Dustborn

by Erin Bowman

Laurie Catherine Winkel (Narrator)

Delta of Dead River sets out to rescue her family from a ruthless dictator rising to power in the Wastes and discovers a secret that will reshape her world in this postapocalyptic Western mashup for fans of Mad Max and Gunslinger Girl.

Delta of Dead River has always been told to hide her back, where a map is branded on her skin to a rumored paradise called the Verdant. In a wasteland plagued by dust squalls, geomagnetic storms, and solar flares, many would kill for it—even if no one can read it. So when raiders sent by a man known as the General attack her village, Delta suspects he is searching for her. 

Delta sets out to rescue her family but quickly learns that in the Wastes no one can be trusted—perhaps not even her childhood friend, Asher, who has been missing for nearly a decade. If Delta can trust Asher, she just might decode the map and trade evidence of the Verdant to the General for her family. What Delta doesn’t count on is what waits at the Verdant: a long-forgotten secret that will shake the foundation of her entire world.

• ISBN10: 0358244439
• ISBN13: 9780358244431
• Publish Date: 20 April 2021
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Clarion Books
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 432
• Language: English

Reviews

[Quirky Cat]

Dustborn is the perfect novel for fans of Mad Max and Gunslinger Girl – and that was more than enough to catch my attention and get me reading.

Delta was born and raised in Dead River. It's all she has ever known. Well, that and one other thing. Her whole life, she has been told that she needs to hide her back. You see, there's a map branded onto her back. Yes, really.

Supposedly that map leads to a paradise, or at least, that is the dream that Delta holds onto. In reality, it is a place known as Verdant, and the time is coming for Delta to head that way. However, her journey will be tough, and she'll have to be cautious about who she trusts. Always cautious. Always on the lookout.

“Rotten place. Rotten weather. Rotten land.
We need to move.
We can't move.
Like always, there's no good answer.”

Dustborn is a fun and epic read. It features a badass heroine, a dramatic world, and countless threats. What isn't there to love about this thrilling tale? If you're looking for an imaginative book to pick up, try this one.

What blew me away (no pun intended) more than anything is the world-building. Erin Bowman really knows how to create a compel ling world. Then again, I think my imagination might have brought a little bit into this mix. Everything about this book, from the cover to the narrative, gives off a dystopian/Mad Max-esque vibe. I know my expectations probably colored the story at least a little bit, but honestly? I'm okay with that.

While I'm talking about honestly, I should mention that it did take me a little bit of time to get into Delta's story. Don't get me wrong, I was enjoying it, but I think it wasn't until about halfway through that I found myself invested in what was going to happen next. So if you're struggling, try hitting that point before you put it down.

Actually, now that I stop and think about it...I think that Dustborn really reminded me of Wool in many ways. No wonder I found myself enjoying it so much. There are a lot of different elements between the two, but they still hit on similar notes. So if you read Wool, give this one a go (and if you haven't read Wool, you should!).

Thanks to HMH Books for Young Readers and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Check out more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks