Review: Suspenseful and intriguing
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 07 20, 2014
The moment I read the book description, I knew that I had to get “Vanished from Dust”. I’ve always liked the idea of small towns that hide dark secrets and terrible past events, so I had to know what was with the mysterious death of hundreds of townspeople in 1922. I have to admit that the author didn’t disappoint me in the least. Of course, I don’t intend to spoil the mystery for you, so you’ll have to read the book to find out what happened in Dust, Texas, the town Eric and his best friend, Kyle, are from.The novel begins with quite a powerful scene: Eric is bullied by his classmates because he said that he can see phantoms. Everyone thinks he is crazy, so what they do is beat him, insult him, and call him names. The only one who stands up for Eric is Kyle, who is the new kid in town. I’ve always liked young adult novels that prove to be more than just fun and entertaining. “Vanished from Dust” touches on the problematic matter of bullying, and it portrays it in a very realistic way. Then, the author emphasizes the strong friendship between Eric and Kyle, and how much it means to them.I loved that the characters were very well developed, likeable, and believable. This adds a lot to the story, which is also filled with mystery, suspense, and unexpected twists. All these elements kept me glued to the pages, and I managed to read the novel in two sittings. I would recommend it to readers of all ages, even if the description says it is a paranormal novel for young adults.