In a Handful Of Dust

by Mindy McGinnis

"In a barren land, teenage Lucy is taken away from the community she has grown up in and searches the vast countryside for a new home"--

In a barren land, teenaged Lucy is taken away from the community she has grown up in and searches the vast countryside for a new home. The plot contains profanity and graphic violence.

• ISBN10: 006219853X
• ISBN13: 9780062198532
• Publish Date: 23 September 2014
• Publish Status: Out of Stock
• Out of Print: 25 July 2021
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Inc
• Imprint: HarperCollins
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 384
• Language: English
• URL: http://harpercollins.com.au/9780062198532

Reviews

[nannah]

(3.5)

Well, this world is just as cruel as I remember from Not a Drop to Drink.

Apparently this book takes place about ten years after the first one, and it follows Lucy instead of Lynn. Their camp by the creek is disturbed by an outbreak of polio, and because Lucy is suspected of being a carrier, she's exiled. Naturally, Lynn goes with her, and they both set their sights on California, where things are supposed to be more like it was before the Shortage.

In a Handful of Dust is definitely survival fiction more than anything else. The fact that at its core is two strong women is something I love to see.

But the lack of happiness and heartwarming moments in this book made it hard to read, and not in a good way. Hardship after hardship after hardship. Characters didn't seem to grow or change, they just bore each event with the same: "But you're Lucy, and I'm Lynn." It didn't seem to have the same power and effect as the first book did.

When Lucy and Lynn reached Las Vegas near the end, it just reminded me of a later season of The Walking Dead. Instead of keeping the story well-contained, it branched out to show a more broad view of its dystopian world, and ended up sacrificing a little bit of its originality. People are not to be trusted, everyone has ulterior motives, things are too good to be true, strong men are the ones in control, etc. etc. etc.

And the ending! I didn't like the ending at all. It was something that was foreshadowed throughout the entire book as something that was supposed to be a difficult decision for Lucy, but it ended up feeling like "eh, whatever, do what you wanna do." I know it's such a childish thing to think, but I wish I hadn't read this companion novel and just stuck with the ending of Not a Drop to Drink. It had a completeness that this one lacked. Lynn is still my hero, and she was left without an ending, which broke my heart.

[shannonmiz]

4.5 Stars

Oh, this book. Actually, oh, Mindy McGinnis. I liked Not a Drop to Drink , but in that awful depressing, "this book just ate my soul" kind of way. Well, now you can pretty double those feelings, and that is my response to In a Handful of Dust. It was good. Heartwrenchingly, beautifully, disturbingly good.

I think the aspect of the book that stood out to me the most was the change in narrator. While Lynn's story was also great, Lucy just appealed to me more. I found that I connected and related to Lucy more than I had to Lynn, and while I still loved Lynn as a character, I was glad for the chance to read from Lucy's perspective. It was bittersweet to be reintroduced to her about a decade later, as you know her childhood was cut far too short. But in this brutal world, that is the reality.

I won't go into too many details, as it's better to read them yourself of course, but the core of this story is a life changing trip across the country in search of a possible water source and better way of life. It's a story of survival, loss, trust, betrayal, and choices. Ultimately, the choices these women make will define them and change them.

While reading this book, I couldn't help but make some comparisons to The Oregon Trail (no, not just the game, but the actual trials and tribulations that the people went through. And yeah, fine, the game a little bit too). And it wasn't because of anything specific, just the overall feel of things. There were no wagons and oxen, but there certainly were diseases and injury and strangers to be extremely wary of. It's frightening to think how easily society could revert back to a much more lawless and frightening time.

Because really, this book feels so scarily plausible. It's easy to see how  people can let anarchy rule when they are scared of literally dying of thirst, or maladies that have not been seen in centuries. It is hard not to think about what you would do, what decisions you would make, or how you'd fare while reading this book.

There are some great characters in this book (of both the kind and evil varieties, of course), but the focus is certainly on Lucy, Lynn, and their ever-changing relationship. At the heart of it, they will love each other forever. But as they go through personal changes, their relationship has to change with them.

This book is beautifully written, just as Not a Drop to Drink was. I felt quite emotional as I read, never knowing what would become of these strong women, never knowing if they'd reach their destination, or even if their destination existed. I feared for them, I felt sad for them, and I hoped for them. In truth, the reason I am holding out the last half star is because simply, I needed more. I don't think there are any plans for future books in this series, and that saddened me, as I felt I needed some questions answered. This is a personal preference, but I need to know things, and it is very hard for me when I don't. This isn't some kind of cliffhanger ending or anything, so please don't let that scare you, but I did want to express why I didn't give it the full five.

Bottom Line: I loved this book, even though it tore me apart at times. Mindy's style of writing appeals to me, and this type of survival book is certainly my cup of tea. Add to that very strong characters and transformative journeys, and In a Handful of Dust was quite simply a win.
This review was originally posted on It Starts at Midnight

Rarely is a sequel as good as its predecessor, and rarer still is a sequel that surpasses its predecessor. So imagine my delight when I read IN A HANDFUL OF DUST (IHOD)and found it even more enthralling than the excellent NOT A DROP TO DRINK (NDTD.

Picking up ten years after the first book, IHOD introduces us to a fully grown Lynn and a now sixteen year old Lucy as they are forced to trek across the country constantly pursued by natural and human dangers. In the previous book, all the major events happened--by necessity--within a few miles of the pond, so there was an intimacy and hyper focused feel to the story. In this sequel, we get to see the world as it has become. And it's often horrifying, bleak, and amazing.

One of the more amazing aspects of IHOD comes from the decade gap between stories. We get a full picture of the woman Lynn has grown into, and more than that, we get to see how she shaped Lucy. The dynamic is very different from Lynn's relationship with her mother.

While just as gritty as NDTD, IHOD delves deeper into this world and the people groups it has created--good and bad. There is a similar feel in places to shows like The Walking Dead, and like that show, it makes you question the costs of survival, cling to the moments of happiness, and reveal in the characters who must walk the fine line between them.

This is a stellar follow up to a stellar debut. Highly recommend.

[lizarodz]

Review: In a Handful of Dust by Mindy McGinnis

Last year I read and I really enjoyed Not a Drop to Drink, BUT the ending was too open ended for me so I was so happy when I found out its companion novel, In a Handful of Dust.  It is not exactly a sequel, but rather Lucy’s story.

McGinnis story makes you think, what would happen if one day water didn’t come down the pipes?  How would you live? What would you be willing to do for it?  What if there was no electricity, no grocery stores, no internet, no postal service, no cars?  I don’t know about you, but I don’t care to find out.  I do know that I would probably do whatever it takes to take care of my children.

This time, Lucy is now our narrator.  She was raised by Lynn to be self-sufficient, but not in the same manner that she herself was raised.  She is gentler, curious, less pragmatic and full of plans and hope.  Lucy grew up in a close community, with more people around that are used to help each other.  However, her way of life is threated when a polio outbreak starts attacking their members.  Thus, Lucy and Lynn leave together in search of a better place.

“Lynn smiled, but it was the one, slow and sad, that always came with talk of Mother, “She taught me what she knew. So has Stebbs, He told me once that people like me and him are badly built for times like this, when there’s nothing we can do.”

“You need an enemy,” Lucy said, understanding immediately.

“I do. And when it’s a sickness, I guess the best weapon I’ve got is the fire for the bodies.”

 

Lynn is no longer a teenager, but a woman of 26 in this book.  I don’t know if it was because I’m more used to Lynn, but I identify with her better than with Lucy.  Lynn is still practical, great at survival, a hard worker, slow to trust others and ready to believe the worst in others.  Maybe in contrast to her personality, she’s known for quoting poetry.

Both girls learn a lot about each other and complement each other well.  Their relationship is that of mother and daughter, but also of friends.  No one would call Lynn warm or affectionate, but she does love Lucy and will gladly die for her without thinking twice.  Their banter is a precious treat as Lynn is not a bit talker.

There are a lot more characters in this book, all strangers meet in their LONG, LONG trip.  Some are bad, some are even worse and then, there’s Fletcher.  I liked him a whole lot and I was very sad to see him go.  I wished that there would have been more time to get to know him better.  *hint*

“I was just wondering when you were going to tell me your foot was in such a shape,” Lynn said, without looking up.

“Didn’t want to bother you,” Lucy answered, pulling her naked foot back under the blanket, “It’s not a big deal.”

“It will be if it gets infected. I don’t like the idea of cutting your foot off and then having to haul your ass to West Coast.”

“I don’t think I’d like the cutting-my-foot-off part,” Lucy said. “But anytime you want to carry me is fine.”

 

The setting of Not a Drop to Drink was very limited, it only covered a few mile radius, as Lynn was always afraid to go far from her house and her pond.  Here, Lynn and Lucy embark on an adventure, from their beloved pond all the way to California.  It is a road trip of the worst kind, they have to be cautious all the time, prepared for anything and some awful things happen. But don’t despair, not everything is bad.

The writing is again evocative, spare, and direct.  Very fitting for the type of story and to her character’s personality.  This is a different kind of dystopian, more direct and realistic and it doesn’t take place in a distant future.

Overall In a Handful of Dust is just as brutal as the first book.  The ending is – again – too open ended for my taste.  I would love, at least a short story to help me with closure.  I need to know.

About the cover:  I like both covers of these books. They both give a sense of aloneness and desolation, and the contrast in colors, light and shadow is so artistic.This review was originally posted on Reading With ABC

[Amber]

This review was originally posted on Books of Amber

Last year I loved Not a Drop to Drink because I really enjoy (post-)apocalyptic stories. I love the survivalist aspect of them, and the fact that humans are often a bigger threat than any natural disaster or virus. Originally, Not a Drop to Drink was going to be a standalone novel, and I think that would have been absolutely fine. McGinnis ended it perfectly. However, she obviously decided to expand the world and write a companion novel, and I must say that I approve of this choice!

I loved that we got to see Lyn again, and to see more of her now that she’s all grown up. McGinnis has done a really good job with her characterisation because even though Lyn has grown up, at her core she’s still the same person and she has remained a consistent character. She seemed so natural, and her feelings and her actions made so much sense after the events of the first book.

Lucy is the new protagonist and the point of view character for In a Handful of Dust. I must admit, I was a little hesitant at first because in this companion novel we see the world, and also Lyn, from Lucy’s eyes, and it’s drastically different from Lyn’s image of everything. Whereas Lyn is more closed off and hesitant to step out of her routine, Lucy is passionate about exploring and discovering what else lies outside her little settlement in the east.

Lucy provided a great contrast to Lyn throughout the novel, as the latter was distrustful and sceptical whereas Lucy was more open and innocent. She still had the skills necessary to survive in this world, but she was more willing to see the good in people instead of instantly declaring them the enemy and wanting to destroy the threat.

It is said that this book is more of a companion novel to Not a Drop to Drink than a sequel, and that is true… but only to an extent. I think it’s best to read Not a Drop to Drink before reading In a Handful of Dust because you would get a lot more out of this one if you do. I think someone who read Not a Drop to Drink first would be more understanding of Lyn and obviously her backstory. However, I don’t think it’s entirely necessary to read McGinnis’ debut first, and if you want to jump right into this book then you should go right ahead.

The world in In a Handful of Dust has been expanded immensely, due to the characters’ journey across what was once the USA to the west coast. Again, this was a fantastic contrast to Not a Drop to Drink because in that book everything is very closed off and centred around Lyn and her pond. This tied in nicely with both Lyn and Lucy’s personalities.

Loved the ending, but I am a little disappointed to hear that there isn’t going to be a third book. The ending is left very open in regards to a certain character, and I want to know what happens to them. It makes it seem like it’s going to be a sequel, but McGinnis says that’s not the case. Maybe the publisher will buy the third book. Or maybe the character’s adventure will come back in the form of short stories.

There is still a lot of this world to discover, such as the South, more about a certain new character, perhaps some more information of the water crisis as it was happening… there is so much potential there. But whatever, that’s not important. What is important that In a Handful of Dust is chilling, brutal, harsh, and one of the best post-apocalyptic stories I have ever read.