Early Review: In a Handful of Dust by Mindy McGinnis

In a Handful of Dust by Mindy McGinnis

Not a Drop to Drink #2

The only thing bigger than the world is fear.

Lucy’s life by the pond has always been full. She has water and friends, laughter and the love of her adoptive mother, Lynn, who has made sure that Lucy’s childhood was very different from her own. Yet it seems Lucy’s future is settled already—a house, a man, children, and a water source—and anything beyond their life by the pond is beyond reach.

When disease burns through their community, the once life-saving water of the pond might be the source of what’s killing them now. Rumors of desalinization plants in California have lingered in Lynn’s mind, and the prospect of a “normal” life for Lucy sets the two of them on an epic journey west to face new dangers: hunger, mountains, deserts, betrayal, and the perils of a world so vast that Lucy fears she could be lost forever, only to disappear in a handful of dust.

In this companion to Not a Drop to Drink, Mindy McGinnis thrillingly combines the heart-swelling hope of a journey, the challenges of establishing your own place in the world, and the gripping physical danger of nature in a futuristic frontier.

This is going to be a very hard review to write, especially when it comes to rating due to high expectations. I absolutely LOVED Not a Drop to Drink, so when I saw this companion novel, I knew I would have to read it. That being said, while I enjoyed IN A HANDFUL OF DUST, I wasn't completely sucked in like I was with the first book. Don't get me wrong, it was a good read, but it just didn't have the same all consuming feel that the first one did. The first time around the bleakness was all consuming, but this time it didn't have the same sucker punch feeling, which I was hoping to be repeated.

I think a lot of my different feelings this time around had to do with Lucy's character. She's so stark in comparison to Lynn. Sure Lynn came a long way in accepting others, but Lucy just seems to be way too far on the opposite spectrum. Their world is harsh, and she just seemed too trusting, naive, and somewhat selfish to match that. It just didn't seem to jive for me. That being said, it was interesting to see their harsh world from a different perspective. Granted this story did pick up 10 years down the road from where Lynn's book left off, so perhaps Lucy really was sheltered that much "off page" to make this naiveness make sense, but somehow I just doubt it as the circumstances just wouldn't have allowed too much of an easy life. And I think that's where my sticking point lies. The first time around it was the stark world that drew me in as much as the characters and Lucy's different view of things lessened the harsh feel a bit.

But putting all that aside, let's get onto the things I enjoyed. IN A HANDFUL OF DUST opened the stark world up even further, bringing us looks into how others have survived this bleak landscape. There were so many horrors along the way, some of which were so shocking they turned my stomach. What some people will do to survive is both incredible and horrifying it's hard to wrap your head around it. I really have to give the author kudos for expanding this world realistically (When you look outside of Lucy's view and really take in what's going on that is.) Things are not easy, nor are they all bad, and I feel the balance was well played as I never lost hope despite the terrible situations they found themselves.

It's funny, at the close of Not a Drop to Drink, I was completely content with the world to have ended there stay a stand alone, but now that I've read IN A HANDFUL OF DUST, I'm no longer content as after that ending I want more. I feel like there's so much more of a story to be told either from Lucy or Lynn, although I'd prefer the latter of course. Unfortunately it doesn't seem like there will be more books. But either way, Mindy McGinnis has more than earned herself on my authors to watch out for list, and I'll be on the lookout for what she has coming next. If you enjoyed Not a Drop to Drink, then IN A HANDFUL OF DUST should be on your must read list.

(Received a copy from the publisher)

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Other Reviews:
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     1. Not a Drop to Drink

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Early Review: Not a Drop to Drink by Mindy McGinnis

Not a Drink by Mindy McGinnis

Regret was for people with nothing to defend, people who had no water.

Lynn knows every threat to her pond: drought, a snowless winter, coyotes, and, most importantly, people looking for a drink. She makes sure anyone who comes near the pond leaves thirsty, or doesn't leave at all.

Confident in her own abilities, Lynn has no use for the world beyond the nearby fields and forest. Having a life means dedicating it to survival, and the constant work of gathering wood and water. Having a pond requires the fortitude to protect it, something Mother taught her well during their quiet hours on the rooftop, rifles in hand.

But wisps of smoke on the horizon mean one thing: strangers. The mysterious footprints by the pond, nighttime threats, and gunshots make it all too clear Lynn has exactly what they want, and they won’t stop until they get it….

With evocative, spare language and incredible drama, danger, and romance, debut author Mindy McGinnis depicts one girl’s journey in a barren world not so different than our own.

In a world where water is the most precious commodity, Lynn knows what it means to do what it takes to survive. Her small pond is her lifeline and she learned at a very young age to protect it at all costs, even when that means stopping people dead in their tracks. Literally. She's always been able to fight off any threat but when a new group comes along, Lynn knows it may just be a matter of time before she is overtaken and loses everything. It's a bitter fight for survival and only the one who wants it the most will prevail in the end.

This book was insanely good. It sucked me right in from the very first page. It's a story about survival, but the threats aren't in your face like an arena showdown death match, but much more subtle. The people in this story are hardened and have learned to do whatever it means in order to survive themselves. For the older generation in the story, it was quite a shock and change from their old lives to suddenly having to kill to protect their own lifeline. But for Lynn things were different as she didn't know any different and was raised from day one to work hard, and protect their homestead and small pond even harder. In all actuality, she truly had no moral compass when it came to taking another's life to protect herself and her mother. Don't get me wrong, she wasn't cold, in fact far from it, she just doesn't know anything other than the bitter fight for survival, at least until later that was. A series of events happen that I won't spoil, but they were a turning point that slowly opened her eyes to what we take for granted as common decency and to some extent a neighborly hand. It was really amazing to see her world turned upside down as she learned to care for others than just her mother and herself. Don't get me wrong, that caring at times only made her life even harder with the extreme circumstances surrounding them, but it was very enjoyable to see that kind of character growth through the book.

Speaking of Lynn's character growth, I particually enjoyed the romantic aspects of it. She goes from knowing absolutely nothing about boys/men to suddenly having these emotions and feelings for a boy. Her emotions were such a twisted mess as she tried to reconcile what she had been taught about not trusting others and what her heart was telling her. I have to say that the romance in this book was incredibly well done. It was so sweet and innocent, and did not revolve around hormones and sex. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy reading about very strong sexual tension etc, but in this case it was very nice to see something so pure that was entirely about caring and the ultimate faith and trust in another person, rather than anything physical. It is just one of those things that just makes you want to smile, and truly was one of the brightest parts of such a bleak story, even if in the long run it only played a very small part of things.

NOT A DROP TO DRINK is one of those books that will stick with you for a very long time after you finish. I'm sitting here days later writing my review, and it's still completely fresh in my mind. It's so bleak and yet the determination of the characters leaves you with a silver lining of hope that keeps you riveted as you watch the events unfurl, especially as you consider just how realistic they are. It wouldn't take much for our world to take a turn for the worst and bring this type of story to reality, making every downturn truly chilling as if they were a look into a future that could be. Trust me, this one is not to be missed!

(Received a copy from the publisher via Edelweiss)

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