Customer Reviews

Dust City

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Henry Whelp lives in the St. Remus Home for Wayward Youth, a sort of cathedral/bunker combo surrounded by a razor-wire fence. He's been locked up for breaking a window, but he's really being kept under surveillance because his father is in jail for homicide, and he's expected to follow in his dad's footsteps. The City is a dark and gritty place, devoid of the beautiful old-world magic that the fairies provided before they abandoned their floating town of Eden. Now, pharmaceutical companies capitalize on second-hand medicinal magic dust, dealers peddle dangerous dust variants on the street, and urban decay and ethnic tensions make for purgatorial living. Henry has no reason to stick around St. Remus after his friend Jack escapes and his confidante Doc is murdered, so he hits the street and finds himself working for the evil Nixie gangster Skinner. Will Henry discover the reasons behind his father's violent crimes, the disappearance of the fairies, and the rise of the thaumaturgical companies?

I started off the novel a little lost. I kept trying to figure out what Henry means by saying he's a "wolf"--is he a werewolf, who is a human part of the time and a wolf the rest of the time? Or a superhuman hybrid whose genome was infused with wolf DNA? As pages pass and Henry's revealed to have fur, a snout, and a tail, it becomes clear that he really is a slightly anthropomorphized wolf. In Dust City's world, several animal species have evolved to where they can speak, reason, and walk around in roughly human shapes. Human-people are called hominids and animal-people are called animalia and are mistrusted, so it's a parallel to conflict between various ethnic groups in urban settings. Wolves, ravens, and foxes are the predominate animalia species, but there are others like mules, which confused me a little because mules aren't their own sustainable species in our reality--they're the sterile offspring of a donkey and a horse, but we're bending biology here, so it's probably best to just go with it.

One element I really enjoyed was the wordplay. Almost all of the animal surnames are plays on Latin roots, like a fox being named Vulpino ( fox=vulpes), a raven named Corviday (raven=corvus), and a wolf named Mrs. Lupovitz (wolf=lupus). Even the facility Henry lives in is a reference to Romulus and Remus, the mythical founders of Rome who were raised by a wolf (and more recently, it could be a tribute to Remus Lupin of Hogwarts fame). Language puzzles like this are always fun to unlock.

Though this genre-cross story has a certain charm to it at times, largely owing to the inventiveness of the setting and Henry's likable humility, it has some big caveats. The inclusion of fairytale characters like Cindy Rella in her trademark shoes, Henry's dad as the Riding-Hood-murdering Big Bad Wolf, etc, can feel a little surreal at times. I like science fiction, retold fairy tales, dystopias, and wereanimal stories, but I'm not sure that all these elements mesh well together. The upright-walking animal characters are something readers are probably more used to seeing in Mid-Grade novels, but with all the drug use and detailed violence in this book, it's definitely not for younger readers. The story gets incredibly gruesome at times, since it recounts some fairy tales that involve mutilation and child murder.

There's an overall theme of hope, but the dark parts of the story just got too dark for me.

Henry Whelp is in a Home for Wayward Wolves for misdemeanor. Any other wolf wouldn't be serving time but Henry's father known as the big bad wolf. The wolf who killed Little Red Riding Hood and her grandmother. Everyone's worried Henry will be just like his father.

Dust City is filled with popluar fairy tale characters. It populated by hominids, wolves, foxes, ravens, basically all animals living together. Over time all the animals have evolved. Wolves can speak with ease and work on two legs. The mules are the slowest to change.

"I ignore Jack's request. I'm watching a trio of mules play cards at the folding table. From an evolutionary point of view, mules were the last to get wise, so to speak. Their forehoofs aren't anything like those of hominids or wolves. Mules evolved differently, with hooves that became jointed, crablike claws - ebony pincers, offset by a stubby opposbale thumb. They have never been reviled like wolves, or mistrusted like foxes and ravens. As always they are largely ignored. I'm guilty of it myself. I don't even know these guys names."

The nimble and quick Jack (Beanstalk) is a thief. He is also Henry's best friend and the only hominid at the Home for Wayward Wolves. Henry is big enough to impose is power on the smaller animals but that is not in his nature. Right from the beginning this is something very likable about Henry. When Henry comes across some evidence that maybe his father wasn't in his right mind when he committed murder, he is determined to find out the truth. Henry believes fairydust, a drug many crave is to blame. There is a whole underworld that caters to its users. Henry goes undercover to work for his father's old boss Skinner.

There's a lot going on with the creation of Dust City, yet Weston, makes it work, very well. The author made me believe, feel and see Dust City. So much so, towards the end when Henry came across wolves trapped in cages that could only walk on all fours and couldn't speak, I didn't know what to make of them. The novel also as a nice mystery noire feel to it. Thanks to the dark city back drop and Detective White (Snow White). Detective White works alone and always catches the criminal.

Why did I leave this sitting on my shelf unread for so long. It was enchanting, or rather, it was the characters that were enchanted. Fairy magic in the form of 'dust' is an every day commodity in Dust City. It used to be made by real fairies, but they have long since fled and now it is a manufactured product. Not as good as the original, but still magical and mostly effective.

Henry Whelp has been locked away in juvie for a while now with the other wolves. Yes, wolves, foxes, goblins and all other sorts of animals have achieved sentience and live along side the hominids. It's not a perfect relationship between them, but it works for the most part. When his friend Jack, the guy with the magic beans, shows him some letters from his dad, the big bad wolf who killed the little girl and her grandmother, Henry starts to question many of the so called truths that he's been told.

As I started reading this story, I'll admit that I was a bit confused. Were there really talking wolves and elves and goblins all living together. I wasn't too sure about the characters who seemed quite familiar, almost like beings out of the Grimms Brothers' Fairy Tales. (that was intentional according to author Robert Paul Weston). By about page 30, my confusion was clearing and total enjoyment setting in.

I had no trouble believing that all these animal like beings were living together and in many cases cross-species friendships had flourished. Once Henry realized that he didn't have to go through this as a lone wolf and he called on his friends for help, the story really took off. This is a FUN story made all the more entertaining each time I realized a character was based on a Grimm's character. This is not a children's book as it included much mayhem and murder, though YA and adults will both find it a gripping read. Most definitely on my recommend list.

Dust City is different from any book I have ever read. I would classify it as a fairy tale re-imagining, but it is so much more than that. The main character, Henry Whelp, has had to live his whole life being the son of the big, bad wolf who killed Little Red Riding Hood and her grandmother. He has a bad reputation and is in a form of juvie because he is a wolf even though he has not done anything wrong. Dust City is a world where selling synthetic fairy dust is the main money source. Synthetic fairy dust replaced true fairy dust ever since the fairies disappeared. Fairy dust is pretty much the it drug of Dust City. Anyways, Henry escapes juvie because he believes he knows where the fairies are hiding and there is a chance he can clear his father's name.

I definitely enjoyed this book because it was so original. Robert Paul Weston took the story of the big, bad wolf and made it his own. I loved that some common fairy tale characters were in Dust City. Snow White came into the story as Detective White, a kick butt kind of character who could definitely hold her own. Cindy Rella (Cinderella) wears uncomfortable looking glass heels. Of course there is also Henry's best friend, Jack, from Jack and the Beanstalk.

Henry meets his partner in crime, Fiona, while he is at his Home for Wayward Wolves. Fiona is one smart she-wolf who cares more about her troubled brother, Roy, than she probably should. I liked Fiona because she is non-judgmental. It was nice to see her not judge Henry and actually look for the best in him. My favorite part of the book was whenever they were together.

If you like fairy tale retellings, you will definitely enjoy this book. It is amusing and fun to read! There is a fairly intense torture scene to look out for, but I think most of us can handle it. The story is interesting, and the world that Robert Paul Weston has created is intriguing.

I was so impressed with Henry Welp, he's a complex character who's sensitive, tough, smart, & determined, and very much haunted by the crimes of his father and what it means about the savageness of his baser nature. I wanted to roll around on his fur and live in his universe. It's an amazing and richly complex new world that's grisly, gritty, and unflinchingly-Grimmly-violent

Keeping in the spirit of the more sinister side of the Brothers Grimm, Dust City is gritty and hard-boiled as it is fantastical. When I began to read and it was as if I'd suddenly fallen down the rabbit hole, the next thing I knew the sun was coming up and I felt as if I'd only just blinked! It's a fast and fascinating ride full of characters that are so full and colorful you either love them, fear them, or you really really want them to get what's coming to them.

Even though I feel that this story is complete, there is a lot of life and mystery to be explored in the Dust City Universe. I'd love to be allowed to take a new peek into this enthralling world. Yet the author has said he has zero plans on a sequel. But let me tell you this Mr. Weston, I haven't had enough of Henry, Fiona, Roy, Detective White (she's a real doozy!) and Jack, hell even Siohban and her super cute grandma would be entertaining!

This is a magical world, but there's no wand waving making everything perfect. I respect the maturity and seriousness infused into a book based on a fairytale world. The funny and sweet moments of the story endeared these characters into my heart.

What a wonderful and awesomely talented author. Please read this book, read the prologue and if you are able to put it down I will be shocked.

I'm not sure what I was expecting with this book, but what I read wasn't it, and it far exceeded my expectations. In fact, I'm really hoping for a sequel. I enjoyed all of the characters, both good and bad, and I liked finding the different fairy tales buried within the novel.

I like modern versions of fairy tales, but all that I have read are usually very light and happy, at least in the end. This one is much darker. It was like watching a film noir. But I loved it. The idea of fairy dust being used as a drug, and with the real fairies gone, different markets start to make a synthetic version that just gives them a small hit of the real stuff. I thought it was unique and original while mirroring our world in some ways. And while I bought this book for my classroom, I'm thinking I need to buy another volume for that. This one stays with me!

Henry Whelp is the son of the Big Bad Wolf, who is doing time for killing Little Red Riding Hood and her grandmother. Henry doesn't know why his dad did it and he desperately doesn't want to end up like him. Henry's been stuck in a reformatory for animalia inside Dust City. Dust city used to have real fairies, with real fairydust, but since the fairies vanished all that's left is black market dust. When someone ends up dead unexpectedly at the Reformatory, Henry is brought into question. Henry goes to see his dad and find out the truth of what happened that faithful night and what happened to all the fairies.

This was a very interesting novel. I loved all of the fairy tales that were woven into the story. Each character was really a fairy tale character, and it was fantastic. Henry and Fiona as well as some of the other characters seemed a little unrealistic at times. Of course, they are wolves and such in a fairy tale city, so they aren't very realistic to begin with, but sometimes they just felt a little awkward or off. Maybe it is just me. Besides the characters sometimes being a little out of character this was a really fascinating read. It is a new look at the old Red Riding Hood story, from the Big Bad Wolf's side of the story. This novel really talks about how things aren't always as they seem. There is a definite "big brother" feel to the novel, that there is this big company that sort of controls everything and everyone. If you are a big fan of fairy tales, make sure you read this book it is a great edition for fans of the genre.

First Line:
"Once upon a time, fairydust came from where you'd expect."

Favorite Line:
"Earthwood Cemetery is an oasis of green at the heart if the city."

My Review
Dust City
By
Robert Paul Weston


Call me dense...yes...you can...but I had not a clue that this book was going to have actual fairy tale characters as its main characters. I was about an eighth of the way through when I realized that Cindy Rella was Cinderella and that the Detective White who had a horrible experience in her childhood with 7 miners...was Snow White. And so the story goes. It sounds as though the book would follow a comedic vein but it really didn't other than a few tongue in cheek statements made by lots of the characters. It was really a mystery and a good one at that.

Here is the gist of the book...Henry's dad is the big bad wolf and he is in prison for murdering a little old lady and her granddaughter...hmmm...this city or region is separated into humanoids and animalia...and ruled by this chemical company that sort of took over the fairies and starting manufacturing fairy dust instead of allowing the fairies to make it naturally...an evil sort of drug lord is responsible for a ton of really bad things happening and Henry sets out to fix everything. I won't tell you if he succeeds or not.

I think I am glad I read Dust City. It was extremely clever and a different enough to be interesting. I read it quickly and didn't really have to think very hard about anything in it. It was just entertaining.

The End

3.5 stars

It's not often I've come across a YA read that captures the same feeling that the Grimm's Brother's do in their fairy tales for children, but Robert Paul Weston does just that with Dust City. This enticing story is not at all what I had expected it to be, and I loved that Robert's fairy tale characters are the same ones I knew from my children's fairy tale books. The difference is the characters are older and they live in a darker, more sinister world. If you wanted to know about the "Big Bad Wolf", well now you get to. This story is told from his son's point of view that pieces together what went wrong at Little Red's Grandma's house and is mixed in with a thrilling murder mystery that's embedded with all sorts of danger and a major crime spree.

Robert Paul Westin has done a fabulous job at creating a fairy tale story for YA readers. The story line is brilliant, the feel of the book is a perfect match for the story, and the characters are just as you would except them to be. This book definitely kept me on my toes. There's plenty of mystery, action and betrayal, and it didn't take me long to get wrapped up into everything that was happening. Henry, the main character has a voice that's so fitting for the way the story is told. He's real, he's snarky and he's on a mission to find out who framed his father, where all the fairies went and what's in the tainted fairy dust that's destroying the city and it's residents.

This is definitely unlike any other YA book I've read and it's one I'd definitely recommend to fans of the Grimm Brother's fairytales, wolf fans and fans who love a thrilling paranormal crime story. This story does have a few darker moments that may not be for everyone. I think this is a read that older YA readers may enjoy more.

DUST CITY was an enjoyable enough story; not what I expected, not my favorite, but an ok read in the end. Basically it's a deeper look into the world of fairytale land and where the characters stories continued after the "Happily Ever After" end.

The biggest let down for me, was that I struggled to really connect with any of the characters. Yes, the lead Henry is an endearing sort, but the connection doesn't go much further then that surface likableness, which made me less then on the edge of my seat to see how it all turned out for the down on his luck wolf. And when I say wolf, I don't mean werewolf; think talking human size walking-on-two-legs fairytale wolf, like Brothers Grimm wolf as in Henry's dad is The Big Bad Wolf that ate Red Riding Hood and her grandmother.

Anyhow, Weston's dark fairy tale DUST CITY is a look into the world of fables when the magic starts to fade and corruption starts to take over... ultimately what happens when the bad guys get the upper hand. All in all, an interesting idea and I liked the story, but a bit on the long side for the level of storytelling that's accomplished in the end.