In a Handful Of Dust

by Mindy McGinnis

[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