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Like Dandelion Dust
Karen Kingsbury delivers a powerful new novel about two parents' love for their child and the surprising lengths they will go to keep their family together when a judge rules that their adopted son must be returned to his biological father.
383 pages, Paperback
First published June 15, 2006
483 people are currently reading
5722 people want to read
About the author
Karen Kingsbury
208 books12k followersKaren Kingsbury, #1 New York Times bestselling novelist, is America’s favorite inspirational storyteller, with more than twenty-five million copies of her award-winning books in print. Her last dozen titles have topped bestseller lists and many of her novels are under development with Hallmark Films and as major motion pictures. Her Baxter Family books are being developed into a TV series slated for major network viewing sometime in the next year. Karen is also an adjunct professor of writing at Liberty University. In 2001 she and her husband, Don, adopted three boys from Haiti, doubling their family in a matter of months. Today the couple has joined the ranks of empty nesters, living in Tennessee near five of their adult children.
See more at: http://authors.simonandschuster.com/K...
See more at: http://authors.simonandschuster.com/K...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 692 reviews
November 18, 2012
This novel had come highly recommended from a friend who had recommend quite a few great novels to me before and the synopsis of the novel sounded good so I was expecting good things from Like Dandelion Dust. I had also seen an advert for the movie on TV and it looked interesting so I went ahead and brought the book from Amazon without researching the author. Big mistake!
But the truth was, the plot was very predictable, irritatingly repetitive, contrived and not very well-written. The concept of the story was interesting but the author is not a good enough writer to pull it off. This novel was simply too formulaic, too sweet, too predictable, too simplistic, too everything I don't like.
The characters were all under developed and stereotypical - the adoptive family were nauseatingly perfect, and the birth mother is poor so she has to be sleeping around right?! None of the characters seemed to be realistic - especially the four-year-old boy that talked and acted like a 40-year-old adult. The entire novel had that 'la-la-land' feel to it.
To make matters worse, I wasn't expecting this novel to be overly religious. Normally I don't mind if the characters are religious but on every page the author wrote paragraphs about god, the bible, how people who don't go to church and believe in god are going to hell, etc. The religious preaching really overwhelmed the story. At times it felt like the author was trying to force her believes down my throat which I certainly did not enjoy.
I kept reading it until I reached the end, hoping it would get better, but it never did. This was the first novel I've read by Karen Kingsbury and I don't think I'll read another novel by this author ever again. How on earth did this poorly written novel manage to get published, go on to become a bestseller and get made into a film???
The book was very disappointing and a waste of my money and my time. Don't make the same mistake as I did, avoid this novel and author at all costs! One star!
But the truth was, the plot was very predictable, irritatingly repetitive, contrived and not very well-written. The concept of the story was interesting but the author is not a good enough writer to pull it off. This novel was simply too formulaic, too sweet, too predictable, too simplistic, too everything I don't like.
The characters were all under developed and stereotypical - the adoptive family were nauseatingly perfect, and the birth mother is poor so she has to be sleeping around right?! None of the characters seemed to be realistic - especially the four-year-old boy that talked and acted like a 40-year-old adult. The entire novel had that 'la-la-land' feel to it.
To make matters worse, I wasn't expecting this novel to be overly religious. Normally I don't mind if the characters are religious but on every page the author wrote paragraphs about god, the bible, how people who don't go to church and believe in god are going to hell, etc. The religious preaching really overwhelmed the story. At times it felt like the author was trying to force her believes down my throat which I certainly did not enjoy.
I kept reading it until I reached the end, hoping it would get better, but it never did. This was the first novel I've read by Karen Kingsbury and I don't think I'll read another novel by this author ever again. How on earth did this poorly written novel manage to get published, go on to become a bestseller and get made into a film???
The book was very disappointing and a waste of my money and my time. Don't make the same mistake as I did, avoid this novel and author at all costs! One star!
January 23, 2011
I first heard about this book on one of the forums for adoption that I follow. There were a lot of people who were outraged at the concept of the movie (being made from the book). One person in the forum said that she wanted to read the book before making judgments about the movie being bad or not.
I decided to see if I could find this book for my Kindle and was pleasantly surprised to see that not only was it available, but it was on sale too.
This book is every adoptive family's worst nightmare come true. After five years of raising the son that they adopted, suddenly the birth father comes out of prison and learns that his wife placed their child, a son, for adoption just after he entered prison five years prior. The wife had falsly signed his signature on the adoption paperwork, and for five years lived happily knowing that she spared her baby from being raised in a chaotic home.
The book has a Christian twist to it, as the adoptive family isn't religious, but the adoptive mother's sister and brother-in-law are very spiritual and religious. The sisters get along but the two husbands do not, and the main reason being a difference in opinion about religion.
The sister learns about the biological parents wanting their son back and offeres to her sister and brother-in-law to come to church with them and turn over their problems to God. Of course, the book goes all the way to the end before the ending that I was pleased with, but the message is definitely one about believing in God and knowing that Jesus will get you through anything. The author is a Christian author and writes other Christian fiction.
As someone who has adopted, I was able to relate to this book and felt for the main characters and they traveled through their worst nightmare. Anyone with children will love this, and those who have adopted will love it even more.
I decided to see if I could find this book for my Kindle and was pleasantly surprised to see that not only was it available, but it was on sale too.
This book is every adoptive family's worst nightmare come true. After five years of raising the son that they adopted, suddenly the birth father comes out of prison and learns that his wife placed their child, a son, for adoption just after he entered prison five years prior. The wife had falsly signed his signature on the adoption paperwork, and for five years lived happily knowing that she spared her baby from being raised in a chaotic home.
The book has a Christian twist to it, as the adoptive family isn't religious, but the adoptive mother's sister and brother-in-law are very spiritual and religious. The sisters get along but the two husbands do not, and the main reason being a difference in opinion about religion.
The sister learns about the biological parents wanting their son back and offeres to her sister and brother-in-law to come to church with them and turn over their problems to God. Of course, the book goes all the way to the end before the ending that I was pleased with, but the message is definitely one about believing in God and knowing that Jesus will get you through anything. The author is a Christian author and writes other Christian fiction.
As someone who has adopted, I was able to relate to this book and felt for the main characters and they traveled through their worst nightmare. Anyone with children will love this, and those who have adopted will love it even more.
October 31, 2010
I couldn't finish this book. I suffered through about 100 pages and just couldn't take it anymore. I did skim the last few pages because I wanted to see how it ended, but I couldn't even force myself to read them.
This was the most self-righteous, ridiculous crap I have ever read. I was really looking forward to this book, the plot behind it was very interesting. But I could not handle all the religious whining that went on. "Oh, it's so unfair that my sister has a fun life and happy family when they don't go to church or bible study every week. That's not fair, blah blah blah." What really, really got me and made me stop reading this book was this quote : "God, please give Molly a reason to need you. I won't bring it up... so give her a reason, God. Please." So because it wasn't fair for Molly to love life and have a happy one without having to devote herself to church and bible study, she wants something bad to happen to her so she will have a reason to pray? Clearly the author is trying to make a point here. Devote your life to Christ or you shall be punished.
The other major problem I had with this book was the writing style. the author could not complete a sentence or give a character the control over their own thoughts without having to validate it. I can write a book, right? I can make spaghetti for dinner, right? Some examples:
Their attitude towards church was ok, wasn't it?
What they had was fine, wasn't it?
She still had a few Camels, right?
He'd been sorry before, right?
That had to be better, right?
and so on, and so on...
I really wanted to enjoy this book, that is why I kept reading it after twenty pages. It just wasn't possible.
This was the most self-righteous, ridiculous crap I have ever read. I was really looking forward to this book, the plot behind it was very interesting. But I could not handle all the religious whining that went on. "Oh, it's so unfair that my sister has a fun life and happy family when they don't go to church or bible study every week. That's not fair, blah blah blah." What really, really got me and made me stop reading this book was this quote : "God, please give Molly a reason to need you. I won't bring it up... so give her a reason, God. Please." So because it wasn't fair for Molly to love life and have a happy one without having to devote herself to church and bible study, she wants something bad to happen to her so she will have a reason to pray? Clearly the author is trying to make a point here. Devote your life to Christ or you shall be punished.
The other major problem I had with this book was the writing style. the author could not complete a sentence or give a character the control over their own thoughts without having to validate it. I can write a book, right? I can make spaghetti for dinner, right? Some examples:
Their attitude towards church was ok, wasn't it?
What they had was fine, wasn't it?
She still had a few Camels, right?
He'd been sorry before, right?
That had to be better, right?
and so on, and so on...
I really wanted to enjoy this book, that is why I kept reading it after twenty pages. It just wasn't possible.
February 3, 2012
It's not often that I say this about Christian fiction, but this book was just too preachy for my tastes. I proudly say that I'm a born-again Christian and lover of Christian fiction, but the way that the Christian aspect was woven into this story came across as forced and unrealistic in places. I really wanted to enjoy this book as I'd read glowing reviews of it and cried when I'd watched the movie trailer. I've only read one of Karen Kingsbury's books before, a Christmas novella, and while I'd found it incredibly cheesy I'd blamed that on the shortness of the book and the subject matter. Kingsbury is massively popular in the Christian genre, and while a lot of her storylines appeal to me I just haven't got around to reading any of her other books until now. But when I noticed that this one was in my local library catalogue I requested it and was determined to read it over my intersemester break. The plot really did have a lot of potential, but the way that Kingsbury went about the spiritual parts of the book really left a bad taste in my mouth, and there were a couple of other part of the story that bugged me.
I didn't hate this book but I didn't particularly like it either. Comparing it to other novels in the Christian market, it's a pretty average story. It could have done a lot more with the subject matter, but unfortunately I found that most of the book revolved around the main characters coming to believe in Christ and not their custody battle for their adopted son. Conversion stories always rub me wrong, especially ones like this that don't seem entirely believable. And in all honesty - I'm already a Christian, and I don't need to read books about other people coming to Christ in order to remind me of Christ's saving grace and how I'm sanctified through my belief in him. I much prefer reading books about Christians who use their faith to overcome difficulties. So perhaps my distaste for conversion stories is why I wasn't so keen on the subject matter of this book, since all three main characters came to Christ during the book. Joey's sections were the most believable, to be honest. And very cute. But his parents' sudden belief in God didn't entirely convince me.
I also got annoyed at the ways that Beth and Bill kept trying to witness to Molly and Jack, who were clearly uncomfortable with it, and that they wouldn't change their methods of showing their friends Christ's love for them when they realised that their friends just weren't in the right place for receiving God's good news. Sometimes the best way to witness to someone is to show God's love through your actions (especially if the people in question are uncomfortable with you talking openly about God), not preach the gospel every five minutes and refer to everything in life as "God's will". I was particularly annoyed when Beth told her son to share his toy because "That's what Jesus wants". She never explained WHY Jesus wanted people to share their belongings, just that that was how life was. One day, this little boy is going to grow up and go to high school, and when someone asks him why he will or won't do anything, all he'll be able to say is "Because Jesus says I should" and when questioned further he'll realise that he doesn't know WHY Jesus commands such things. I've seen so many children grow up to be disillusioned with the church because their entire lives are ordained by "This is what the Bible says we should do" without any deeper understanding of why God wants us to do such things.
I fully admit that my uncomfortableness with the preachy sections of this stems from personal experience, but I imagine I'm not the only one who cringed when Beth brought God or church into every conversation with her sister even though it was pushing her brother-in-law away from them. Especially when she prayed for God to show himself to Molly and Jack in his own way, and then continued to pressure them about church and talked about God all the time rather than waiting for Molly to make the first step. I'm not entirely sure what it is, but something just didn't sit right with me in this book. I don't believe that this is the way that God calls us to witness to people, nor did I think that the way Bill and Beth brought church or God into every conversation or thought seemed realistic of Christian behaviour. A lot of what they said felt forced.
But the same can be said for the non-Christian sections of the book, the ones that dealt with Joey's custody battle. So many times, Molly would be discussing something with Jack or thinking something over and then the text would include a phrase along the lines of "Suddenly, she realised that this would never work out." or "Suddenly, it all became clear to her." or "Suddenly, she completely understood Jack's point of view." Molly had a lot of moments of sudden clarity in this book, and every time she had one of these moments it jerked me out of the flow of reading and forced me to examine the style of writing that Kingsbury used. It's very simplistic, but not in a particularly bad way. But sometimes her simplistic style of writing also utilised simplistic writing devices, such as Molly's moments of clarity, which always came to her suddenly, when she needed them most, and about two lines after she'd been struggling with the issue. I wouldn't have minded if this came up once or twice but this was used frequently throughout the book and really irritated me as it never seemed entirely realistic that two sentences after she'd been worrying about something she'd be able to immediately discern the root of the problem. To be honest, this device was just weird. I'm not sure why Kingsbury constantly used it.
I realised early into the book that I was meant to be convinced of Beth and Molly's strong friendship, which was constantly reinforced by flashbacks to their childhood and references to special events that they'd shared. These kept being brought up over and over, but when Molly and Beth were actually together, even early on in the book before the Joey situation came up, I didn't see any evidence of this relationship. They both seemed uncomfortable since their husbands didn't get on very well and Beth's faith seemed to have distanced them. And since their friendship was such a vital part of the plot, I think the fact that I wasn't convinced of their relationship stopped me from appreciating other parts of the plot.
This book wasn't all bad. It definitely gets a star for wrenching my heart during the sections with Wendy and Joey. Wendy was the most convincing character in the entire book (even if I wasn't sure why she was so certain that she would take Rip back when he came out of jail, the social worker was clearly keen to help her there). Her love for her son that led her to want to protect him even though she was desperate to be a mother really touched me, and I even shed a tear in places. I felt much stronger emotions regarding Wendy than I did Molly, which I don't think was Kingsbury's intention. Wendy and Joey were definitely my favourite characters in the whole book, and I also liked Allyson, the social worker who understood the injustice of the situation but felt that her hands were tied.
I have a lot of bones to pick with this book, and I can understand why some Christians swear off Christian fiction because of its preachiness if this is the sort of book they've read. This book had a lot of potential, even with just focusing on the stories of the two mothers and the decisions they had to make to protect their son. I'm not suggesting that Molly, Jack and Joey's coming to believe in Christ should have been taken out of the book, just that it could have been more subtly woven into the story. Likewise, other elements of the story telling could have been toned down, and others (like Molly and Beth's friendship) needed more work to be convincing.
I imagine that I'm going to be offending a lot of Karen Kingsbury fans with my review. I totally came to this book with an open mind, but within the first five or so chapters I knew that it was too preachy for my liking. But I persevered as a lot of my friends enjoy her books, and I did enjoy this novel on some level, but sadly not as much as I'd hoped. But I'm not giving up on Kingsbury, and I plan to try another of her books in the future. If you have any recommendations of other Kingsbury novels that don't have such an overbearing message and don't feature conversion scenes I'd much appreciate it! Overall, I'd give this book 6/10 as I did enjoy the main story even if other factors took away from this enjoyment at times.
I didn't hate this book but I didn't particularly like it either. Comparing it to other novels in the Christian market, it's a pretty average story. It could have done a lot more with the subject matter, but unfortunately I found that most of the book revolved around the main characters coming to believe in Christ and not their custody battle for their adopted son. Conversion stories always rub me wrong, especially ones like this that don't seem entirely believable. And in all honesty - I'm already a Christian, and I don't need to read books about other people coming to Christ in order to remind me of Christ's saving grace and how I'm sanctified through my belief in him. I much prefer reading books about Christians who use their faith to overcome difficulties. So perhaps my distaste for conversion stories is why I wasn't so keen on the subject matter of this book, since all three main characters came to Christ during the book. Joey's sections were the most believable, to be honest. And very cute. But his parents' sudden belief in God didn't entirely convince me.
I also got annoyed at the ways that Beth and Bill kept trying to witness to Molly and Jack, who were clearly uncomfortable with it, and that they wouldn't change their methods of showing their friends Christ's love for them when they realised that their friends just weren't in the right place for receiving God's good news. Sometimes the best way to witness to someone is to show God's love through your actions (especially if the people in question are uncomfortable with you talking openly about God), not preach the gospel every five minutes and refer to everything in life as "God's will". I was particularly annoyed when Beth told her son to share his toy because "That's what Jesus wants". She never explained WHY Jesus wanted people to share their belongings, just that that was how life was. One day, this little boy is going to grow up and go to high school, and when someone asks him why he will or won't do anything, all he'll be able to say is "Because Jesus says I should" and when questioned further he'll realise that he doesn't know WHY Jesus commands such things. I've seen so many children grow up to be disillusioned with the church because their entire lives are ordained by "This is what the Bible says we should do" without any deeper understanding of why God wants us to do such things.
I fully admit that my uncomfortableness with the preachy sections of this stems from personal experience, but I imagine I'm not the only one who cringed when Beth brought God or church into every conversation with her sister even though it was pushing her brother-in-law away from them. Especially when she prayed for God to show himself to Molly and Jack in his own way, and then continued to pressure them about church and talked about God all the time rather than waiting for Molly to make the first step. I'm not entirely sure what it is, but something just didn't sit right with me in this book. I don't believe that this is the way that God calls us to witness to people, nor did I think that the way Bill and Beth brought church or God into every conversation or thought seemed realistic of Christian behaviour. A lot of what they said felt forced.
But the same can be said for the non-Christian sections of the book, the ones that dealt with Joey's custody battle. So many times, Molly would be discussing something with Jack or thinking something over and then the text would include a phrase along the lines of "Suddenly, she realised that this would never work out." or "Suddenly, it all became clear to her." or "Suddenly, she completely understood Jack's point of view." Molly had a lot of moments of sudden clarity in this book, and every time she had one of these moments it jerked me out of the flow of reading and forced me to examine the style of writing that Kingsbury used. It's very simplistic, but not in a particularly bad way. But sometimes her simplistic style of writing also utilised simplistic writing devices, such as Molly's moments of clarity, which always came to her suddenly, when she needed them most, and about two lines after she'd been struggling with the issue. I wouldn't have minded if this came up once or twice but this was used frequently throughout the book and really irritated me as it never seemed entirely realistic that two sentences after she'd been worrying about something she'd be able to immediately discern the root of the problem. To be honest, this device was just weird. I'm not sure why Kingsbury constantly used it.
I realised early into the book that I was meant to be convinced of Beth and Molly's strong friendship, which was constantly reinforced by flashbacks to their childhood and references to special events that they'd shared. These kept being brought up over and over, but when Molly and Beth were actually together, even early on in the book before the Joey situation came up, I didn't see any evidence of this relationship. They both seemed uncomfortable since their husbands didn't get on very well and Beth's faith seemed to have distanced them. And since their friendship was such a vital part of the plot, I think the fact that I wasn't convinced of their relationship stopped me from appreciating other parts of the plot.
This book wasn't all bad. It definitely gets a star for wrenching my heart during the sections with Wendy and Joey. Wendy was the most convincing character in the entire book (even if I wasn't sure why she was so certain that she would take Rip back when he came out of jail, the social worker was clearly keen to help her there). Her love for her son that led her to want to protect him even though she was desperate to be a mother really touched me, and I even shed a tear in places. I felt much stronger emotions regarding Wendy than I did Molly, which I don't think was Kingsbury's intention. Wendy and Joey were definitely my favourite characters in the whole book, and I also liked Allyson, the social worker who understood the injustice of the situation but felt that her hands were tied.
I have a lot of bones to pick with this book, and I can understand why some Christians swear off Christian fiction because of its preachiness if this is the sort of book they've read. This book had a lot of potential, even with just focusing on the stories of the two mothers and the decisions they had to make to protect their son. I'm not suggesting that Molly, Jack and Joey's coming to believe in Christ should have been taken out of the book, just that it could have been more subtly woven into the story. Likewise, other elements of the story telling could have been toned down, and others (like Molly and Beth's friendship) needed more work to be convincing.
I imagine that I'm going to be offending a lot of Karen Kingsbury fans with my review. I totally came to this book with an open mind, but within the first five or so chapters I knew that it was too preachy for my liking. But I persevered as a lot of my friends enjoy her books, and I did enjoy this novel on some level, but sadly not as much as I'd hoped. But I'm not giving up on Kingsbury, and I plan to try another of her books in the future. If you have any recommendations of other Kingsbury novels that don't have such an overbearing message and don't feature conversion scenes I'd much appreciate it! Overall, I'd give this book 6/10 as I did enjoy the main story even if other factors took away from this enjoyment at times.
May 15, 2009
This book is really sentimental claptrap. Indulgently self-righteous, one-dimensional and made me want to gag. Worse than a bad made-for-Lifetime movie. Who might like it? Fundamentalist Christian evangelicals who see life in black & white, without the possiblity of gray areas.
Don't get me wrong -- I'm not anti-Christian. I just think this message was very poorly delivered and served to turn off, rather than turn on. An example of really good Christian story-telling: The Shack. This book is no Shack.
Don't get me wrong -- I'm not anti-Christian. I just think this message was very poorly delivered and served to turn off, rather than turn on. An example of really good Christian story-telling: The Shack. This book is no Shack.
December 21, 2010
I just finished this book tonight, and while I understand the complaints towards the religious aspects of the story, I kind of feel the need to defend the book.
Let me start out by saying that I myself am NOT a religious person. I can count the number of times on one hand that I've been to church in my life. Religion has never, and probably will never, play an important part in my life. That said, I still respect that others find it comforting and important. The back of this book warns you about what you were in for...I'm thinking if a person is that opposed to reading about another persons views on religion, then the blurbs on the back should be enough to deter you...
The story does center heavily around faith. There's no denying it. The main character's sister Beth and her husband Bill are devoted to their faith, and spend a good deal of time attempting to guide Molly and Jack in the same direction. The story is one of finding faith, or renewing faith and of trusting in faith. As someone with little to no faith, I still found it inspiring. Am I going to go to church tomorrow? Probably not. Yet I am still open-minded enough to recognize a touching story when I read it, even if it doesn't directly relate to my views.
If stories about faith and God turn you off, then don't waste your time with this one. Otherwise, it's worth the read. It's heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time. The characters are believable...they're full of emotion and human insecurity, just like the rest of us. I found myself relating to several of them, though on the outside they're nothing like me at all.
I know a lot of folks didn't care for this book, but I sincerely enjoyed it. Underneath all the controversial religious content, is a sweet story of a very loved little boy.
Let me start out by saying that I myself am NOT a religious person. I can count the number of times on one hand that I've been to church in my life. Religion has never, and probably will never, play an important part in my life. That said, I still respect that others find it comforting and important. The back of this book warns you about what you were in for...I'm thinking if a person is that opposed to reading about another persons views on religion, then the blurbs on the back should be enough to deter you...
The story does center heavily around faith. There's no denying it. The main character's sister Beth and her husband Bill are devoted to their faith, and spend a good deal of time attempting to guide Molly and Jack in the same direction. The story is one of finding faith, or renewing faith and of trusting in faith. As someone with little to no faith, I still found it inspiring. Am I going to go to church tomorrow? Probably not. Yet I am still open-minded enough to recognize a touching story when I read it, even if it doesn't directly relate to my views.
If stories about faith and God turn you off, then don't waste your time with this one. Otherwise, it's worth the read. It's heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time. The characters are believable...they're full of emotion and human insecurity, just like the rest of us. I found myself relating to several of them, though on the outside they're nothing like me at all.
I know a lot of folks didn't care for this book, but I sincerely enjoyed it. Underneath all the controversial religious content, is a sweet story of a very loved little boy.
August 6, 2019
Tragedy, she remembered hearing a newscaster say, is the open door to finding faith.
My wife and I saw the 2009 film adaptation a few years ago, and since then, I was curious about the novel. I had to read It. Thankfully, sufficient time had lapsed, allowing only vague recall of the Christian drama, starring Mira Sorvino, Barry Pepper, and a handful of others.
Going forward, I didn't know what to expect. Would the details vary greatly, or would they come back as I went along? The answers were a combination of the two, but mostly, it felt fresh. Karen Kingsbury's prose was crisp, and reminiscent of Jodi Picoult's
explorations of controversial issues, with the simplicity of Nelson DeMille.
Simultaneously, she delivered decent worldbuilding, compelling characters, and vivid descriptions.
Almost immediately, the writing quality impressed me, and I envisioned her overall storytelling abilities as being consistent. About those, she didn't disappoint. But throughout the back half, certain aspects felt gradually contrived. By the three-quarters mark, despite still caring about the outcome, I found myself struggling to take Kingsbury very seriously.
It wasn't all poorly done, though. On display were several strengths, too. For instance, she clearly spent significant time with these key players, getting to know their quarks, some background information, and most importantly, their hearts. Unequivocally, they were a great strength, and for good reason. For one, granting them individual POV 's helped lend them a certain distinction. Among other factors, they were also empowered by numerous sources. They stood firm in their convictions.
In my limited experience, faith-based fiction tends to center around morally upstanding individuals-- the exception being the antagonist, who conveniently paints the opposition in a brighter, almost angelic light. And though Kingsbury did conjure a somewhat sanitized reality, the cynic in me could argue, to an extent, that she scored points against the grain. How? Because even five year old Joey (sadly caught in the middle of a contentious custody battle,) harbored some secrets, his kindhearted disposition notwithstanding. Nothing serious, but aren't we all guilty of keeping one secret or another?
Between the reference tool and Scripture, days later Beth was convinced of two things. First, the Bible was full of sound wisdom, and second, the message might amount to more than head smarts. It might hold the difference between life and death.
Unfortunately, not every character reached their full potential. While Molly and her sister, Beth Petty, were considerably developed, alongside the volatile relationship which was Rip and Wendy Porter, Bill and the Petty brood, however, barely held a presence. Beth's husband basically served as her sounding board, while also playing a small part in the unraveling plot. Their children (minus Jonah, who contributed in his own way,) were virtual caricatures of the typical American family.
Jack's character surprised me the most. He was also the most problematic. He didn't begin that way, though. I'll give him--and the author-- that much. I initially thought his showed the most promise, fully capable of redeeming qualities; of realistic hope and change. And he was some of those things, but not to the extent I'd envisioned. He could've been much more. That's my ultimate lament. As happened so often in the novel, Jack's flaws started oozing out about halfway through, and they never really let up. The ease of his actions became more pronounced. He did some very questionable things (albeit for good reasons,) and he seemed to revel in them. But they came far too easy, rendering him unconvincing. Granted, he was charismatic, but nobody's THAT good, convincing, or smooth.
I believe it could've been a different reading experience altogether, if Kingsbury had made the reader privy to his past, if done so honestly. Jack's choices, especially the ease of them, might have been otherwise more believable. Yet, she provided none of that.
Like Dandelion Dust was strong in another way: research. The sad realities of the damaged U.S. justice system, adoption, the ins and outs of addiction (not essentially drug and/or alcohol abuse,) and domestic violence were explored, and executed with a gusto; an indelible passion not present in other areas. Only in those moments did her heart-tugging tale feel authentic. In that respect, it was a world I wanted to be a part of, if only to gaze into Joey's beautiful eyes, and ensure him that everything might be okay. Furthermore, that research was both educational-- without being pedagogical-- and quite sobering.
Conclusively, the ending felt very forced. There's no way around it. On some level, it was also predictable. Not specific details, but definitely the general consensus. The emotional impact of the last twenty-five or so pages, however, did surprise me...in a big, bittersweet way.
Afterward, in this paperback edition, was an impressive readers guide, featuring many pertinent questions to enable healthy discussions about the story. That was enjoyable and helpful.
Now, please don't take my experiences as definitive. A lot of readers loved the film and novel. Try it for yourself, form your own opinions. That's always best.
Regarding said constructive criticisms, they weren't said to complain or to taint the work in any way. I wanted to love it, to praise it shamelessly. I truly did. But forever striving for honesty, clarity, and fairness, I couldn't do that, nor would I. Also, I believe in giving most authors the benefit of the doubt, by which I mean I ordinarily won't judge them by one work alone. Kingsbury's no different. In fact, my wife owns several more of her books, and I plan on trying those. I'd watch Like Dandelion Dust again.
March 8, 2022
This book was really good. The writing was ok. I wish the characters were explained more on what they looked like and what their personalities were like, but overall it was really good.
January 13, 2022
Another Karen Kingsbury hit! This book was so good that it was made into a movie! Karen‘s books are so real and written with such passion that I feel every little part of them as applying to me personally! She truly is my favorite author of all time. Every time I pick up one of her books I can hardly put it down until I’m through and then I think about it for a long time!! Such a gifted lady!!!!
April 26, 2018
I really liked the concept of the story and found it a very intriguing premise (an adopted boy getting claimed by his birthparents by a technicality), but unfortunately, I didn’t like it much at all.
I thought the characters were too perfect. Honestly, I didn’t like Molly at all, and I found Beth and Bill to be too perfectly Christian. And then there’s Rip, who was an extremely confusing and inconsistent character. I could not figure out if he was good or bad, and in this case, it wasn’t a good thing. Joey was a very unrealistic child, too. I thought the way he found God was sweet to an extent, but also very implausible for a child his age. Wendy was by far the most intriguing character, but even she fell flat, and her plot arc ultimately meant nothing to the story in the end. She served her purpose and then disappeared without any sort of closure, which I didn’t like at all. Generally, I really appreciated the messages the author was trying to send, but I just wasn’t impressed by the delivery.
Overall, I found the story very predictable and cheesy. I did finish it, so I guess that counts for something, but it was mostly because I had nothing else to read. I thought the ending was anticlimactic and unsatisfying. There was no closure; there were no repercussions or lasting effects. I also didn’t like how unnecessarily preachy the story got.
Negative Content/Notes:
None.
Overall:
When I first finished reading I thought I liked it okay, but now that I’ve written out a review, I’ve realized that I really didn’t like it that much at all. There were definitely good points about the book, but honestly, compared to other Christian fiction I’ve been reading, this just doesn’t measure up.
Rating: 2.5 / 5.0
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I thought the characters were too perfect. Honestly, I didn’t like Molly at all, and I found Beth and Bill to be too perfectly Christian. And then there’s Rip, who was an extremely confusing and inconsistent character. I could not figure out if he was good or bad, and in this case, it wasn’t a good thing. Joey was a very unrealistic child, too. I thought the way he found God was sweet to an extent, but also very implausible for a child his age. Wendy was by far the most intriguing character, but even she fell flat, and her plot arc ultimately meant nothing to the story in the end. She served her purpose and then disappeared without any sort of closure, which I didn’t like at all. Generally, I really appreciated the messages the author was trying to send, but I just wasn’t impressed by the delivery.
Overall, I found the story very predictable and cheesy. I did finish it, so I guess that counts for something, but it was mostly because I had nothing else to read. I thought the ending was anticlimactic and unsatisfying. There was no closure; there were no repercussions or lasting effects. I also didn’t like how unnecessarily preachy the story got.
Negative Content/Notes:
None.
Overall:
When I first finished reading I thought I liked it okay, but now that I’ve written out a review, I’ve realized that I really didn’t like it that much at all. There were definitely good points about the book, but honestly, compared to other Christian fiction I’ve been reading, this just doesn’t measure up.
Rating: 2.5 / 5.0
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January 6, 2011
Some will say it's terribly unfair to give a book a one-star rating after only a few chapters, but reading a book is like meeting a man on the first day - I know within the first 10 minutes whether or not I want to sleep with him. And I definately do not want to sleep with this book.
To sum up how I feel about this book (and what sealed my decision to not continue reading it), please read the review written by fellow Goodreader, Tiffany: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
The following is my comment on her review, which is also going to double as my own review:
Oh, boy this is what I was afraid of. I'm only on page 33 and I've already discerned that Molly & Jack are going to be "punished" for not going to church, for not "needing" God. And this was before I read your review.
I don't think I'm going to finish this book. I've got so many other worthwhile titles waiting to be read; I can't waste my time on evangelical drivel. It's a shame because this plot had the potential to be a great story. And I guess it is a great story - probably for the same kind of people that loved Glen Beck's The Christmas Sweater.
-----
I suppose I didn't read far enough to find out if this is explained, but there is the gigantic plot hole of Wendy signing Rip's name on the adoption papers. Don't those sorts of documents need to be notarized? I'm assuming the reason the judge does grant custody to Rip is because Wendy forged his signature. Are we to believe that in an adoption (especially by a rich, perfect couple such as Molly & Jack), there were no lawyers involved making sure all "t"s were crossed and all "i"s were dotted? Or perhaps that was another one of God's little tricks, his way of ensuring the Jack & Molly will "need" him one day. What a funny guy that God is!
To be clear: I *do* believe in God and I *am* a spiritual person. I pray every day. But do I believe that God is vengeful? No. Do I believe he is controlling everything that happens to us? No. We have free will. It says so right there in that Bible that everyone is so fond of quoting, but not actually reading, it would seem.
To sum up how I feel about this book (and what sealed my decision to not continue reading it), please read the review written by fellow Goodreader, Tiffany: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
The following is my comment on her review, which is also going to double as my own review:
Oh, boy this is what I was afraid of. I'm only on page 33 and I've already discerned that Molly & Jack are going to be "punished" for not going to church, for not "needing" God. And this was before I read your review.
I don't think I'm going to finish this book. I've got so many other worthwhile titles waiting to be read; I can't waste my time on evangelical drivel. It's a shame because this plot had the potential to be a great story. And I guess it is a great story - probably for the same kind of people that loved Glen Beck's The Christmas Sweater.
-----
I suppose I didn't read far enough to find out if this is explained, but there is the gigantic plot hole of Wendy signing Rip's name on the adoption papers. Don't those sorts of documents need to be notarized? I'm assuming the reason the judge does grant custody to Rip is because Wendy forged his signature. Are we to believe that in an adoption (especially by a rich, perfect couple such as Molly & Jack), there were no lawyers involved making sure all "t"s were crossed and all "i"s were dotted? Or perhaps that was another one of God's little tricks, his way of ensuring the Jack & Molly will "need" him one day. What a funny guy that God is!
To be clear: I *do* believe in God and I *am* a spiritual person. I pray every day. But do I believe that God is vengeful? No. Do I believe he is controlling everything that happens to us? No. We have free will. It says so right there in that Bible that everyone is so fond of quoting, but not actually reading, it would seem.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 4, 2021
What a lovely story. It is amazing how gods will works. Joey was such a loving child and his faith so touching and strong. If i am ever fortunate enough to have a child of my own, i hope i can bring them up to have a faith just like his.
April 20, 2009
Someone recommended this author (and book). She sounds like a good Christian writer. However, I was a little skeptical when I read about this book. It seems a little far-fetched that the adoptive parents have so little parental rights. But then I thought about the situation and how heart-wrenching it would be to loose one of my kids, and I thought this might be a good read. We'll see... I'll keep you updated.
OK, I just finished this book. While at times the authors style of writing seemed a little juvenile/corny it overall was a really good book! I was brought to tears many times. The storyline was captivating and heartwrenching.
The adoptive parents love their son so much. They provide a wonderful life for him, are great parents and they are so loving and sweet with him. He is their world. And then the biological father gets out of jail finds out he had a son who was given up for adoption without his knowledge (making the adoptive papers fraudulent b/c he didn't sign them) The court rules that the boy needs to return to his bioligical parents, and of course as the reader you want him to stay in the only home he's ever know with the parents that love him rather than enter into a home w/ a guy that's been in prison for domestic violence. But then a part of you sides w/ the bioligical mom who had a really hard time giving up her son in the first place. She has thought about him and ached for him over the years, but she always thought he was in the right place until the Dad got out of jail and convinced her he was changed and he wants to be a Dad.
This story is gripping, and as a mom I felt like my heart would break right along w/ the mom in the story when she thought she was going to lose her son.
OK, I just finished this book. While at times the authors style of writing seemed a little juvenile/corny it overall was a really good book! I was brought to tears many times. The storyline was captivating and heartwrenching.
The adoptive parents love their son so much. They provide a wonderful life for him, are great parents and they are so loving and sweet with him. He is their world. And then the biological father gets out of jail finds out he had a son who was given up for adoption without his knowledge (making the adoptive papers fraudulent b/c he didn't sign them) The court rules that the boy needs to return to his bioligical parents, and of course as the reader you want him to stay in the only home he's ever know with the parents that love him rather than enter into a home w/ a guy that's been in prison for domestic violence. But then a part of you sides w/ the bioligical mom who had a really hard time giving up her son in the first place. She has thought about him and ached for him over the years, but she always thought he was in the right place until the Dad got out of jail and convinced her he was changed and he wants to be a Dad.
This story is gripping, and as a mom I felt like my heart would break right along w/ the mom in the story when she thought she was going to lose her son.
February 11, 2016
"Always at the end of a book, I stand back amazed. Awed that God would give me another story..."
I'm not sure what planet Kingsbury lives on, but if this story was given to her by God, then surly it was his intent that she let someone else write it down for her.
This book was recommended by a friend, and I'm well aware that our reading interests are vastly different, however, I did wish for the ability to read something that I could discuss at our next social gathering. So, reluctantly, I embarked on this "story". Surely - after reading a book by Stephanie Myers - I would be able to enjoy a book by Kingsbury for the purpose of the shared experience with friends. After all, I am a Christian who enjoys a good Reader's Digest-inspired cry from time to time.
Well...after reading the first 50 pages of this book, my blood began to boil with the absurdity of this elementary writing style. Maybe someone can get something out of this "christian-eezd-romance-drivel" but I could not push myself beyond page 100 without setting the book down with the strong confidence that I didn't need to finish it to know what the next 160 pages would be.
After giving up on the story, I jumped to the "author's notes" at the end and read the aforementioned quote. Someone in Kingsbury's "camp" needs to let her know how incredibly audacious and arrogant that statement comes off as. For someone who can't write her way out of a wet paper bag, I couldn't believe she would begin her notes with the message that her writing is God-inspired and that she is super humble because of it. What a joke.
If you want to know the story - read the cover - that's all you need to know.
I'm not sure what planet Kingsbury lives on, but if this story was given to her by God, then surly it was his intent that she let someone else write it down for her.
This book was recommended by a friend, and I'm well aware that our reading interests are vastly different, however, I did wish for the ability to read something that I could discuss at our next social gathering. So, reluctantly, I embarked on this "story". Surely - after reading a book by Stephanie Myers - I would be able to enjoy a book by Kingsbury for the purpose of the shared experience with friends. After all, I am a Christian who enjoys a good Reader's Digest-inspired cry from time to time.
Well...after reading the first 50 pages of this book, my blood began to boil with the absurdity of this elementary writing style. Maybe someone can get something out of this "christian-eezd-romance-drivel" but I could not push myself beyond page 100 without setting the book down with the strong confidence that I didn't need to finish it to know what the next 160 pages would be.
After giving up on the story, I jumped to the "author's notes" at the end and read the aforementioned quote. Someone in Kingsbury's "camp" needs to let her know how incredibly audacious and arrogant that statement comes off as. For someone who can't write her way out of a wet paper bag, I couldn't believe she would begin her notes with the message that her writing is God-inspired and that she is super humble because of it. What a joke.
If you want to know the story - read the cover - that's all you need to know.
June 18, 2011
What would you do if your child, one that you'd adopted years ago, was now being taken away from you to be returned to his biological parents? What would you do if the law said you had no choice because the adoption was a fraud? What would you do if you knew the biological father was just released from prison for physical abuse? Would you just turn your child over for possible harm....or would you run to save your little family?
These are the questions facing the Campbell family in Like Dandelion Dust. Joey Campbell is the pride of his parents, the perfect child even. When his biological father gets out of prison and declares Joey's adoption a fraud, the proceedings begin to get Joey returned to his biological parents. After a series of visits with his biological parents where Joey returns scared to death, the Campbells take matters into their own hands since the law is no longer on their side.
Another one of Karen Kingsbury's novels with captivating characters and a quick-moving plot, I couldn't put this one down after I picked it up. And while I couldn't imagine being in the same position as the Campbells, I could imagine making the same decision if I was. I've never read one of Karen's stand-alone books (but I've read almost all of her series), but I'm glad I did. She develops the characters enough and allows the plot to run its course and ties it up into what I'd say is a pretty but nowhere near perfect package. 4 stars.
These are the questions facing the Campbell family in Like Dandelion Dust. Joey Campbell is the pride of his parents, the perfect child even. When his biological father gets out of prison and declares Joey's adoption a fraud, the proceedings begin to get Joey returned to his biological parents. After a series of visits with his biological parents where Joey returns scared to death, the Campbells take matters into their own hands since the law is no longer on their side.
Another one of Karen Kingsbury's novels with captivating characters and a quick-moving plot, I couldn't put this one down after I picked it up. And while I couldn't imagine being in the same position as the Campbells, I could imagine making the same decision if I was. I've never read one of Karen's stand-alone books (but I've read almost all of her series), but I'm glad I did. She develops the characters enough and allows the plot to run its course and ties it up into what I'd say is a pretty but nowhere near perfect package. 4 stars.
May 19, 2012
What makes a parent, is it biology or is it love? Hopefully it's both. When the husband of an adopted child is released from prison for domestic abuse, he learns that his wife signed adoption papers and forged his signiture, thereby illigitimizing the adoption. The adoptive parents have loved and raised the boy for the last 4 years and are devistated by the courts decision to return the child to the biological parents. The adoptive parents decide to leave the country and disappear with the child. By the miraculous grace of God the biological mother recognizes that in love she must once again give up the child to the adoptive parents knowing that her husband would likely abuse the boy. It's sometimes nice to believe in miracles and happily ever after.
April 14, 2015
I thoroughly enjoyed this book about the battle between the birth parents and the adoptive parents of 4-year-old Jack. The book was a story of family, love, and faith. I felt a variety of emotions throughout these pages: happiness, sadness, anger, compassion, empathy, love. I learned valuable lessons from several of the characters and found myself asking some difficult questions. I would suggest this book to anyone who needs a faith restoration.
August 14, 2012
Excellent but what a tear jerker. Made me stop and think about what I would do in their situation. Quick read.
March 29, 2019
What was the point? Was there even a point? Why were the Campbells so perfect?
I can't really even figure out what made me dislike this story so much. Maybe it was that all the characters besides Wendy were annoying. Maybe it was that Joey kept saying things like "O' course" and "'zactly," which I found over-the-top grating. Maybe it was the strange writing style. Maybe it was Beth. Maybe it was the fact that Bill showed up 15 minutes early for their first date and insisted that they read the Bible together before going out. I don't know.
But I just didn't like this book.
I can't really even figure out what made me dislike this story so much. Maybe it was that all the characters besides Wendy were annoying. Maybe it was that Joey kept saying things like "O' course" and "'zactly," which I found over-the-top grating. Maybe it was the strange writing style. Maybe it was Beth. Maybe it was the fact that Bill showed up 15 minutes early for their first date and insisted that they read the Bible together before going out. I don't know.
But I just didn't like this book.
May 27, 2022
A great book!
December 22, 2023
This book gave me a good long cry. So emotional. I couldn’t stop listening (via audiobook).
March 1, 2025
I loved this book. I couldn’t put it down. I had to know what happened next! Grab some tissues just in case. It’s a beautiful story and showcases a mother’s love.
Read
March 19, 2019ugh. too much religiosity.
November 26, 2020
Karen has an incredible gift of storytelling that makes her books impossible to put down. Love the premise of this because it really makes you think, what would I do?
April 4, 2019
Like Dandelion Dust follows two sets of parents from different backgrounds. Jack and Molly, an affluent couple who seems to have everything but faith and Wendy and Rip, a couple trying to find their way back together after Rip spent time in prison for domestic abuse. The one thing these couples share is a little boy named Joey. Jack and Molly adopted Joey when he was a baby, but when Rip gets out of prison he learns that Wendy forged his signature on the adoption papers and wants a second chance to be a father.
Joey is ripped from his home and thrust into a situation he is too young to understand. Jack and Molly find their way to God as they try to find a way to keep their son, and Wendy struggles with her sacrifice while praying that Rip finally has changed his abusive ways.
Joey is ripped from his home and thrust into a situation he is too young to understand. Jack and Molly find their way to God as they try to find a way to keep their son, and Wendy struggles with her sacrifice while praying that Rip finally has changed his abusive ways.
September 12, 2025
It was a good read. Heartbreak and healing.. well, mostly heartbreak for Wendy Porter. It’s amazing how much life she gave up for Rip. Let him go.
September 18, 2013
I'm not sure where to start: the lack of editing or the overabundant cliches. In the hands of a more capable writer, Like Dandelion Dust might have been an incredible read but under the authorship of Karen Kingsbury, it's lifeless and falls flat. Jack and Molly's reactions to possibly losing their adopted son to his birth parents felt overly dramatic (I have an adopted child of my own and I can't say that I would immediately go to extremes. This just felt excessively dramatic and too quickly). Beth, Molly's sister, is a Christian that seems to be stuck in a woe-is-me mindset (I'm a Christian and she isn't so why is her life so much better?) I'm a devout Christian myself and yes, it stinks when I see "non-Christian" living a better life but I can hardly excuse wishing something bad on them just to even the score.
Joey, the adopted boy, is four but talks like he's in his twenties. Rip Porter, the boy's biological father, is a drunk and wife-beater. Wendy, Rip's wife and Joey's biological mother, unfortunately, was the most interesting person in the book. What makes her stay with Rip even though he's abusive? How does she hold onto her faith in God when she feels trapped in a loveless marriage?
The ending was no big shock and felt contrived. A miracle just appeared out of thin air and everyone lived happily ever after. I would've liked to see the change in Wendy from her perspective instead of just being told about it (Kingsbury tells just about everything instead of letting it happen with her characters). If you're looking for a non-challenging easy read, Like Dandelion Dust might be perfect for you.
Joey, the adopted boy, is four but talks like he's in his twenties. Rip Porter, the boy's biological father, is a drunk and wife-beater. Wendy, Rip's wife and Joey's biological mother, unfortunately, was the most interesting person in the book. What makes her stay with Rip even though he's abusive? How does she hold onto her faith in God when she feels trapped in a loveless marriage?
The ending was no big shock and felt contrived. A miracle just appeared out of thin air and everyone lived happily ever after. I would've liked to see the change in Wendy from her perspective instead of just being told about it (Kingsbury tells just about everything instead of letting it happen with her characters). If you're looking for a non-challenging easy read, Like Dandelion Dust might be perfect for you.
June 7, 2013
I buy a lot of used books and this one looked interesting and was it ever! It is a "what would you do" book so interesting I found it hard to put down. A married woman, whose husband had just been sent to prison for domestic abuse, found herself to be pregnant. Knowing that she could not provide the baby with the type of home,care and future he deserved, she gave him up for adoption. When the father was released from prison, claiming to be a changed man, they contest the adoption because the mother had forged his signature. Legality being what it is, called the adoption papers null and void and demanded that the child be returned to his biological parents. Both couples worked through a social services worker to allow visits to try to make the transition as easy as possible for the child, but every time he returns to the adoptive parents, he stutters and tells them how much he doesn't like "that daddy". Having listened to his cousin's bedtime prayers, little Joey begins to pray and ends his prayers with "Gee this name, amen". Through it all, the story is about love, family, regrets, and we realize, with faith, God's will be done.
May 15, 2019
Sigh. This book... Was extremely preachy. The characters were PAINFULLY stereotypical and unrealistic. Just SO painfully unrealistic.
Kingsbury also writes VERY poorly. “Jack and Molly did this” - “Jack and Molly went to the park”. No descriptive language. Saltine cracker characters and settings.
To make matters worse, there were a handful of mistakes not caught by any editors. The book switched back and forth from “Bill and Beth” to “Bill and Brenda”. I’m assuming they changed her name and then forgot to make the changes throughout the book. The book also makes a point to talk about how funny it is that their GIRL dog is named George Brett... and then toward the end of the book, they are calling the dog a he...? I’m sorry, but this is unacceptable. I also think they give away too much of the story on the back of the book.
Kingsbury also writes VERY poorly. “Jack and Molly did this” - “Jack and Molly went to the park”. No descriptive language. Saltine cracker characters and settings.
To make matters worse, there were a handful of mistakes not caught by any editors. The book switched back and forth from “Bill and Beth” to “Bill and Brenda”. I’m assuming they changed her name and then forgot to make the changes throughout the book. The book also makes a point to talk about how funny it is that their GIRL dog is named George Brett... and then toward the end of the book, they are calling the dog a he...? I’m sorry, but this is unacceptable. I also think they give away too much of the story on the back of the book.
January 26, 2009
Though it may rest outside my normal "circle of favorite types of books", this book GRABBED me: I cried at things about which I didn't even know I cared, I got chills when Kingsbury developed the faith of her characters. I've always considered Christian fiction to be sappy and over-done in the "Faith" realm: I usually like God allusions to be subtle and sneaky. But Kingsbury encompassed the power of the Christian faith in the heart of a SMALL CHILD in a way that brought me to my knees.
So, in a way that completely surprised me, Kingsbury clenched my heart with this story of the love of two mothers (with allusions to Solomon's ruling over the mothers in 1 Kings chapter 3), and the faith of a child.
So, in a way that completely surprised me, Kingsbury clenched my heart with this story of the love of two mothers (with allusions to Solomon's ruling over the mothers in 1 Kings chapter 3), and the faith of a child.
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