"Dust" - Michelle West

[Taake]

Here is where we can discuss the first story of this book, "Dust" by Michelle West which is about Buffy's time with her fahter in L.A.

 

[Skanky Vamp]

Does this come in some type of audiobook format or something like that? I have a hard time finding time to read.

 

[Taake]

Well, well, well better late than never. I get my time schedules from @nightshade 😛

For the purpose of discussing this short story which deals with Buffy's trauma of dying, you can now listen to the first part of it by downloading this resource here and join in the discussion:

Part 1: "Dust" by M. West

This is the first section from Michelle West's "Dust", part of the short story collection "How I survived my summer vacation".

buffy-boards.com

This is just a first part, so please let me know if this is something you want more of and we'll arrange for the rest as well. 🙂

 

[Taake]

Well written short story that really digs into Buffy’s trauma of drowning and paints an interesting picture of her relationship with her father. Now, while it is clear that he isn’t perfect, it also shows that it is tricky to have a traumatized daughter who can’t actually speak of her trauma. It is so heartbreaking that Buffy has to carry these things on her own.

In the background you have the Anointed one and a henchman trying to mess with Buffy, making her see people’s death whenever she touches them. It is pretty terrible and interesting to think about the accuracy – she “sees” Angel’s death (becoming a vampire) and it is pretty accurate, while she sees Joyce’s death it is her mom dying of old age in a hospital (obviously written before s5) but still interesting to think about how fates can change.

 

[Miss Muffet]

while she sees Joyce’s death it is her mom dying of old age in a hospital (obviously written before s5) but still interesting to think about how fates can change.

There's a theory that all the memories of Dawn being added to Joyce's head were what caused the tumor, and while I don't actually headcanon it, it's really sad to think about in relation to this story 🙁

 

[Taake]

There's a theory that all the memories of Dawn being added to Joyce's head were what caused the tumor, and while I don't actually headcanon it, it's really sad to think about in relation to this story 🙁

Oh yeah, didn’t think about that, this would definitely lend to that theory. Makes me headcanon the Dawn theory a bit more actually, makes her an even more tragic character though.

 

[Skanky Vamp]

I don't think that tumor thing is headcanon at all. It all seems rather convenient to happen at the same time. If Dawn never came, Joyce would never have had a tumor.

 

[Stake fodder]

This is just a first part, so please let me know if this is something you want more of and we'll arrange for the rest as well.

I would like more! I enjoyed listening to the first part.