El experimento de Dustin: Stranger things

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: Young Adult, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Science Fiction, Audiobook, Fantasy, Mystery

280 pages, Paperback

First published October 29, 2024

Reviews

[camilharrington]

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.

[Jim C]

Actual rating is 3.5 stars.

This novel is based on the television series and takes place during the fourth season. As you can tell by the cover we see Dustin's perspective on the current events in Hawkins and how the group is drifting apart.

This book is basically about the main character being a teenager and finding themselves. The world is changing for them as friends might drift apart and the development of new interests. I am pretty sure we have all gone thru this scenario so it is easy to identify with the main character. It also helps that Dustin is a personal favorite of mine. As for my enjoyment I liked the book and I thought the author handled the concept expertly. She did an excellent job of portraying Dustin and the other characters. Where this book excels is the development of the friendship between Dustin and Eddie. I loved the background information this book provided as I always thought that was a little fast tracked on the show. This novel was a nice look into Dustin. There are a couple of reasons I could not give this a whole four stars. Dustin does a science fair and is soon involved in a mystery. This did not exactly land with me as if it felt added on. Also this book is more or less the same premise of the Lucas book from this universe. Just a different perspective.

Even with those two issues I enjoyed this book and the deeper dive into friendships. I loved this message. It was not a perfect book especially with an error with a Star Wars joke that does not belong in this time frame. (I know I am showing my inner nerd now with that). But as a media tie-in novel this was a really fun time that I enjoyed throughout.

[Chloe]

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]

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.

[exploraDora]

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. 🖤⚡

[Mary Minard]

I think this is my fav stranger things book

[Sarah Jean]

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

[C.L. Cannon]

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]

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🤧

[Katie Moran]

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

[thyni]

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]

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.

[donutdot]

hm i have some mixed feelings about this one (no surprise) but i'll start with what i liked. this book was so fun!! you can absolutely tell it was written by someone who loves the series and probably has experience writing fanfiction (i mean this in the best way possible) because it was so entertaining and i think this book possibly captured their voices the best.

i also really liked that this covered pretty much the same timeline as lucas on the line but from dustin's pov doing his science fair thing. i thought it was very cool to show dustin and eddie's interactions here which really lets the reader understand just why eddie and dustin have such a close bond in season 4 (and even after in season 5) because yes, science fair and frodo quackins shenanigans but also just, eddie accompanying him and believing in him when he felt alone. i think that's really important.

with that being said, maybe it's because i read this right after lucas on the line, but it really focusses on the same themes of change and moving forward and how much you're willing to leave behind and it felt a little repetitive to me? but like i said it could just be me.

still, i loved the whole science fair sabotage plot. danny and frodo and anika were cool characters, though i, like eddie, 100% clocked brian the moment he appeared on page. still, it was very fun. i mean we know dustin doesn't go to eastwood, but it's such a quiet, simple yet satisfying ending to see dustin turning them down over the phone and going to watch a movie with lucas and mike, knowing he belongs with them. perfect ending.

oh and, i loved the letters between dustin and will!! i wish there were some with el but that's my favourite character there and i love how supportive he is for the party even from far away. i mean, the artwork for the bard box. ahh.

(i didn't miss the byler crumbs either. mike not wanting dustin to bring start talking circuitry while he's still talking to will over the phone, him bringing up will's artwork.)

[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.

[nikolabetweenpages]

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

[Sarah Freels]

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.

[Stef]

ho iniziato questo libro per provare ad uscire da uno pseudo blocco del lettore che mi impediva di leggere qualsiasi cosa, tutto era noioso e non avevo più voglia di leggere.
l’ultima stagione di stranger things è finita ormai da più di due mesi, quasi tre, ma questa serie è cresciuta insieme a me, ci sono affezionata e ogni volta che usciva una nuova stagione ricadevo nel loop di ossessione tipica che ti capita quando guardi una serie che ti piace tanto. e quell’ossessione è ancora bella forte anche dopo questi mesi. quindi ho pensato perché non sfruttare proprio questa ossessione per spingermi a leggere qualcosa? dustin è il mio personaggio preferito quindi mi sembrava perfetto.
e così è stato perché l’ho divorato e mi ha tenuta incollata alle pagine dall’inizio alla fine, quando lo chiudevo avevo subito voglia di riaprirlo e arrivata alla fine non volevo che finisse.
questo libro sembra una fanfiction, ma lo intendo in senso positivo. nonostante questo è veramente molto fedele alla serie tv.
lo trovo un bel modo per poter apprendere di più su quei buchi di tempo che nella serie non vengono mostrati a causa dei salti temporali.
questa storia è stata davvero molto carina e dolce, a tratti molto divertente e a tratti anche molto emozionante. penso che questo pezzetto di storia sia veramente fondamentale per capire perché eddie sia così importante per dustin ed è stato molto bello scoprirlo per bene.
che vi devo dire probabilmente, anzi quasi sicuramente, il mio giudizio è condizionato dall’affetto che provo per questa serie tv, però questo libro mi è piaciuto tanto ed è stata la lettura di cui avevo bisogno in questo momento quindi va bene così. la lettura non deve essere per forza performativa o di carattere educativo, può anche essere un mero intrattenimento e va bene così. che poi non è detto che anche dietro storie semplici e leggere come queste non ci sia un messaggio comunque profondo e dei valori importanti come in questo caso l’amicizia, essere sé stessi senza cambiare per gli altri o l’importanza di coltivare le proprie passioni.

[Elizabeth Raines]

The author really perfected at bringing these characters to the page from the screen. They read just like their tv selves. I loved the emphasis on the relationship between Dustin and Eddie. Obviously we know in the show, they’re very close but we get to see how that relationship was really built upon. Eddie’s a good guy and he really made me emotional with how he is so accepting of others.

The atmosphere is a slice of life Hawkins, which is something I really love about the books. What I love about the show is the characters and in the books we really see them without all the paranormal supernatural stuff and it’s just an 80s slice of life story and I really appreciate that.

The writing was very simple. At times the dialogue, especially with Eddie and Will got a little bit unbelievable with their monologues. The dialogue was great and it read just like the TV characters. It had the rare quality of making me laugh out loud.

The plot is a common young adult story. We are seeing Dustin as he adjusts to life in high school and comes to terms with who he is and the relationships in his life. He’s not always going to be likable. These are teenagers after all, and they’re not always going to be mature. As an adult this made me reflect so much and it’s so realistic to what the teenage experience is like. You can be selfish and think everybody’s out to get you when really you’re being a bad friend too.

The story moved quickly, even though it was all over the place and spanning a whole semester of high school. Everything in the plot wrapped up nicely and I loved that our characters are teenagers, but they are true friends and we see how they communicate and work through their issues. This is an incredibly real story of what it is like to be a teenager. I loved my time reading this book and it reminded me why I enjoy Stranger Things so much.

3.75 out of 5 stars.

[Desy Yourfavoritereader;)]

E’ un libro molto carino in sé, con capitoli brevi e scrittura scorrevole.

Diciamo che all’inizio lo si può trovare un po’ noioso, ma più si va affondo nella storia e più quest’ultima diventa interessante. Con Dustin che ‘cresce’ man mano, capendo come lui si sente davvero verso i suoi amici ( ciò grazie alla sua missione secondaria, la quale l’ha portato a rivelare un segreto che andava avanti da anni e a stringere nuove amicizie).


Mi piace come in questo romanzo viene approfondita la sua passione per la scienza, il quale lo rende un tipico nerd.

Inoltre in questo libro conosciamo e apprendiamo meglio com’è nata l’amicizia tra Dustin ed Eddie, il suo secondo migliore amico.

Lo consiglio per chi ama stranger things(e specialmente Dustin) e si sente come se il mondo intorno a lui fosse cambiato mentre lui è rimasto ‘uguale’.

[larapeillet]

gustoume moito!!! empezo por decir que creo que nunca vin mellor caracterización nun libro, de feito penso que en moitas cousas ta mellor que a serie porque profundiza moito máis. a parte toda da competición de ciencia tuvo divertida pero poder ver a dinámica do grupo entre temporadas e ver como pasaron cousas que se referencian na serie ta moi chulo. encantoume ver a discusión entre eles porque entendo ambas partes e paréceme un conflicto moi realista que se tocou algo na serie pero ahora máis en profundidade. non notei ningunha incoherencia e co ben caracterizados que tan todos os personaxes nótase que quen o escribiu era fan e soubo facelo perfecto. o meu detalle favorito foron as cartas de will e o moito que axudou na historia a resolver o conflicto.

[Sabrina Frang]

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]

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 ༊ ⊹ °.]

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]

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.

[Niko M]

Jeżeli bierzemy tą książkę jako mały dodatek do serialu, żeby poczytać trochę więcej o bohaterach to myślę że okej, jednak połowa książki to bezsensowne zapychacze i opisy nie zgadzające się totalnie do postaci z serialu + irytowało mnie żegnanie się słowem "Tymczasem", jakby nie było innych zwrotów

[C.C. Bruno]

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]

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]

“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]

4.5

[Sam Otto]

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