It all began with that awful business about my mother...

He lives outside of Boston with his wife and son, where he is at work on his next novel.

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Dec 29, Karl marked it as to-read Shelves: This book is copy 51 of printed copies and is signed and numbered by Bracken Macleod. Cover by Tomislav Tikulin. Jan 17, John Goodrich rated it it was amazing. I don't like zombie novels. I don't like those damned sappy parents go through hell for their kids books. Come to Dust is a zombie novel about a put-together family that centers around a child.

And it's heart-wrenchingly good. Because the author put the work in. He didn't assume that we were going to feel for the father just because he acting like a father. Mitch is a character with depth, deep flaws, and only a certain amount of courage. But he's doing the best he can, and sometimes, that I don't like zombie novels. But he's doing the best he can, and sometimes, that might not be enough. Mitch his unofficially adopted daughter Sophie are the engines that drive the story.

Their difficulties, partially because she's dead, form the majority of the book. And it works because you care, deeply, about them. There's action and damned creepy zombies, and it's all good. But I hammered through this book because the characters were so vivid. Read this because you deserve to read a book this good. My friend Amy and I decided to buddy read this book. I unfortunately slacked on reading it and she finished it before I could. I have to say I don't have a problem with the writing itself. I don't know what it is.

Maybe the characters were lacking. Maybe the villain was too villainy for my taste. I'm not sure, but I am giving this book 3 stars. Come to Dust is about the reanimation of dead children. Our main character Mitch or Mitchel has come from a really terrible childhood. His father was a beater and in turn his sister fell in love with a beater. One day Mitch finds out that his sister's boyfriend is punching her again and tries to do right by hurting the boyfriend. He went a little over board and ended up putting the boyfriend in the hospital and going to prison.

When we meet Mitch it's been a few years and he is out and taking care of his sister's daughter Sophie. The sister has been M. But the best isn't enough and things get worse for Mitch. The first pages flew by. I really was invested in Mitch and his plight. I wanted everything to work out for him. Then the "horror" part of the story happens. The thing that stopped me from loving this book was the continued shitty luck Mitch kept finding himself in.

A religious cult made the story unbearable to read. I hate fanatics and it was just awful. But the hits kept on coming. The ending was kind of After everything we had to face while endearing Mitch's pain it just seemed a little too late and I lost interest. For those who received this book in their Nocturnal Reader's Box or like the author Bracken Macleod and are interested in reading this book, the only advice I can give is read it in one sitting if possible.

This book isn't thrilling enough to put down because it will be hard to pick back up. Hopefully that makes sense. I do own another book by Bracken and I am still interested in his writing. I hope I like the next one.

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Jan 22, Jonathan Maas rated it it was amazing. That book - which you should read immediately - is still my favorite of his ouevre, but Come To Dust is better in some ways. Why is it better? It has better character development Macleod really explores the dynamic of a single father - or rather in this case Mitch, an ex-con who is left with his niece after her mother disappears.

It is reminiscent of Nathan Ballingrud , in the sense that you really get a feel for the ups and downs of single fatherhood. Mitch, a basically good human who really loves his niece, almost becomes homeless because of his situation. Who babysits while he is at work? When he makes a mistake in life, which his type of person can do - what happens to this girl, who is not technically his daughter?


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And though he is a more-than-recovering ex-con, the authorities don't always see it this way. Mitch rises to the challenge. This is not Ballingrud, who portrays tales of cosmically mismatched couples, where the main character is inordinately deficient in some regard. The main character here is great. The problem is the other characters and the situation - which leads to great character development. MacLeod knows the situation of his characters well The characters are not only interesting, but MacLeod gets their unique situation.

Mitch is an ex-con, and knows how people of his ilk deal with the police. Mitch shook his head again.


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He knew better than to say anything. Now it was a weakness—a signal to everyone else in the world what his vulnerabilities were. This is not your average zombie tale Yes, people rise from the grave, and exhibit strange powers. But this is not The Walking Dead, Compendium 1. The problem is people - though not in The Walking Dead way. The problem, more specifically - is those around Mitch. It is filled with hope How can such a desolate tale - of fleeing mothers, desperate characters and the risen dead - give nothing but hope?

Stranded was great, but this one is more uplifting. Conclusion In short, Stranded is still my favorite. But this one is better in some regards - and whatever the case, you should definitely check it out! Jan 29, Claudia rated it it was amazing. My father died 31 years ago. I have often thought about, dreamed about him returning from the dead. He was one of the most important people in my life. Whenever I go down that road I am also left to contemplate what that would mean in terms of his health he died of cancer and the idea of losing him a second time. He would be 97 years old.

His absence is a constant hurt in my heart but losing him twice would surely be unbearable. When she dies his world becomes a place of horror and emptiness. He can barely cope even though his girlfriend does everything in her power to keep him breathing in and out. Imagining the loss of your child is nearly as devastating as the event.

It is why if we do go down that road we do not tarry there. This is not a zombie novel. It is a story of a man who gets a second chance only to find that there are a great number of people who would gladly take that from him for no other reason than that they hold on to a delusion.

The delusion is that they have a direct line to a vengeful god who demands a sacrifice. This is a book that is so filled with love that some pages nearly glow but the turn of a page sends you on a dark and slippery slide down to the pits of depravity. There is resistance and heroism and page turning excitement all played out on a background of a small girl tucking her head safely into the neck of a man who would do virtually anything to keep her safely with him.

It will most likely make you cry. MacLeod has a way of putting together a paragraph that does not just tug at your heartstrings but will shatter it into a million pieces. We will make people pay for their mistakes no matter how long it takes; children rarely forget the suffering of childhood. As Oscar Wilde said,"Children begin by loving their parents; after a time they judge them; rarely, if ever, do they forgive them. I highly recommend it to anyone who has met and loved someone with their whole heart be it a child or an adult. The question is does it consume with loss or gently keep one warm with remembrance.

Jan 19, Ralph Carlson rated it it was amazing. After three previous great books, and now this one, Bracken MacLeod has become one of my favorite writers. It's been a while since I've read a horror book. I loved the characters and story. Had just enough creepiness to it. When I had a question on something in the book and messaged the author he took the time to answer my question. I'm for sure going to read more of this author!

This book blew me away. Zombie children, religious fanatics, a bit of a YA dystopian vibe without actually being YA I was engaged the whole time, constantly eager to pick it back up once I had to put it down for a bit. I have no idea where the "boring" criticisms are coming from I found it positively riveting.

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I'd love a sequel, not following Mitch and Sophie but focusing on someone else in the dystopian world that is outlined and starting to evolve at the end of t This book blew me away. I'd love a sequel, not following Mitch and Sophie but focusing on someone else in the dystopian world that is outlined and starting to evolve at the end of the book. While I loved the characters, the concept of the book and how the world is starting to change as a result of the events in the book are what really interest me.

Oct 02, Jessie Kettner rated it really liked it. I didn't find this book to be terrifying in the traditional sense that horror often is. Instead, what I found was myself in Mitch's shoes, imagining what it would be like to lose one of my own kids. And then I found myself asking, how would I react coming face to face with them having risen from the dead? This was a story that made me think and feel a lot, and I really enjoyed it. My only complaint is that I wish the story was longer and had more details; I feel like there was so much potential I didn't find this book to be terrifying in the traditional sense that horror often is.

My only complaint is that I wish the story was longer and had more details; I feel like there was so much potential for that. Dust is a must! Bracket Macleod is one of my favorite writers and I always look forward to reading anything he writes because he always has something original to say. Each book is so different and unique, yet they are each stamped with his innate ability to portray real characters with real feelings. So heartfelt and so tragic, you feel the same since of loss as Mitch does in this story of the death and resurrection of a beloved child.

Jul 12, Alyndra Lovejoy rated it it was amazing. I'm a 'pull no punches' sort of person, especially when it comes to books. I have lived and breathed the horror genre since I was given my first Stephen King novel in the third grade imagine a third grader lugging around a copy of "IT", that was me. For those that adore horror, this book will seem to be a slow starter. Trust me it is relevant and you will be wanting the niceties of the beginning once you travel further down the rabbit hole. If you have children this bo I'm a 'pull no punches' sort of person, especially when it comes to books.

If you have children this book will shake you to your core and make you ask yourself, "What would I do if my dead child came back to me? Thank you Bracken, for reanimating this book so the rest of us could enjoy it! After reading the prologue I thought this book was going to be a heart-wrecking one — an emotional rollercoaster. I was right, but not in the way I had hoped. Thrilling, but not super thrilling. Sad, but not super sad. I had hope After reading the prologue I thought this book was going to be a heart-wrecking one — an emotional rollercoaster.

Most of the writing was descriptions of events or surroundings. At the start he describes Mitch in a way that I thought to know exactly who he was. I thought him to be a timid and shy person, which he is, but only because of his past. Another thing that had me hooked to the story was the way Sophie dies the blurb already says that Sophie will die, so no spoilers there. All in all, the short chapters make Come to Dust a thrilling and fast read! Sep 26, Elizabeth rated it really liked it.

Mitch never really wanted to be a parent after his trouble childhood, but his sister Violette simply dropped little Sophie in his lap and left with her band. He takes the responsibility seriously and doesn't tell any government entities to keep getting Violette's benefits. A year later, Lianna finally asks Mitch out and he has a very rare night without Sophie to go on a date. A neighbor acts as a last minute babysitter, but she's obviously drunk when he comes home. Mitch spends the night with Li Mitch never really wanted to be a parent after his trouble childhood, but his sister Violette simply dropped little Sophie in his lap and left with her band.

Mitch spends the night with Lianna and doesn't realize until the next day that Sophie died. This event happens to coincide with some dead children rising from the grave, which includes Sophie. She's changed, but he cares for her like the same girl. Most others fear the returned children, their deathly pallor, and strange powers. Come to Dust is a different zombie story than most. It starts with Mitch real name Michel , who is an ex-con getting his life back together. He spent years in jail figuring out how to better cope with his anger.

I enjoyed reading from his perspective because he was genuinely happy taking care of Sophie even though he wouldn't have chosen that path. He also has perfectly natural thoughts like thinking daycare worker Khadija looks like a model or Liana wears too much makeup, but then he follows up those thoughts with realizations like Khadija wears a hijab to be modest and Liana can wear as much makeup as she likes. Mitch is also good at sizing people up and assessing how dangerous they really are from a guy who wants to talk a big game but won't follow through to another who would shoot someone out of fear.

Outwardly, his demeanor is a bit awkward, nervous, and fairly passive but still charming. Sophie's death breaks him because she was his fresh start and gave him motivation to move forward. They didn't have a lot of money or anything, but they had each other. I found him sympathetic and a good vehicle for the story. This zombie book that many especially parents might find it hard to read. Child death in fiction holds a taboo more than any other type because they are the most vulnerable and innocent of humanity and in our lives. When four year old Sophie is found dead, the discovery is harrowing.

The culprits leave town and lie through their teeth when found. Mitch's life falls apart around him from losing his job due to absence to losing all of Violette's government assistance. His whole life melts around him, but he and Liana have grown to love and support each other. The grief is accurately portrayed with moments of happiness and then guilt at being happy along with the waxing and waning pain of loss. Liana herself is also a pretty awesome character. She is much more assertive and sure of herself. In their relationship, she is an equal partner, not someone to be commanded.

When Sophie came back, Liana was understandably disturbed and uncomfortable, eventually deciding to end their relationship when Sophie steals some her lifeforce and ages her. Apparently, an alternate effect of that power is affection and love? I found it disturbing that the only main female character has her agency taken away from her and has her making decisions against her own interest to help the male protagonist.

These zombies are a bit different than usual. These are all children and their condition when they come back is how they looked in the grave. Sophie was not very decomposed, but she comes back with a deathly pale skin, grey hair, dark veins, a slowly beating heart, no appetite, a muted personality, and eyes with white cataracts. She's obviously not a living child and everyone who helped them before rejects them now from the day care to the library. Between forward moving chapters are vignettes of other resurrections such as three boys walking out of an apparent child murderer's porch.

As Chimney Sweepers Come To Dust

These gave me a chill down my spine and showed what is happening outside of Mitch's story. As the story moves forward, more zombie abilities are revealed. They can weaponize rot, which in turn rots themselves, and alternatively, they can consume other's lifeforce to make themselves appear more human.

If they consume enough, no one would know the difference between them and another child in any way. The different zombie abilities are interesting and mostly make sense except for the forcing some sort of emotion examples in the book include positive and negative. It just doesn't make sense to me and has problematic implications. The real villains of this piece are a religious extremist group. They view these children as demons from hell, sent by the devil to destroy people. The group operates as a cult, taking in those down on their luck, changing their lives, and then forcing them to commit atrocities in god's name, including imprisoning or killing anyone that gets in their way and setting fire to returned children.

Mitch gets all mixed up in this because his sister comes back born again with this cult and her equally trouble boyfriend to collect Sophie. When they find out Sophie returned, the boyfriend shoves them in his truck and forces them to go to the cult compound. Mitch and other parents forced there break out and attempt to rescue their children, resulting in cars crashed into buildings and many dead and injured. The church disgustingly spins it as violence against them and uses the widespread media coverage to their advantage while the actual good people have to stay silent or risk being painted as terrorists.

This is particularly relevant now where people prop up their religious beliefs as reasons to justify hatred, bigotry, misogyny, homophobia, transphobia, assault, murder, and child molestation just to name a few and cry discrimination or intolerance the minute anyone is against them. Come to Dust took me almost no time to read because I was so sucked into the story. The characters are all compelling in some way and the lore is unique compared the rest of the genre.

There were also small Lovecraftian references like Miskatonic University and the city of Dunwich. I thought this might play into the story a bit more, but I think it was included just to add some little easter eggs. Overall, the book moves quickly, packs an emotional punch, and features relatable and realistic characters even if the ending stretches the logic of the world.

Jul 31, E. Made it pages in before I just couldn't do it anymore. If you're interested in the plot, read Handling the Undead. I understand that this book was written with deep emotional ties, according to the author's own Afterword. That being said, I will write this review with that in mind; I will not be completely cold or uncaring about those facts. The toughest thing about this book is the amount of description.

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I certainly have never written a book myself so I cannot say it is an easy thing that anybody can do. I commend the writer for following his dreams of not only writing a complete novel, but also selling it a I understand that this book was written with deep emotional ties, according to the author's own Afterword. I commend the writer for following his dreams of not only writing a complete novel, but also selling it and getting it published. However, I do think that the sheer amount of description muffles the excitement of its own story. But Flavia is soon on familiar ground when she is presented with a gruesome puzzle to solve.

And the mystery of a withered corpse is only the beginning. Girls have been disappearing from Miss Bodycote's, leading Flavia to wonder what exactly the academy's true purpose is, and why were her father and Aunt Felicity so keen that she enrol? Praise for the historical Flavia de Luce mysteries: Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie 2. A Red Herring Without Mustard 4. I Am Half Sick of Shadows 5. Speaking From Among the Bones 6. The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches 7. Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew'd 9. The Grave's a Fine and Private Place If you're looking for a cosy crime series to keep you hooked then look no further than the Flavia de Luce mysteries.

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