The Dandelion Insurrection: Love and Revolution

Dandelion Trilogy - The people will rise #1

by Rivera Sun

In a time that looms around the corner of today, in a place on the edge of our nation, it is a crime to dissent, a crime to assemble, a crime to stand up for one's life. Despite all this - or perhaps because of it - the Dandelion Insurrection appeared . . .

Under a gathering storm of tyranny, Zadie Byrd Gray whirls into the life of Charlie Rider and asks him to become the voice of the Dandelion Insurrection. With the rallying cry of life, liberty, and love, Zadie and Charlie fly across America leaving a wake of revolution in their path. Passion erupts. Danger abounds. The lives of millions hang by a thread. The golden soul of humanity blossoms . . . and wonders start to unfold!

Author Rivera Sun creates mythic characters from everyday people. She infuses the story of our times with practical solutions and visionary perspectives, drawing the reader into a world both terrifying and inspiring . . . a world that could be our own!

Genres: Fiction, Politics, Fantasy, Spirituality, School, 21st Century

368 pages, Paperback

First published November 5, 2013

About the author

Author/Activist Rivera Sun has written numerous books and novels, including The Dandelion Insurrection and the award-winning Ari Ara Series. She is the editor of Nonviolence News and the Program Coordinator for Campaign Nonviolence. Her articles are syndicated by Peace Voice and published in hundreds of journals nationwide. Rivera Sun serves on the board of Backbone Campaign and the advisory board of World BEYOND War. She lives on her family's organic farm in Maine.

Connect on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/rivera.sun.3...

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Rivera-Sun/e/B0...

Reviews

[Dariel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel like I have lived my life so that I could read this book and be inspired to action...Right now.

Rivera Sun has created the story of our time. A government running out of control, devouring the health and well-being of its own people to feed the greed of a tiny few. She tells the story of the heart of the people rising with the strength of love and joy to take back their birthright and their power.

This book is told in that can't put it down, gotta read faster but don't want it to ever end style that is a wonderful torment. The characters are drawn with love and feel like best friends after just a few pages.

And the message of the book...this book carries a very powerful message that will one day rank it with books like 1984, Fahrenheit 451, The Grapes of Wrath and every other book that stands for the power, the beauty and the love of the human heart in a time of crisis.

Yes, absolutley I have already read this book over and expect to do so again. I whole-heartedly recommend this book to everyone in hopes that you too will find your truth and join in The Dandelion Insurrection.

[T.C. Weber · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Be kind, be connected, be unafraid." This is the slogan of the Dandelion Insurrection, author/activist Rivera Sun's fictional tale of non-violent revolution. Set in a U.S. that has become a dictatorship controlled by the rich and corporations (not an entirely unrealistic extrapolation from today's America), a handful of activists led by young Zadie Byrd Gray and Charlie Rider use imaginative means to fight back and bring about a better world. The Dandelion Insurrection shows how methods outlined by Gene Sharp (visit www.aeinstein.org) and others can be used to replace an oppressive government.

As fiction, The Dandelion Insurrection has its flaws. Ms. Sun summarizes a lot, using exposition instead of showing action. She head-hops between characters. And she is overly fond of similes and metaphors. In places, her words are poetic, but she tries too hard and too often, and frequently overloads her prose with layers of saccharine. Fortunately, this book has some strengths. It has twists and turns. It has tension-filled romance. The characters are ones you want to root for (especially Zadie).

A final thought: This is not a playbook for a real-life revolution. It is dominated by unrealistic scenarios and solutions. The author may have done some research on non-violent resistance, but fell far short on how things like the Internet and courtrooms work. Still, it has a positive, hopeful message, and I recommend it to anyone feeling like life is hopeless.

[Land Cook · Rating 5 out of 5]

No matter the circumstances of your life, Rivera Sun's words will inspire you to step back into the dance of life with utter abandon and full of joy. She has a way of liberating the rebel in your heart whether you are a tea drinking hippy or a 9-5 desk jockey in the corporate world! A must read.

[Chloe · Rating 1 out of 5]

I’m very surprised at the rave reviews for this book. The author feels the need to have the characters tell you things that are glaringly obvious if the reader is paying attention and the characters don’t feel real or fleshed out to me at all. It feels the need to beat you over the head to make its point.

The romantic storyline wasn’t even captivating, which is a big claim coming from a hopeless romantic such as myself.

I think calling this novel the “handbook for the revolution” is a huge reach and a disservice to books that actually provoke thought. When I first started the book I quite enjoyed how similar the universe was to our real world life but at the end of the day I think trying to keep it realistic feeling was a disservice to the storytelling.

On top of all of this, she approaches sensitive subjects (like SW and reproductive health issues) in a TERRRRRIBLY ignorant way.

Underwhelming at best. The authors heart was clearly in the right place but the entire thing was a miss for me. For how simple the storyline and characters were, it should’ve been an easy read but instead I had to drag my feet through the mud to finally finish it. (In hindsight I kinda wish I gave up on it instead. It had such good reviews that I was holding out hope, I guess.)

I’m not exaggerating but this is one of the few books I’ve read that I genuinely cannot stand.

[Bethany Borgia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book in high school but figured it would be a good book to reread now seeing as I live in federally occupied D.C. This book holds up 100% and it was a bit unnerving to see that the actions of the fictional corrupt government are things that are currently happening, and at a very fast pace. I think that rereading and remembering non violent philosophy and tactics for resistance was something I needed to right now with all of the politically motivated killings.

Anyway! If anyone wants to borrow it let me know :)

[Mari Faith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rivera Sun is an author in a league of her own. Her writing is like inspirational poetry in motion. Reading The Dandelion Insurrection is not an exercise in futility nor like steeping yourself in rhetoric. It’s more like steeping yourself in a healing herbal infusion of dandelion tea. It will move you to take non-violent actions towards the best world and love that we know in our hearts we can co-create. Reading Rivera’s words took me through every emotion our humanity bestows upon us. Her writing is a Feast of Love set forth for all who wish to partake in its immense Beauty and Teachings. Go ahead and join the Feast! Be an Evolutionary Revolutionary!

[Cindy Reinhardt · Rating 5 out of 5]

What's not to like about a revolution powered by love? "When fear is used to control, love is how we rebel." Rivera Sun is an amazing author and activist. She's written another story for our times, one that is needed to help pave the way to creating a world that works for all. Thank you Rivera for your brilliance and your inspiration!

[Mia · Rating 1 out of 5]

In some ways inspiring, but mostly just far-fetched and overwrought.

[Megan]

I tried so hard to read this book club book, but it’s a DNF for me. I just felt like the writting was clunky and didn’t flow well. I did not look forward to picking this up at all, so I knew it was time to DNF.

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you believe government needs a big change...and if you believe in non-violence, kindness and love...and especially if you are on the line or don't believe...this book is incredibly for you. It is relevant and could (and I hope it will be )be life-changing. "Be kind. Be Connected. Be unafraid,"

[Heidi Bakk-Hansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, I have mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, it hearkens back to turn-of-the-last century social justice literature, which means it's a little heavy handed and overwrought, but also groundbreaking in its way. It's satisfying sometimes, but other times, the overheated language makes me roll my eyes and wonder where that editor's at. I think if I'd read it when I was much younger, I might not be so critical, but some of the activist stuff smacks me as naive, given today's world. It's hopeful, but also sticking quite a bit to the hero narrative, which is, to my mind, not how revolutions really work. (But then again, maybe I'm wrong. I just think things work a lot more collectively, and people are always suspicious of "heroes.") I'm keeping it, though, because when I become my neighborhood's post-apocalyptic librarian, it might come in handy. (I only keep the books I think I'll need.) Also, her single Black character seems... like a walking stereotype. It was written in 2013, so I get a little how this can seem like suburban white girl-activist fantasist literature, but Black Lives Matter is nowhere to be found in this book. Not even a little bit. So, yeah. I'm not sure whether I would recommend it or not to anyone who's spent five minutes as an activist, though it does make a good argument for nonviolent actions and how they work.

[J. Michel · Rating 5 out of 5]

There aren't enough stars to pay homage to how amazing this book is, but since Goodreads only allows me to give five stars, I'll have to settle for that. The Dandelion Insurrection is so much more than a book; it's a much needed gift that the author has lovingly presented to the world. After experiencing The Dandelion Insurrection, I knew that there would need to be changes made before the country unravels to the disturbing state that was described in this novel.

The relationships that are formed in this beautiful story are what give the reader hope. One hopes that in a country that’s crushed by the government, people can still overcome adversity with love. The main theme of The Dandelion Insurrection is that love conquers all. Rivera Sun is a marvelous author whose love of writing is reflected in this masterpiece of a story. I wholeheartedly recommend The Dandelion Insurrection to anyone with a pulse!

[Bryan Friddle · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book more than I actually did. The plot and the message were both good but grossly overpowered by an extreme amount of flowery metaphors. I basically had to make myself finish it.

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

This imperfect, somewhat fractured, perhaps too short and certainly incomplete book is well worth reading. It is not a novel, and thus perhaps requires that we try to put the people that we know into the applicable slots. I myself, for example, can imagine many strong Inez's trying by hook or by crook to survive as migrants in a hostile social environment. It is a more-or-less coherent (the extractive invasion seems somewhat forced though quite real) collection of allegorical vignettes, underlain by tactics of non-violent and democratic resistance, and accompanied by a narrative thread about two people in love who try to affect change in a world of fear, hate and propaganda. Many who are quite well-versed in techniques of confronting authoritarian public figures (e.g. Medea Benjamin and Cindy Sheehan) find that the book resonates closely with their work.

I found myself, fortunately or unfortunately (I don't like to think of Rand's book), thinking often of Atlas Shrugged as I went through this book. The philosophies and tones informing these books could not be more opposite. Atlas Shrugged was a celebration of self-aggrandizement; a call for completing the transformation of society ("the needy") into economy ("subjection of nature to The Individual Mind"); an imagining of capitalist accumulation as the epitome of "voluntary," "moral" and "non-violent" humanity; and a deeply hateful and revengeful "taking back what was stolen from /me/."

The Dandelion Insurrection on the other hand is about the transformation of authoritarian hierarchy into independent, interdependent, creative solidarity. It is about living ecologically, rather than simply subordinating nature to the industrial form. It is about the "questionable" judgment of trusting people to respond positively when one non-violently pleads for them to be human. It is about strong and real women (with wombs!) leading the way rather than following as the really sterile Dagny Taggart does in Atlas (I apologize in arrears for speaking, probably out of turn, of that which I cannot know or feel).

However, the narratives run almost in parallel. For Rand, "the workers/populace" are mostly a nameless mass dependent upon the named industrialists and under the sway of the named "mystics of mind and muscle." For Sun, the corporate and government elite (industrialists) are the largely nameless ones (The Greenbacks), living in fear of the diversity of characters that are local community. The main characters in each book are defined by a courtroom trial, unsuccessful attempts by "the government" (yes, both are quite critical of authoritarian "government") to shut the populace out of the proceedings, and fairly soon afterwards a glimpse into the "final cleaning."

It is important to also note that Gene Sharp, the inspiration for The Dandelion Insurrection, was also quite often referenced in regard to the "Arab Spring" uprisings particularly in Egypt. I think history will show, however, that at least phases I and II (we are in phase II) of the Egyptian uprising were run in a manner agreeable to the global elite (U.S. government, Israel, M.E. dictators, etc.). Look where we are; back to a dictator who is, if anything, more subservient to Washington and the IMF. Nothing is easy or clean about the longue durée of transformation.

[Gerry]

After devouring all five volumes of the Ari Ara series, I was eager to delve into this, and I was not disappointed. My absolute favorite character was the lawyer Tansy Beaulisle.

[Sydney Honaker · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2 Stars for the beautiful and motivational message

so this was a little slow for me in the beginning but definitely picked up! I genuinely enjoyed this little look into a scarily possible near-future. There were a few areas of issue for me though:
1. the dialogue: some characters sounded perfectly normal, but most, especially the young twenty-something protagonists used like crazy formal and heavy dialogue that came across as strange.

2. The overall story came across a little naive. I don't know if it was so small that I missed it or if it just wasn't in there at all, but I think the story largely erased how, in reality, Black and other POC would have fared in this society that's little more than a corporate police state. Like I get the book wasn't written yesterday, but racism and police brutality definitely were a thing then too. There were definitely black characters, but their experiences were not highlighted or defined in any way.

3. The issue of immigration in this book weirdly centered on a small group of French speaking white families along the Canadian border?

4. This book was definitely about poor people fighting against the rich for their basic human rights, but it also ignored that discrimination against the poor is largely a racial issue as well.

Don't get me wrong, I REALLY enjoyed this book, but i enjoyed it in the comfortable way that white people can continue to live their lives without much interruption while ignoring racism because they can reason with themselves that it doesn't truly effect them.

The inclusion of the reality of institutionalized racism and how a growing corporate dictatorship and police state would directly effect POC more than white middle & lower class citizens is what would have taken this book from Good to GREAT for me.
It's a beautiful story, but don't hold it up as a guide for our present day issues.

[Bruce · Rating 5 out of 5]

The closest parallel to today came in the late 19th century, when the lackeys of robber barons were literally depositing sacks of money on the desks of pliant legislators. The great jurist Louis Brandeis noted that the nation had a choice: “We can have a democracy or we can have great wealth in the hands of a few,” he said. “But we cannot have both.” Soon thereafter America reached a tipping point. Public outrage gave birth to the progressive era, in which the nation’s first campaign finance laws were enacted, trusts were broken up, a progressive income tax was instituted, regulations barred impure food and drugs, and the first labor laws put into effect in several states.

It is always darkest just before the dawn...

“Be like the dandelions, spring up in intolerable soils, dare to stand up against violence, and blossom into love!”

“We call into action those whose hearts cry out for justice, and those whose spirits know that the continued survival of our species depends on our concerted efforts now.”

We are the ones we've been waiting for.

[Seth Wilpan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Principles of non-violent revolution presented in comic book form. It paints a realistic and accurate picture of the state of politics, oppression and plutocracy in the Unites States today and sketches some useful principles for insurrection. The watchwords it proposes for personal conduct are: “Be Kind. Be Connected. Be Unafraid.” Tactics are developed through the process encapsulated in the phrase: “Create, Copy, improve, share.” Decentralized action is accomplished in a leader-full constituency whose cohesiveness is maintained using the same algorithm that birds employ to keep the flock together in flight: “Fly forward, the leader changes at every shift in direction, keep equidistant, don’t leave your wingman out on limb.”
All of these admirable and useful principles are illustrated in a cartoonishly simple story, which may be a useful device for disseminating them to a wide audience, but runs the risk of undermining them in its lack of depth.

[Jeff · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is much to love about this book, but also to criticize. Many of the events that happen in the book are very realistic. Many have already come to pass and many others could very easily transpire as well. I have two main criticisms of the story though. 1) there is a lot of “telling”. Many sections of broad narrative. 2) I get that the members of the dandelion insurrection practice non-violence, but it almost feels like the government does so as well. What violence does occur is often “off-camera” if you will. There are too many instances where there’s just about to be violence and then some miracle happens and everyone is fine. The ending of the story is a great example of this. To the point of ridiculousness. A truly authoritarian government would strike out against its citizens.

[Lacey · Rating 2 out of 5]

Great ideas. Beautiful message. However, the story felt stretched thin and rushed simultaneously. I also found Sadie and Charlie's relationship unlikely and juvenile. I was hoping for more commentary on climate change, but perhaps that comes in later installments of the series. I found the concept of nonviolent political change beautiful, and a much needed breath of fresh air. I also find this strategy very relevant to the political climate we are living in.

[Marianne Ciccantelli · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fanciful Inspiration

The book aligns very closely with the political events today which is what intrigued and inspired me to read it. While I enjoyed the fictional concept of a widespread resistance, many parts were too heavy in idealism, steering me away from my own reading fantasy experience.

[elise · Rating 1 out of 5]

I needed to read this book for summer reading before my freshman year of high school and the awful book has stuck with me since then, it’s so bad. The plot was a good idea but poorly executed and extremely confusing. I would never recommend this book.

[Paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very appropriate reading for today's political climate.

[Hemani · Rating 5 out of 5]

This should be on everyone's reading list.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the premise, and loved the message of this book I had a hard time staying engaged with the story because the characters just didn’t seem real or believable to me

[Carol Albert · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am giving this a pretty low rating and I am not even finishing it. You may want feel differently though. Rivera Sun, the author, is an activist. Teaching how to be an activitist is definitely the agenda in this story. My problem with the story is that the story "tells - without showing." The most important character is Charlie, who has been publishing articles drumming up support for the Dandelion Insurrection - where rebellion pops up in impossible places across the country, without a central organiztional structure. He is a flat character, even though he is key to the story. That's the problem. The reader can't care about him. It seems like the author herself doesn't know this character. Now, if you are looking for figurative language, Sun is a master. It's sometimes overwhelming, with every sentence including some type of it.

The copyright is 2013, but it seems like it was just published with current events in mind. At the time of writing this review, we are in the first 100 days of trump's second presidency, with our constitutional rights crumbling around us. In that sense, she is prophetic, although anybody paying attention, like Sun, could have figured out the course of events if allowed to happen by the populace, as it has been so far.

The back includes a list of 198 Methods of Nonviolence Action. I truly wanted to like this book and you might like it better than I did. I don't want to convince you not to check it out. It is Book 1 of a trilogy.

[Debbie Tremel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Hard Book to Rate

There are two aspects to this book- the story and the message. I would rate it a 3 based on story, but a 5 on message. Although the story takes place in the future, all but the most extreme actions of the government are already here now- and if we proceed on the path we are on, it's not unrealistic fiction at all. The insights of how the wealthy control and abuse the government and people is reality. The non-violent rising of the people is powerfully demonstrated and some wonderful strategies shared. I wholeheartedly support the message of the book. Unfortunately, I didn't feel it was presented as well as possible. It often bogged down in philosophy, sacrificing the pacing and intensity of the story. A little too much preaching and not enough storytelling. I also felt the characters weren't developed really well, we never experienced what motivated them to begin- besides their love for each other. Then just in writing style, I found the constantly floating g point of view distracting. So great message, but a little hard to get through for me.

[Jo DelAmor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book!

In a time when humanity has so few compelling stories about a livable future and viable change, it's essential to tell stories like this one. I love that it deeply centers nonviolence and uses creative story telling, lovable characters and realistic scenarios to demonstrate the very real power of nonviolent resistance that has proven to be effective time and time again in our human history. This story is an excellent way to subvert the dominant narrative constantly being forced upon us by the self proclaimed "victors" of history. It is a way to remind ourselves and shake ourselves loose from the amnesia that keeps us locked into systems of violence.

Rivera Sun has done the work to learn about the long and beautiful history of nonviolent action and has woven it so elegantly into this story so we can learn and remember and imagine a future worth living into. Thank you, Rivera!

It reminds me of the quote attributed to Drew Dellinger... "The future belongs to the most compelling story."

[Anthony Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A surprisingly good novel. Intelligent, well told, inventive, credible.
Good prose - reminded me of Stephen King in places - and after a while the language of peace and reason starts to work despite initial temptation towards cynicism. No spoiler here, but if you thought the best way to make the huge (and oh so obvious) changes needed in this world was to break every window in City Hall, think again.
A few quotes: "Revolutions happen because your heart throws down the gauntlet of its love."
"In truth, it is a handful of greedy, corporate elitists who are resisting the rest of humanity. They're doing a heck of a job, but they're not going to win. Life wants to live - a fact that those destructive few should be very grateful for since our will to live is keeping them alive, too."
Read it - you'l be glad you did.

[Rob Thistleton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely is the word that comes to mind

A love story, a story about relationship. Rivera writes simply and effectively. I cannot think of any person not being able to read and get something from this book. The characters come over as real heroes but also real people. This in a relatively short period. Portrays a horrible society changed through human resilience, persistence and mostly love and compassion.
I am not a particularly literate person but this is not "literature" in the classical sense. That's not to say it couldn't become a classic. It certainly should be on a school reading list if not the curriculum.
Only just heard of Rivera recently by accident or providence, will be reading more.