A review by aubreysmith9412
All Come to Dust by Bryony Rheam

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.0

I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

This book originally fascinated me as something I've never read before - I've never read Zimbabwean literature, and I was really excited to check it out. And what I found just wasn't really for me. 

I found the pace meandering, and too slow for me. There was a deliberate point to the pacing, which definitely worked plot-wise, but it just didn't suit me very well. I also found I could not relate to a single character, which made it difficult for me to really get into the book. 

I stuck around for the plot - I really needed to know how the mystery ended. And within that mystery was a whole web of subterfuge, deceit, devastation, and just downright irreconcilable inhumanity. It was definitely way, way more than I ever bargained for. 

Overall, if the pace had been faster, I think I would have really liked this book. But as it stands, I just didn't. It was not for me, but I definitely understand the appeal. As such, I will keep this review short and sweet - the overall unraveling of the mystery made finishing the book well worth it, but I would most likely  not have read it had I known how slow the pace was.