(Full disclosure: As of the writing of this review, I have not been able to finish this book. In fact, due to family commitments and other demands on my time and schedule, I have only made it about 1/3 of the way through. For that reason, I think it only fair to comment on what I have read. I am grateful for the chance to read this book, and I look forward to reading the rest. I wish the author all the best with this Tour and beyond.)
I was instantly intrigued by the premise of this book. Here is a portion of the blurb: Traveling the countryside in search of the family he lost as a child, [artist Matthew Sugiyama] trades his art for supplies—and uses his honed magic to re-draw the boundaries of reality, to fashion a world that is better for those he meets.
My nearly 17-year-old son is an up-and-coming artist with hopes of attending art school and pursuing a career as an illustrator. The idea of an artist who can change the world around them is something I see on a regular basis with my son’s art, and believing there could be magic tied to it does not require a huge leap of faith for me. Nevertheless, call me curious.
The blurb also made it out to be a coming-of-age story set in a dystopian world. These can be hit-or-miss for me, but as a whole, it was well worth a try.
Again, commenting only on what I have read, this is a post-apocalyptic world that has transformed into a much simpler, barter-based society. Time has passed since plagues ravaged our world, and much of what our world once was has been lost to that time, except for rare scholars and others who make a point of studying old texts. The world building that is done here is well done and is more immersive rather than dumped on the reader in long, dry passages.
The more immersive and gradual development of the story also affects the character development. Being a reader that prioritizes well developed and complex characters, I feel that I have only glimpsed these characters at the point I have completed, but even in the story so far, I can appreciate how Matthew (the main character) is a kind, honorable and clever young man. He is also focused on his goal of finding his family. I am very curious to see how his character evolves over the last half of the story.
I could mention two minor concerns at this point, none of which are deal breakers, and that are all a matter of my personal preference. The first is that I would have preferred more screen time for Matthew using his artistic magic. As I mentioned, this was a huge draw for me, and I would have liked to see more of this magic in action in the earlier part of the book. I suspect it will become more integral in the story as it goes, so I am expecting it to expand as the book continues.
A second note is the amount of detail given to the horses. There are times when I feel more attention is being given to describing the horses and the care of the horses than to the development of the humans. I suppose a reader who owns or works with horses would love the specificity and attention to detail, but I am not a reader with any experience firsthand with them and it was a bit much in places.
As a side note, these is a very thorough and helpful trigger warning list given with this book. I know that will help potential readers make wise decisions, and hopefully know if this book is for them.
This book, so far, is immersive and engaging. It has a definite “slice of life” feel while slowly building in dread and suspense. Honestly, it is a refreshing change from some of the more warfare-heavy and intense books I have read in recent months. I am eager to see what happens in the rest of the book.
I want to thank the author for sending a copy of the book, and I wish her all the best with this book tour.
There’s a giveaway running this week for Oil and Dust. Look here to enter, and good luck!!!
Prize: A eBook or Signed Hardcover of Oil and Dust!
Starts: March 17, 2022 at 12:00am EST
Ends: March 23, 2022 at 11:59pm EST
Rusty's Reads 