W. Bruce Cameron: A Dog's Purpose (Paperback, Forge Books)
Paperback, 336 pages
Published by Forge Books.
This novel, told from a dog’s perspective, has the highest reader-ranking of any recent New York Times Bestseller.
Probably what makes this story so beloved and unique is that it is told from the perspective of a real dog — that is, not a dog who understands English or talks to other dogs or animals. Often, this results in hilarious misunderstandings — just as in real life.
Also: it is not a story where at the end of the book the dog dies. That’s not a spoiler alert because the entire premise of the novel is that the dog never dies—he keeps being reborn, remembering each life, learning lessons from each life that help him with the next one. Eventually, he comes to conclude there must be a purpose, a reason for him to be reborn, and until he has figured out that purpose, he’ll keep being reborn, over and …
This novel, told from a dog’s perspective, has the highest reader-ranking of any recent New York Times Bestseller.
Probably what makes this story so beloved and unique is that it is told from the perspective of a real dog — that is, not a dog who understands English or talks to other dogs or animals. Often, this results in hilarious misunderstandings — just as in real life.
Also: it is not a story where at the end of the book the dog dies. That’s not a spoiler alert because the entire premise of the novel is that the dog never dies—he keeps being reborn, remembering each life, learning lessons from each life that help him with the next one. Eventually, he comes to conclude there must be a purpose, a reason for him to be reborn, and until he has figured out that purpose, he’ll keep being reborn, over and over again. ([source][1])
Historia opowiedziana z perspektywy psa, któremu dane było pamiętać swoje poprzednie wcielenia. Książka bawi, uczy ale też i wzrusza. Każdy kto ma lub miał psa, z pewnością odnajdzie w tej opowieści część siebie.
5 BIG stars from me! I wasn't the biggest dog lover; more of a cat person, but this book has changed that. What a delightful read . . . sure to make anyone who reads it a dog lover!
Heartwarming and easy to read story.
I wanted to like this but the narrative was just so messy. The dog POV was interesting but having a more omniscient narrative on top of that (as well as allowing the dog to understand and comment on things it shouldn't understand) really pulled me out of the narrative. And the ending, yes the dog was going to have to find its purpose, was just a bit too much.
Manipulative. Woo-woo, wish-fulfillment fantasy. Omniscient first-person narrator, a gimmick that nearly led me to abandoning it early. And did I mention manipulative?
But dammit, it worked. Cameron has created an unlikely lens that focuses powerfully on human love, loneliness, happiness, uncertainty, and our talent for stumbling onto doing right. I never actually grew to love the narrative gimmick, but I did come to understand and accept it and even love the narrator.
