Hello guys! Happy Friday!
This week Friday means the start of 7 days in a row of work, so not exactly as celebratory was when it's the herald of the weekend off, but I am finalizing all my details for my trip to the US next month, so there's always something good to look forward to!
For this week's Friday Reads I have the review of an ARC of a book that was one of my highly awaited ones, releasing this month and that I was very lucky to be approved for by Harper Teen on Edelweiss!
As an ARC it counts towards my 2014 Review Pile Reading Challenge, and I think I'm still doing quite decently on this one!
In a Handful of Dust by Mindy McGinnis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
When I read Not A Drop To Drink last year I absolutely loved it, loved how gritty and plausible it was, and I loved the character growth of Lynn, the main character. So when I heard about In A Handful of Dust, the companion novel to that one, I was very excited to get to read it, and even more when I was approved for an eARC via Edelweiss!
In A Handful of Dust is a companion novel more than a sequel cause it takes place quite a few years after NADTD and although at first most of the characters are familiar to us, things quickly change when illness spreads through the community that they built and it seems like Lucy might be in danger. Lynn decides to go with Lucy and see if the rumours of desalinization plants in California are true.
The main story of the book is about Lynn and Lucy on the road, trying to stay safe in a world that's full of dangers from nature itself and even more from other survivors out there. In a tough world like the one we see here, a lot of those who are left are sticking to the survival of the most ruthless, something Lynn & Lucy have to keep in mind if they want to reach their destination safely.
Despite having Lynn in our story, this is mainly Lucy's story and this is why although I enjoyed the book, with appropriate moments when it made me cringe and fear for the human race, I never found myself really involved and engrossed in it the way I was with NADTD. I guess I never really connected with Lucy's voice the way I connected with Lynn. I'm not sure why it was, given that Lucy's perspective is a lil more similar to ours since she grew in a safe community protected from all the things she has to face on their journey.
I found Lynn to have grown into her older self very believably and very true to the Lynn we met, so she was the one that carried the book for me. It was great to see her shine as a survivor that won't back down and also learning to trust in the good intentions of some of the people she find in their journey.
The ending came as something slightly unexpected, Lynn really surprised me, even if as I think about it, the journey changed her a lot too, and her actions do make a lot of sense, even if it was unexpected if we think of the reason of the journey in the first place.
All in all, despite my lack of connection with Lucy, I managed to enjoy this one and feel like this is a very scary world that Mindy McGinnis has painted, even more when it is so plausible. 3.5 stars to this one.
View all my reviews
This week Friday means the start of 7 days in a row of work, so not exactly as celebratory was when it's the herald of the weekend off, but I am finalizing all my details for my trip to the US next month, so there's always something good to look forward to!
For this week's Friday Reads I have the review of an ARC of a book that was one of my highly awaited ones, releasing this month and that I was very lucky to be approved for by Harper Teen on Edelweiss!
As an ARC it counts towards my 2014 Review Pile Reading Challenge, and I think I'm still doing quite decently on this one!
In a Handful of Dust by Mindy McGinnisMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
When I read Not A Drop To Drink last year I absolutely loved it, loved how gritty and plausible it was, and I loved the character growth of Lynn, the main character. So when I heard about In A Handful of Dust, the companion novel to that one, I was very excited to get to read it, and even more when I was approved for an eARC via Edelweiss!
In A Handful of Dust is a companion novel more than a sequel cause it takes place quite a few years after NADTD and although at first most of the characters are familiar to us, things quickly change when illness spreads through the community that they built and it seems like Lucy might be in danger. Lynn decides to go with Lucy and see if the rumours of desalinization plants in California are true.
The main story of the book is about Lynn and Lucy on the road, trying to stay safe in a world that's full of dangers from nature itself and even more from other survivors out there. In a tough world like the one we see here, a lot of those who are left are sticking to the survival of the most ruthless, something Lynn & Lucy have to keep in mind if they want to reach their destination safely.
Despite having Lynn in our story, this is mainly Lucy's story and this is why although I enjoyed the book, with appropriate moments when it made me cringe and fear for the human race, I never found myself really involved and engrossed in it the way I was with NADTD. I guess I never really connected with Lucy's voice the way I connected with Lynn. I'm not sure why it was, given that Lucy's perspective is a lil more similar to ours since she grew in a safe community protected from all the things she has to face on their journey.
I found Lynn to have grown into her older self very believably and very true to the Lynn we met, so she was the one that carried the book for me. It was great to see her shine as a survivor that won't back down and also learning to trust in the good intentions of some of the people she find in their journey.
The ending came as something slightly unexpected, Lynn really surprised me, even if as I think about it, the journey changed her a lot too, and her actions do make a lot of sense, even if it was unexpected if we think of the reason of the journey in the first place.
All in all, despite my lack of connection with Lucy, I managed to enjoy this one and feel like this is a very scary world that Mindy McGinnis has painted, even more when it is so plausible. 3.5 stars to this one.
View all my reviews
7 days of work in a row? Urgh! Poor you. :( It sounds like Lynn has come a long way as a character since Not A Drop To Drink which is good, and a surprise ending is usually fun just so long as it jived with the rest of the story, which from your review I gather that it did in this case. It's too bad that you didn't hit it off with Lucy though.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I cannot wait for next Friday to arrive!!
DeleteLynn's progression was great but yeah, I felt like something was missing there...
Ahhh, this one got 3 stars from me. I think it was three? I don't think survival stories are my thing, but McGinnis is definitely an excellent survival-story writer. I didn't connect with Lucy as well though.
ReplyDeleteExcellent review, Pili!
Alyssa @ The Eater of Books!
Yup, I think it was 3 stars. Lucy really was not our kinda character I guess!
DeleteThanks Alyssa!
I'm really excited to read this Pili but also a little nervous. I haven't read Not a Drop to Drink but I know how it ends, and I fear this ending might be equally brutal. "Unexpected" sounds better than brutal though, so maybe it's safe for me to give this a try? We'll have to see:)
ReplyDeleteThis ending was not as brutal, not at all! The book does have its brutal moments, but nothing as heartbreaking for me as the ending of Not a Drop To Drink, Jenny!
DeleteYou're coming to the US?? How awesome! Hope you have a great trip! :) What part of the US are you coming to?
ReplyDeleteI have not read this series yet, but it sounds very intriguing. It't too bad you didn't love it as much as the first book, but maybe the series is still worth a try?
YES! NYC, Chicago and Wisconsin! =D
DeleteThe series is really worth a try Lili, the first book was one of my fave debuts last year!
Great review Pili. <3 I'm glad you enjoyed this book. Thank you for sharing :D I did not love book one. So I have decided not to read this, as I have heard bad things. Do not think it would be for me at all :\ Sigh. Which is depressing, lol. But I love reading your thoughts. <3
ReplyDelete