What Blooms From Dust by James Markert ~ Review

My Review:

After escaping the electric chair, Jeremiah Goodbye makes a coin-flip decision to return to his hometown, Nowhere, Oklahoma. The dust bowls of the Depression have hit Nowhere hard, and it's residents are losing hope. Home in Nowhere Jeremiah must face his father, twin brother, and the girl he left behind as secrets are revealed and he fights for his family in a town that's given up hope.

Set during the Dust Bowl of The Great Depression in Oklahoma, What Blooms From Dust is a story of forgiveness, hope, and family, told in a off-beat, but straightforward, matter-of-fact manner, with larger than life characters.

This was a different kind of read for me, full of quirky characters and intriguing plot twists. As the story unfolded things only got stranger. Jeremiah Goodbye is a man who has always been different, flipping coins for almost every decision, and battling terrible nightmares he'd always had his brother, Josiah by his side, until they both fell in love with the same girl. It was interesting to get to know all the characters in Nowhere, unpacking their stories, and going back to Jeremiah and Josiah's childhood. I especially liked Peter, he was a dear boy with a big heart, and observant eyes.

Overall, it was an interesting read, with lots of mysteries, secrets, and striking characters.  It is a vivid story about kindness, community, truth, rekindling hope, and the human spirit, but I did find myself skimming here and there especially during dialog heavy exchanges that in my mind could have been more concise. I love the cover of this book, it has a whimsical vintage vibe, and has an excellent use of color and font, as well as key parts of the book's plot. The storytelling really fits with the this kind of story, with apt descriptions that are quirky and unique, but nail the verbal illustration to a T. Whimsical and straightforward, What Blooms From Dust is a drama packed adventure set in the bleakest day of The Great Depression.

I will note that I would not classify this book as Christian Fiction, which is what Thomas Nelson is known for publishing. While spiritual elements such as angels and demons are mentioned, as well as members of the clergy, this book did not promote a faith firmly rooted in Jesus Christ the real source of all of our hope. Instead it seemed to be about the power of human kindness to triumph over evil.

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