I’m very glad I gave Bradbury another chance after not really vibing with Fahrenheit 451, as Dandelion Wine is totally different - and much better! The story of a magical summer in the backwaters of Illinois, this book is pure childhood summer distilled into prose, believe me when I say the nostalgia is real.
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My childhood summers may not have been exactly like Doug’s, but Bradbury still makes the whole experience universal. It took me back to long days, leaving the house at 8am and not returning until 6pm, exploring outside, making ‘soup’ out of rain water, hawthorn berries and nettles, coming back home covered in mud and grass stains and smelling of summer!
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It honestly felt like a different author than Fahrenheit?! I found the writing there stilted, the dialogue clumsy, and yet Dandelion Wine was a DREAM to read - the atmosphere of summer practically leapt off the page and enveloped you in the warm and fuzzies!
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And then in between the warm fuzzies there is an instance of sheer TERROR thrown in, just to remind you of how strong every emotion can feel in summer, not just the good ones but the bad ones too. As one of my worst nightmares is being followed in the dark, this scene had me holding my breath in anticipation and in awe at the tension Bradbury creates! Stellar writing.
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I accidentally took too long to write my review so can’t remember exactly what section it was that lost me a little bit, bumping my rating from a 4.5 or 5 to a 4, but I just remember wanting to hurry up through it and get back to the wonders of Doug and his imagination!
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I suggest either reading this one in the summer so you can be taken back to your childhood while the sun shines and the days last forever, or in the dead of winter if you’re looking for a little tonic of summer!