says 'Keep Out! Bad Guys Only!'? Mind my own business? OK."

For realsies?? Ugh.

I thought that this had a good concept, but I just didn't think that anything was developed enough. The characters felt flat, they weren't even described except in the barest terms, there really wasn't anything to identify with, and I certainly didn't understand Henry's motivation for anything... It was like he was just doing things to progress the story rather than having any actual purpose in doing them. "I'm gonna go left now." "Why?" "Uhh... Because that's what I have to do in order to be in place for Chapter 6." "Umm... OK."

That's really all. Good concept, not so great execution. (less)

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Jun 28, 2012 Rachel rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

I had a hard time deciding how many stars to give this book. I read the whole thing because I needed to know how it turned out--otherwise it was going to bother me. I didn't really enjoy it much, though.

(One thing you have to get straight first: this is not the real world. It's not a fantasy world either, not really. Not since all the fairies disappeared. They used to fly around and grant wishes and whatnot, but then they just vanished. Poof. So the fairy tale creatures in the world below the sp...more I had a hard time deciding how many stars to give this book. I read the whole thing because I needed to know how it turned out--otherwise it was going to bother me. I didn't really enjoy it much, though.

(One thing you have to get straight first: this is not the real world. It's not a fantasy world either, not really. Not since all the fairies disappeared. They used to fly around and grant wishes and whatnot, but then they just vanished. Poof. So the fairy tale creatures in the world below the sparkling city where the fairies lived built a bridge up to it and it was empty. All the fairies were gone. So the corporations figured out a way to synthesize fairy dust. There's legal dust, which is expensive, and there's illegal contraband dust, which is evil.)

Henry's father is the Big Bad Wolf, and he killed Little Red Riding Hood. Then Henry figures something out that suggests his father's case might be worth reopening...but to find the evidence, he has to become an illegal dust runner for Rumpelstiltskin, who can turn anything into gold, including people.

There are fairy tale characters you'll recognize scattered all over the book. Big Bad Wolf as Henry's father. Rumpelstiltskin as a smuggler and crime boss. Jack (the one with the beanstalk) as Henry's klepto roommate. Snow White and Cinderella as cops (not as funny as you'd expect. This book doesn't do humor, so if you're looking for something funny I would suggest trying another book.)

I think the saddest thing is that the premise sounded excellent. It could've been a great book. (I'll admit I was also attracted to the cover. I mean, look at it! It's fantastic! The clouds of dust. The city at the bottom. The wolf eyes at the top. The tagline is Who's afraid of the Big Bad Wolf? Genius!) I read this book because it sounded good. Otherwise I wouldn't have picked it up, unless I got a truly glowing review from a friend whose book judgment I trust.

The end left me wondering a little bit. I still had some questions, and I didn't really like the way the author finished the book. All in all, it just wasn't that good of a book, which is really a shame, because it sounded great.(less)

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Jun 05, 2012 The Writer of Dream Things added it

Shelves: did-not-finish

Because I didn't finish this, I'm not going to give it a star rating. I'll list what I liked and what I didn't like.

What I liked:

1) The concept. I thought the way the author set up the world was really interesting, with the dust as a sort of illegal drug and Snow White as a cop. I really enjoyed the neat little twists on classic characters like that.

2)Jack and Siobhan. Honestly, I would have preferred it if Jack was the main character. Through the one third of the novel I did read, he just had s...more Because I didn't finish this, I'm not going to give it a star rating. I'll list what I liked and what I didn't like.

What I liked:

1) The concept. I thought the way the author set up the world was really interesting, with the dust as a sort of illegal drug and Snow White as a cop. I really enjoyed the neat little twists on classic characters like that.

2)Jack and Siobhan. Honestly, I would have preferred it if Jack was the main character. Through the one third of the novel I did read, he just had so much spark and life than Henry, the main character. Even Siobhan caught more interest.

3) The setting. From what little I know, it sounds as though the city's based off Toronto. Yay Canada!

What I didn't like:

1) Henry. It's not that I didn't like him. I just found him really hard to connect to, and sort of... dull. He seems to be simply defined by negatives: the tragedies in his life, what he doesn't like... I can't remember him liking anything except Fiona, but I was looking for more. I wanted to understand not just what made him mad or sad, but what would make him happy. Without that added dimension, he just didn't feel alive enough for me. He was sort of too gloomy for me to love.

2) Fiona. Run-of-the-mill love interest. There to push the story along, and then she sort of just disappears. Ugh.

3) The pacing. It just seemed to go really slow, and I didn't have enough connection to any of the characters to not mind the sluggishness.

4) The lack of connection with the characters. Enough said.

So I picked up this book in the library because I love fairy tales with twists, and honestly there was nothing else that caught my interest. Sadly, this book disappointed me and I could not finish. Maybe it picks up and ends with a bang, so I'll leave it to you to decide if it's worth your time. What's one person's disappointment could be another's salvation, so if any of you actually read this, take my words with a grain of salt. It's just my opinion, and even I must admit I'm only human. ;P(less)

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Apr 24, 2012 Linna rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

When you combine elements of mystery, noir, corporate greed and gritty city streets with (would you have guessed?) traditional fairy tale lore, while featuring a young protagonist who just happens to be a wolf, you get something pretty interesting. And Henry isn’t just any wolf– he’s the son of the Big Bad himself.

Let’s start with the excellent: you can’t say DUST CITY isn’t original. The city itself is populated with a variety of creatures, with two basic groups: hominids, including everything...more When you combine elements of mystery, noir, corporate greed and gritty city streets with (would you have guessed?) traditional fairy tale lore, while featuring a young protagonist who just happens to be a wolf, you get something pretty interesting. And Henry isn’t just any wolf– he’s the son of the Big Bad himself.

Let’s start with the excellent: you can’t say DUST CITY isn’t original. The city itself is populated with a variety of creatures, with two basic groups: hominids, including everything from goblins to fairies, and animals– human-sized ravens, foxes, and of course, wolves who seem to walk on two feet. It might seem like an odd image at first, but it didn’t bother me for too long.

The setting is my favorite part of the book. It has some interesting history behind it, which explores some ancient past where animals were as we knew them today. The story doesn’t avoid the dark side of town, and although Henry is a likable, sympathetic lead, he gets mixed up in some shady business, which concerns another interesting element of the setting: dust. Fairy dust, to be exact. The ‘real’ stuff vanished long ago, but factories have been managing to manufacture imitations that are almost too good to be true. Henry gets drawn into the truth behind the trade, he also delves into what happened the night his father attacked a little girl in a red cape and her grandmother.

It’s fun to see how the fairy tale characters we all know will be reimagined in a retelling, and DUST CITY doesn’t disappoint. We’ve already got the big bad wolf, but we’re also introduced to a cast that includes Jack (a mischievous boy with a habit for thievery) and Snow White (as a hardboiled, no-nonsense cop). She didn’t have an abundance of page time, but her appearances were entertaining to say the least. The original characters were just as lively, with some wolfish personalities such as a rival-turned-ally and a quirky therapist at the detention facility that Henry lives in at the start of the story.

The romance didn't feel all that necessary. While Henry is running around the dark side of town looking for answers, there’s not a lot of opportunities for Fiona to establish herself as a character, or a love interest. Near the end of the book, she tags along with him for a final, dramatic showdown with the antagonists of the story, but it was too late for me to really be invested in how much they suddenly cared for each other. I liked her character; she’s a savvy journalist who’s important in uncovering the truth behind the synthetic fairy dust, but the romance felt a little tacked on.

If the sound of this book so far sounds the slightest bit interesting to you, give DUST CITY a read. The plot moves along at a good clip and of all the recent fairy tale retellings released on shelves, I think it’s the most original. The more complex issues are included– discrimination, whether the parents’ wrongdoings should pass onto their children, drug addiction, and so on– but not in a great deal of depth. Still, it’s a fascinating journey with likable characters, and seeing some familiar faces in a new light is entertaining enough on its own.(less)

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Feb 22, 2012 Arthur Pengerbil rated it 4 of 5 stars

Reading Level: Grades 7+

In this futuristic post-fairies fairy tale world, companies mine fairy dust residue in the earth from long-ago magic to sell as minor first aid remedies. Henry seems to be the only citizen unwilling to use this somewhat makeshift fairy dust, as his mother was killed in an accident involving a truckload of the stuff.

Our main character Henry’s father is the Big Bad Wolf, and when Henry has one little teenage slipup (a broken window), he is sent to the St. Remus Home for Way...more

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Jun 25, 2011 Annie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-books

Dust City was not my favorite fairy tale retelling, not by a long shot. I’d much rather had reread any of Alex Flinn’s books. But, the book wasn’t horrible. It was simply okay. There were a few scenes and chapters that I really enjoyed but they weren’t enough for me to really like this book.
In the world of Dust City, fairydust is a drug. It can do anything, from a concussion to raising the dead. Everyone uses it and it’s very addicting. But the fairies aren’t the ones with the dust. The fairies...more Dust City was not my favorite fairy tale retelling, not by a long shot. I’d much rather had reread any of Alex Flinn’s books. But, the book wasn’t horrible. It was simply okay. There were a few scenes and chapters that I really enjoyed but they weren’t enough for me to really like this book.
In the world of Dust City, fairydust is a drug. It can do anything, from a concussion to raising the dead. Everyone uses it and it’s very addicting. But the fairies aren’t the ones with the dust. The fairies disappeared when Henry was a pup and now a corporation called Nimbus is distributing the dust. Henry breaks out of his wayward house to try to find out why the fairies left, if his dad is innocent and where Nimbus gets their dust. He meets a whole cast of characters, many of them with their own traditional fairy tale background. For example, Jack; Jack and the Bean stock; Detective White, Snow White; Skinner, Midas; Cindy Bella, Cinderella; among others.
One of the major problems for me was picturing the animalia. In Dust City, many species of animals have evolved to stand up right, were clothes and talk. Also, these animals are the size of humans. That means there are wolves, frogs, ravens, and foxes walking around as big as you and me. This was incredibly hard to picture. I pictured Henry and Fiona as humans all of the time.
On the character side of things, I thought the main characters could have been better. They were a little flat. I like the side characters much more, even the ones who are supposed to be Henry’s nemesis. My favorite characters where Detective White and Tom.
What I can say positively is that I never guessed the twists. They always surprised me. Also I LOVED the setting. A city hooked on dust, it’s like a city hooked on drugs and what can be more interesting? I especially liked the gritty scenes when Henry was delivering dust to addicts. I thought that seeing how hooked the city was on dust brought the story to a deeper level. However, I felt these parts should have been part of a different book. One that delved deeper into the city’s connection to dust, because while Dust City did have these scenes they were never mentioned again and they would have been and should have been dramatizing to Henry.
If you have nothing better to read, and you find Dust City on your library shelf, I would say give it a try. While very cheesy throughout most of the book, there are scenes that will make you think and wonder if our society is following the same path. Also Dust City is full of non-stop action with a little wolfy romance slipped it.
(less)

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Jun 08, 2011 April (CSI:Librarian) rated it 5 of 5 stars

(Originally posted @ CSI:Librarian.)

This book is absolutely magic, full of dark fairy tales and really fascinating characters that put the grim in Grimm’s Fairy Tales. The skill with which Weston writes was exhilarating and I had a very hard time putting this book down. I refuse to give this awesome plot away, but here are some of the many reasons why I had to give Dust City 5 stars.

The real power of this story comes from Henry being so likeable and relatable. Yes his problems are out there in a...more (Originally posted @ CSI:Librarian.)

This book is absolutely magic, full of dark fairy tales and really fascinating characters that put the grim in Grimm’s Fairy Tales. The skill with which Weston writes was exhilarating and I had a very hard time putting this book down. I refuse to give this awesome plot away, but here are some of the many reasons why I had to give Dust City 5 stars.

The real power of this story comes from Henry being so likeable and relatable. Yes his problems are out there in a lot of ways, but he’s also dealing with trying to find a way to be defined not only by his father’s actions but by his own. As someone who seems to continually pick up books where the main character frustrates me to no end, Henry Whelp was just the cure for my reading blues. He was such a sweet, troubled wolf and a terrific character to follow along from start to finish.

The world was also fantastic, and while it had some elements common to fairy tale modernizations, I felt there was a lot of originality at work. I like the idea of the fairies being gone, for example, and that all they’ve left is a ruined world where people are forced to manufacture their own fairydust that doesn’t work out nearly as well as the real thing. Weston’s vision is darker than most and easier to get immersed in.

I really liked a lot of less modernized fairy tales were added to the mix such as Hans My Hedgehog and The Girl Without Hands. I had a blast trying to figure out who certain minor characters were in cases where it wasn’t obvious. I was pleased to see Snow White as a cop, Jack as a teenage con artist and Rumplestiltskin as a mobster. I also loved that there were so many animal characters as well and all of them living in the same sort of way humans did but with some discrimination since not everyone in Dust City approves of talking animals.

So for those in need of a change from the typical dystopian trilogy but wanting something with a lot of umph to it or anyone who has enjoyed Bill Willingham’s Fables, I heartily suggest taking a look at this book. I have a feeling it’s become lost in the shuffle and really ought to be more appreciated. I found it delightfully refreshing to read about a teenage wolf. Not a werewolf, not a shape shifter and not a wolf who can become a boy if he wants to, but an actual wolf, and not just a wolf but the son of the Big Bad Wolf. It doesn’t get much better than that.(less)

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Feb 14, 2011 Lesley rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fairy-tale, mystery

There are a lot of fairytale retellings out there, but none like this one. Even without the fairytale elements, it would have been a great story: noir-ish-type mystery with lots of action, danger, and suspense, plus a compelling coming-of-age story for the main character who is dealing with grieving for his mother, resenting his father for getting sent to prison, and surviving his own stint in juvie. But then add in the fact that he's a wolf--not a werewolf, but an anthropomorphized wolf with op...more

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Feb 11, 2011 Vinaya rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: bleh, children-s-fantasy

Once upon a time, there lived a much-reviled fairy tale character.

He was reputed to be mean and nasty, but really, he was just a Big Ole Softie!

With the help of some kooky friends...

... he managed to find true love,

...save a kingdom

and Live happily ever after!

(I know the pictures are unnecessary, but it's SHREK!)

... Shrek is everything Dust City is not. Funny, adorable and entertaining as hell! Dust City is what Shrek would be if DreamWorks had lost its mind and decided to take itself too...more

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Jan 25, 2011 A Canadian Girl rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010, 4-stars, razorbill

For fans of fairytales, Dust City by Robert Paul Weston is a highly creative story that’s full of mystery and suspense. From the dream Henry has involving Little Red Riding Hood and her grandmother to Henry finding out why the fairies abandoned them, the dark atmosphere suffused throughout the novel made Dust City an enjoyable read.

I also really liked how Weston made fairydust a drug that people crave because it can help you achieve your destiny. However, it became even more unique in his book b...more

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Nov 28, 2010 Lit Fest Magazine rated it 4 of 5 stars

Dust City
by
Robert Paul Weston

I would have picked up Dust City by Robert Paul Weston on my own if I had seen it on the shelf at a bookstore. Modern, gritty next-generation re-imagining of the Grimm fairytale world? Yes, please, and seconds while you're at it. It's like someone wrote a book for me.

Henry Whelp, son of Little Red Riding Hood's big bad wolf (who is currently doing time in prison for the infamous double homicide), has been bounced around the foster system his entire life, until he f...more
Dust City
by
Robert Paul Weston

I would have picked up Dust City by Robert Paul Weston on my own if I had seen it on the shelf at a bookstore. Modern, gritty next-generation re-imagining of the Grimm fairytale world? Yes, please, and seconds while you're at it. It's like someone wrote a book for me.

Henry Whelp, son of Little Red Riding Hood's big bad wolf (who is currently doing time in prison for the infamous double homicide), has been bounced around the foster system his entire life, until he finally ends up in juvenile hall. Because he's a wolf, and anthropomorphic animals can't get a fair shake in a society run by hominids, Henry hasn't got much to look forward to on either side of the reformatory wall. That is, until his father contacts him, asking for help finding out how he was framed. Soon, Henry finds himself involved in the city's seedy fairydust-pushing underbelly, fighting for his life, as well as the lives of all the other disenfranchised scum.

Dust City works because it's obvious that Weston has studied fairy tales, and because he doesn't hit us over the head with the fact. A hint here and there informs entire blocks of fairytale knowledge, and not just the ones that have gotten the Disney movie treatment. Sure, we meet Snow White and Cinderella, but we also brush past the heroine of “The Juniper Tree” and other more obscure characters. Sometimes it will take several pages before the reader realizes who Henry's just met. It's a thrilling little world Weston has created, full of interesting parallels (fairydust might look a bit like marijuana in the right philosophical light, and the entirety of the city's society is based on pre-1960's civil rights issues) that make Dust City a particularly insidious bit of satire.

There are a few rough patches in the novel. The book is fairly slim (only about 300 pages), but the third act is rushed. Another ten or so pages would have made the resolution that much more resounding. Also, some parts of the city economy don't make sense in light of the end of the novel. Still, I would totally pick up a sequel.

The only thing that kills me is that this book will never be made into a movie in America – at least, not in any recognizable form. For the most part, it's a pulp novel, light and airy for all of its heavy subtext, but the – by far – most interesting section is completely unfilmable by American movie houses – even the independent ones. That scene is also what would make me hesitate in recommending it for any readers younger than 14. Which is a tragedy, because in a market of mediocre, broadly-adapted comic book movies, the screen version of Dust City could be absolutely spectacular.

Reviewed by Kat Barron for Lit Fest Magazine(less)

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Oct 25, 2010 Nicola rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, own

Reason for Reading: I'm a big fan of books with fairy tale characters in a modern setting.

The publisher's summary had me believing that this fantasy was going to be some sort of mystery adventure as the son of the big bad wolf tried to prove his innocence. I was not prepared for the gritty, urban fantasy world that I was about to enter! This is a dark, harsh world that imagines what would have happened if Grimm's medieval fairy tale characters had evolved into bi-pedal, speaking creatures integr...more Reason for Reading: I'm a big fan of books with fairy tale characters in a modern setting.

The publisher's summary had me believing that this fantasy was going to be some sort of mystery adventure as the son of the big bad wolf tried to prove his innocence. I was not prepared for the gritty, urban fantasy world that I was about to enter! This is a dark, harsh world that imagines what would have happened if Grimm's medieval fairy tale characters had evolved into bi-pedal, speaking creatures integrated with the human population. Henry Whelp, whose father is in prison for killing a girl and her grandmother, is in detention centre for wayward youth, but mainly animalia, and especially wolves. He doesn't want to follow in his father's footsteps and visits his psychiatrist every week. But when the doctor is found hanging from the rafters one fine day, Henry discovers some secrets and manages to escape. Dust City is the major producer of fairydust since the fairies all took off and left and in trying to prove his father's innocence he is lead on a trail that takes him to the depths of the city's grimy underworld, and learns horrendous secrets about the missing fairies.

This was a non-stop read for me. Highly entertaining and suspenseful, plot driven with lots of action. The cast is a motley crew of creatures from giants and goblins to a lovable elven grandma. Henry is the only one with a full development of background and motivators but all the characters come across enough to have feelings for (or against) them in this action driven novel. It is dark, harsh and gritty. There is violence, bullying, torture and everything else not nice, with a few uncomfortable scenes, but never beyond age appropriateness. Dust City is a book you can really get your teeth into. Mostly populated with male characters, there do come into play two (perhaps we can say three) strong females who carry important roles in the plot.

I was very impressed with this novel, absolutely loved the story and it's dark, gritty tale. A must add to any urban fantasy enthusiast's bookshelf!(less)

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Sep 15, 2010 Pamela Kramer rated it 5 of 5 stars

Link to my review:
http://www.examiner.com/young-adult-f...

Body of review: Dust City is what you might get if you put Homer, the Brothers Grimm and Elmore Leonard in a room together and had them co-author a novel.

This is the tale of a teenager who is all-too-human, even though he is a wolf. The setting is a world where differences in the inhabitants are marked not by the color of one's skin, or the language one speaks, but by the type of fur one has and the number of his legs.

The animalia are the...more
Link to my review:
http://www.examiner.com/young-adult-f...

Body of review: Dust City is what you might get if you put Homer, the Brothers Grimm and Elmore Leonard in a room together and had them co-author a novel.

This is the tale of a teenager who is all-too-human, even though he is a wolf. The setting is a world where differences in the inhabitants are marked not by the color of one's skin, or the language one speaks, but by the type of fur one has and the number of his legs.

The animalia are the second class citizens in this world, and the homonids (including such varied types as giants, elves, humans and dwarves) rule.

Our hero, Henry Whelp, begins the tale in a home for juvenile delinquents. Like many a classic hero, Henry is alone in the world; his father is in jail for committing a vicious murder, and his mother is dead. During Henry's odyssey, he travels to many enchanting but eerily dangerous places, including the underworld (twisted dark tunnels under the city) and the heavens (not so aptly called Eden in the story).

Friends and acquaintances made along the way are not always as they appear, nor is Henry's quest as clear-cut as it seems. Henry's father urges Henry to find out where the fairies went. The fairies--who had real magic--disappeared, leaving behind a world bereft of hopes and dreams. In the place of magic was fairy dust, a chemical alternative marketed and sold in pharmacies, but also sold by sleazy characters on street corners.

Is Henry a murderous (big bad) wolf like his father, or is he a good wolf like his mother? Can he solve the mystery of why his father committed the vicious murders for which he is so notorious? Most of all--can Henry solve the mystery of the missing fairies and what their disappearance might mean for the rest of the world?

There is no literature more important to young adults than literature about the odyssey toward truth and self-knowledge. In Dust City, the tortured and tortuous path to this truth is as twisted and as full of dangers as the paths taken by other heroes on the great quest, heroes from Odysseus to Holden Caulfield, and from Huck Finn to Harry Potter.

High school teachers will find this book perfect for reading during an Odyssey unit, for there is much to discuss with students about the journey and what the hero learns along the way. This book makes learning about the odyssey a contemporary, compelling entertainment, but be warned: The story is rife with fairy tale references, so before reading, make sure your students brush up on their Hans Christian Anderson, Grimm and other classic fairy tales. The rewards of the students' own reading adventure will soon become pleasantly and plentifully evident and enlightening.(less)

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Nov 14, 2012 Beverly rated it 2 of 5 stars Recommends it for: 10-13 year olds

Recommended to Beverly by: Indie Next List/indiebound.org

Shelves: good-reads-for-reluctant-readers

Dust City has action and interesting characters, but nothing really special. Dust City is a sort of fairy tale reimagined as a sort of thriller fiction. Henry Whelp is the son of the Big Bad Wolf - yes that Big Bad Wolf. With his father in prison for two murders, Henry was living in a home for troubled boys until he learns that his father may have been drugged and set up as the fall guy by a crime lord. Henry runs away from the home to find proof that his father was framed and to bring down the...more

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Feb 22, 2012 Jacob rated it 5 of 5 stars

I loved Dust City, by Robert Pual Weston, and it was one of my favorite Red Maple series books. It was entertaining, exciting, kept me compelled to read more, and was definitely worth the time to read.

The book starts off with the main character describing the City where he lives in, and how it used to be, before all of the fairies disappeared. The fairies could make your destiny change from living in an alley to living in a mansion, give you money and popularity beyond your wildest dreams. But n...more

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Jun 01, 2011 Sharon Tyler rated it 5 of 5 stars

Dust City by Robert Paul Weston is a young adult novel that is both a fractured fairy tale and a work of noir fiction. The story takes place in the world of fairy tale creatures, including animals that have evolved and become anthropomorphized, long after the fairies have disappeared. The action in this story revolves around the big, bad wolf’s son Henry who is living in a juvenile detention center for a reasonably small offense. The big, bad wolf in in prison for killing a girl and her grandmot...more

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Jan 07, 2013 Meera rated it 4 of 5 stars

Everyone might disagree with me, but I personally love this book. This is not your typical fairytale with a dashing prince and a beautiful princess.
I'm not saying that this book isn't based on fairytales because it is. You get to meet the NOT so delicate Snow White, but a kick ass detective. You get to hear about the scary big bad wolf, but NOT SO BAD after-all. You get to see the NOT so happily ever after of the frog from The Princess and The Frog. All are intertwined together in this amazing...more Everyone might disagree with me, but I personally love this book. This is not your typical fairytale with a dashing prince and a beautiful princess.
I'm not saying that this book isn't based on fairytales because it is. You get to meet the NOT so delicate Snow White, but a kick ass detective. You get to hear about the scary big bad wolf, but NOT SO BAD after-all. You get to see the NOT so happily ever after of the frog from The Princess and The Frog. All are intertwined together in this amazing book.

Henry is the son of the imprisoned Big Bad Wolf that murdered Little Red Riding Hood and her grandmother. Wolves are considered to be the worst kind of creatures living; they are hated by everyone and are considered to be criminals in the city. Henry hates his father for what he had committed and is worried that he might end us with a similar future, until he discovers the truth about how his father was actually set-up into those murders and apparently magic has something to do with it.

I was dragged into Henry's journey of finding out the truth, and it was action packed and full of thrills. Henry is not the handsome werewolf you read in books, but an actual wolf that sometimes walks on two feet. Humans are rarely introduced in the book. Dust City is filled with creatures like Goblins, Nixies, Foxes, Wolves.. etc. Reading it made me feel like I am watching an anime of some sort, but a great one needless to say.

It was entertaining to read about the characters and how each of them builds up as the story goes. It was also great to try and figure out which fairytale each character comes from, which makes it feel like winning the lottery! :P

My favorite characters are White (AKA Snow White), and Gram the elf. Whenever they come up into the story, you never get bored!

I did not care much about Henry's and Fiona's relationship, but at the same time I didn't have to roll my eyes because thankfully R.P. Weston did not focus on it a lot as much as the plot of the story.

Overall, very entertaining and fast paced. This book is not for everyone, hence, I recommend it to readers who won't care of it being on actual animals rather than humans.(less)

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About Robert Paul Weston

Ahoy. This is my small, oddly-shaped island in the GoodReads archipelago. You're welcome to surf, swim in the lagoon, or stroll along the pier (where they sell prawns and whelks by the cupful). If you'd like to keep things topical—as well as tropical—head down to the beach and sling yourself in a hammock with a good book. One of these, perhaps...

My first novel, ZORGAMAZOO, won the 2011 California...more

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Quotes from Dust City

“It appeared painful to regrow a set of hands, but I can hardly blame her for dabbling in street magic. Anyone can see she's addicted to being whole.” — 4 people liked it

“Jiminy," says the old woman. The mothballs gleam with excitement and she claps her hands. "A wolf!"
"Gram!" Siobhan glares across the room. She turns to me. "You'll have to excuse her. She's real old. Wasn't a lot integrating between the species back in her day."
I pad over and put out a paw. "Pleased to meet you, madam."
She blushes, the varicose veins in her cheeks swelling with blood. Instead of taking my paw to shake, however, she turns it over as if it's a piece of bruised fruit in a market. "Hmmm..." She pores over my palm, nodding like a fortune-teller. Her spectacles slide comically down the bridge of her nose, and when she looks up at me, her face is full of mock astonishment. "Oh, my! What big teeth you have!" She giggles and kicks her slippered feet.
"Gram!!
The old elf claps her tiny hands. "I always wanted to say that!” — 3 people liked it

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