Book Review: Dust City

By Sandy Amazeen Oct 11, 2010, 0:45 GMT

Who\'s afraid of the big bad wolf? His son, that\'s who. Ever since his father\'s arrest for the murder of Little Red Riding Hood, teen wolf Henry Whelp has kept a low profile in a Home for Wayward Wolves . . . until a murder at the Home leads Henry to believe his father may have been framed. Now, with the ...more

It is tough being the son of the big bad wolf as Henry Whelp can attest to, especially growing up at the St. Remus Home for Wayward Youth on the fringes of Dust City. Everyone expects him to turn out like his father who is incarcerated for the gruesome double murder of Little Red Riding Hood and her Grandmother. With the death of a faculty member and the breakout of his best friend Jack, Henry decides to leave the home and meet his father in prison. Henry’s father maintains he was framed and charges his son with infiltrating the drug lord’s lair and learning the truth behind dust.

Aptly named Dust City is a dark, dangerous place where the inhabitants rely on black market versions of fairy dust for everything from light healing to major glamours. Aided by Fiona, a beautiful young she wolf related to one of the home’s more notorious residents, Henry and Fiona quickly uncover a sinister plot that will seriously influence the future of all Dust City were-creatures but that is nothing compared to the truth about dust’s origin.

Marketed for young adults, this inventive read with its many twists on characters from children’s fairy tales will appeal to grownups as well. After something of a slow start, the story begins gathering momentum as it combines just the right amount of contemporary social problems with fantasy. The vividly imagined landscape and likable protagonist captures your attention and delivers a solid finish with room for more adventures.