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noelle123456789's review against another edition
5.0
A sad book very good. this was my favorite book when i was smaller.
nicholeford's review against another edition
5.0
This book reminds me of my grandparents. They grew up in OK and TX and were in their teens and early 20s in the 1930s. They told us stories about dust storms and this book echoes those stories.
While I typically don’t like prose, her writing painted pictures for me. It was simple and beautiful. This is my 10 year old’s favorite book.
While I typically don’t like prose, her writing painted pictures for me. It was simple and beautiful. This is my 10 year old’s favorite book.
mary_kurtz's review against another edition
4.0
Beautifully written and eye opening to the survivors of the Dust Bowl
bjwing's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
sarahsaturday's review against another edition
5.0
A powerful story, beautifully written. I love the poetic way it was written, almost as if you were stepping into the narrator's thoughts.
racheleprince's review against another edition
5.0
I would recommend this to my students who loved Inside Out and Back Again.
juliemowat's review against another edition
3.0
Young adult historical fiction in prose poetry. Depressing story but very well written. I thought the girl was younger than 14 for sure-maybe the times?
camillespence33's review against another edition
5.0
I read this book over and over when I was in elementary school and I loved it. Today I sat down to give it another try and again, I loved it. Read it in one sitting.
I remember feeling so heartbroken for Billie Jo and then hopeful as the book takes a turn. As an adult with a greater understanding of the historical context, and just of life in general, I still had the same feelings for the young girl, hit repeatedly with hardships, and the strength she gathers up to rebuild herself from the inside out.
I remember feeling so heartbroken for Billie Jo and then hopeful as the book takes a turn. As an adult with a greater understanding of the historical context, and just of life in general, I still had the same feelings for the young girl, hit repeatedly with hardships, and the strength she gathers up to rebuild herself from the inside out.
crazyanutjanut's review against another edition
4.0
I recently read Kristin Hannah's The Four Winds, and thought this would be a good companion piece to it. Out of the Dust was written for kids, but it's a good read for adults too.
chelsbels's review against another edition
3.0
Spoilers
I'm giving it a 3 stars because I didn't like the ending where the father got remarried to his night school teacher, so soon after his first wife's death. Moreover, so soon and when the daughter clearly had problems. It wrapped everything up too fast and too perfect for things to be healed. Not that they are meant to be healed, as symbolised by her hands.
I believe the story was trying to show the process of healing over the end result of being healed. And that's why the marriage seemed to fast. I think courting or her coming over a tad would have been fine but engaged seemed much. I feel they would have been friends longer, companions yes but not lovers.
I also think its stranded that the Doctor wouldn't of visit her after the damage done to her hands and that it would take 6 or 7 months to go to the doctors, with her dad. Why didn't she go alone, she had money, and was strong willed enough. And the solution was simple ointment, people would have known to do that, given that they always worked with open flames and heated tools. What was stopping her?
I also don't like the father only pays attention to her after he gets loving and companionship from the school teacher. It seems he only does it to impress the woman, like doing the dishes. When he won't when his daughter hands were damage, she still did all the cleaning. He doesn't seem to ever have a heart when you look back at the story. He talks badly to his wife when she tries to help, he leaves her when she is dieing and leaves his injured daughter to tend to her mother, uses up all the saved money, ignores his daughter to the point she runs away, does not get her medical care, and only seems to change because he wants the school teacher, most likely for food and sex.
I don't know but the whole book I had the sneaky thought that he places the kerosene by the stove on purpose. Like why would one do that? Fresh start? A life with out his family in such desperate times, to end the life of the women so he didn't have to proved and they no need to suffer, especially with a baby on the way. I think the possibility of this, even if it is unconscious, is shown by the traveling man on the train. Taking food from the girl, leaving his farm, his family, stealing from a child for his own need, and even doubly abandoning his family by leaving possible the only thing he owns beside clothing, the picture of his family. As if nothing matters in the hard time of depression except his well being, not even that of his kin.
I think this book can be read much darker and depressing than some give it credit. Even more so when one considers the formate of how it is written, almost like she is going so fast that the hurt and pain don't have a chance to come through in the poetic style the narrator has chosen.
I'm giving it a 3 stars because I didn't like the ending where the father got remarried to his night school teacher, so soon after his first wife's death. Moreover, so soon and when the daughter clearly had problems. It wrapped everything up too fast and too perfect for things to be healed. Not that they are meant to be healed, as symbolised by her hands.
I believe the story was trying to show the process of healing over the end result of being healed. And that's why the marriage seemed to fast. I think courting or her coming over a tad would have been fine but engaged seemed much. I feel they would have been friends longer, companions yes but not lovers.
I also think its stranded that the Doctor wouldn't of visit her after the damage done to her hands and that it would take 6 or 7 months to go to the doctors, with her dad. Why didn't she go alone, she had money, and was strong willed enough. And the solution was simple ointment, people would have known to do that, given that they always worked with open flames and heated tools. What was stopping her?
I also don't like the father only pays attention to her after he gets loving and companionship from the school teacher. It seems he only does it to impress the woman, like doing the dishes. When he won't when his daughter hands were damage, she still did all the cleaning. He doesn't seem to ever have a heart when you look back at the story. He talks badly to his wife when she tries to help, he leaves her when she is dieing and leaves his injured daughter to tend to her mother, uses up all the saved money, ignores his daughter to the point she runs away, does not get her medical care, and only seems to change because he wants the school teacher, most likely for food and sex.
I don't know but the whole book I had the sneaky thought that he places the kerosene by the stove on purpose. Like why would one do that? Fresh start? A life with out his family in such desperate times, to end the life of the women so he didn't have to proved and they no need to suffer, especially with a baby on the way. I think the possibility of this, even if it is unconscious, is shown by the traveling man on the train. Taking food from the girl, leaving his farm, his family, stealing from a child for his own need, and even doubly abandoning his family by leaving possible the only thing he owns beside clothing, the picture of his family. As if nothing matters in the hard time of depression except his well being, not even that of his kin.
I think this book can be read much darker and depressing than some give it credit. Even more so when one considers the formate of how it is written, almost like she is going so fast that the hurt and pain don't have a chance to come through in the poetic style the narrator has chosen.