Dust Girl by Sarah Zettel

June 13th, 2012 Kimberly Review 20 Comments

13th Jun
Dust Girl by Sarah Zettel
Dust Girl
by Sarah Zettel
Series: The American Fairy Trilogy #1
Genres: Fantasy, Historical
Source: Publisher
Purchase*: Amazon *affiliate
Goodreads
Rating: One StarOne StarOne Star

Callie LeRoux lives in Slow Run, Kansas, helping her mother run their small hotel and trying not to think about the father she’s never met. Lately all of her energy is spent battling the constant storms plaguing the Dust Bowl and their effects on her health. Callie is left alone, when her mother goes missing in a dust storm. Her only hope comes from a mysterious man offering a few clues about her destiny and the path she must take to find her parents in "the golden hills of the west" (California). Along the way she meets Jack a young hobo boy who is happy to keep her company—there are dangerous, desperate people at every turn. And there’s also an otherworldly threat to Callie. Warring fae factions, attached to the creative communities of American society, are very aware of the role this half-mortal, half-fae teenage girl plays in their fate.

Dust Girl is the first novel in the American Fairy Trilogy by Sarah Zettel. It takes place in Slow Run Kansas during the time of the great Dust Bowl. Zettel offers us an interesting tale of dark and light fairies, danger and discovery. Fans of folk lore, history and fairies will delight in this tale.

We meet protagonist Callie LeRoux at her home, a grand hotel in Slow Run. The town is all but deserted due to the dry conditions. Sand and dust have affected her health but her mother refuses to leave. Callie’s father, a man she has never met promised he’d return. When a horrific dust storm occurs and Callie’s mother goes missing, a mysterious man appears. He tells Callie she must head west to California to find her parents. The tale and the journey offer Callie insight about herself, her parents and her destiny. The journey is difficult as Callie must determine who to trust and who to run from. Filled with twists, murder and strange creatures this tale was entertaining.
Callie is unique in more ways than one. She is of mixed color at a time when society had strict rules regarding race.(although the cover in no way reflects this) In a lot of ways Callie has had to be an adult, since her mother has obvious issues. Callie quickly learns that she is only half-human and watching her discover her powers was fun. She is tough, smart and surprisingly level-headed, despite all that is occurring. I loved some of her kick-butt action scenes. Jack is street-wise and sensitive. He cares for Callie and tries to help her. He knows the streets and every con imaginable. He is also welled versed in lore and is able to offer Callie clues about the parties involved and her role in it.  At one point I disliked his actions, but he did redeemed himself. The Fae bring us an odd mix of colorful characters. There are two groups The Seelie and the Unseelie. Both want Callie in their court and ultimately she will need to decide.
The world building was fascinating. Zettel swept us back in time and I felt like I was there. Her depiction of the period was breathtaking and I could taste the dust. Callie is the center of a prophecy and both Fae kingdoms are vying for her. This created a lot of twists, turns and heart-palpitating moments.  Mixed into this fantasy, Zettel touches on the topic of prejudice. She focuses on race as well as social classes. A scene towards the end is steeped in religion and I had to reread to understand exactly what happened. This was the only bump in an otherwise evenly paced tale.  At this time there is no romance, and I am curious to see what happens next.
I would recommend Dust Girl to fans of historical fantasy. While I didn’t completely flip over this book, Zettel offered a unique world with imaginative characters and I look forward to reading book two.
Copyright (c) 2011-2013 Caffeinated Book Reviewer
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About Kimberly
Kimberly is a coffee loving book addict who reads and listens to fictional stories in all genres. Whovian, Ravenclaw, Howler and proud Nonna. She owns and manages Caffeinated PR. The coffee is always on and she is ready to chat. BlueSky | Facebook | Instagram

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20 Responses to “Dust Girl by Sarah Zettel”

  1. Sharon ObsessionwithBooks

    I’m a bit iffy about this one now, I have been eager to get hold of it but I am not a historical fan at all and the lack of romance would drive me batty (I need my romance 😉

    A wonderful review Kimba!

  5. Michelle

    you what is super strange? I love history, but I have yet to find a historical YA that I have loved as much as reading about actual history. But I do really like faerie books so maybe I will give this one a try, but it’s not top of my tbr list.

    Thanks for the great review Kimba! 🙂

  6. The Literary Darling

    I have read some not so good reviews about this one…so I’m not really looking forward to reading it now. Hopefully it’s not all that bad! Great review 🙂

  7. Chapter by Chapter

    I’m still on the fence about historical fiction. I pretty much go with what’s being recommended in the blogosphere lol Too bad there isn’t any romance. I’m a sucker for romance, but I do enjoy reading books about faeries and the seelie/unseelie courts. Great review 😀

  9. Emma B.

    I was ex items to read this one, and your review has made me doubly so. Thank you for the honest review!

  11. Enchantedbooks

    I have this on my TBR list thankyou for doing a review on it 🙂

  12. Heidi

    I have thiscoming up soon and I am really looking forward to it. I think this period in American history is fascinating, I am excited that the world building is excellent. Wondering about that religious bump!

  14. mariposaspring

    Prejudice and fantasy haven’t crossed paths in my mind before, I’m not sure what to expect from this book! Keeping an eye out for this one, great review!

    -Alicia
    bookaworld.wordpress.com

  15. Blodeuedd

    I always wanted to try a book by her..or was it just this book..hm. Anyway, I am not sure though, I am torn

  16. Nick

    Oh wow ! This sounds fantastic. I’ve seen it around but never checked it out.The concept seems pretty interesting and I have a feeling I’ll enjoy it.
    It’s always great when the world building is well done.
    Great review, kimba 🙂

  18. Silverlight

    I’m not a fan of historical books, so I’m kind of on the fence with this one. Thanks for the honest review!

  19. Christy

    I have this one coming up. I’m not exactly excited about it, but I’m hoping I’ll like it.