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The truth about Neverland is far more dangerous than a fairy tale.
Claire Kenton believes the world is too dark for magic to be real--since her twin brother was stolen away as a child. Now Claire's desperate search points to London... and a boy who shouldn't exist.
Peter Pan is having a beastly time getting back to Neverland. Grounded in London and hunted by his own Lost Boys, Peter searches for the last hope of restoring his crumbling island: a lass with magic in her veins.
The girl who fears her own destiny is on a collision course with the boy who never wanted to grow up. The truth behind this fairy tale is about to unravel everything Claire thought she knew about Peter Pan--and herself.
Claire Kenton believes the world is too dark for magic to be real--since her twin brother was stolen away as a child. Now Claire's desperate search points to London... and a boy who shouldn't exist.
Peter Pan is having a beastly time getting back to Neverland. Grounded in London and hunted by his own Lost Boys, Peter searches for the last hope of restoring his crumbling island: a lass with magic in her veins.
The girl who fears her own destiny is on a collision course with the boy who never wanted to grow up. The truth behind this fairy tale is about to unravel everything Claire thought she knew about Peter Pan--and herself.
Audio CD
First published July 1, 2020
167 people are currently reading
10421 people want to read
About the author
Kara Swanson
8 books1,157 followersHi there! I’m Kara.
I write stories about fairytales and fiery souls. I spent my childhood a little like a Lost Girl, running barefoot through lush green jungles which inspired my award-winning Peter Pan retellings, DUST and SHADOW.
I’m also the co-founder of the Author Conservatory (authorconservatory.com) where I have the honor of teaching young writers to craft sustainable author careers.
You’ll find me with my toes in California sand as a SoCal resident, belting Broadway show tunes on weekend drives to Disneyland with my delightfully-nerdy husband, or chatting about my love of magic and mayhem on Instagram at @karaswansonauthor.
I write stories about fairytales and fiery souls. I spent my childhood a little like a Lost Girl, running barefoot through lush green jungles which inspired my award-winning Peter Pan retellings, DUST and SHADOW.
I’m also the co-founder of the Author Conservatory (authorconservatory.com) where I have the honor of teaching young writers to craft sustainable author careers.
You’ll find me with my toes in California sand as a SoCal resident, belting Broadway show tunes on weekend drives to Disneyland with my delightfully-nerdy husband, or chatting about my love of magic and mayhem on Instagram at @karaswansonauthor.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 919 reviews
March 9, 2023
How did this book end so fast?! 😭😭😭
☐ Debut novel
☐ Duology
☐ Portal fantasy
☐ Fairy tale
☐ Peter Pan retelling
☐ Phenomenal cover
☐ Modern setting
☐ Dual POV
☐ Characters with secrets
☐ Enemies to friends to lovers to . . .
☐ Morally gray characters
☐ Christian author and publisher
☐ Emphasis on mental health
☐ Themes on light and darkness
I keep saying "review to come" on my reviews, but then I don't feel like writing a review anymore after a day or two. Am I the only one who experiences this? It's super frustrating! So, even though I don't think I can quite convey how I feel for this book, I'm going to try.
Dust is one heck of a book! It shows the nuance of human life and the brokenness of the human spirit. Claire's gift is supposed to be a blessing, but for much of her life, it was a curse. Peter's carefree nature was also supposed to be a gift, but it brought about a curse. This book shows us that we have a choice to make. We can either let our brokenness and our circumstances overwhelm us with darkness, or we can rise above it all and turn it back to good. Dust isn't about perfectly good heroes fighting perfectly bad villains (although I bet Captain Hook is pretty bad). It's about the villainy that lives within us all and the light that shines brightest in the darkness.
Peter. I want to talk about Peter Pan first. I know society usually sees him as a boy without a worry in the world, but honestly, that comes with consequences. Kara Swanson's Peter is growing up, and he's realizing his ignorance and selfishness and it's overwhelming him.
Deep down, Peter is broken and conflicted. He’s never had anyone to look up to or anyone to take care of him or anyone to tell him right from wrong. He has a difficult time controlling himself, almost like a child trapped in a teen’s body. He can be too loud, too rough, too fidgety, and even too arrogant. But he also tries to be brave and kind and steadfast and to understand. He wants to fix things. He stumbles. He falls. And then he rises again. Neverland isn’t the only thing that’s broken. Peter’s broken, too. And Kara Swanson is a genius at showing readers his journey, his pain, and his internal conflict.
He’s Peter Pan, but there’s more to him than just confident leadership and lighthearted adventures.
Claire. Claire grew up in an entirely different world from the Neverland Peter knows, but she is broken, too. Her character is like an ode to all those who feel lost, who are lonely, and who believe they will never belong. And yet despite her flaws, Claire is also someone we can look up to. She is lonely, but she never gives up. She studied at school, works jobs, and pays rent for her own apartment. This is despite the fact that she lost her brother at a young age and doesn't have any parental support. She is hurt, but she still forgives. Peter lied to her, but her heart wanted her to remember the good that he'd shown her. She doesn't belong, but she always keeps searching. And in the end, she finds that she was meant for another world after all.
TW: One character attempted suicide in the past and has many scars from the aftermath. Two characters were a part of uncaring situations in foster care. Characters struggle with loneliness, trauma, anger, self-doubt, and self-loathing. Two scenes involve burning dust that leaves wounds. Both Peter's POV and Claire's POV are in first person, and these can feel heavy at times for people who are sensitive to, well, depressing stuff.
Content warnings: Fights with some mildly described stabbings and blood. Pirates drink at a rowdy bar. Peter uses “Cor” like a swear word (not sure what that’s about!). One person has flashbacks to a horrific memory of someone being burned. Another person has flashbacks about someone else’s death.
☐ Debut novel
☐ Duology
☐ Portal fantasy
☐ Fairy tale
☐ Peter Pan retelling
☐ Phenomenal cover
☐ Modern setting
☐ Dual POV
☐ Characters with secrets
☐ Enemies to friends to lovers to . . .
☐ Morally gray characters
☐ Christian author and publisher
☐ Emphasis on mental health
☐ Themes on light and darkness
I keep saying "review to come" on my reviews, but then I don't feel like writing a review anymore after a day or two. Am I the only one who experiences this? It's super frustrating! So, even though I don't think I can quite convey how I feel for this book, I'm going to try.
Dust is one heck of a book! It shows the nuance of human life and the brokenness of the human spirit. Claire's gift is supposed to be a blessing, but for much of her life, it was a curse. Peter's carefree nature was also supposed to be a gift, but it brought about a curse. This book shows us that we have a choice to make. We can either let our brokenness and our circumstances overwhelm us with darkness, or we can rise above it all and turn it back to good. Dust isn't about perfectly good heroes fighting perfectly bad villains (although I bet Captain Hook is pretty bad). It's about the villainy that lives within us all and the light that shines brightest in the darkness.
Peter. I want to talk about Peter Pan first. I know society usually sees him as a boy without a worry in the world, but honestly, that comes with consequences. Kara Swanson's Peter is growing up, and he's realizing his ignorance and selfishness and it's overwhelming him.
Deep down, Peter is broken and conflicted. He’s never had anyone to look up to or anyone to take care of him or anyone to tell him right from wrong. He has a difficult time controlling himself, almost like a child trapped in a teen’s body. He can be too loud, too rough, too fidgety, and even too arrogant. But he also tries to be brave and kind and steadfast and to understand. He wants to fix things. He stumbles. He falls. And then he rises again. Neverland isn’t the only thing that’s broken. Peter’s broken, too. And Kara Swanson is a genius at showing readers his journey, his pain, and his internal conflict.
He’s Peter Pan, but there’s more to him than just confident leadership and lighthearted adventures.
Claire. Claire grew up in an entirely different world from the Neverland Peter knows, but she is broken, too. Her character is like an ode to all those who feel lost, who are lonely, and who believe they will never belong. And yet despite her flaws, Claire is also someone we can look up to. She is lonely, but she never gives up. She studied at school, works jobs, and pays rent for her own apartment. This is despite the fact that she lost her brother at a young age and doesn't have any parental support. She is hurt, but she still forgives. Peter lied to her, but her heart wanted her to remember the good that he'd shown her. She doesn't belong, but she always keeps searching. And in the end, she finds that she was meant for another world after all.
TW: One character attempted suicide in the past and has many scars from the aftermath. Two characters were a part of uncaring situations in foster care. Characters struggle with loneliness, trauma, anger, self-doubt, and self-loathing. Two scenes involve burning dust that leaves wounds. Both Peter's POV and Claire's POV are in first person, and these can feel heavy at times for people who are sensitive to, well, depressing stuff.
Content warnings: Fights with some mildly described stabbings and blood. Pirates drink at a rowdy bar. Peter uses “Cor” like a swear word (not sure what that’s about!). One person has flashbacks to a horrific memory of someone being burned. Another person has flashbacks about someone else’s death.
March 6, 2024
Due to space limitations on Goodreads, I am unable to post my entire content review of this book. Please click here to see the review in it's entirety with more content details and spoilers properly marked.
{Content Warning/Trigger Warning: Might not the best option for sensitive readers and/or sensitive to self-harm and suicide. Also mentions of physical and verbal abuse from a parent.}
3 stars, personally.
Interesting, very interesting. 🤔
I’ve been hearing about this duology since they released and have been meaning to get to it since then. I’ve heard a variety of thoughts and opinions on it, including that the series is very dark (particularly the second book).
I can see why some people got annoyed with Peter. He’s very focused on having an adventure, saving Neverland, and not trusting adults. But when you learn that his actual father was abusive, it makes sense that Peter is anti-adults and anti-growing up. He was annoying at times, but felt so much like Peter Pan that I have to compliment the author. I found myself smirking at different times and comments he would make because they just felt so perfect for that character in the situation. But as more and more is revealed, his selfish and brattiness is shown. Which made me wanted to throttle Peter at times. I wasn’t a fan of how he manipulated and lied to Claire so that he would help him. Now, that’s completely on par for the selfish Peter we meet in this book that is growing up while he’s away from Neverland, but it definitely causes some problems. Big problems, really. I hope we’ll see character development and true apologies from him towards Claire in the second book.
I liked Claire and truly wanted everything to work out for her and her search for her brother. I don’t have too much to say about her except the notes in my final paragraph about self-harm.
I like the writing style and how things are easily described. It almost feels effortless—which I know it probably wasn’t for the author—but it comes across that way because it’s so easy to understand what was happening. A lot of times I get bogged down by details and trying to understand how fantasy worlds works, but I didn’t have that problem at all with this book. Now, that could be because I know the general idea of the Peter Pan story, but I think the writing style had a major play in the parts I enjoyed in this book. It really does have that whimsical feeling that the Peter Pan original Disney movie has.
There is very little Christian faith content with a few mentions of praying (but once it’s said Peter is praying to the stars) and Claire saying “Thank God” (which could feel flippant to some readers).
I can see why so many enjoy this novel, I’m looking forward to the sequel to see what happens. I’ve heard it’s darker, so I’m curious how I’ll find it. The final chapter gave a taste of a part that turned my stomach, so now I’m a bit more worried. (Honestly, that scene/memory brought my rating down a full star and makes me mark this as a book that’s not the best for sensitive readers.)
I would say 17+ because of the mentions & alluding to self-harm and wanting to end it all when grief is too much. It was almost brushed to the side at times and some characters relate to others who have self-harming scars, but there was just something slightly off about it all? It didn’t settle well with me (perhaps because of the lack of talking about God in such situations and emotions). Because of this and a few other scenes, this book does have a deeper story to tell, but also portrays a darker vibe as well that may be unsettling for sensitive readers.
{Content Warning/Trigger Warning: Might not the best option for sensitive readers and/or sensitive to self-harm and suicide. Also mentions of physical and verbal abuse from a parent.}
3 stars, personally.
Interesting, very interesting. 🤔
I’ve been hearing about this duology since they released and have been meaning to get to it since then. I’ve heard a variety of thoughts and opinions on it, including that the series is very dark (particularly the second book).
I can see why some people got annoyed with Peter. He’s very focused on having an adventure, saving Neverland, and not trusting adults. But when you learn that his actual father was abusive, it makes sense that Peter is anti-adults and anti-growing up. He was annoying at times, but felt so much like Peter Pan that I have to compliment the author. I found myself smirking at different times and comments he would make because they just felt so perfect for that character in the situation. But as more and more is revealed, his selfish and brattiness is shown. Which made me wanted to throttle Peter at times. I wasn’t a fan of how he manipulated and lied to Claire so that he would help him. Now, that’s completely on par for the selfish Peter we meet in this book that is growing up while he’s away from Neverland, but it definitely causes some problems. Big problems, really. I hope we’ll see character development and true apologies from him towards Claire in the second book.
I liked Claire and truly wanted everything to work out for her and her search for her brother. I don’t have too much to say about her except the notes in my final paragraph about self-harm.
I like the writing style and how things are easily described. It almost feels effortless—which I know it probably wasn’t for the author—but it comes across that way because it’s so easy to understand what was happening. A lot of times I get bogged down by details and trying to understand how fantasy worlds works, but I didn’t have that problem at all with this book. Now, that could be because I know the general idea of the Peter Pan story, but I think the writing style had a major play in the parts I enjoyed in this book. It really does have that whimsical feeling that the Peter Pan original Disney movie has.
There is very little Christian faith content with a few mentions of praying (but once it’s said Peter is praying to the stars) and Claire saying “Thank God” (which could feel flippant to some readers).
I can see why so many enjoy this novel, I’m looking forward to the sequel to see what happens. I’ve heard it’s darker, so I’m curious how I’ll find it. The final chapter gave a taste of a part that turned my stomach, so now I’m a bit more worried. (Honestly, that scene/memory brought my rating down a full star and makes me mark this as a book that’s not the best for sensitive readers.)
I would say 17+ because of the mentions & alluding to self-harm and wanting to end it all when grief is too much. It was almost brushed to the side at times and some characters relate to others who have self-harming scars, but there was just something slightly off about it all? It didn’t settle well with me (perhaps because of the lack of talking about God in such situations and emotions). Because of this and a few other scenes, this book does have a deeper story to tell, but also portrays a darker vibe as well that may be unsettling for sensitive readers.
April 2, 2020
No big deal you guys, its just my favorite book EVER. Review to come! <3
December 28, 2020
Reread: even better than before
~~~
rtc but oh my word, this was good
~~~
If you're like me, you spend what feels like hours searching on Google for retellings of some of your favorite stories. One of those books for me was Peter Pan. Imagine my joy when I found out that the author of one of my favorite novellas, The Girl Who Could See, was writing a retelling.
This book definitely lived up to my expectations. Dust brought the much-loved characters to life in a way that was totally unique but still relied upon the original.
It was really entertaining to read about Peter as he navigated growing up years worth in only a matter of a few weeks. He was awkward and sometimes rude, clumsy and fun.
I really liked how this Peter Pan retelling had a twist. I won't say too much about it due to spoilers but Swanson's left me hanging. I sure hope that book two comes out soon.
Now please excuse me, I have to go and find a finished copy of this novel.
Rating: 5/5
Crude Language: N/A
Romance: a kiss
Spiritual: not much
Violence: a bit but not really detailed
*I received a copy of this book from the author. All thoughts are my own and a positive review was not required.
~~~
rtc but oh my word, this was good
~~~
If you're like me, you spend what feels like hours searching on Google for retellings of some of your favorite stories. One of those books for me was Peter Pan. Imagine my joy when I found out that the author of one of my favorite novellas, The Girl Who Could See, was writing a retelling.
This book definitely lived up to my expectations. Dust brought the much-loved characters to life in a way that was totally unique but still relied upon the original.
It was really entertaining to read about Peter as he navigated growing up years worth in only a matter of a few weeks. He was awkward and sometimes rude, clumsy and fun.
I really liked how this Peter Pan retelling had a twist. I won't say too much about it due to spoilers but Swanson's left me hanging. I sure hope that book two comes out soon.
Now please excuse me, I have to go and find a finished copy of this novel.
Rating: 5/5
Crude Language: N/A
Romance: a kiss
Spiritual: not much
Violence: a bit but not really detailed
*I received a copy of this book from the author. All thoughts are my own and a positive review was not required.
October 26, 2025
5/5⭐!!!😍🎉
** 𝙒𝘼𝙍𝙉𝙄𝙉𝙂: 𝙏𝙃𝙄𝙎 𝙍𝙀𝙑𝙄𝙀𝙒 𝘾𝙊𝙉𝙏𝘼𝙄𝙉𝙎 𝙎𝙋𝙊𝙄𝙇𝙀𝙍𝙎!!! **
୨⎯ 𝑴𝒚 𝑻𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔⎯୧
This book was so good!!! One of my favorites now for sure!!😍 A little darker than I expected,🤔 but still really good!! Huge thanks to Eva💕 for recommending it to me!!!😍✨
୨⎯ 𝑺𝒖𝒎𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒚⎯୧
Ok, ✨Dust✨ is about a girl named Claire Kenton, who has gold dust stuff falling from her skin. 👀 She doesn’t know why it happens, and it makes her feel like a freak.😭 So for years Claire has been searching for her twin brother Connor, and when a clue that may lead her to him comes up, she follows it and goes on an ✨ADVENTURE!!!✨
୨⎯ 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔⎯୧
Claire.ೃ࿐
I LOVED HER!! She felt like a pretty relatable character and her being *spoiler!!* *spoiler!!* I feel bad about everything she's had to go through tho.😭😭😭
Peter.ೃ࿐
Ngl, he sounds kinda cute....🤭 *coughs* but aside from that, a most interesting character. 🧐 The boy who didn't want to grow up... No, THE BOY WHO REALLY, REALLY DOESN'T WANT TO GROW UP! But like it or not, he is growing up! 🤪 He was really immature some of the time, but also really sweet and an awesome hero at other times.🙃✨ (Not book bf worthy, but still good...🤭)
Tiger Lily.ೃ࿐
She was so awesome!!! Her friendship with Peter was so, cute!! Almost sibling-like and her becoming besties with Claire was adorable also! She's such a cool and strong character! :D
୨⎯ 𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝑾𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔⎯୧
Violence| Multiple fight scenes with blood and injuries described, mentions of cuts, burns, magical violence, nothing graphic.
Language| No swearing that I can remember.🤔 Maybe a few substitutes for swears?
Romance| Crushes, maybe some hand holding, one semi-detailed kiss
Other| Memories of abusive parents, one scene takes place in a tavern, mentions of grief,
୨⎯ 𝑴𝒚 𝑨𝒈𝒆 𝑹𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏⎯୧
16+
୨⎯ 𝑭𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝑻𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔 ⎯୧
Can we just take a second to admire the cover of this thing? SO PRETTY!!!!😍😍😍 *sighs* Ok, I'm done. 😌 This book was amazing and everyone needs to read it!!!😍 So go read it!!!👹 (Please. 🙏🙂)
-𝑴𝒊𝒂✧˖°
** 𝙒𝘼𝙍𝙉𝙄𝙉𝙂: 𝙏𝙃𝙄𝙎 𝙍𝙀𝙑𝙄𝙀𝙒 𝘾𝙊𝙉𝙏𝘼𝙄𝙉𝙎 𝙎𝙋𝙊𝙄𝙇𝙀𝙍𝙎!!! **
୨⎯ 𝑴𝒚 𝑻𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔⎯୧
This book was so good!!! One of my favorites now for sure!!😍 A little darker than I expected,🤔 but still really good!! Huge thanks to Eva💕 for recommending it to me!!!😍✨
୨⎯ 𝑺𝒖𝒎𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒚⎯୧
Ok, ✨Dust✨ is about a girl named Claire Kenton, who has gold dust stuff falling from her skin. 👀 She doesn’t know why it happens, and it makes her feel like a freak.😭 So for years Claire has been searching for her twin brother Connor, and when a clue that may lead her to him comes up, she follows it and goes on an ✨ADVENTURE!!!✨
୨⎯ 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔⎯୧
Claire.ೃ࿐
I LOVED HER!! She felt like a pretty relatable character and her being *spoiler!!* *spoiler!!* I feel bad about everything she's had to go through tho.😭😭😭
Peter.ೃ࿐
Ngl, he sounds kinda cute....🤭 *coughs* but aside from that, a most interesting character. 🧐 The boy who didn't want to grow up... No, THE BOY WHO REALLY, REALLY DOESN'T WANT TO GROW UP! But like it or not, he is growing up! 🤪 He was really immature some of the time, but also really sweet and an awesome hero at other times.🙃✨ (Not book bf worthy, but still good...🤭)
Tiger Lily.ೃ࿐
She was so awesome!!! Her friendship with Peter was so, cute!! Almost sibling-like and her becoming besties with Claire was adorable also! She's such a cool and strong character! :D
୨⎯ 𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝑾𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔⎯୧
Violence| Multiple fight scenes with blood and injuries described, mentions of cuts, burns, magical violence, nothing graphic.
Language| No swearing that I can remember.🤔 Maybe a few substitutes for swears?
Romance| Crushes, maybe some hand holding, one semi-detailed kiss
Other| Memories of abusive parents, one scene takes place in a tavern, mentions of grief,
୨⎯ 𝑴𝒚 𝑨𝒈𝒆 𝑹𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏⎯୧
16+
୨⎯ 𝑭𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝑻𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔 ⎯୧
Can we just take a second to admire the cover of this thing? SO PRETTY!!!!😍😍😍 *sighs* Ok, I'm done. 😌 This book was amazing and everyone needs to read it!!!😍 So go read it!!!👹 (Please. 🙏🙂)
-𝑴𝒊𝒂✧˖°
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 5, 2021
*beams* WHERE IS BOOK 2?!?!?! I don't know why I *didn't* expect a cliffhanger. Anyway, this is going to be a very scattered review because I wasn't able to review it right away, but definitely read this.
Dust was beautiful. It wasn't what I was expecting. I'm not sure what I was expecting, really, but I did read TGWCS and this was definitely its own unique style.
I related so much to Claire, especially in unique ways as a chronic illness warrior. Chronic illness isn't mentioned in the book at all, but so many of Claire's struggles were things I connected with because of my sickness.
I don't know Kara well enough to know for sure, but I suspect that might be because parts of it *were* influenced by her own experience with Lyme disease.
I especially LOVED how well done the magic was in this book. It was so creative and I could always picture it so clearly. It made me want to fly off into the London sky. Plus, it was set in London. So that was fun. All the characters were also very well-rounded. No one was too perfect, but I understood why they each did what they did.
Content Warnings:
-A character remembered a suicide attempt in their past (although I'm still unclear if it was a true suicide attempt or not)
-Kidnapping, fighting, people almost getting burned to death, a pretty horrible (but not very described) death
-A kiss
-Words that I *think* were mild British cuss words? But I'd never heard most of them before, and so to me they didn't feel like cussing.
Despite some of the gruesome stuff mentioned above, it really wasn't as dark as I had prepared myself for. It *is* about a boy who never wants to grow up, after all. :)
Kara really is talented at creating such beautiful climaxes and scenes. I thought that kiss scene in TGWCS was so cool, but there are so many beautiful moments (not kissing) like that in Dust.
Finally, the quotes. There are so many I can't share rn because of spoilers, but here are some of my favorite non-spoiler quotes:
"You were created for more than to bear the weight of your shadows--but you have to choose to no longer let them define you. You have to choose to let the light shine through the shattered pieces."
"Even the pirates are staring at me like I'm a monster. Maybe I am."
"My dream was my darkest nightmare all along."
"So, I do what I do best. The impossible."
I guess I shall make myself stop there. But this was just... beautiful. Beautiful is the adjective I keep coming back to for this book.
2nd Read Through:
Did I DM the author late at night in tears? Yes, yes I did. I forgot how much I loved this book.
Dust was beautiful. It wasn't what I was expecting. I'm not sure what I was expecting, really, but I did read TGWCS and this was definitely its own unique style.
I related so much to Claire, especially in unique ways as a chronic illness warrior. Chronic illness isn't mentioned in the book at all, but so many of Claire's struggles were things I connected with because of my sickness.
I don't know Kara well enough to know for sure, but I suspect that might be because parts of it *were* influenced by her own experience with Lyme disease.
I especially LOVED how well done the magic was in this book. It was so creative and I could always picture it so clearly. It made me want to fly off into the London sky. Plus, it was set in London. So that was fun. All the characters were also very well-rounded. No one was too perfect, but I understood why they each did what they did.
Content Warnings:
-A character remembered a suicide attempt in their past (although I'm still unclear if it was a true suicide attempt or not)
-Kidnapping, fighting, people almost getting burned to death, a pretty horrible (but not very described) death
-A kiss
-Words that I *think* were mild British cuss words? But I'd never heard most of them before, and so to me they didn't feel like cussing.
Despite some of the gruesome stuff mentioned above, it really wasn't as dark as I had prepared myself for. It *is* about a boy who never wants to grow up, after all. :)
Kara really is talented at creating such beautiful climaxes and scenes. I thought that kiss scene in TGWCS was so cool, but there are so many beautiful moments (not kissing) like that in Dust.
Finally, the quotes. There are so many I can't share rn because of spoilers, but here are some of my favorite non-spoiler quotes:
"You were created for more than to bear the weight of your shadows--but you have to choose to no longer let them define you. You have to choose to let the light shine through the shattered pieces."
"Even the pirates are staring at me like I'm a monster. Maybe I am."
"My dream was my darkest nightmare all along."
"So, I do what I do best. The impossible."
I guess I shall make myself stop there. But this was just... beautiful. Beautiful is the adjective I keep coming back to for this book.
2nd Read Through:
Did I DM the author late at night in tears? Yes, yes I did. I forgot how much I loved this book.
April 21, 2023
⭐⭐⭐.5/5
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December 2, 2025
”I've spent my whole life trying to escape shadows by hiding in the stars… only to find out the darkness was inside me all along.”
⋆౨ৎ《Now playing: You Can Fly! You Can Fly! You Can Fly! from Peter Pan》˚⟡˖ ࣪
~°❀My Thoughts❀°~
Honestly, I was expecting this book to be darker than it was just because of what I've heard. I mean, don't get me wrong, it was still kind of dark, though, but I expect Shadows to be darker honestly.
But anyway, this is definitely now one of my favorites books! Which is lowkey ironic considering I don't even like the original book….
But yeah, overall this was really good! I can't wait to see how this duology ends!!
⋆౨ৎ《Now, everybody try, one, two, three!
We can fly! We can fly! We can fly!》˚⟡˖ ࣪
~°❀Characters❀°~
Claire: She's definitely not my favorite FMC, but I still really liked her a lot. She's def relatable, and I seriously wanted to give her a big hug because of all she's been through. But she did make some questionable choices that make me want to whack her in the head…. *sigh*
Peter: So, ignoring the fact that in this book he basically has the same personality as my cousin….. Peter was definitely a lot like his original self, which I really liked because I was slightly worried he wouldn't be, but he did have moments where you could see him starting to grow as a character and start to become a better person. I'm sure he'll continue to grow in the next book, and I can't wait to see how he turns out!
(Also, random, but why does he actually sound lowkey hot?! 👀🫣)
Tigers Lily: I LOVED her!! I also seriously need a best friend like her, so that should say a lot. She was soooo much better in this book than the original tale, too, so yeah!
Captain Hook: I liked him better in this book than the original story, which was lowkey surprising. I didn't like the backstory on why Peter cut his hand off. I mean, it seems like a very Peter thing to do, I just didn't like it. Also, my least favorite part of him is probably be that whenever he talked to Claire he'd call her “love” and that's just- no. 😑
⋆౨ৎ《This won't do, what's the matter with you?
All it takes is faith and trust
Oh, and something I forgot, dust!》˚⟡˖ ࣪
~°❀Book Cover Rating❀°~
10/10 I love it so much! It's gorgeous!! My favorite book cover of all time as of right now!!
⋆౨ৎ《Dust? Dust?
Yep! Just a little bit of pixie dust
Now, think of the happiest things
It's the same as having wings》˚⟡˖ ࣪
~°❀Content Warnings❀°~
(Warning! 🚨 Before you go any further, there is a chance that something I've said about the content will possibly be a bit spoilerish, so please proceed with caution! Also, if I missed any content, please let me know so I can add it!)
☆Trigger Warnings:
Mentions of scars from characters cutting themselves, and mentions of a character jumping out of a high window.
☆Faith based/Christian:
None that I remember, but the author is a Christian.
☆Other Religious Content:
None
☆Violence:
Fighting with both knives and hand to hand combat, kidnapping, punching. Mentions of blood and deaths.
☆Sexual Content/Romance:
Kissing 🤭 (up to semi-detailed), thinking of/remembering kisses, wanting to kiss someone.
☆Magic:
✨️Pixie dust✨️ It can either send you soaring or burning. Mentions of mystical creatures such as mermaids, fairies, and sirens.
☆Bad Language:
Heck 7 times
☆LGBTQ+:
None!
☆Drugs/Alcohol:
They go into a bar/pub where people drink ale and beer.
☆Miscellaneous:
N/A
⋆౨ৎ《Let's all try it, just once more
Look! We're rising off the floor
Jiminy! Oh, my! We can fly!
You can fly! We can fly!》˚⟡˖ ࣪
~°❀My Age Recommendation❀°~
17 years old and older due to the trigger warnings.
⋆౨ৎ《Come on, everybody, here we go!
Off to Neverland!》˚⟡˖ ࣪
~°❀Part of a series?❀°~
Yes, this is the first book in the Heirs of Neverland duology by Kara Swanson. They must be read in order.
⋆౨ৎ《Up you go with a heigh and ho
To the stars beyond the blue
There's a Neverland waiting for you
Where all your happy dreams come true》˚⟡˖ ࣪
~°❀Will I read the rest of the series/more from this author?❀°~
If I don't, I might go crazy…
⋆౨ৎ《Every dream that you dream will come true
When there's a smile in your heart
There's no better time to start》˚⟡˖ ࣪
~❀Would I re-read this book?❀°~
Um, absolutely!! I actually hope to reread it next year!!
⋆౨ৎ《Think of all the joy you'll find
When you leave the world behind
And bid your cares goodbye》˚⟡˖ ࣪
~°❀Books similar to this one❀°~
I have some books that might potentially be similar to this one on my tbr, but I obviously have not read them yet, which means I don't know if I recommend them yet.
⋆౨ৎ《You can fly! You can fly! You can fly! You can fly! You can fly!》˚⟡˖ ࣪
⋆౨ৎ《Now playing: You Can Fly! You Can Fly! You Can Fly! from Peter Pan》˚⟡˖ ࣪
~°❀My Thoughts❀°~
Honestly, I was expecting this book to be darker than it was just because of what I've heard. I mean, don't get me wrong, it was still kind of dark, though, but I expect Shadows to be darker honestly.
But anyway, this is definitely now one of my favorites books! Which is lowkey ironic considering I don't even like the original book….
But yeah, overall this was really good! I can't wait to see how this duology ends!!
⋆౨ৎ《Now, everybody try, one, two, three!
We can fly! We can fly! We can fly!》˚⟡˖ ࣪
~°❀Characters❀°~
Claire: She's definitely not my favorite FMC, but I still really liked her a lot. She's def relatable, and I seriously wanted to give her a big hug because of all she's been through. But she did make some questionable choices that make me want to whack her in the head…. *sigh*
Peter: So, ignoring the fact that in this book he basically has the same personality as my cousin….. Peter was definitely a lot like his original self, which I really liked because I was slightly worried he wouldn't be, but he did have moments where you could see him starting to grow as a character and start to become a better person. I'm sure he'll continue to grow in the next book, and I can't wait to see how he turns out!
(Also, random, but why does he actually sound lowkey hot?! 👀🫣)
Tigers Lily: I LOVED her!! I also seriously need a best friend like her, so that should say a lot. She was soooo much better in this book than the original tale, too, so yeah!
Captain Hook: I liked him better in this book than the original story, which was lowkey surprising. I didn't like the backstory on why Peter cut his hand off. I mean, it seems like a very Peter thing to do, I just didn't like it. Also, my least favorite part of him is probably be that whenever he talked to Claire he'd call her “love” and that's just- no. 😑
⋆౨ৎ《This won't do, what's the matter with you?
All it takes is faith and trust
Oh, and something I forgot, dust!》˚⟡˖ ࣪
~°❀Book Cover Rating❀°~
10/10 I love it so much! It's gorgeous!! My favorite book cover of all time as of right now!!
⋆౨ৎ《Dust? Dust?
Yep! Just a little bit of pixie dust
Now, think of the happiest things
It's the same as having wings》˚⟡˖ ࣪
~°❀Content Warnings❀°~
(Warning! 🚨 Before you go any further, there is a chance that something I've said about the content will possibly be a bit spoilerish, so please proceed with caution! Also, if I missed any content, please let me know so I can add it!)
☆Trigger Warnings:
Mentions of scars from characters cutting themselves, and mentions of a character jumping out of a high window.
☆Faith based/Christian:
None that I remember, but the author is a Christian.
☆Other Religious Content:
None
☆Violence:
Fighting with both knives and hand to hand combat, kidnapping, punching. Mentions of blood and deaths.
☆Sexual Content/Romance:
Kissing 🤭 (up to semi-detailed), thinking of/remembering kisses, wanting to kiss someone.
☆Magic:
✨️Pixie dust✨️ It can either send you soaring or burning. Mentions of mystical creatures such as mermaids, fairies, and sirens.
☆Bad Language:
Heck 7 times
☆LGBTQ+:
None!
☆Drugs/Alcohol:
They go into a bar/pub where people drink ale and beer.
☆Miscellaneous:
N/A
⋆౨ৎ《Let's all try it, just once more
Look! We're rising off the floor
Jiminy! Oh, my! We can fly!
You can fly! We can fly!》˚⟡˖ ࣪
~°❀My Age Recommendation❀°~
17 years old and older due to the trigger warnings.
⋆౨ৎ《Come on, everybody, here we go!
Off to Neverland!》˚⟡˖ ࣪
~°❀Part of a series?❀°~
Yes, this is the first book in the Heirs of Neverland duology by Kara Swanson. They must be read in order.
⋆౨ৎ《Up you go with a heigh and ho
To the stars beyond the blue
There's a Neverland waiting for you
Where all your happy dreams come true》˚⟡˖ ࣪
~°❀Will I read the rest of the series/more from this author?❀°~
If I don't, I might go crazy…
⋆౨ৎ《Every dream that you dream will come true
When there's a smile in your heart
There's no better time to start》˚⟡˖ ࣪
~❀Would I re-read this book?❀°~
Um, absolutely!! I actually hope to reread it next year!!
⋆౨ৎ《Think of all the joy you'll find
When you leave the world behind
And bid your cares goodbye》˚⟡˖ ࣪
~°❀Books similar to this one❀°~
I have some books that might potentially be similar to this one on my tbr, but I obviously have not read them yet, which means I don't know if I recommend them yet.
⋆౨ৎ《You can fly! You can fly! You can fly! You can fly! You can fly!》˚⟡˖ ࣪
![Profile Image for Jacquelyn 💐 {This Rapunzel Reads} [Jesus Christ, my Living Hope].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1766269624i%2F169222098._UX200_CR0%2C0%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
August 23, 2025
✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨
First, the cover is so pretty! 🤩 Wow, okay, the hype is real! I’ve heard so many good things about this book and finally decided to read it for myself! It did not disappoint! This is a heartbreakingly beautiful book! Peter Pan wormed his way into my heart and wouldn’t let it go. I didn’t like how much it said he cursed and honestly thought the book would have been better without that. My heart just ached for him! I really liked Claire as a character and how she grew throughout the journey. Her gift was unique and yet stunning. This was a unique retelling of Peter Pan, darker than ones that I have read before, and I really enjoyed it even though it wasn’t my favorite! I’m excited to read the second one and continue on this journey! This would make a GREAT movie!
✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨
First, the cover is so pretty! 🤩 Wow, okay, the hype is real! I’ve heard so many good things about this book and finally decided to read it for myself! It did not disappoint! This is a heartbreakingly beautiful book! Peter Pan wormed his way into my heart and wouldn’t let it go. I didn’t like how much it said he cursed and honestly thought the book would have been better without that. My heart just ached for him! I really liked Claire as a character and how she grew throughout the journey. Her gift was unique and yet stunning. This was a unique retelling of Peter Pan, darker than ones that I have read before, and I really enjoyed it even though it wasn’t my favorite! I’m excited to read the second one and continue on this journey! This would make a GREAT movie!
✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨
May 2, 2023
4.9 stars
WHAT!??!?!?!!??!
IT ENDS THERE?!
Okay I don't think I can fully explain what I'm going through right now because of this book. But here goes anyway.
In all honesty, the book started out rather slow for me. But I also had an ebook version and I'm rather bad with ebooks vs physical copies so that could be it. But once I hit around page 70 or so I was completely and utterly (this is the part were we all cringe at yours truly) hooked.
Once I got past the beginning I was all in, like I got butterflies at one point and I that doesn't happen easily. I also found myself (to quote the book) saying this: "Well, that explains so much." I can't explain how fast I'm going to start the sequel as soon as I can. 🤩🤩🤩
I can't say too much without revealing some of the meat of the book so instead of my usual breakdown of the characters and plot I'm going to be switching it up into reasons why you should read this book (in the reasons I loved it), and what the book will have in it (the usual content, TW, etc).
✨Reasons I loved this book✨
⏳ Claire has a very realistic battle with anxiety & grief
⏳ Our female mc isn't too cliche
⏳ The mental health struggles are represented accurately
⏳ It's super clean even with battles and struggles
⏳ This one is just smth I enjoyed but I liked the closer calls because it allowed me to get roped into the story more
⏳ The relationship between Tiger Lily & Claire
⏳ It's a fairytale mixed with mental health
⏳It's a book with romance but the romance bits don't overly overpower the plot
Content:
🏴☠️ Violence: I'll be honest there was a lot of action in this book but I'm usually pretty sensitive to action and it didn't get to me the way some books have (that's a good thing just to clarify)
Some action pieces are more described so if you rly hate mentions of blood or getting hurt than maybe it might get to you idrk, there is also a pretty detailed memory of how a pixie died but I kinda rushed over it
🏴☠️ Drugs/alcohol: At one point both mcs go into a bar and there (obviously) we have some drinks and such but nothing over the top and nothing comes of it
🏴☠️ Sexual: Besides two lightly detailed kisses, nothing (a few men throughout give Claire unnerving looks but I'm very very sensitive to that and there was only one scene that threw me off and absolutely nothing came out of those looks (not even jokes made out loud))
🏴☠️ Language: Clean as a whistle besides substitutes for curses which basically the entire book is filled with bc of Peter Pan's being
TWs: Mentions of possible kidnapping, leering looks from men (light), struggles with anxiety, struggles with hopelessness, memories of a somewhat intentional suicide attempt, grief of loss of loved ones for long periods of time, memories of an abusive father
Age recommendation: Based on triggers, maturity, etc I would say 15+ but that's my personal opinion and this books wouldn't be a problem to read younger
WHAT!??!?!?!!??!
IT ENDS THERE?!
Okay I don't think I can fully explain what I'm going through right now because of this book. But here goes anyway.
In all honesty, the book started out rather slow for me. But I also had an ebook version and I'm rather bad with ebooks vs physical copies so that could be it. But once I hit around page 70 or so I was completely and utterly (this is the part were we all cringe at yours truly) hooked.
Once I got past the beginning I was all in, like I got butterflies at one point and I that doesn't happen easily. I also found myself (to quote the book) saying this: "Well, that explains so much." I can't explain how fast I'm going to start the sequel as soon as I can. 🤩🤩🤩
I can't say too much without revealing some of the meat of the book so instead of my usual breakdown of the characters and plot I'm going to be switching it up into reasons why you should read this book (in the reasons I loved it), and what the book will have in it (the usual content, TW, etc).
✨Reasons I loved this book✨
⏳ Claire has a very realistic battle with anxiety & grief
⏳ Our female mc isn't too cliche
⏳ The mental health struggles are represented accurately
⏳ It's super clean even with battles and struggles
⏳ This one is just smth I enjoyed but I liked the closer calls because it allowed me to get roped into the story more
⏳ The relationship between Tiger Lily & Claire
⏳ It's a fairytale mixed with mental health
⏳It's a book with romance but the romance bits don't overly overpower the plot
Content:
🏴☠️ Violence: I'll be honest there was a lot of action in this book but I'm usually pretty sensitive to action and it didn't get to me the way some books have (that's a good thing just to clarify)
Some action pieces are more described so if you rly hate mentions of blood or getting hurt than maybe it might get to you idrk, there is also a pretty detailed memory of how a pixie died but I kinda rushed over it
🏴☠️ Drugs/alcohol: At one point both mcs go into a bar and there (obviously) we have some drinks and such but nothing over the top and nothing comes of it
🏴☠️ Sexual: Besides two lightly detailed kisses, nothing (a few men throughout give Claire unnerving looks but I'm very very sensitive to that and there was only one scene that threw me off and absolutely nothing came out of those looks (not even jokes made out loud))
🏴☠️ Language: Clean as a whistle besides substitutes for curses which basically the entire book is filled with bc of Peter Pan's being
TWs: Mentions of possible kidnapping, leering looks from men (light), struggles with anxiety, struggles with hopelessness, memories of a somewhat intentional suicide attempt, grief of loss of loved ones for long periods of time, memories of an abusive father
Age recommendation: Based on triggers, maturity, etc I would say 15+ but that's my personal opinion and this books wouldn't be a problem to read younger
March 19, 2020
What a gloriously magical tale! This book is so full of whimsy and beauty, but so deep and resounding in how it deals with darkness and trauma. I was so captivated by this story from the first page.
The characters are so real and complex. Each new chapter reveals another layer of who they are, right down to the darkest shadows of their souls. Peter’s struggles of growing up and taking responsibility, Claire’s of not fitting in. Both of them not yet sure who they are. Both of them dealing with trauma from the past in different ways. I connected with them so deeply, and instantly fell in love with this wild ride of a fairytale.
This whole book is so vibrant and magical. I adored the setting of the London streets and how real it felt, while also so coated in pixie dust and magic. But it was so perfectly balanced out against the darker scenes, the mistakes the characters kept making, the lies, the fears, the trauma.
I was so entangled in this story, I couldn’t put it down. The action, the stakes, the deep connection to the characters, it kept me thinking about the book and itching to pick it up again. The ending wrenched my heart out, but it was also perfect, and I officially CANNOT WAIT for the sequel, Shadow!!
Trigger/Content warnings:
I loved this story so much and recommend it hugely to all lovers of fairytales and magic!
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher and was not required to write a positive review.
The characters are so real and complex. Each new chapter reveals another layer of who they are, right down to the darkest shadows of their souls. Peter’s struggles of growing up and taking responsibility, Claire’s of not fitting in. Both of them not yet sure who they are. Both of them dealing with trauma from the past in different ways. I connected with them so deeply, and instantly fell in love with this wild ride of a fairytale.
This whole book is so vibrant and magical. I adored the setting of the London streets and how real it felt, while also so coated in pixie dust and magic. But it was so perfectly balanced out against the darker scenes, the mistakes the characters kept making, the lies, the fears, the trauma.
I was so entangled in this story, I couldn’t put it down. The action, the stakes, the deep connection to the characters, it kept me thinking about the book and itching to pick it up again. The ending wrenched my heart out, but it was also perfect, and I officially CANNOT WAIT for the sequel, Shadow!!
Trigger/Content warnings:
I loved this story so much and recommend it hugely to all lovers of fairytales and magic!
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher and was not required to write a positive review.
February 8, 2021
This is going to be a tough one to review.
*le sigh*
This was one of my most-anticipated reads for the year - for many years, actually. I love the author dearly and that always makes it hard to review books that feel, well, disappointing.
Things I liked:
- Peter Pan retellings !!! Peter Pan is one of my favorite stories, so I'm always down for another Neverland tale.
- Ok but have you seen this cover?! It's even more stunning in person.
- Tiger Lily is an actual Queen™ and no one can convince me otherwise. She has teal streaks in her hair and wears hippie clothes and is basically way cooler than I will ever be. (but I also want her to be my best friend pleaseeee)
- I can tell this story has a lot of the author's heart & I love that!!
- Some people may disagree but I actually loved that Dust dove into the darker themes of Peter Pan. There were a few aspects of Pan's backstory that just . . . dang. That's all I'm saying (#spoilers) but they're heftyyyy and I actually loved the dark themes. Because I'm weird like that?
- Mental health rep! Ok, so to be honest, I appreciated this . . . but it was really, really hard to read. It was kind of triggering for me right now, just for where I'm at mentally. I full-on broke down during one chapter and had to set the book down for a while.
Things I didn't:
- I really never connected with the characters. I tried so so hard, but there was always a huge disconnect between me and the story, and I don't know why. I am the Big Sad.
- Not much . . . happens?? Like I expected the majority of this book to take place in Neverland, but they don't even get there in the first one. It just felt like nothing really happened.
- It was very taxing to read. I just felt so tired from reading this. The amount of miscommunication + angst with the main characters (as well as some personal triggers) exhausted me. I felt like it took so much out of me and gave me nothing in return.
- Yeah, that miscommunication I mentioned? Agh. A lot of it was completely unnecessary, and characters kept being like "oh my gosh I don't even know you any more" about literally. every. single. thing. Like, I have news for you, honey - you don't know squat about each other because you literally just met. (I realize I sound like a crotchety old woman in her rocking chair with her fifteen cats, but alas, that's what I am.)
- It just felt a little awkward? The writing style didn't totally gel with me; it felt a little "off" and the pacing was all over the place.
- Again, this just triggered a lot of personal things in my life right now and it was a Rough Experience
In conclusion: I am a very tired and sad bean. I wanted SO MUCH to like this but just really struggled to get into it. I will likely end up reading the sequel at some point (BECAUSE PETER PAN), but only when I'm in a better space mentally. :)
2.5 stars
*le sigh*
This was one of my most-anticipated reads for the year - for many years, actually. I love the author dearly and that always makes it hard to review books that feel, well, disappointing.
Things I liked:
- Peter Pan retellings !!! Peter Pan is one of my favorite stories, so I'm always down for another Neverland tale.
- Ok but have you seen this cover?! It's even more stunning in person.
- Tiger Lily is an actual Queen™ and no one can convince me otherwise. She has teal streaks in her hair and wears hippie clothes and is basically way cooler than I will ever be. (but I also want her to be my best friend pleaseeee)
- I can tell this story has a lot of the author's heart & I love that!!
- Some people may disagree but I actually loved that Dust dove into the darker themes of Peter Pan. There were a few aspects of Pan's backstory that just . . . dang. That's all I'm saying (#spoilers) but they're heftyyyy and I actually loved the dark themes. Because I'm weird like that?
- Mental health rep! Ok, so to be honest, I appreciated this . . . but it was really, really hard to read. It was kind of triggering for me right now, just for where I'm at mentally. I full-on broke down during one chapter and had to set the book down for a while.
Things I didn't:
- I really never connected with the characters. I tried so so hard, but there was always a huge disconnect between me and the story, and I don't know why. I am the Big Sad.
- Not much . . . happens?? Like I expected the majority of this book to take place in Neverland, but they don't even get there in the first one. It just felt like nothing really happened.
- It was very taxing to read. I just felt so tired from reading this. The amount of miscommunication + angst with the main characters (as well as some personal triggers) exhausted me. I felt like it took so much out of me and gave me nothing in return.
- Yeah, that miscommunication I mentioned? Agh. A lot of it was completely unnecessary, and characters kept being like "oh my gosh I don't even know you any more" about literally. every. single. thing. Like, I have news for you, honey - you don't know squat about each other because you literally just met. (I realize I sound like a crotchety old woman in her rocking chair with her fifteen cats, but alas, that's what I am.)
- It just felt a little awkward? The writing style didn't totally gel with me; it felt a little "off" and the pacing was all over the place.
- Again, this just triggered a lot of personal things in my life right now and it was a Rough Experience
In conclusion: I am a very tired and sad bean. I wanted SO MUCH to like this but just really struggled to get into it. I will likely end up reading the sequel at some point (BECAUSE PETER PAN), but only when I'm in a better space mentally. :)
2.5 stars
July 4, 2022
This book.
This book is one of the best books I've ever read.
This book, for a little over 24 hours, swept me up in a 248-paged, whimsical, beautiful tale full of some of the best characters, writing, romance, and plot in the fantasy universe. I spent every free moment I had between the pages, hungrily gobbling up every second of it. It was an absolute delight to read.
It made me regret every single sci-fi plot idea I've had for books to be written in the future, and I found myself wanting to write a beautiful fantasy novel like this one. I found myself wanting ALL my future books to be beautiful fantasy novels.
I also am now going through an obsession with Peter Pan, but that's beside the point.
Words cannot describe how good this book is.
It has been described a lot of times as 'whimsical'... And I can see why! The word really fits it. It just fits... all of it. *makes wide gesture with hands to indicate 'all of it'* Other words that for it are: beautiful. Stunning. Divine. Supreme. Captivating. Breathtaking. Ravishing.
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.
So, if you are a coherent human being on the surface of planet Earth, go read Dust by Kara Swanson. NOWWWWWW.
*shoves it at you*
This book is one of the best books I've ever read.
This book, for a little over 24 hours, swept me up in a 248-paged, whimsical, beautiful tale full of some of the best characters, writing, romance, and plot in the fantasy universe. I spent every free moment I had between the pages, hungrily gobbling up every second of it. It was an absolute delight to read.
It made me regret every single sci-fi plot idea I've had for books to be written in the future, and I found myself wanting to write a beautiful fantasy novel like this one. I found myself wanting ALL my future books to be beautiful fantasy novels.
I also am now going through an obsession with Peter Pan, but that's beside the point.
Words cannot describe how good this book is.
It has been described a lot of times as 'whimsical'... And I can see why! The word really fits it. It just fits... all of it. *makes wide gesture with hands to indicate 'all of it'* Other words that for it are: beautiful. Stunning. Divine. Supreme. Captivating. Breathtaking. Ravishing.
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.
So, if you are a coherent human being on the surface of planet Earth, go read Dust by Kara Swanson. NOWWWWWW.
*shoves it at you*
June 3, 2024
Peter Pan lovers, get the heck on board because THIS BOOK WAS A RIDE AND A HALF.
Dust is about Claire, a nineteen-year-old girl who desperately wants to know what happened to her brother who disappeared six years ago. She refuses to believe in fairy tales, yet she can't tear herself away from the copy of Peter Pan that seems to hold clues to Connor's disappearance. And she also has mysterious dust that comes from her hands and til now has done nothing but harm.
And then there's Peter, who is stuck in London with no way of getting back to Neverland, which is falling apart more every second. His only hope might be Claire, whose dust might be able to do something good for a change.
But there's one problem: Claire hates Peter Pan with a passion.
So to start off with: if you're a fan of the Disney version of Peter Pan and not the book by J.M. Barrie, you should be prepared for a very different story than what you're expecting. The character Peter Pan is actually pretty twisted and a little dark, and that's what Dust plays off of. And may I just say that I think Kara nailed it. Peter in this story is an excellent older reflection of the troubling (now-troubled) boy we met in the original fairy tale. He's dealing with his past and Neverland's impending doom and he really just needs a hug. (Even if he IS still a bit of an imp.)
And then there's Claire. First off, I related so hard to her #introvertproblems and therefore immediately adopted her. And speaking of characters who need hugs?? THIS GIRL RIGHT HERE. She's so unsure and afraid and angry and at the same time sweet and loveable and I JUST NEED HER TO BE HAPPY.
Other things I loved:
Tiger Lily! Our fierce, kind tribal princess with some seriously awesome outfits.
The villain! And by "loved", I mean "was absolutely infuriated by and want thrown off a ship ASAP".
The setting! Because LONDON.
THE PLOT TWISTS. Because HOLY COW, you guys. I WAS NOT PREPARED FOR THIS.
THE CLIFFHANGER. And by "loved", I mean "WHAT EVEN IS THIS HOW IS THIS LEGAL GIMME BOOK #2 IMMEDIATELY"
Like, seriously. I'm still traumatized over that ending.
Long story short: If you're a fan of the original Peter Pan story and want a sequel (so to speak) that honors it, THIS IS THE ONE FOR YOU. I absolutely cannot wait for book 2. Five stars!!
(I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review!)
Dust is about Claire, a nineteen-year-old girl who desperately wants to know what happened to her brother who disappeared six years ago. She refuses to believe in fairy tales, yet she can't tear herself away from the copy of Peter Pan that seems to hold clues to Connor's disappearance. And she also has mysterious dust that comes from her hands and til now has done nothing but harm.
And then there's Peter, who is stuck in London with no way of getting back to Neverland, which is falling apart more every second. His only hope might be Claire, whose dust might be able to do something good for a change.
But there's one problem: Claire hates Peter Pan with a passion.
So to start off with: if you're a fan of the Disney version of Peter Pan and not the book by J.M. Barrie, you should be prepared for a very different story than what you're expecting. The character Peter Pan is actually pretty twisted and a little dark, and that's what Dust plays off of. And may I just say that I think Kara nailed it. Peter in this story is an excellent older reflection of the troubling (now-troubled) boy we met in the original fairy tale. He's dealing with his past and Neverland's impending doom and he really just needs a hug. (Even if he IS still a bit of an imp.)
And then there's Claire. First off, I related so hard to her #introvertproblems and therefore immediately adopted her. And speaking of characters who need hugs?? THIS GIRL RIGHT HERE. She's so unsure and afraid and angry and at the same time sweet and loveable and I JUST NEED HER TO BE HAPPY.
Other things I loved:
Tiger Lily! Our fierce, kind tribal princess with some seriously awesome outfits.
The villain! And by "loved", I mean "was absolutely infuriated by and want thrown off a ship ASAP".
The setting! Because LONDON.
THE PLOT TWISTS. Because HOLY COW, you guys. I WAS NOT PREPARED FOR THIS.
THE CLIFFHANGER. And by "loved", I mean "WHAT EVEN IS THIS HOW IS THIS LEGAL GIMME BOOK #2 IMMEDIATELY"
Like, seriously. I'm still traumatized over that ending.
Long story short: If you're a fan of the original Peter Pan story and want a sequel (so to speak) that honors it, THIS IS THE ONE FOR YOU. I absolutely cannot wait for book 2. Five stars!!
(I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review!)
April 11, 2022
I don't even know where to begin...
This book was every. thing. It was absolutely beautiful!
I can't talk about too many of the details, because SPOILERS, but take what I DO say to heart.
Kara did an AMAZING job handling the age old fairytale we know and love. She kept the OG Peter Pan alive, but I could also see her unique voice in him.
This book was MAGICAL! That's the best word to describe what was within these pages. Kara made every scene, every word, and every action come to life on the page and she made each one fly.
This book had so much more depth than the fairytale we've heard our whole lives. Kara took a beloved story, and made it better in my opinion! She added depth, character, and emotion.
The story was told through Claire & Peter's perspectives, both in 1st person, but I could always tell which character's head I was in. She did a wonderful job separating their voices.
Claire was a bit on the dense side, but its a character flaw that she knows she has. Its also needed to move the plot along, so I tried not to let it ruffle my feathers too much.
I'm CRAZY excited to how Shadow is handled, and what scrapes we're going to get into while we're in Neverland!
5/5 stars!
*I received this book from the author**All opinions are my own*
This book was every. thing. It was absolutely beautiful!
I can't talk about too many of the details, because SPOILERS, but take what I DO say to heart.
Kara did an AMAZING job handling the age old fairytale we know and love. She kept the OG Peter Pan alive, but I could also see her unique voice in him.
This book was MAGICAL! That's the best word to describe what was within these pages. Kara made every scene, every word, and every action come to life on the page and she made each one fly.
This book had so much more depth than the fairytale we've heard our whole lives. Kara took a beloved story, and made it better in my opinion! She added depth, character, and emotion.
The story was told through Claire & Peter's perspectives, both in 1st person, but I could always tell which character's head I was in. She did a wonderful job separating their voices.
Claire was a bit on the dense side, but its a character flaw that she knows she has. Its also needed to move the plot along, so I tried not to let it ruffle my feathers too much.
I'm CRAZY excited to how Shadow is handled, and what scrapes we're going to get into while we're in Neverland!
5/5 stars!
*I received this book from the author**All opinions are my own*
Want to read
April 20, 2020I'm always down for
dark Pan
*eeeek* This better freaking deliver!
September 6, 2021
5/5 stars
I never read retellings. I don’t read many fairytales. Going into Dust, I had no idea what to expect. All I knew was that I loved Kara Swanson’s writing, and I was eager to read her work.
I was completely blown away.
I read Dust at the very beginning of quarantine, and in such an unprecedented, odd, and even scary time, Dust was a beacon of hope. A gripping, magical, and beautiful story, I could hardly stop reading.
From the very beginning, I was hooked. The plot was complex and detailed, and I loved how the chapters jumped back and forth between Claire’s and Peter’s point of views. This added to the suspense, giving me plot details from both characters’ sides of the story, and I could hardly stop reading.
And then the magic. Oh my goodness, the magic was beautiful. I don’t read much fantasy, but the magic in Dust was GREAT! It gave the book such a warm, cozy feeling. The pixies were adorable and creative, and I loved how they brought out neat aspects of Peter’s character.
I could go on and on about the characters. Peter and Claire were ADORABLE, and it was just so cute, I could hardly stand it. 😍
If you’re looking for books to read, Dust should be added to the top of your list! It was a truly beautiful and magical story, and I highly recommend it!
Read my full review here: https://bellaputt.com/dust-blog-tour-...
I never read retellings. I don’t read many fairytales. Going into Dust, I had no idea what to expect. All I knew was that I loved Kara Swanson’s writing, and I was eager to read her work.
I was completely blown away.
I read Dust at the very beginning of quarantine, and in such an unprecedented, odd, and even scary time, Dust was a beacon of hope. A gripping, magical, and beautiful story, I could hardly stop reading.
From the very beginning, I was hooked. The plot was complex and detailed, and I loved how the chapters jumped back and forth between Claire’s and Peter’s point of views. This added to the suspense, giving me plot details from both characters’ sides of the story, and I could hardly stop reading.
And then the magic. Oh my goodness, the magic was beautiful. I don’t read much fantasy, but the magic in Dust was GREAT! It gave the book such a warm, cozy feeling. The pixies were adorable and creative, and I loved how they brought out neat aspects of Peter’s character.
I could go on and on about the characters. Peter and Claire were ADORABLE, and it was just so cute, I could hardly stand it. 😍
If you’re looking for books to read, Dust should be added to the top of your list! It was a truly beautiful and magical story, and I highly recommend it!
Read my full review here: https://bellaputt.com/dust-blog-tour-...
March 31, 2025
I was so surprised by this book! I expected to enjoy it but it blew me out of the water! It is a brave retelling that is both magical and grounded, and Kara Swanson does a great job of bringing so much dimension and depth to each character. Peter and Claire are so excellently crafted!
The backstory with Claire and her time in the hospital (and “flying”). It added good depth, stakes, and tension around her character and the story. And I loved getting inside Peter’s head to really understand his fears.
The romance between Peter and Claire is perfectly paced with authentic desires and fears with a great payoff.
And the ending! I’m upset I can’t start reading Shadow immediately! Such great twists and everything was set up perfectly!
Trigger warning: Great representation of mental health struggles. Addresses depression, PTSD, and self-harm.
The backstory with Claire and her time in the hospital (and “flying”). It added good depth, stakes, and tension around her character and the story. And I loved getting inside Peter’s head to really understand his fears.
The romance between Peter and Claire is perfectly paced with authentic desires and fears with a great payoff.
And the ending! I’m upset I can’t start reading Shadow immediately! Such great twists and everything was set up perfectly!
Trigger warning: Great representation of mental health struggles. Addresses depression, PTSD, and self-harm.
October 25, 2020
I had the privilege to read an early draft of the work earlier this year. The published version is even better. Swanson has a powerful knack of getting into her character's heads and weaves some wonderful deception and tension between them with the various secrets characters are keeping.
(Or at least the one's Peter's keeping. I guess it's mostly Peter. Though I suppose Hook probably has secrets of his own.)
Between some fantastic characters, a riveting conclusion, and a powerful setup for Shadow, I'm looking forward to seeing where this series leads. Excellent depiction of Hook to boot. This is a solid read.
Rating: 4 Stars (Very Good).
(Or at least the one's Peter's keeping. I guess it's mostly Peter. Though I suppose Hook probably has secrets of his own.)
Between some fantastic characters, a riveting conclusion, and a powerful setup for Shadow, I'm looking forward to seeing where this series leads. Excellent depiction of Hook to boot. This is a solid read.
Rating: 4 Stars (Very Good).
September 24, 2025
What a cool book! 😊 Awesome stuff!
May 31, 2021
*4.5
For some unknown reason, I just have no idea how to start this review. Like, y'all, it was sooooo good I'm pretty much speechless over here. And the more I think about the book, the more I just want to go read it all over again. Let's just start with the characters. Claire and Peter were THE bests part of the whole novel. They were sooo well developed and just jumping off the pages. And I loooved how they had specific goals and motives that just moved the plot forward. And then let's talk about the actual plot. Y'all it was just AMAZING!!! Every time I thought I knew exactly how it was going to go, Swanson would slap me in the fact by turning it in a different direction. And that ending... *clutches heart*
Actually, that ending is something we DO NOT speak of over here. Let's just say, the whole reason I cut off half a star was because of that ending. I mean, Claire literally let me angry. And characters never make me THAT mad. But, man, I was just fuming through those last pages.
But, this review is not the best place to rant and talk about how I was definitely not okay emotionally at the end.
Back to how awesome this book was. The plot twists were INCREDIBLE, and I believe there was only one or two I saw coming. Which is AMAZING 'cause I'm someone who can normally see the plot twists comin' from a mile away. ;) Oooh, and can we talk about how beautiful and inspiring the whole message in the story was???? The whole part about who the creator of the stars sees you to be just left me melting in a puddle of happy feels. GORGEOUS!!! And Swanson's writing voice was just soooo beautiful. I LOVED IT!!!!
This Peter Pan retelling/sequel was done in such a creative way that has now seriously made me want to check out other Peter Pan retellings and actually read the book that started it all by J. M. Barrie. I don't think I can recommend this book enough to all my fellow fantasy readers and those who adore the Peter Pan novel by J. M. Barrie. Dust is a book you definitely don't want to miss out on.
Now, all I have to do is survive the month-long wait until the sequel is released!!!! (Is it bad that I'm secretly hoping Peter's gonna show Claire how wrong she was in doing what she did at the end? XD)
For some unknown reason, I just have no idea how to start this review. Like, y'all, it was sooooo good I'm pretty much speechless over here. And the more I think about the book, the more I just want to go read it all over again. Let's just start with the characters. Claire and Peter were THE bests part of the whole novel. They were sooo well developed and just jumping off the pages. And I loooved how they had specific goals and motives that just moved the plot forward. And then let's talk about the actual plot. Y'all it was just AMAZING!!! Every time I thought I knew exactly how it was going to go, Swanson would slap me in the fact by turning it in a different direction. And that ending... *clutches heart*
Actually, that ending is something we DO NOT speak of over here. Let's just say, the whole reason I cut off half a star was because of that ending. I mean, Claire literally let me angry. And characters never make me THAT mad. But, man, I was just fuming through those last pages.
But, this review is not the best place to rant and talk about how I was definitely not okay emotionally at the end.
Back to how awesome this book was. The plot twists were INCREDIBLE, and I believe there was only one or two I saw coming. Which is AMAZING 'cause I'm someone who can normally see the plot twists comin' from a mile away. ;) Oooh, and can we talk about how beautiful and inspiring the whole message in the story was???? The whole part about who the creator of the stars sees you to be just left me melting in a puddle of happy feels. GORGEOUS!!! And Swanson's writing voice was just soooo beautiful. I LOVED IT!!!!
This Peter Pan retelling/sequel was done in such a creative way that has now seriously made me want to check out other Peter Pan retellings and actually read the book that started it all by J. M. Barrie. I don't think I can recommend this book enough to all my fellow fantasy readers and those who adore the Peter Pan novel by J. M. Barrie. Dust is a book you definitely don't want to miss out on.
Now, all I have to do is survive the month-long wait until the sequel is released!!!! (Is it bad that I'm secretly hoping Peter's gonna show Claire how wrong she was in doing what she did at the end? XD)
August 10, 2020
This book is amazing. I especially love how Kara captured the boyish recklessness, immatureness of Peter Pan while still making him so much deeper of a character. Claire's personal journey of discovering who she is, what her dust is, and about her scars is inspiring and I'm sure can touch many hearts. I LOVED the growing relationship between Claire and Lily. We need more good girl relationships in fiction.
Dust was a book full of magic and whimsy and nostalgia, but also something deeper and darker. But all still laced with hope and light.
Oh and I nEED THE SECOND BOOK RIGHT NOW PLEASE.
Dust was a book full of magic and whimsy and nostalgia, but also something deeper and darker. But all still laced with hope and light.
Oh and I nEED THE SECOND BOOK RIGHT NOW PLEASE.
dnf
December 24, 2020DNF 25%
I read it once to 25% then realised I was bored and had no idea what was happening as a result. I started again and got to 15%. I love reimaginings and other people have enjoyed this. Just not for me.
I read it once to 25% then realised I was bored and had no idea what was happening as a result. I started again and got to 15%. I love reimaginings and other people have enjoyed this. Just not for me.
Read
July 22, 2020Did you ever have a crush on Peter Pan?
I didn’t read the full version of Barrie’s novel until I was grown up (the horror!) but as a kid I had a big volume of fairy tales and children’s stories that included an excerpt, and I absolutely fell in love with Peter’s story. I thought the Disney cartoon was just OK, but I was a big fan of HOOK when it first came out (dating myself here!) and saw it several times.
Anyway, one of the problems I have with retellings or spinoffs of Peter Pan is that they often focus on Peter’s charm, daring and boyish heroism, without acknowledging that canonically Peter is a deeply damaged kid who can be selfish, ruthless and even downright scary at times in his refusal to ever grow up. So any sequel that simply ages him into a magical YA boyfriend without acknowledging and addressing the darker side of his character or the consequences of his past actions just doesn’t cut it for me... which is why I loved DUST so, so much, because Kara Swanson knows her canon Peter and doesn’t shy away from those issues at. all.
There are a lot of other things to love about DUST too — the term heroine’s traumatic past and her present struggles to believe in magic are well drawn, the unfolding backstory of how Peter ended up where he is and why is intriguing, and the nature of Tiger Lily’s “tribe” is addressed better than I’ve seen in other spinoffs, to name just a few. I even liked a couple of the new characters so much I had to DM Kara and beg to know if we’d be hearing more of their story!
Anyway, if you like Peter Pan stories in general and Peter-grows-up stories in particular, I think you’ll really enjoy this one. I know I did.
I didn’t read the full version of Barrie’s novel until I was grown up (the horror!) but as a kid I had a big volume of fairy tales and children’s stories that included an excerpt, and I absolutely fell in love with Peter’s story. I thought the Disney cartoon was just OK, but I was a big fan of HOOK when it first came out (dating myself here!) and saw it several times.
Anyway, one of the problems I have with retellings or spinoffs of Peter Pan is that they often focus on Peter’s charm, daring and boyish heroism, without acknowledging that canonically Peter is a deeply damaged kid who can be selfish, ruthless and even downright scary at times in his refusal to ever grow up. So any sequel that simply ages him into a magical YA boyfriend without acknowledging and addressing the darker side of his character or the consequences of his past actions just doesn’t cut it for me... which is why I loved DUST so, so much, because Kara Swanson knows her canon Peter and doesn’t shy away from those issues at. all.
There are a lot of other things to love about DUST too — the term heroine’s traumatic past and her present struggles to believe in magic are well drawn, the unfolding backstory of how Peter ended up where he is and why is intriguing, and the nature of Tiger Lily’s “tribe” is addressed better than I’ve seen in other spinoffs, to name just a few. I even liked a couple of the new characters so much I had to DM Kara and beg to know if we’d be hearing more of their story!
Anyway, if you like Peter Pan stories in general and Peter-grows-up stories in particular, I think you’ll really enjoy this one. I know I did.
June 1, 2020
Oh my GRACIOUS I love this book.
What can I even say?? Swanson's Dust is the best retelling of Peter Pan I've ever seen. Even as a reread, it's /amazing/. It's a story that just overflows with magic. And the characters! Are amazing! They're some of the best I've ever read - and though this book switches between the POVs of the two main characters (Peter and Claire), they both felt so distinctly /themselves/ that I never wanted to skip one character's chapter to read the other's. I loved Peter's snark and sass and general British-ness. And Claire is so very relatable - her growth throughout the book is /powerful/. Gah. I just legitimately have no words for this story. It's beautiful. It's amazing. I love it!!! It releases next month, so preorder thyself a copy.
(I received an advance copy from the publisher, all opinions are my own)
What can I even say?? Swanson's Dust is the best retelling of Peter Pan I've ever seen. Even as a reread, it's /amazing/. It's a story that just overflows with magic. And the characters! Are amazing! They're some of the best I've ever read - and though this book switches between the POVs of the two main characters (Peter and Claire), they both felt so distinctly /themselves/ that I never wanted to skip one character's chapter to read the other's. I loved Peter's snark and sass and general British-ness. And Claire is so very relatable - her growth throughout the book is /powerful/. Gah. I just legitimately have no words for this story. It's beautiful. It's amazing. I love it!!! It releases next month, so preorder thyself a copy.
(I received an advance copy from the publisher, all opinions are my own)
October 5, 2023
Alright. I’ll admit that the author did a great job with world building, had a unique angle that blends well with what we know of Peter Pan tale, and her characterization of Pan was great. But I have questions Miss Authoress. Lots of them. Because things…don’t make sense.
Warning: Ranting spoilers below. Read at your own risk. :)
Warning: Ranting spoilers below. Read at your own risk. :)
February 11, 2022
i…have mixed feelings about this book. on one hand, the writing was beautiful. on the other hand, claire was kinda annoying (i got major not like other girls vibes from her), and the story overall felt kinda flat? i didn’t appreciate the way self harm and suicide were portrayed. i would have liked to have seen them dealt with differently.
overall, this was a fun read, and i will probably read the sequel, but it wasn’t one of my favorites.
overall, this was a fun read, and i will probably read the sequel, but it wasn’t one of my favorites.
January 5, 2025
Oh my goodness, this book is amazing! I've heard YDubbers sing its praises, but I never expected it to become one of my favorite fantasy novels! While this book does get dark (and deals with some sensitive topics), it maintains a message of hope. I 100% recommend this!
November 15, 2025
Wow...
I enjoyed both Peter and Claire as characters, but I have to admit, Peter was my favorite. I just really enjoyed seeing his thought processes, and how he began to 'grow up' in the good sense. He was just such an interesting character.
But don't get me wrong, Claire was interesting too, just in a different way. I liked her, related to her, felt for her, and at the same want to shake her
Tiger Lily was also a fave, the awesome, fearsome side kick warrior princess who helped keep both Claire and Peter, ah, stable, shall we say. That talking to that she gave Jeremy was like, fiery and amazing, okay? *chef's kiss*
The characters and the themes are what really make the story, not the action, although some action does happen. The themes of Dust were about, can a person grow up... and still fly? Claire can't fly because of what she's been through, Peter can, but he's still selfish in a lot of ways and actually does need to grow up, in a different way than what he thinks.
How to fight the darkness of this world? Especially when the darkness seems to be in you as well? How to wrestle through your own brokenness and come out the other side still able to have childlike faith despite the pain? A theme that I can relate to, as I struggle with the same thing
.
Dust is gritty and real, and at the same time so whimsical and fun and beautiful. It's such a unique contrast, a beautiful one, that works somehow, and is reflective of its themes. I cannot word in this quickly written review just what it is or how it works, but it is an encouraging book to me. Now I understand why so many people rave about it, and it is definitely a favorite of mine now.
Overall, while Dust is not overtly Christian fantasy, there are hints of it, and I really enjoyed reading it. Definitely looking forward to the next book in the series!
I would recommend this book for 16+, as there are some heaver elements to it and some darker things dealt with.
I am back to this book and so excited! I've caught up to and gotten past what I read before.
(EDIT: Some fellow readers have graciously informed me that the problem I did have with this book is resolved later on. So now, I'll be looking picking it up again and hopefully completing it in the future! Thank you to those who helped me out.)
I'm rating this book and all, but in all truth I only made it about a little over 100 pages in.
I've had this book shoved in my face many different times. Many of my friends on Goodreads have read this book and adore it. After reading The Girl Who Could See by this same author, I was pretty sure I wasn't going to hate the book when I went into it.
And I don't. The writing style, the characters, the plot (even for someone who's never read Peter Pan), is amazing. I would be devouring this book, except for one thing: my conscience.
I don't read books with magic unless it is Christian fantasy. That is, God is involved, believed in, adhered to, etc. Think Chronicles of Narnia. And so far, I haven't seen that in this book. So, therefore, I won't read on. If I haven't read far enough, and God DOES come in later in the book, do let me know.
I'm not condemning anyone who will read this book, this is just my personal belief that to violate would be wrong to me.
But if you don't hold that belief, go ahead and read. This book is clean, fun, full of Britishness with relatable characters, etc. Oh, and the cover is even more stunning in person. So, I give it 5 stars, even though I wasn't able to complete it.
I enjoyed both Peter and Claire as characters, but I have to admit, Peter was my favorite. I just really enjoyed seeing his thought processes, and how he began to 'grow up' in the good sense. He was just such an interesting character.
But don't get me wrong, Claire was interesting too, just in a different way. I liked her, related to her, felt for her, and at the same want to shake her
Tiger Lily was also a fave, the awesome, fearsome side kick warrior princess who helped keep both Claire and Peter, ah, stable, shall we say. That talking to that she gave Jeremy was like, fiery and amazing, okay? *chef's kiss*
The characters and the themes are what really make the story, not the action, although some action does happen. The themes of Dust were about, can a person grow up... and still fly? Claire can't fly because of what she's been through, Peter can, but he's still selfish in a lot of ways and actually does need to grow up, in a different way than what he thinks.
How to fight the darkness of this world? Especially when the darkness seems to be in you as well? How to wrestle through your own brokenness and come out the other side still able to have childlike faith despite the pain? A theme that I can relate to, as I struggle with the same thing
.
Dust is gritty and real, and at the same time so whimsical and fun and beautiful. It's such a unique contrast, a beautiful one, that works somehow, and is reflective of its themes. I cannot word in this quickly written review just what it is or how it works, but it is an encouraging book to me. Now I understand why so many people rave about it, and it is definitely a favorite of mine now.
Overall, while Dust is not overtly Christian fantasy, there are hints of it, and I really enjoyed reading it. Definitely looking forward to the next book in the series!
I would recommend this book for 16+, as there are some heaver elements to it and some darker things dealt with.
I am back to this book and so excited! I've caught up to and gotten past what I read before.
(EDIT: Some fellow readers have graciously informed me that the problem I did have with this book is resolved later on. So now, I'll be looking picking it up again and hopefully completing it in the future! Thank you to those who helped me out.)
I'm rating this book and all, but in all truth I only made it about a little over 100 pages in.
I've had this book shoved in my face many different times. Many of my friends on Goodreads have read this book and adore it. After reading The Girl Who Could See by this same author, I was pretty sure I wasn't going to hate the book when I went into it.
And I don't. The writing style, the characters, the plot (even for someone who's never read Peter Pan), is amazing. I would be devouring this book, except for one thing: my conscience.
I don't read books with magic unless it is Christian fantasy. That is, God is involved, believed in, adhered to, etc. Think Chronicles of Narnia. And so far, I haven't seen that in this book. So, therefore, I won't read on. If I haven't read far enough, and God DOES come in later in the book, do let me know.
I'm not condemning anyone who will read this book, this is just my personal belief that to violate would be wrong to me.
But if you don't hold that belief, go ahead and read. This book is clean, fun, full of Britishness with relatable characters, etc. Oh, and the cover is even more stunning in person. So, I give it 5 stars, even though I wasn't able to complete it.
January 25, 2022
Read 2x
HOW IS THIS SO GOOD?!?! And the end!
*re-doing review* I forgot how good this was! I decided to re-read this before reading Shadow, bc I forgot everything. I have to say that was a good choice! lol
I never liked Peter Pan (well I never read the story and I haven't watched the movie in years), but I LOVE Peter Pan re-tellings! lol Peter pan always seemed creepy to me. Some guy who never grows up stealing children and taking them to "heaven" and some really creepy guy wrote it. (I really want to dig deeper into old books like this to see how creepy of a backstory they have. Like Alice in Wonderland was written by some drunk guy, etc. lol) But this is SO GOOD!!!!
HOW IS THIS SO GOOD?!?! And the end!
*re-doing review* I forgot how good this was! I decided to re-read this before reading Shadow, bc I forgot everything. I have to say that was a good choice! lol
I never liked Peter Pan (well I never read the story and I haven't watched the movie in years), but I LOVE Peter Pan re-tellings! lol Peter pan always seemed creepy to me. Some guy who never grows up stealing children and taking them to "heaven" and some really creepy guy wrote it. (I really want to dig deeper into old books like this to see how creepy of a backstory they have. Like Alice in Wonderland was written by some drunk guy, etc. lol) But this is SO GOOD!!!!
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