I absolutely loved this "end of the world as we know it" story and finished it in just one day. I couldn't put it down! The writing style was similar to most YA that I enjoy in that it was straightforward and fast paced but the story itself seemed to be meant for adults, with adult characters, language, and situations. Definitely recommend this to fans of post-apocalyptic stories who enjoy a quick, exciting read. ( )

Dust by Jacqueline Druga is the apocalyptic tale of a small group of friends and their battle to survive the aftermath of a nuclear war. It is a wrecking ball of a story -- smashing through the reader's defenses and evoking myriad emotions as varied as shock, humor, sadness, & joy. The power in this story is the utter plausibility of it. Joanna Collins is not a superwoman, refuses to own a weapon, and is completely unprepared for the apocalypse when it strikes -- despite her survivalist leanings and her obsession with being prepared for the worst. She is a stay at home mom, self-admittedly unfit and certainly no Rambo. She could be anyone. Or everyone. She could be me. Though she is unsuited for survival, she is tough and courageous and a bit lucky, too. She rises to the occasion as most people undoubtedly hope they would in the case of an apocalyptic event.

The format of the book contributes to it immediacy; it is told in diary format as Jo writes about the events unfolding around her. She writes as a coping mechanism and way to stay connected with her missing friends. Most of the story takes place in her basement bomb shelter, and the bulk of it revolves around interactions with friends and family, as they work out how to get along with each other in a confined space in the worst of circumstances. As in real life, some rise to the occasion when faced with adversity, and some don't. A big part of Joanna's struggle is how to retain her humanity and compassion while protecting herself and her friends/family, and this raises lots of thought-provoking questions about how far one would go to protect loved ones, whether "us v them" is necessary and/or justified in extreme circumstances, and whether human nature is inherently good or bad.

If you like a thinking-man's apocalyptic novel, with ordinary, likeable characters, then I recommend Dust by Jacqueline Druga. I also highly recommend other apocalyptic books by this author (who I have just recently discovered). H5N1 by Ms Druga is one of my all-time favorite post-apocalyptic stories, and I have read an extensive collection of PA books. ( )