Stranger Things: The Dustin Experiment

Stranger Things #8

by J.L. D'Amato

Hlavní postavou nového oficiálního románu ke kultovnímu seriálu společnosti Netflix Stranger Things je sympatický vědátor Dustin Henderson. Knižní příběh popisuje události mezi třetí a čtvrtou seriálovou řadou.

Je podzim roku 1985 a Dustin nastoupil do prvního ročníku Hawkinské střední školy. Po tragédii v nákupním centru Starcourt se snaží, aby se jeho život vrátil do starých kolejí. Jenže to není snadné. Někteří z jeho přátel se odstěhovali, jiní sice zůstali, ale změnili se. Proto se Dustin ve snaze, aby všechno bylo jako dřív, přihlásí do vědecké soutěže. Přidají se k němu Lucas a Mike? Nebo se bude muset spolehnout na charismatického metalistu Eddieho? A bude se jeho život ubírat cestou, jakou by si přál?

Genres: Fiction, Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Audiobook, Science Fiction, Film, Retellings

304 pages, Hardcover

First published October 29, 2024

Reviews

[camilharrington · Rating 5 out of 5]

You can absolutely tell this book was written by someone from the fandom who writes fanfics. And I mean this as the best of compliments.

[Chloe · Rating 3 out of 5]

The most unexpected thing about this book is that it made me a Suzie stan 🥺


“But I was actually just reading the next chapter of Neuromancer. If you haven’t read it yet, I could read it aloud?”
And I have read it, of course, because I prioritize our little book club over my homework most of the time. But I love Suzie’s voice, and I’ll take any excuse to listen to it, to hang out with her over the radio waves, like there isn’t so much distance between us.
“That sounds perfect,” I say.

[Gejst · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a truly fun read. Having read all the ST books I preordered this one and was excited to jump in. Some people will argue about the books being “cannon” or whatever but I really could care less. These books are great for the ST fan that loves the series, the characters, and has fun.

This is Dustin’s solo quest but you still get some of your favorites in there too. It is also great to see this is written by a fan. Somebody that obviously had fun writing this and brought a new dimension to Dustin.

Most if not all the ST books are YA but they can definitely be enjoyed by a wide range of readers. This ones included.

[Mary Minard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this is my fav stranger things book

[exploraDora · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Dustin Experiment follows Dustin Henderson as he prepares for and travels to a prestigious science fair in Indianapolis, giving us a deeper look at his boundless curiosity, intelligence, and enthusiasm for all things scientific. Along the way, we get plenty of interactions with familiar faces, including Steve and Robin, as well as Eddie, and more insight into Dustin’s place within the group and the wider Hawkins world.

Sadly, this was the Stranger Things book I enjoyed the least so far, which genuinely makes me sad to admit, because Dustin is probably my favorite character in the show. The first part of the book really worked for me. I loved his conversations with Steve (and Robin), his interactions with Eddie, and seeing how their friendship formed. Those moments felt warm, fun, and very true to the characters.

Where the book lost me a bit was the mystery at the science fair. I’m not sure if it was the pacing, the plot itself, or simply the fact that it didn’t grab me as strongly, but my interest faded during that section. The ending picked things up again and felt solid, but by then I was already wishing for something different.

This wasn’t a bad read by any means. I think my expectations were just higher because I love Dustin so much and wanted more - more emotional depth, more character focus, more of what makes him shine on screen. Still, it was nice to spend time in Hawkins again, even if this one didn’t quite hit the mark for me as much as the others did. 🖤⚡

[C.L. Cannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, so out of all the Stranger Things books, I just knew I was gonna love the Dustin-centric one the best, and I was right! This book had me laughing, crying, shouting out at random parts, and just feeling so good by the end. This book takes place between seasons 3 and 4 and chronicles Dustin and the rest of the party starting high school. It shows how he got involved in Hellfire with Eddie, how they became such good friends, and it also deals with the challenges that Dustin, Lucas, and Mike face as far as trying to figure out who you are when you are a teen. They have been close for so long, but when Lucas wants to join the basketball team, Dustin and Mike just don't get it, and when Dustin wants to enter the Science Fair, he finds himself going on a solo quest of sorts and is hurt by the splintering of their established group, especially with Will and El in Lenora. I love that Dustin wrote to Will and how impactful the letters were for both of them. I totally cried when Eddie made Dustin a freaking mix tape of metal songs. I had to stop for a moment and just bawl. There's something so special about that, and it hit me right in the feels. Dustin's project for the fair, the Bard Box, is insanely cool, and I found myself calling him a little genius many times over. I love, love, loved all the times the party came to Steve and Robin for advice, and the trust exercises and bonding moments there were really special, and I think they really highlight why these kids are such good friends to begin with. Also, can we take a minute to worship and apprciate how fricken awesome it is that there's an intelligent, trained duck in this story named Frodo Quackins? The squee I squeed at this duck and at Eddie initially being afraid of it because he doesn't like ducks! Also, Eddie telling all the stories to distract the people at the science fair, and heck, the whole science fair mystery was chef's kiss good! Then we get to the end when Mike and Lucas don't show up and I get so bummed on Dustin's behalf, and then the decision about going to the fancy science school and leaving everyone in Hawkins behind! I love that he went to Steve for advice and I also love the advice Steve gave him. He knew Dustin was looking for an excuse rather than following his heart. The Suzie interactions in this book also made me love her just that much more! But I am so glad that by the end, he realized that Mike and Lucas weren't the only ones not being a good friend and that they all recognized this instead of brushing over it. Taking accountability is important. And I knew Dustin didn't go to the school because I've seen 4th season (and the entirety of the show) so many times it's too high to publicly post without shame, but still I was on the edge of my seat as he was making his final decision about if he would go or not! So yeah, lots of tears, lots of love for all the characters, and I now need a Steve book, please!

[Emma Presnell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truly I was not expecting to cry like a baby at the end

Thank you J.L. D’Amato for such a good ST book and for giving Eddie Munson a prequel he deserved🤧

[thyni · Rating 4 out of 5]

i love stranger things, i hate that they are fighting but i love how it is written and i love his dynamic with eddie (omg so much eddie in this<3) und steve 😭🫶🏼

[Hannah Griffith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fun read! I really loved the original characters. I especially love how well it portrays those fears and insecurities of being left behind. It felt really true to the character, and I especially loved Will’s and Dustin’s letters.

[Sarah Jean · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was 100% written by a fanfic writer and I mean that as a compliment.

[michelle ࣪ ִֶָ☾]

i'm having withdrawals between volumes, don't look at me.

this narrator literally ate this up. he nailed everyone's cadences, not just dustin's, so well it was crazy. pretty sure this author used to write fic and is a legit fan of the show and it really showed. so fun.

[Katie Moran · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very accurate depiction of the character's personalities, idiosyncrasies and voices which made this a fun read!

[bookishworld_nicole · Rating 2 out of 5]

2,5/5
i powiem szczerze, że jestem przerażona że czeka mnie jeszcze książka o Lucasiw

[Sarah Freels · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Dustin with all of my heart, and I love the friendships he’s made. I do think he was ultimately in the wrong about his fights with Mike and Lucas, but I also understand the fear of losing friends and the desperation to keep them. I also just really love the inclusion of Steve and Robin banter, and I also love the fact that Steve and Eddie both got to give Dustin dad speeches. Dustin’s trust in Steve also 100% made me cry and I’m not afraid to admit it.

[Sabrina Frang · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aside from the cussing, this book read a little young to me. It was a bit goofier than the other books in the series, but it was still fun. It takes place at the beginning of Season 4. If you love the friendship between Dustin & Eddie, this is a must-read. They interact a lot in this novel.

The book also features Mike, Lucas, Will, as well as a brief appearance by Max. Jason also shows up to play the bully.

[Danse__macabre · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book. It's so cool, and honestly, it has everything I was expecting from a book about Dustin Henderson.
I love how Dustin and Eddie's relationship is explored, and we can see how much they mean to eschother.

Once again, I got back to the same conclusion; all of them (Eddie, Robin, Max, and Dustin) are all weird, genius kids who wanted to escape Hawkins to chase their dreams. And I know none of them really did, which is obvious from the very first page and makes me frustrated every single time I think about it.

Last but not least, I love Robin being a group therapist.

[luchi ༊ ⊹ °. · Rating 3 out of 5]

i really enjoyed this one! It wouldn't be my first read of the year if it weren't a book I started in december and couldn't finish.
it really felt like reading a fanfic, and i mean it in the best way
it also pmo how the duffer brothers couldn't write a decent ending for these characters
i'm mourning what i thought st was all about😭

[Angela Stillson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed hearing about this side of Dustin and definitely hearing more about the relationships he has with both Steve and Eddie. Knowing what happens to Eddie, this book is heartbreaking because he was such a caring young man who was incredibly wise and a strong mentor for Dustin and for all the kids hw came in contact with.

[C.C. Bruno · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is exactly what you want in a Stranger Things book! Focusing on Dustin and Eddie's developing friendship as Dustin comes to terms with change and growing up.

Meanwhile, we still get the other core characters showing up. Perfect!

[maddy · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was so cute 😭😭

i don’t care if these books are canon or not, i’m claiming this one as canon!!! dustin and eddie’s friendship is so sweet but i also loved the way this book explored his friendship with mike and lucas as well 🫶

[Robyn Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Help me, Eddie-Wan Kenobi. You’re my only hope.”

3.5 stars
I really liked getting more time with Eddie and Dustin! The first half felt like it lined up with the Lucas book seamlessly, the 2nd half started to stray away and felt more like a fan fic.

[Jenn G · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5

[Sam Otto · Rating 5 out of 5]

So amazing, I loved Eddie's fear of Frodo the duck!!

[Joseph Hamm · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very wholesome and heartwarming story to help tide over until the next season!

[Lily · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read Eddie’s book and it was alright, but this book really delivered on what Eddie’s book was missing: Eddie interacting with characters we care about (in this case, Dustin). Eddie truly shines with Dustin and Dustin shines with Eddie. Reading this after season 4 was such a gut punch, but it gives so much more meaning to their friendship. I loved Dustin’s letters to Will (and vice versa). Dustin has always been my favorite of the core four and he was written very well in this. When he was talking about always being the one to care more/most in his friendships?? Omg. This book was funny but also almost made me cry a few times. Dustin’s relationship with Eddie shined in this but there were some great moments with Steve and Robin as well. If you only read one of the Stranger Things novels, it should be this one.

[Iriinesia ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

cute

[Erin Pierce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disclaimer: Dusty is my favorite ST character, hands-down. I loved this little glimpse into his background, and I loved all the Eddie stuff; it made me love him even more than I already did!!

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great expansion into the Stranger Things extended universe.
This one takes place between season 3 and 4, showing Dustin and co entering high school and finding the places where they belong.
It also features Eddie Munson (I'm unapologetically and enthusiastically an Eddie fan until the day I die - just thought that was important to add).

This story shows us more of Dustin's relationship with his mother, and why his dad isn't around any more. Dustin is a good little mumma's boy. It also shows us more of the relationship between him and Suzie (totally cute).
He writes back and forth with Will - which I really appreciate because in the show it kind of felt like everyone forgot about Will.

The story mainly focuses on how Dustin, Mike and Lucas are drifting apart now that they are in highschool. Lucas tries so hard to fit in with the basketball team, that he starts to become complacent in their bullying of the nerds (Dustin included). Dustin and Mike don't want to know a single thing about Lucas' newfound hobby. They end up fighting and go for weeks without talking.

The divide between the friends leads to Dustin going on a solo quest to a Science Fair in Indianapolis. He learns that he can do things on his own, he doesn't necessarily need his childhood friends by his side in order to be successful. New characters Anika and Danny (and Frodo) help Dustin break the science fair curse.

As I mentioned earlier, this story features Eddie - and it keeps him perfectly in character!
This Eddie keep his promises, shows up and follows along with Dustin's plans. He introduces Dustin to the world of metal, even making him a mixtape all of his own. He unintentionally intimidates the other nerds at the science fair with his general scary looking demeanor, but he also destroys all of that by telling a group of kids a scary story.

In short - a great story!

[Chomiczkowe.recenzje · Rating 5 out of 5]

Q: Kto jest Waszą ulubioną postacią ze Stranger Things?

Współpraca recenzencka z @feeria_young @wydawnictwo_feeria

Dzisiaj chciałem opowiedzieć Wam o jednej z nowych powieści ze świata Stranger Things, czyli o "Eksperymencie Dustina" autorstwa J.L D'Amato. Powiem Wam, że jestem pozytywnie zaskoczony. Często powieści ze świata seriali czy filmów nie należą do najlepszych, zwykle to taki trochę skok na kasę, a książki są średnie. Ale nie tym razem. Naprawdę bardzo dobrze bawiłem się przy tej książce.

Idealne przymiotniki opisujące tę powieść to fajna i przyjemna, bo właśnie taka była lektura tego tytułu. A do tego błyskawiczna, ponieważ się przez nią dosłownie płynie. Pierwszego dnia przeczytałem 200 stron z niecałych 350 i odłożyłem książkę jedynie dlatego, że następnego dnia musiałem rano wstać. Oczywiście drugiego dnia dokończyłem, co zacząłem. Myślałem, że całość zajmie mi jakies 3-3.5h, natomiast były to jedynie dwie godzinki. Naprawdę ta książka to takie przyjemne i delikatne płynięcie przez fabułę. A ta może i nie jest oryginalna czy odkrywcza, ale jak dla mnie była po prostu wciągająca. Wiadomo, były słabsze momenty, chociaż nie będę Wam spoilerował, w którym momencie.

Podobało mi się przede wszystkim rozszerzenie wątku przyjaźni Dustina z Eddiem Munsonem. Chociaż niby z opisu wynika, że akcja dzieje się między 3. a 4. sezonem, to dla mnie chyba bardziej zahacza o początek 4. sezonu, pokazując wydarzenia pominięte w serialu. Całość widzimy z perspektywy Dustina, dzięki czemu również poznajemy tę postać lepiej oraz jego motywy i punkt widzenia. W ogóle całość jest bardzo dustinowa, czyli taka humorystyczna, lekka i przyjemna.

Naprawdę polecam Wam tę książkę, jeśli jesteście fanami ST, a już zwłaszcza Dustina lub Eddiego.

Więcej moich recenzji znajdziecie na Instagramie @chomiczkowe.recenzje oraz TikToku o tej samej nazwie, gdzie serdecznie zapraszam.

[Shanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Maybe when things are changing around us, the bravest thing we can do is be ourselves, no matter what everyone else is doing.”—Dustin Henderson.

I really love Dustin. He’s my favorite character from Stranger Things because he is always unapologetically himself and is so kind to his friends. He reminded me of Sam in Lord of the Rings, which is funny because Sean Astin was also on the show. Anyways, this story is all about him and his quest to try a new thing, even though he is a bit scared of change.

Dustin’s friends are all going through a tough time after the Starcourt Mall disaster and some are really distant (Mike, Max), some have left (El, Will) and some even are trying to be different (Lucas). Dustin feels like everything is changing too fast and just wants his friends to stick together. When he finds out Lucas is trying out for basketball, he feels like this is another change and it scares him. But, he takes some advice from Eddie, a new friend from school, and decides to do his own quest. He also starts listening more to Robin and Steve. Dustin decides to do a science project he’s been wanting to do, even if his friends aren’t into it. He grows closer to Eddie during this experience and we see how much Eddie really means to him. Also, it informs him of an outside world where he can be the geek he always wants to be without any shame. Honestly, this book feels like the parts of high school where everyone is growing up, but maybe we don’t have to grow apart?

You can really see how Eddie, Steve and Robin help to shape Dustin’s experiences just as much as his friends do and how they themselves become friends and mentors to him. Loved the story. Be yourself!