Dust
A Novel
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- $11.99
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
"An immediate classic that holds its own alongside the greats of American Literature, Dust brings the haunting echoes of our past to a weather-beaten future. Every word of Dust is as familiar as a childhood friend. You understand—instantly—that you will carry it with you for the rest of your life." – K. Ancrum, award-winning author of The Wicker King
In this haunting, speculative coming-of-age novel about finding your place in an unforgiving environment, a partially deaf teen questions everything she knows about family, love, and her future.
After her father has a premonition, Thea and her family move to the Bloodless Valley of southern Colorado, hoping to make a fresh start. But the rivers are dry, the crops are dying, and the black blizzards of Colorado have returned. Much like the barren land, Thea feels her life has stopped growing. She is barely homeschooled, forbidden from going to the library, and has no way to contact her old friends—all due to her parents’ fear of the outside world’s dangerous influence.
But to make ends meet, Thea is allowed to work at the café in town. There, she meets Ray, who is deaf. Thea, who was born hard of hearing, has always been pushed by her parents to pass as someone who can hear. Now, with Ray secretly teaching Thea how to sign, she begins to learn what she’s been missing—not just a new language but a whole community and maybe even a chance at love.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Hard-of-hearing Thea, 16, feels isolated: her family refuses to learn American Sign Language, and with no internet or phone access, she has no way of contacting the friends she left behind in Ohio following her family's abrupt move to a homestead in Bloodless Valley, Colo. What's more, her father's extremist views around farming, school, and gender roles have only worsened since the move. Her solitary solace is her job at a local café where her boss encourages her to spend time at the library across the street. There, Thea meets a rural outreach agent and his cute great-nephew Ray, 16 and also hard of hearing. Thea has never met another deaf teen before and is intrigued by Ray and his ability to sign. As Thea forges tentative relationships with the people around her, she also begins falling for Ray. Soon dust storms, locust swarms, and water shortages threaten her family's farm, and with her parents refusing help, Thea worries for their survival. In her YA debut, Stine (Trashlands, for adults) pulls from personal experience, as detailed in an author's note, to craft an atmospheric, speculative exploration of climate change through the lens of one deaf teen's experiences. Characters cue as white. Ages 13–up.
