A Mouthful of Dust
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About the book
Wandering Cleric Chih of Singing Hills and their hoopoe companion Almost Brilliant come to the river town of Baolin chasing stories of a legendary famine. Amid tales of dishes served to royalty and desserts made of dust, they discover the secrets of what happens when hunger stalks the land and what the powerful will do to hide their crimes. Trapped in the mansion of a sinister magistrate, Chih and Almost Brilliant must learn what happened in Baolin when the famine came to call, and they must do so quickly...because the things in the shadows are only growing hungrier. The Singing Hills Cycle has been shortlisted for the Lambda Literary Award, the Locus Award, and the Ignyte Award, and has won the Crawford Award and the Hugo Award. The novellas are standalone stories linked by the Cleric Chih, and may be read in any order.
Where the score comes from
The sources average 8.4 across 25 ratings — not yet many, so the reader vote carries 12% of the weight and the rest pulls toward the Rankings average of 7.8. That is how 8.1 comes out.
| Source | Average | Ratings | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hardcover | 8.4 | 25 | 100% |
Reader voices
The most-liked reviews on Hardcover (credited to their authors).
“If you have been reading the Singing Hills saga since the spellbinding The Empress of Salt and Fortune as have I then I can promise you this novella continues in that outstanding series tradition. This tale begins with a darker tone with our wandering Cleric Chih and their hoopoe companion Almost Brilliant uncovering a persons remains in the ground. Hunger pervades this story, reminding me of the stories from lone Wolf and Cub 'The town where hunger lives' Jayne over at Dear reader sums it up better than I can. "... This is a disturbing little novella.... It’s beautifully written, evocative,…”
Frequently asked
What is A Mouthful of Dust rated?
8.1 out of 10, from 25 reader ratings across 1 independent sources.
Is A Mouthful of Dust worth reading?
Readers give it 8.1/10 from 25 ratings in open sources.