Nora S. (biblegirl06) reviewed on 2/6/2016 + 92 more book reviews

This writer transports readers back to the Great Depression; showing the hazards and hardships of a hopeful community fighting the dust bowl. The story is a haunting tale written in first person through the eyes of an adorable 10 year old girl named Pearl Spence who instantly stole my heart. I felt for her situation and appreciated her outlook on things. Pearl is compassionate, feisty and has wisdom beyond her years. She has a big sister that walked to the beat of her own drum. Pearl says, "Being a lady was just one of the laundry list of things my sister couldn't figure out...Mama had told me Beanie was slow. Daddy called her simple. Folks...said she was an idiot. Meemaw said "those folks didn't understand and that people sometimes get mean over what they didn't understand...It ain't no use fighting them....one of these days they'll figure out that we've got a miracle walking among us."

It was hard to escape their reality, Pearl says, "The dust got in no matter how hard we tried to keep it out. It worked its way into a crack here or a loose floorboard there. A hole in the roof or a gap in a windowsill. It always found a way in always won...Still, I couldn't help but imagine that the dust was one big old whopping from the very hand of God....I wondered how good we'd all have to be to get God to stop being angry at us."

Meemaw told me, "Life has a way of taking what we know and tangling it all in knots. It ain't gonna be easy on you to know the truth, never is. But you're a brave girl. And your strong in the Lord."

"Every storm has a beginning and every storm has an end. They never last forever." She whispered, "God is the one who saves. Don't forget it...Before I knew it, I was hugging my new dress and crying hard because all the green had dried up and gone, never to come back again....Desperate times called for desperate measures. For those who were unable to leave they did their best with what they had."

Pearl's Mom and her Dad the Sheriff helped keep order in their community and helped people where they could. Pearl's Mom and MeeMaw were strong women doing what they had to keep the faith and pass on food and love all the way.

This is a well-crafted drama with a mystery in the mix. It involved a secret being forced to the surface. Not everyone handles a crisis in the same manner as Pearl and her family. Tough topics portrayed in this novel were those of spousal and child abuse, cruelty to animals and murder. This is not for the faint of heart. I'd rate it a PG 13.

This is a thought-provoking, tender-hearted, emotional read I had to finish because I just had to know how things work out for Pearl and her family as they weathered the storm. This author became obsessed with what happened in the Great Depression and how the people dealt with the dust storms. She says, "After writing A Cup of Dust, I find that my admiration for the Dust Bowl survivors has grown. They were courageous, faithful, optimistic, and generous with what little they had. After all, who knew what the next year might bring. It very well might bring rain, and mercy from the Lord himself."

Disclosure of Material Connection: #AD Kregel Publications
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through The Book Club Network www.bookfun.org I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising"

Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins! www.bookfun.org
The Book Club Network blog www.psalm516.blogspot.com
Book Fun Magazine www.bookfunmagazine.com

Back to all reviews by this member
Back to all reviews of this book
Back to Book Reviews
Back to Book Details