Review: In a Handful of Dust by Mindy McGinnis

Review: In a Handful of Dust by Mindy McGinnis In a Handful of Dust by Mindy McGinnis
Series: Not a Drop to Drink #2
Published by Harper Collins on September 23rd 2014
Pages: 384
Format:Hardcover
Source:Purchased

The only thing bigger than the world is fear.

Lucy’s life by the pond has always been full. She has water and friends, laughter and the love of her adoptive mother, Lynn, who has made sure that Lucy’s childhood was very different from her own. Yet it seems Lucy’s future is settled already—a house, a man, children, and a water source—and anything beyond their life by the pond is beyond reach.

When disease burns through their community, the once life-saving water of the pond might be the source of what’s killing them now. Rumors of desalinization plants in California have lingered in Lynn’s mind, and the prospect of a “normal” life for Lucy sets the two of them on an epic journey west to face new dangers: hunger, mountains, deserts, betrayal, and the perils of a world so vast that Lucy fears she could be lost forever, only to disappear in a handful of dust.

In this companion to Not a Drop to Drink, Mindy McGinnis thrillingly combines the heart-swelling hope of a journey, the challenges of establishing your own place in the world, and the gripping physical danger of nature in a futuristic frontier.

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Oh, this book. Actually, oh, Mindy McGinnis. I liked Not a Drop to Drink , but in that awful depressing, “this book just ate my soul” kind of way. Well, now you can pretty double those feelings, and that is my response to In a Handful of Dust. It was good. Heartwrenchingly, beautifully, disturbingly good.

I think the aspect of the book that stood out to me the most was the change in narrator. While Lynn’s story was also great, Lucy just appealed to me more. I found that I connected and related to Lucy more than I had to Lynn, and while I still loved Lynn as a character, I was glad for the chance to read from Lucy’s perspective. It was bittersweet to be reintroduced to her about a decade later, as you know her childhood was cut far too short. But in this brutal world, that is the reality.

I won’t go into too many details, as it’s better to read them yourself of course, but the core of this story is a life changing trip across the country in search of a possible water source and better way of life. It’s a story of survival, loss, trust, betrayal, and choices. Ultimately, the choices these women make will define them and change them.

nqC3rWhile reading this book, I couldn’t help but make some comparisons to The Oregon Trail (no, not just the game, but the actual trials and tribulations that the people went through. And yeah, fine, the game a little bit too). And it wasn’t because of anything specific, just the overall feel of things. There were no wagons and oxen, but there certainly were diseases and injury and strangers to be extremely wary of. It’s frightening to think how easily society could revert back to a much more lawless and frightening time.

Because really, this book feels so scarily plausible. It’s easy to see how  people can let anarchy rule when they are scared of literally dying of thirst, or maladies that have not been seen in centuries. It is hard not to think about what you would do, what decisions you would make, or how you’d fare while reading this book.

There are some great characters in this book (of both the kind and evil varieties, of course), but the focus is certainly on Lucy, Lynn, and their ever-changing relationship. At the heart of it, they will love each other forever. But as they go through personal changes, their relationship has to change with them.

This book is beautifully written, just as Not a Drop to Drink was. I felt quite emotional as I read, never knowing what would become of these strong women, never knowing if they’d reach their destination, or even if their destination existed. I feared for them, I felt sad for them, and I hoped for them. In truth, the reason I am holding out the last half star is because simply, I needed more. I don’t think there are any plans for future books in this series, and that saddened me, as I felt I needed some questions answered. This is a personal preference, but I need to know things, and it is very hard for me when I don’t. This isn’t some kind of cliffhanger ending or anything, so please don’t let that scare you, but I did want to express why I didn’t give it the full five.

Bottom Line: I loved this book, even though it tore me apart at times. Mindy’s style of writing appeals to me, and this type of survival book is certainly my cup of tea. Add to that very strong characters and transformative journeys, and In a Handful of Dust was quite simply a win. 4hstar

Okay, ‘fess up: Any chance you’d make it on a cross country foot trip? Yeah, I am not making it out of my neighborhood, so unless the country we are crossing is Monaco, I am out.

Also, did you ever play The Oregon Trail? I might have every version of it. 

Posted December 3, 2014 by Shannon @ It Starts at Midnight in Review / 14 Comments

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14 responses to “Review: In a Handful of Dust by Mindy McGinnis

  1. I know that a lot of people liked this series, including my co-blogger Tanja, but I still haven’t read it. I keep pushing it down on my TBR list.
    I love emotional books, so this should work out for me.

    I haven’t heard about that game, I’m not much of a video games player, but about that trip – I love taking a walks, especially if I’m somewhere new. On the other hand, it’s quite different to walk from one town to the other, so I’d say no.

    • It was this old (I mean REALLY old) computer game that was played in the US, in pretty much every elementary school, in which people would travel from the east/midwest to the west coast (Oregon, sometimes Utah or California) in the mid 1800s, and there were all kinds of awful fates they encountered. This book really reminded me of it! But in a good way. But it’s like, thousands of miles basically. Over mountains, rivers, etc, and all the hardships and such.

  2. I think I would read that book based on the cover alone. It’s so beautiful! But if that weren’t enough, the blurb sucked me in. I am such a fan of dystopian novels.

  3. I read a review recently about the ending (and the unanswered questions) I don’t always need a clean ending, but I hate it when there’s still things left unanswered, especially if there’s no plans for another (or even a novella) that’ll answer them. It’s mean. But I know I’d love the characters, they sound very fleshed out. Ha, my feet would fall off. I walked a few miles for fun the other day, but that’s about as far as I’m getting. I don’t even know that game…

    • I think it must be a US only thing, but like, every school everywhere used this game in the ’90s to teach about westward expansion.

      I also read a review (by accident!) that basically told me the ending, which enraged me. I mean, I get saying it wasn’t exactly what you wanted, but they told me what happened! Grr.

  4. This sounds so interesting! It reminds me a little of The Probability of Miracles by Corey Ann Haydu, which I haven’t read, but want to. I’m wary of reading this though if there are still unanswered questions, I hate being left without knowing everything I need to know. I love mother/daughter relationships, so this sounds really attractive family dynamics wise. The futuristic world where there’s not much water sounds fascinating and scary. Good review. 🙂

    • Thanks! I mean, there are some unanswered questions, and I only felt it was fair to tell people. It isn’t like, some horrible cliffhanger like Requiem in the Delirium series (which made me actually rage against the book and throw it!) but it did bug me a bit. Otherwise, the book was pretty amazing!

  5. How is Heart wrenching a good thing? I know how you feel, some narrators I just connect with more. Like the Cinder books, most people loved Scarlet, but I didn’t feel her, I preferred Cress.

    I’ve never heard of the Oregon trail game, but their journey sounds awful. Yeah that’s why it sounds awful, because it could so easily happen.

    I’m with you, I need to know things too! I’m far too inquisitive for my own good.

    Nope, I’d never make it cross country on foot. (and not only because I have absolutely no sense of direction)

    • Because of feels! I LOVE feels. I want them all. Nom nom.

      And seriously, how do people not know about The Oregon Trail game!? I know I am NOT the only one in elementary school in the 1990s around here. Fine, maybe I am. Womp womp. :/

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