Dune is not my usual type of read, but my fiancé and I both wanted to read it before the movie came out. We did a buddy read and while this book was dense and slow in the beginning, it quickly pulled me in and I really enjoyed it. Watching the movie after finishing was a bonus and I can't wait to see what they do with the last one!

The one big reason I dinged a star was because of the way the female characters were handled in this book. The end, in particular, left a sour taste in my mouth and made me feel like this writer simply did not care to even pretend like women matter other than to be a wife/mother/concubine to a male. It's disheartening to read, especially with such strong female characters that, at times, should have stolen the show. There were many instances where I found the author could have expanded on Jessica's powers and abilities, or Chani's incredible understanding of the desert, so on and so forth, but it never happens. And even though Paul seems to understand how important the women in his life are, he is quick to disregard them and make choices without thinking of how it will impact them.

Also, I felt like Paul's character declined as the book went on. Instead of a strong, heroic character ARC, he turned into a man-child. I liked him better as a young kid reluctant to accept his powers and responsibility more than the "man" he became by the end.

All that said, the writing is fantastic, and the world-building alone kept me glued to the book. I do recommend this one.