From the Dust Returned Review

If you're getting tired of me solely reviewing Ray Bradbury books, don't panic. I'm doing something different this month. Unfortunately for you (if you're tired of Bradbury reviews, that is) this is one of the former.

This time, it's From the Dust Returned. This is a fix-up novel that has been in the making since 1946. In fact, it started as a few short stories, but now it is finished (well, finished ten years ago...) as a "novel".

Because of its history, it doesn't fit together structurally as cohesively as, say, Something Wicked This Way Comes did. That is not to say, however, that it is a bad book. It's simply not a convenional novel. To be sure, it has an overarching storyline, just separated into short stories and shorter, connecting, chapters.


Now, the book is about the Family (sometimes called the Elliot Family), a group of beings of nightmare and darkness. Rather like The Addams Family or The Munsters.  In fact, it shares a history with the Addams Family.

Cover painting by Charles Addams for this book

Ray Bradbury and Charles Addams intended to make this book together, with Bradbury writing and Addams illustrating. Before this ever happened, they parted ways and Addams used the idea to create the Addams Family comic and the rest is history.

The story itself begins when Timothy, a normal human living as part of the Family (*cough*Munsters*cough*), goes up to the attic and talks with his Thousand Times Great Grandmère (a pharaoh's daughter from ancient Egypt, now mummified) about the history of the House in which they live and its inhabitants. He wants to learn more, as it will soon be the time of the Homecoming, when many members of the family will come and spend time together.

Through this, Timothy learns of the mysterious origins of the house and the first inhabitants (such as the cat Anuba, the Mouse, and Cecy, a perpetually (?) teenage girl whose mind can stretch out and be in others' bodies) and learns that he was a foundling who arrived on the doorstep.

Timothy wishes that he was more like the Family, and feels down during the Homecoming. After the event, however, many return, including the winged Uncle Einar, as the world doesn't believe as they once did. Their world seems to be ending unless they can find a way to rekindle people's fear of them.

Through subsequent events, Timothy learns to value life more than before, as it is very precious, and the Family learns to use the time they have to its fullest and to love and aid each other no matter what.

It is a touching book (odd, considering who the focus characters are) and yet another addition to Ray Bradbury's canon that I heartily recommend.

Update: Since re-reading the afterword, I feel the need to make a correction: the afterword suggests that Charles Addams already had his Addams Family comics going before the two met, being why the two were a perfect fit to work together on the book. Didn't intend to make Charles sound like a plagiarist.

Next Time: Continuity