Book Review: Dust

A few days ago I finished reading Dust by Justine Hardy. Dust is about a woman, Kate, who works as an aide worker in Pakistan and is kidnapped.

In the novel, Kate, a woman in her mid-thirties, is a British aide worker in Pakistan. The novel follows the events leading up to her kidnapping and the time she spends captured. The story is also told from the points of view of her best friend, Farrah, and her mom and dad. It is also told from various timelines. This can all be a little confusing at times, but once you get used to it it all makes sense. Any flashback chapters all connect with present day, such as a chapter where Kate thinks back to having a panic attack in the bathroom during her first year of university. She practices breathing exercises that her mother taught her as a child. This leads to a present day chapter where she practices her breathing exercise while being held captive in the trunk of a car and transported to who knows where.

I thought the novel was really interesting – reading about Kate’s training and how she tries to survive and cope in her situation, her parents – Molly and Tom – trying to keep it together while they are utterly distraught thinking of their missing daughter a world away. However, I felt like there were things missing from the story to really get me into it. The novel is basically just about her being taken and how they are all feeling during this uncertain time period, but I personally needed more. It’s never really clear why she was taken or at least it wasn’t to me.

Overall, I did like the book, I just thought there could have been more to the story plot wise. However, if you are more interested in characters and their emotional journey during a difficult time then you may be really into Dust.