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Dust
SEVEN-YEAR-OLD MATTHEW DISAPPEARS one day on a walk into Horshoe, a dust bowl farm town in Depression-era Saskatchewan. Other children go missing just as a strange man named Abram Harsich appears in town. He dazzles the townspeople with the promises of a rainmaking machine. Only Matthew’s older brother Robert seems to be able to resist Abram’s spell, and to discover what happened to Matthew and the others.
A Governor General’s Award for Children’s Literature
An ALA Best Books for Young Adults
From the Hardcover edition.
A Governor General’s Award for Children’s Literature
An ALA Best Books for Young Adults
From the Hardcover edition.
192 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2001
81 people are currently reading
1215 people want to read
About the author
Arthur Slade
73 books523 followersArthur Slade was raised in the Cypress Hills of southwest Saskatchewan and began writing at an early age. He is the author of the bestselling The Hunchback Assignments series of books, Dust (which won the Governor General's award), Tribes and Jolted. He lives in Saskatoon, Canada (which really is a real place). Join his creative & somewhat clever newsletter at: what a zany newsletter!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 236 reviews
May 29, 2013
"Do you like being young?" the man asked.
Matthew didn't understand the question. He examined the stranger's smiling face. After a moment's thought he answered, "Yes."
"I was never young," the man said. He tipped his hat back, showing glistening white hair. "Do you believe me? I was never young."
Seven-year-old Matthew is pleased to be walking to town alone. He's busy envisioning how he will be waiting on the corner when his family finally pulls up with their horse and wagon. "See, Mom, I made it. My legs aren't too short," he'll proudly yell.
He's surprised as can be to hear a strange truck pulling up behind him.
Matthew never makes it to town that day. Only his hat is found.
His eleven-year-old brother, Robert, is stunned. Could Matthew have been swallowed by the wind or adopted by a coyote? Sometimes he's even forced to admit, "He's not coming back. Not ever. He's probably dead, okay? Dead. Like a little sparrow that falls out of the nest."
Then, a mysterious stranger arrives in town to reopen the decrepit old movie theater. He offers visions and promises that tease and tempt the townsfolk. Only Robert and his Uncle Alden seem resistant to the man's charms. "What a snake-oil trick, all smoke and mirrors," scoffs Alden.
Soon, people are forgetting things...things like Matthew's disappearance. Only Robert remembers, and he is determined to find out the truth.
Robert is a great character...a boy in love with books and reading (particularly forbidden titles by Robert E. Howard) and a fondness for new vocabulary words, like dessicated and cacophony.
The sinister stranger, Abram, is another memorable creature, and his scenes with the doubting Robert are electric.
"You are on the cusp," Abram explained, "between boy and man, the dreaming and the reality. You must have had a million great dreams in your lifetime. Of armies and swords, candies and milkwhips, wizards and unicorns. The cusp." His lips curled into a soft, sad, smile. "I have never had a dream. Not once.
I feel sorry for you. One morning you will get up and your dreams will stay in your pillow."
While not exactly a horror novel, there is a terrific,creepy Something Wicked This Way Comes vibe about this book. It was suspenseful, well-written, and I really enjoyed the unusual setting of Depression-era Saskatchewan for a fantasy novel.
Matthew didn't understand the question. He examined the stranger's smiling face. After a moment's thought he answered, "Yes."
"I was never young," the man said. He tipped his hat back, showing glistening white hair. "Do you believe me? I was never young."
Seven-year-old Matthew is pleased to be walking to town alone. He's busy envisioning how he will be waiting on the corner when his family finally pulls up with their horse and wagon. "See, Mom, I made it. My legs aren't too short," he'll proudly yell.
He's surprised as can be to hear a strange truck pulling up behind him.
Matthew never makes it to town that day. Only his hat is found.
His eleven-year-old brother, Robert, is stunned. Could Matthew have been swallowed by the wind or adopted by a coyote? Sometimes he's even forced to admit, "He's not coming back. Not ever. He's probably dead, okay? Dead. Like a little sparrow that falls out of the nest."
Then, a mysterious stranger arrives in town to reopen the decrepit old movie theater. He offers visions and promises that tease and tempt the townsfolk. Only Robert and his Uncle Alden seem resistant to the man's charms. "What a snake-oil trick, all smoke and mirrors," scoffs Alden.
Soon, people are forgetting things...things like Matthew's disappearance. Only Robert remembers, and he is determined to find out the truth.
Robert is a great character...a boy in love with books and reading (particularly forbidden titles by Robert E. Howard) and a fondness for new vocabulary words, like dessicated and cacophony.
The sinister stranger, Abram, is another memorable creature, and his scenes with the doubting Robert are electric.
"You are on the cusp," Abram explained, "between boy and man, the dreaming and the reality. You must have had a million great dreams in your lifetime. Of armies and swords, candies and milkwhips, wizards and unicorns. The cusp." His lips curled into a soft, sad, smile. "I have never had a dream. Not once.
I feel sorry for you. One morning you will get up and your dreams will stay in your pillow."
While not exactly a horror novel, there is a terrific,creepy Something Wicked This Way Comes vibe about this book. It was suspenseful, well-written, and I really enjoyed the unusual setting of Depression-era Saskatchewan for a fantasy novel.
October 12, 2021
It took me 15 years to find this book again. What follows is part review, part rambling on why books like Dust are important for children to read.
I read this some time in the early 2000's when I was in school, and the imagery and story of it stuck with me ever since - but it took me all this time to find it again. Have you ever been tortured by a name, or movie, or book, of something that you once knew but can no longer remember? That has been this book for me, for over a decade. All I could remember was the stunning green jacket with the creepy man's face and the butterfly, and the haunting story of a little boy who goes missing in dirty-thirties recession-era Saskatchewan (where I grew up), and the images of butterflies in a house.
Countless failed attempts at Google searches turned up nothing. Then, just a couple nights ago, I was reading another book and, out of nowhere, decided to make another attempt at finding this lost relic. And there it showed up on my screen, just like it had been there all along - DUST, by Arthur Slade. Elation, euphoria, and of course, butterflies.
Dust is the kind of book I think should be read in schools as part of a curriculum. It's short, at just over 200 pages. It's easy to read, but some words and phrases are complex enough to still teach kids new things. And the story is captivating - magic, fantasy, realism, even death and religion. There are important lessons in this book, the least of which being that a child should never accept a ride from a stranger. In my life, only two childhood stories have stuck with me in such a way that they've continuously held a place in my conscience. The first, Harry Potter series. The second, Dust.
Here is an adult story brilliantly disguised as a children's story. It talks about kidnapping, it talks about manipulation, even murder. It talks about family life, religion, death, despair, poverty. It doesn't shy away from real shit, and to me, that is soooo important in our childrens' books. All that sugar coated crap, or the belief that certain books shouldn't be in school libraries, or ought to be banned - all that is for parents who obviously don't want the best for their children. Do I make this book sound appealing to kids with my talk of all this 'dark' stuff? Maybe not. Have I offended you? Maybe. And if that's how you feel, that's okay, you have a right as a parent to monitor and filter what your child reads. But don't be surprised when they are inevitably faced with, and can't deal with, the realities of life because you censored them from it from early on. I hold the belief that if you're a child and the school system or a parent says you can't read a book, go read it in secret (I won't tell!). There are plenty of public libraries out there for you where books are free! Learn about life through fiction, you'll be better off for it.
Anyway, my sermon is over.
All that aside, this book is just fun and entertaining. Even Kenneth Oppel, legend that he is, gave his stamp of approval (and if a man who made the lives of bats interesting says a book is good, I'll believe him!). If you don't like the book for the book, you've gotta love it for that jacket art - it has literally haunted me for over a decade. So stunning.
Pick it up, read it in a day, come to your own conclusions. But books like these are important and necessary. Hell, if a book sticks in your mind for nearly two decades, it ought to have done something right, no?
Onward.
I read this some time in the early 2000's when I was in school, and the imagery and story of it stuck with me ever since - but it took me all this time to find it again. Have you ever been tortured by a name, or movie, or book, of something that you once knew but can no longer remember? That has been this book for me, for over a decade. All I could remember was the stunning green jacket with the creepy man's face and the butterfly, and the haunting story of a little boy who goes missing in dirty-thirties recession-era Saskatchewan (where I grew up), and the images of butterflies in a house.
Countless failed attempts at Google searches turned up nothing. Then, just a couple nights ago, I was reading another book and, out of nowhere, decided to make another attempt at finding this lost relic. And there it showed up on my screen, just like it had been there all along - DUST, by Arthur Slade. Elation, euphoria, and of course, butterflies.
Dust is the kind of book I think should be read in schools as part of a curriculum. It's short, at just over 200 pages. It's easy to read, but some words and phrases are complex enough to still teach kids new things. And the story is captivating - magic, fantasy, realism, even death and religion. There are important lessons in this book, the least of which being that a child should never accept a ride from a stranger. In my life, only two childhood stories have stuck with me in such a way that they've continuously held a place in my conscience. The first, Harry Potter series. The second, Dust.
Here is an adult story brilliantly disguised as a children's story. It talks about kidnapping, it talks about manipulation, even murder. It talks about family life, religion, death, despair, poverty. It doesn't shy away from real shit, and to me, that is soooo important in our childrens' books. All that sugar coated crap, or the belief that certain books shouldn't be in school libraries, or ought to be banned - all that is for parents who obviously don't want the best for their children. Do I make this book sound appealing to kids with my talk of all this 'dark' stuff? Maybe not. Have I offended you? Maybe. And if that's how you feel, that's okay, you have a right as a parent to monitor and filter what your child reads. But don't be surprised when they are inevitably faced with, and can't deal with, the realities of life because you censored them from it from early on. I hold the belief that if you're a child and the school system or a parent says you can't read a book, go read it in secret (I won't tell!). There are plenty of public libraries out there for you where books are free! Learn about life through fiction, you'll be better off for it.
Anyway, my sermon is over.
All that aside, this book is just fun and entertaining. Even Kenneth Oppel, legend that he is, gave his stamp of approval (and if a man who made the lives of bats interesting says a book is good, I'll believe him!). If you don't like the book for the book, you've gotta love it for that jacket art - it has literally haunted me for over a decade. So stunning.
Pick it up, read it in a day, come to your own conclusions. But books like these are important and necessary. Hell, if a book sticks in your mind for nearly two decades, it ought to have done something right, no?
Onward.
May 20, 2017
A science fiction story with a slow buildup of the bizarre, reminding me of some of William Sleator's books. It would make a great movie!
January 3, 2023
This book won the Governor General's Literary Award back in 2001 for Children's Literature. I loved it. Set in a small town in rural Saskatchewan of Horshoe something strange is going on. Robert's younger brother has gone missing and soon no one seems to even remember him. The story set in a depression era dust bowl farm community, has many unique twists and turns.
The strange things started happening when Abram Harisch arrived in town; he appears to be taking control of the townspeople through his magic, mirrors and bewitching nature. Harisch has promised the town a rain-making machine, and in following this dream they are slowing losing all they care about and don't even notice. But Robert does and he knows he needs to avoid Harisch and figure out what is really going on or the whole town could be lost.
There are two different cover jackets for this book. I prefer the original to the newer one but either way it is a great adventure read.
Read the review on my blog Book Reviews and More and reviews of other books by arthur Slade. As well as an author profile and interview with Arthur.
The strange things started happening when Abram Harisch arrived in town; he appears to be taking control of the townspeople through his magic, mirrors and bewitching nature. Harisch has promised the town a rain-making machine, and in following this dream they are slowing losing all they care about and don't even notice. But Robert does and he knows he needs to avoid Harisch and figure out what is really going on or the whole town could be lost.
There are two different cover jackets for this book. I prefer the original to the newer one but either way it is a great adventure read.
Read the review on my blog Book Reviews and More and reviews of other books by arthur Slade. As well as an author profile and interview with Arthur.
February 15, 2017
I absolutely love short stories/novellas and this was an absolute corker!
I won't rehash the plot as it's all there in the blurb, but I will say this book reminds me very much of Stephen Kings earlier works of short story anthologies.
What starts out as a simple premise of a child walking to town during the dustbowl depression days, morphs into a tale woven with mystery and soaked in dread. It did leave me wondering ..... "and then what happened?" I can imagine it expanded into a longer novella, or perhaps even a novel that goes on to explain what happened with the family, what happened to the other missing children and who exactly is the creepy stranger.
If you enjoy well honed, creepy short stories that leave you thinking then I highly recommend this read.
I won't rehash the plot as it's all there in the blurb, but I will say this book reminds me very much of Stephen Kings earlier works of short story anthologies.
What starts out as a simple premise of a child walking to town during the dustbowl depression days, morphs into a tale woven with mystery and soaked in dread. It did leave me wondering ..... "and then what happened?" I can imagine it expanded into a longer novella, or perhaps even a novel that goes on to explain what happened with the family, what happened to the other missing children and who exactly is the creepy stranger.
If you enjoy well honed, creepy short stories that leave you thinking then I highly recommend this read.
October 17, 2018
Like Ray Bradbury, with language a bit more straightforward, less flowery. Horror, inspired by old-school science fiction, hero is 11-12 but the book is really for 12 and up, too complex for most tweens. Don't read it too fast, like I did... I'm afraid that I didn't settle in and immerse myself and so I'll forget too much... and there are depths worth remembering....
Remember the Reverend Gibbs who died, supposedly of epilepsy and a bad ticker. Remember Edmund's warning through the mirror. Remember that Uncle Alden had more books than the school library. Remember how Saskatchewan reads like Oklahoma. Remember that some people are born without souls....
Recommended to fans of Bradbury, of horror, of creative paranormal fantasy, of literate fables.
Remember the Reverend Gibbs who died, supposedly of epilepsy and a bad ticker. Remember Edmund's warning through the mirror. Remember that Uncle Alden had more books than the school library. Remember how Saskatchewan reads like Oklahoma. Remember that some people are born without souls....
Recommended to fans of Bradbury, of horror, of creative paranormal fantasy, of literate fables.
February 4, 2015
The story of a young boy whose little brother goes missing.
I liked Arthur Slade's Hunchback Assignments series. He's got a great way of building a world around his characters. In this book, we are taken back to early 1900s Saskatchewan to a small farm community that is struggling with the drought conditions of the dust bowl era. A stranger comes to town and promises a way to make rain using his "rainmill" and all who help him build it will be rewarded with all the rain they need for their crops.
Robert suspects something fishy about this guy and when the adults actually start forgetting about his missing brother, and then more children turn up missing, Robert realizes he is the only one who can do anything about it.
I liked Arthur Slade's Hunchback Assignments series. He's got a great way of building a world around his characters. In this book, we are taken back to early 1900s Saskatchewan to a small farm community that is struggling with the drought conditions of the dust bowl era. A stranger comes to town and promises a way to make rain using his "rainmill" and all who help him build it will be rewarded with all the rain they need for their crops.
Robert suspects something fishy about this guy and when the adults actually start forgetting about his missing brother, and then more children turn up missing, Robert realizes he is the only one who can do anything about it.
June 8, 2014
It's the Great Depression in a prairie town in Saskatchewan. A young boy named Matthew disappears. Robert, the older brother is plagued with guilt. A stranger comes to their town which is suffering through a serious dry spell. This stranger claims he can help by building a "rainmill" (huh?). The town believes him. (double huh?) All, except Robert and his uncle.
Soon, more children disappear and the town doesn't seem to notice or care. Adults and children soon forget about the missing. All, except Robert. Why Robert is immune to the stranger's power is never explained.
His classmates and he begin to have dreams of magical butterflies (ooh...scary) which adds nothing to the story. Near the end, new characters called the "Traders" are added to the mix. This made for a rushed ending.
While the author has a way with words and sets up nice descriptions, the story line was too weird. Was this horror, mystery, supernatural?
I got this for free through Pixel of Ink so, it didn't cost me anything. It is a short story at under 200 pages, was a quick read and had good reviews on amazon. This means it just might not be my cup of tea. But, for me it was a really bad episode of The Twilight Zone.
Soon, more children disappear and the town doesn't seem to notice or care. Adults and children soon forget about the missing. All, except Robert. Why Robert is immune to the stranger's power is never explained.
His classmates and he begin to have dreams of magical butterflies (ooh...scary) which adds nothing to the story. Near the end, new characters called the "Traders" are added to the mix. This made for a rushed ending.
While the author has a way with words and sets up nice descriptions, the story line was too weird. Was this horror, mystery, supernatural?
I got this for free through Pixel of Ink so, it didn't cost me anything. It is a short story at under 200 pages, was a quick read and had good reviews on amazon. This means it just might not be my cup of tea. But, for me it was a really bad episode of The Twilight Zone.
July 19, 2019
I've had this on audible for a long while. I can't remember, but I think I had received this free from the author a long while back, but hadn't gotten to it until recently as I hadn't much been for audiobooks until this year.
Anyhow, this was a short listen or read if you own the book. I enjoyed the creepiness and mystery.
It's set back in the 1900's when a drought hit a dust town. Robert's brother Matthew who's seven goes missing and Robert is set out to find him. Problem is, things are turning strange in the town after a strange man, Abram appears in town. More kids start to go missing and the people seem not to remember things or be concerned like normal people would, including Robert's parents who seem to dismiss Matthew's disappearance.
While everyone seems hypnotized by Abram and the rain making machine, Robert keeps his wits and is determined to find out what's happening to the town and what happened to Matthew.
I found this book pretty interesting and felt drawn to the story. I was also happy with the ending.
Anyhow, this was a short listen or read if you own the book. I enjoyed the creepiness and mystery.
It's set back in the 1900's when a drought hit a dust town. Robert's brother Matthew who's seven goes missing and Robert is set out to find him. Problem is, things are turning strange in the town after a strange man, Abram appears in town. More kids start to go missing and the people seem not to remember things or be concerned like normal people would, including Robert's parents who seem to dismiss Matthew's disappearance.
While everyone seems hypnotized by Abram and the rain making machine, Robert keeps his wits and is determined to find out what's happening to the town and what happened to Matthew.
I found this book pretty interesting and felt drawn to the story. I was also happy with the ending.
April 3, 2021
Audiobook read by the author. He was not my favorite narrator. This book was suggested by my husband to listen to on a short day trip and it was almost the perfect length (we finished the last 30 minutes a week later).
I liked the story and the ending where everything is explained. However, it took quite a while for the drama to actually happen.
I liked the story and the ending where everything is explained. However, it took quite a while for the drama to actually happen.
March 30, 2018
4.0 Stars
Creepy and unsettling, this is one of those stories that is so hard to classify by genre. Whether you call it magical realism, historical suspense or a piece of light horror, this book is fantastic. Despite the length and age of the main character, this book is written for all ages, not simply young adults. Slade is a skilled writer with well developed characters. Set during the Great Depression era, the Canadian prairie drought was vividly described, becoming another character in the story. I highly recommend this unique and memorable story to a wide range of readers.
Creepy and unsettling, this is one of those stories that is so hard to classify by genre. Whether you call it magical realism, historical suspense or a piece of light horror, this book is fantastic. Despite the length and age of the main character, this book is written for all ages, not simply young adults. Slade is a skilled writer with well developed characters. Set during the Great Depression era, the Canadian prairie drought was vividly described, becoming another character in the story. I highly recommend this unique and memorable story to a wide range of readers.
March 11, 2019
Found this book at work after having read it in middle school and not being able to remember who wrote it to find it again for years.
I still like it, it mostly held up. My only complaint would be that once we got to the huge climax moment things suddenly seemed rushed and not explained well enough to picture it. Which is weird because the rest of the book has a very relaxed pace
I still like it, it mostly held up. My only complaint would be that once we got to the huge climax moment things suddenly seemed rushed and not explained well enough to picture it. Which is weird because the rest of the book has a very relaxed pace
April 13, 2020
Powerful. A story that really evokes Saskatchewan. A great YA coming of age novel. A frightening dirty thirties tale. A book well worth reading and remembering. A reminder of children and imagination.
August 14, 2016
Dust by Arthur Slade Set in a dry, dusty Canadian town during the Depression Era, young Robert Steelgate is missing his young brother Matthew. Yet the disturbing thing is that he seems to be the only person missing him. A stranger comes to town promising rain and that is the same time kids start disappearing. Coincidence, or not?
This book was like a really good episode of The Twilight Zone. Things start off so plain, so dried out, so matter-of-fact. Then young Matthew, who insisted he be allowed to walk to town that day (instead of riding in the cart with his mom), meets a pale stranger (Abram Harisch) on the road. Meanwhile, Robert is left at home to read his science fiction story (The Warlock of Mars) that his uncle lent him. Reluctantly, Robert sets his book aside to see to the chickens like he promised only to find some scared chickens and some nasty blood eggs. Yuck! That’s when Sargent Ramson and Officer Davies show up to take Robert to town to be with his family as they begin the search for Matthew.
With a blend of historical fiction, mystery, and science fiction, the author spins a tale of a town hoping too hard for good rains, of good people willing to let their memories of lost children slip from them, and of how one boy with a strong, questioning imagination may be the only one to save them. Quite frankly, it was those scared chickens and their blood eggs that sucked me into the story. It was spooky and yet the biologist in me wanted an egg to examine. But I couldn’t have one of those eggs, but I could examine this story. From there, I wasn’t disappointed.
Abram with the odd eyes (I think he’s an albino) sets up a movie screen and the town gathers to see the attraction. Once the stranger has gained some small amount of trust with the town, he starts setting in his motion his bigger plan: promise the rains & happiness, take their wealth & memories, keep his end of the bargain with an unknown entity (which means more children disappear). At one point, Abram confides a bit in Robert because Robert has this innate ability to see through Abram’s charms. That was an eerie scene!
The ending reveals the master plan of Abram while also keeping some things up to the reader to decide. I liked that there was a little mystery left over at the end. We have everything resolved that counts, but the exact how and why of it may never be fully understood. Also, there is some wonderful imagery involving butterflies and moths. It’s a recurring small touch that kept me hooked. I was quite pleased with the ending. Not everything ended in rainbows but enough did for me to say it was a happy ending for our main character, Robert.
I received a copy of this book at no cost from the author with no strings attached.
Narration: Arthur Slade was pretty good as a narrator for this story. He had distinct voices for each person and decent female voices. I especially liked his voice for Robert’s uncle who was always giving him SFF books that his mom might not approve of.
This book was like a really good episode of The Twilight Zone. Things start off so plain, so dried out, so matter-of-fact. Then young Matthew, who insisted he be allowed to walk to town that day (instead of riding in the cart with his mom), meets a pale stranger (Abram Harisch) on the road. Meanwhile, Robert is left at home to read his science fiction story (The Warlock of Mars) that his uncle lent him. Reluctantly, Robert sets his book aside to see to the chickens like he promised only to find some scared chickens and some nasty blood eggs. Yuck! That’s when Sargent Ramson and Officer Davies show up to take Robert to town to be with his family as they begin the search for Matthew.
With a blend of historical fiction, mystery, and science fiction, the author spins a tale of a town hoping too hard for good rains, of good people willing to let their memories of lost children slip from them, and of how one boy with a strong, questioning imagination may be the only one to save them. Quite frankly, it was those scared chickens and their blood eggs that sucked me into the story. It was spooky and yet the biologist in me wanted an egg to examine. But I couldn’t have one of those eggs, but I could examine this story. From there, I wasn’t disappointed.
Abram with the odd eyes (I think he’s an albino) sets up a movie screen and the town gathers to see the attraction. Once the stranger has gained some small amount of trust with the town, he starts setting in his motion his bigger plan: promise the rains & happiness, take their wealth & memories, keep his end of the bargain with an unknown entity (which means more children disappear). At one point, Abram confides a bit in Robert because Robert has this innate ability to see through Abram’s charms. That was an eerie scene!
The ending reveals the master plan of Abram while also keeping some things up to the reader to decide. I liked that there was a little mystery left over at the end. We have everything resolved that counts, but the exact how and why of it may never be fully understood. Also, there is some wonderful imagery involving butterflies and moths. It’s a recurring small touch that kept me hooked. I was quite pleased with the ending. Not everything ended in rainbows but enough did for me to say it was a happy ending for our main character, Robert.
I received a copy of this book at no cost from the author with no strings attached.
Narration: Arthur Slade was pretty good as a narrator for this story. He had distinct voices for each person and decent female voices. I especially liked his voice for Robert’s uncle who was always giving him SFF books that his mom might not approve of.
October 30, 2011
I only read this as I am currently borrowing my little sisters kindle to test it out as I am thinking of buying one.
She reads books like Tracy beaker etc so I decided to have a quick look though the free books on offer and came across this one.
First off it is a nice quick read, I read it in about an hour or so while relaxing at home. I know the book is aimed more at young teens but it still interested me from start to end.
The pacing of the story is great, from one chapter to the next you are introduced to another part of the mystery surround the stranger in town and other such puzzle pieces as dissapearing children. Not once did I feel the story was dragging on just to fill a couple extra pages and found myself putting off doing anything productive with my time, such as the ever growing pile of coursework I have to do, to find out what would happen next.
I connected completly with Robert and found it very easy to get into his mind set, it's not really too long ago in which I felt the pain of going from child to adult and finding a whole new world of responsibility.
The thing I like most about the story is the fact it doesn't completely answer all questions it put forward; yes you know about the traders but it is never fully explained who they are etc. I find to many great stories are ruined by the author decided they want to tie up all loose ends, a book needs a little mystery left over to keep you thinking long after you are done reading.
A nice, easy read that offers an enjoyable story that doesn't let you down all the way through. Would recommend (especially if you have a kindle in which case you can doe load it free.)
She reads books like Tracy beaker etc so I decided to have a quick look though the free books on offer and came across this one.
First off it is a nice quick read, I read it in about an hour or so while relaxing at home. I know the book is aimed more at young teens but it still interested me from start to end.
The pacing of the story is great, from one chapter to the next you are introduced to another part of the mystery surround the stranger in town and other such puzzle pieces as dissapearing children. Not once did I feel the story was dragging on just to fill a couple extra pages and found myself putting off doing anything productive with my time, such as the ever growing pile of coursework I have to do, to find out what would happen next.
I connected completly with Robert and found it very easy to get into his mind set, it's not really too long ago in which I felt the pain of going from child to adult and finding a whole new world of responsibility.
The thing I like most about the story is the fact it doesn't completely answer all questions it put forward; yes you know about the traders but it is never fully explained who they are etc. I find to many great stories are ruined by the author decided they want to tie up all loose ends, a book needs a little mystery left over to keep you thinking long after you are done reading.
A nice, easy read that offers an enjoyable story that doesn't let you down all the way through. Would recommend (especially if you have a kindle in which case you can doe load it free.)
November 11, 2016
What a fantastical journey of the strength and soul of Robert Steelgate 11 yrs old the brother of Mathew younger who had disappeared along with other children in town after a strange man Abram comes with promises of rain and prosperity in a Dusty Canadian town during the Depression era, is where we see the story unfold.
Robert Steelgate is an unusual hero,he has an insight or talent that allows him to see what others don't if it be threw the omen of blood eggs or the ability to see through what others want him to believe about their good intentions and helpful nature.
He is the only one who can find his missing little brother, there are strange forces taking over the town's people if it be a form of mesmerizing or dark forces, they seem obsessed over one thing and seldom remember that there are children missing.
Other than Robert the only other adult that has not bought into Abram is the Monty Sargent Ransom.
This story was fantastical in both the events that unfold and the vocabulary used to tell the story.The ending leaves just the right amount of mystery for the reader to continue what was going on in the end. The narrator did a great job with this story and I think it will be a book that schools could use in Middle grade to further language and vocabulary skills of their students.
Robert Steelgate is an unusual hero,he has an insight or talent that allows him to see what others don't if it be threw the omen of blood eggs or the ability to see through what others want him to believe about their good intentions and helpful nature.
He is the only one who can find his missing little brother, there are strange forces taking over the town's people if it be a form of mesmerizing or dark forces, they seem obsessed over one thing and seldom remember that there are children missing.
Other than Robert the only other adult that has not bought into Abram is the Monty Sargent Ransom.
This story was fantastical in both the events that unfold and the vocabulary used to tell the story.The ending leaves just the right amount of mystery for the reader to continue what was going on in the end. The narrator did a great job with this story and I think it will be a book that schools could use in Middle grade to further language and vocabulary skills of their students.
February 3, 2011
In the first chapter of this book Robert's younger brother Matthew is kidnapped by an odd sounding man who claims he never had a childhood. The reader and Matthew are the only ones who know what happened. A short while later Abram Harsich shows up and wows the town with his "Mirror of all things" that shows people just want they want most. This story is placed in Saskatchewan, Canada during the dust bowl. After this spectacle the people start to go somewhat loopy and behave as though everything is better than ever. They even start to forget that Matthew was even taken. Robert and his Uncle Alden are the only ones to see right through Harsich and know that he is bad news. It takes a courageous young boy to save an entire town.
I really enjoyed the story line of this book and the witty humor that is seen mostly in the uncle. There are a few things that I felt should have been described more; I felt like I had to guess or assume a few things that I logically should have been told. The beginning and the ending are awesome, but in the middle where I thought there would be more mystery involved, I was let down. I really did enjoy the book though. It gave a really interesting twist to the dust bowl; an interesting story that keeps you wondering what is going on.
I really enjoyed the story line of this book and the witty humor that is seen mostly in the uncle. There are a few things that I felt should have been described more; I felt like I had to guess or assume a few things that I logically should have been told. The beginning and the ending are awesome, but in the middle where I thought there would be more mystery involved, I was let down. I really did enjoy the book though. It gave a really interesting twist to the dust bowl; an interesting story that keeps you wondering what is going on.
April 15, 2012
A young boy accepts a ride to town with a stranger and never makes it into town. He is declared missing but the townspeople, although concerned for him, are more concerned about the lengthy drought. A new man arrives at the town and promises to bring rain to their county. The missing boy's older brother senses something dangerous about him, especially when more and more children go missing. The feeling intensifies when he realizes that no one, not even the parents, care about the missing children.
I mostly enjoyed this book up until the end. It has a dreamlike quality about it that is oddly interesting. However, I did not really enjoy the ending too much. I'm okay with supernatural and I'm okay with the inexplicable and I'm even okay with stuff that comes out of left field. But the ending here was just a little too odd for me.
I did really enjoy the older brother and how guilty he feels about his brother's disappearance. That felt very real to me. The way the town slowly starts changing and becoming indifferent to what has happened to their children was intriguing. It had a subtly creepy quality that builds throughout the story.
Overall, I'd give it a shot.
I mostly enjoyed this book up until the end. It has a dreamlike quality about it that is oddly interesting. However, I did not really enjoy the ending too much. I'm okay with supernatural and I'm okay with the inexplicable and I'm even okay with stuff that comes out of left field. But the ending here was just a little too odd for me.
I did really enjoy the older brother and how guilty he feels about his brother's disappearance. That felt very real to me. The way the town slowly starts changing and becoming indifferent to what has happened to their children was intriguing. It had a subtly creepy quality that builds throughout the story.
Overall, I'd give it a shot.
July 11, 2017
This is the type of novel you would expect to study in school. The motif of good vs evil and all the imagery are well put together. It's not a book that I would pick up to read (it was a book club pick) and I can't say that I loved it or would recommend it. That being said, I did really like the character of Robert - and 11 year old boy who laments over his younger brother's curious disappearance and is immune to the mesmerizing of a man who comes to town to build a rain tower that will put an end to the drought. Children continue to go missing as the mans' project progresses and the townspeople are under a trance and seem to forget about the missing children - Robert holds fast and eventually discovers what happened to his brother Matthew and the other children.
BOB: In which award winning Canadian book does Robert try to find out what happened to his younger brother Matthew who went missing on his way into town to buy gum?
BOB: In which award winning Canadian book does Robert try to find out what happened to his younger brother Matthew who went missing on his way into town to buy gum?
October 12, 2012
I read the book Dust by Arthur Slade. I would recommend this book to everyone who likes a little mystery and old time in their reading. I think it was really good. I can relate to how Robert is feeling when someone new comes in his life, especially after he just lost someone who was important to him. Robert did not realize how important his brother was to him until he was gone. Dust kind a has a twist in it also, you really would not expect it to happen but it goes very well with the story. In the end it really teaches you how important family is and what someone will do to have one.
August 6, 2016
What a great YA read. As a former middle school literature teacher, I highly recommend this book. Evil vs good is played out with the lives of the town's children! Any reluctant reader, boy or girl will be drawn to the mystery and magic of Arthur Slade's words. The last few chapters had me spellbound. Well done and hypnotizing. Skillfully crafted sentences, well chosen imagery create the basis. Well deserving of the awards it has won. Teachers and librarians mark this one down and a winner. Enjoy.
June 15, 2008
Why is eleven-year-old Robert the only person in Horshoe, Saskatchewan to remain impervious enough to the dazzling visitor and his promise of a rainmaking machine to wonder where all the town's missing people have gone, including his brother? Who can resist the premise of a spellbinding mystery man and a rainmachine in a horrible prairie drought?
September 4, 2017
Meh.
This YA novel reads like a poor man's "Needful Things", with a teenage protagonist in Canada during the Dust Bowl. Slade has a nice writing style, but he never really engages the reader with the characters, explains the motivations of the bad guy, or the alien threat.
Not recommended.
This YA novel reads like a poor man's "Needful Things", with a teenage protagonist in Canada during the Dust Bowl. Slade has a nice writing style, but he never really engages the reader with the characters, explains the motivations of the bad guy, or the alien threat.
Not recommended.
April 7, 2017
It's a good thing this book was a free kindle lending library book, because it was extraordinarily dull.
October 11, 2018
After reading the graphic novel "The Storm in the Barn," a horror story set during the Dust Bowl days in the American Midwest, someone recommended this book to me. It had a similar premise -- a horror story set during the Dust Bowl, this time in Canada -- but I figured it would be different enough to give a new take on the concept. And it certainly is a creative and chilling book, bringing a strong dose of Lovecraft-inspired terror to an unlikely era and place... but the writing style feels a little scattered, and the story moves slowly until the last third of the book.
In a small town in Saskatchewan, Canada, a young boy has gone missing... and though the adults seem to have given up hope of finding him, his older brother, the book-obsessed Robert, is determined to keep searching. But interest in looking for the lost boy fades when a mysterious stranger drifts into town and offers to end the brutal drought by building a "rainmill," a machine that can generate storms and provide rain for the crops. Most of the adults in town throw themselves into the work... but Robert sees that the stranger is drawing the town into his thrall for a sinister purpose, and believes that he's responsible for his brother and for other missing children. Can Robert stop the stranger's plot and save his brother before disaster strikes?
I can understand authors wanting to keep their writing style simple for younger readers, but even for a younger reader the prose in "Dust" feels oddly simple and plain. The text frequently pauses to define larger words for the reader instead of letting their meaning come out in the story, and at times it felt like things were being repeated and over-explained. Most kids, especially those who read a lot, aren't idiots, and authors really don't have to talk down to them in their writing... and I firmly believe that even young kids can appreciate clever and beautiful writing.
The story's pacing is fairly slow for most of the book, and things don't really pick up until the last third. But Slade uses the slow pace to gradually build up the unsettling elements and to instill a chill that builds to a thrilling climax, so that's not entirely bad. There's a quiet menace that infiltrates this book, with subtle hints at unseen horrors that work more effectively than just throwing the monsters at us right away would have been, and fans of H. P. Lovecraft's work will appreciate the nature of the horror that menaces the town. And if you like butterflies, you might never see them in quite the same light again after this novel...
While not an amazing book, "Dust" is still a good read, a chilling historical-horror story that's not gory or graphic at all but still manages to unsettle and spook its reader. Probably best for younger readers who want something a little more advanced than "Goosebumps" but still want to be spooked by what they read.
In a small town in Saskatchewan, Canada, a young boy has gone missing... and though the adults seem to have given up hope of finding him, his older brother, the book-obsessed Robert, is determined to keep searching. But interest in looking for the lost boy fades when a mysterious stranger drifts into town and offers to end the brutal drought by building a "rainmill," a machine that can generate storms and provide rain for the crops. Most of the adults in town throw themselves into the work... but Robert sees that the stranger is drawing the town into his thrall for a sinister purpose, and believes that he's responsible for his brother and for other missing children. Can Robert stop the stranger's plot and save his brother before disaster strikes?
I can understand authors wanting to keep their writing style simple for younger readers, but even for a younger reader the prose in "Dust" feels oddly simple and plain. The text frequently pauses to define larger words for the reader instead of letting their meaning come out in the story, and at times it felt like things were being repeated and over-explained. Most kids, especially those who read a lot, aren't idiots, and authors really don't have to talk down to them in their writing... and I firmly believe that even young kids can appreciate clever and beautiful writing.
The story's pacing is fairly slow for most of the book, and things don't really pick up until the last third. But Slade uses the slow pace to gradually build up the unsettling elements and to instill a chill that builds to a thrilling climax, so that's not entirely bad. There's a quiet menace that infiltrates this book, with subtle hints at unseen horrors that work more effectively than just throwing the monsters at us right away would have been, and fans of H. P. Lovecraft's work will appreciate the nature of the horror that menaces the town. And if you like butterflies, you might never see them in quite the same light again after this novel...
While not an amazing book, "Dust" is still a good read, a chilling historical-horror story that's not gory or graphic at all but still manages to unsettle and spook its reader. Probably best for younger readers who want something a little more advanced than "Goosebumps" but still want to be spooked by what they read.
December 11, 2018
Told from the POV of a seven year old boy, at first I was confused as to where the story was taking place. I had thought it was an alternate universe or some other planet, but it turned out to be just as interesting: The Great Depression era in Canada. (Not a spoiler, that's in the book blurb, I just don't see those on my Kindle.)
The setting was so realistic, and that made the little elements of supernatural extra creepy. A stranger comes to town, and kids start vanishing. Creepiness kept building up to the point where I was surprised this was a YA book. It was never scary, but creepy is almost worse sometimes. It really, really felt a lot like Stephen King's style from a few decades ago.
The one small issue/confusion I had was about the dust itself. In His Dark Materials/Golden Compass, the bad guys were after the kids' dust, right? Dust was used in a similar way in this book. I thought maybe 'soul dust' was a thing outside of books, but I googled and could find no connection. Just a small thing that left me scratching my head, it didn't take away from the story at all.
I'm really surprised that this book wasn't picked up by a publisher. The writing was outstanding (it's been a long time since I last highlighted sentences and phrases because they were worded so interestingly), the story was great, and it was even edited nearly perfectly.
A couple of the lines I loved:
"His gloved hand rested on Robert's shoulder with the weight of a crow."
"Let us be the threshers of men."
"Then the wrath of God. That was the order of the Bible. Next the flood. But here, under the wide blue skies, the wind was the flood. Everyone drowned in it."
The setting was so realistic, and that made the little elements of supernatural extra creepy. A stranger comes to town, and kids start vanishing. Creepiness kept building up to the point where I was surprised this was a YA book. It was never scary, but creepy is almost worse sometimes. It really, really felt a lot like Stephen King's style from a few decades ago.
The one small issue/confusion I had was about the dust itself. In His Dark Materials/Golden Compass, the bad guys were after the kids' dust, right? Dust was used in a similar way in this book. I thought maybe 'soul dust' was a thing outside of books, but I googled and could find no connection. Just a small thing that left me scratching my head, it didn't take away from the story at all.
I'm really surprised that this book wasn't picked up by a publisher. The writing was outstanding (it's been a long time since I last highlighted sentences and phrases because they were worded so interestingly), the story was great, and it was even edited nearly perfectly.
A couple of the lines I loved:
"His gloved hand rested on Robert's shoulder with the weight of a crow."
"Let us be the threshers of men."
"Then the wrath of God. That was the order of the Bible. Next the flood. But here, under the wide blue skies, the wind was the flood. Everyone drowned in it."
January 16, 2019
When I first began reading Dust by Arthur Slade, I didn’t realize it was a YA novel. To me, the writing was cold and hypnotic, and it unfolded the way that darker, more severe, stories about serial killers and children do. Nevertheless, this is most assuredly a young adult dark fantasy.
Like “Mr. Dark” in Something Wicked This Way Comes, a pale, desiccated stranger appears in the region, and immediately, bad things start to happen. Unaware of the danger, the local farmers and the town’s banker fall under his spell and buy into his scheme to save them from the drought. Good luck with that.
As we follow an eleven-year-old boy named Robert, who is desperately searching for his younger brother, Matthew, we come to learn that not only has Matthew disappeared but many other children have as well. And the grownups don’t seem to notice—or care. When we come to know Robert, we can see why he believes it is up to him to find his brother.
One of my favorite things about this novel is the world-building. It takes place in Horshoe, a small town in Saskatchewan during a terrible drought. In the US, the drought occurred in the early 1930s and led to the Dust Bowl. Farmers are barely able to grow any crops due to a lack of rain. It’s always hot, and there’s dust everywhere—grit that blows into peoples’ homes, clings to their clothes, and invades their food. It’s this kind of detail that makes Dust such a compelling read.
Like “Mr. Dark” in Something Wicked This Way Comes, a pale, desiccated stranger appears in the region, and immediately, bad things start to happen. Unaware of the danger, the local farmers and the town’s banker fall under his spell and buy into his scheme to save them from the drought. Good luck with that.
As we follow an eleven-year-old boy named Robert, who is desperately searching for his younger brother, Matthew, we come to learn that not only has Matthew disappeared but many other children have as well. And the grownups don’t seem to notice—or care. When we come to know Robert, we can see why he believes it is up to him to find his brother.
One of my favorite things about this novel is the world-building. It takes place in Horshoe, a small town in Saskatchewan during a terrible drought. In the US, the drought occurred in the early 1930s and led to the Dust Bowl. Farmers are barely able to grow any crops due to a lack of rain. It’s always hot, and there’s dust everywhere—grit that blows into peoples’ homes, clings to their clothes, and invades their food. It’s this kind of detail that makes Dust such a compelling read.
May 11, 2017
( Format : Audiobook )
"...like dust on the wings of butterflies.""
Simply stunning. A coming of age story like no other.
Richard's little brother goes missing when on his way into town to buy liquorice and gum. He is not the only child to disappear in the area. But strangely, the folks in the drought wasted farmlands of Canada seem to forget their lost children when a rainman arrives and gets the townsfolk involved in building a Rain Mill.
But Richard is different. He lives in his head, a world of adventures on Mars, via Edgar Rice Burroughs and other books loaned to him by his uncle. And he remembers Matthew, his little lost brother.
This is a magical, but frightening, vision of life seen through the eyes of an imaginative child caught "on the cusp between boy and man. Beautifully, almost poetically written, it is also well read by the author, Arthur Slade. With exquisite pacing, Mr.Slade narrates with clarity and just the right intonation to give meaning and emotion to his text.
I loved this book. It was fresh, original, intriguing and beautiful. I very much hope we hear more from this author
"...like dust on the wings of butterflies.""
Simply stunning. A coming of age story like no other.
Richard's little brother goes missing when on his way into town to buy liquorice and gum. He is not the only child to disappear in the area. But strangely, the folks in the drought wasted farmlands of Canada seem to forget their lost children when a rainman arrives and gets the townsfolk involved in building a Rain Mill.
But Richard is different. He lives in his head, a world of adventures on Mars, via Edgar Rice Burroughs and other books loaned to him by his uncle. And he remembers Matthew, his little lost brother.
This is a magical, but frightening, vision of life seen through the eyes of an imaginative child caught "on the cusp between boy and man. Beautifully, almost poetically written, it is also well read by the author, Arthur Slade. With exquisite pacing, Mr.Slade narrates with clarity and just the right intonation to give meaning and emotion to his text.
I loved this book. It was fresh, original, intriguing and beautiful. I very much hope we hear more from this author
January 7, 2019
This book is related to A Long Walk to Water because Robert the main character was lookin for his missing little brother, and Salva was looking for his family. They both had faith and perseverance to achieve their ultimate goal: to find their family. They went through hardships, but kept on going. Salva was searching for his family when he was going through the desert. Salva went through pain, thirst, hunger, and the heat of the desert to find his family. Robert goes to try and find his brother and confront the people who took him. he faced danger to try and find his brother. Robert and Salva persevered to find their family.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 30, 2018
This classic Saskatchewan novel delivers chills as well as a lovingly described picture of the Cypress Hills. Arthur Slade is known for writing creepy stories, and this is one of the originals. In fact, it's incredibly similar to his more recent book, Flickers: A mysterious man with seemingly magical powers arrives in town promising riches but only one special child can see that he's evil so it's up to them to save the day. The stories are so similar, I'm wondering if Flickers was meant as a spiritual sequel to Dust.
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