written by Frank Herbert, Book 1 of 2021
“There is no escape —we pay for the violence of our ancestors.”
Frank Herbert, Dune
I am going to be real honest on this one, the only reason I chose to read this was because I saw it was being made into a movie. My love for movies is nearly as great as my love for reading so anytime I see an adaptation that looks promising I’ll scramble to read the original story.
Again I must be honest, I didn’t love this book. Science fiction lovers please don’t hate me. I’ve been dipping my toes in more science fiction and fantasy over the last year and I’ve loved it. Who doesn’t want to escape reality these days? I thought the premise was pretty interesting but I never grew to like or even get attached to any of the main characters. The most interesting characters, Alia and Chani in my opinion, were secondary and barely given any substance. I did love that the characters who are children had great agency and were the changemakers.
The story’s major protagonist, Paul Atreides is the teenage son of a Duke engaged in an escalating conflict with another noble family in the distant future. This book was written in the 1960’s, and for the time, I’m sure it was novel and radical (space travel, futuristic technology…powerful women characters). Unfortunately, it feels pretty lackluster today.
The good news; I believe this will make a much better movie than book. I don’t expect deep character development from movies. A movie will silence the relentless repetitive monologues that all the characters engage in. A movie will have beautiful people and places to distract from flat characters and a predictable plot.
Recommended for: Anyone looking to escape to another world and has a lot of time on their hands, this is a long book.
Actions I will take in response to this book:
- This story made me think about contemporary climate change, land ownership, and the conflicts around those issues. My biggest takeaway was the reminder that children really are the future and that as an adult it’s my responsibility to the best I can for them.
- Ally myself with younger generations to improve societal conditions that are unacceptable and harmful to both our our current situation, but especially their future.
- Watch the I am Greta Documentary to learn more about Greta Thunberg’s mission.
- Recommend the book “A Children’s Bible” by Lydia Millet to anyone who wants to read something dystopian about the future we’re heading towards.
Content Warnings: Drugs, Addiction, Death of a Parent, Violence, Displacement