A Dog's Purpose

Cute and yet I was counting down the minutes till I'd finish, almost from the moment I started listening. I know it's written simply because it's supposed to be “by a dog,” but now I feel like there's a(nother) reason we don't read books written by dogs.

Oof that ending really hurt

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!

This book was actually pretty solid. I wasn't expecting anything good and I honestly didn't like the writing to start out with. It was a little too simple and in-your-face about the whole being in a dog's head thing, but I guess I got used to it somewhere between a quarter and halfway through. It was heart-warming and cute and I'm glad I ended up reading it! I'd been wanting to see the movie, but at this point I'm pretty sure it's going to have trouble living up to the book.

I think any dog person will love this book and I think any pet-owner will enjoy it.
The book made me laugh, smile and cry. It brought back many childhood memories of my own dog that was with me growing up and who I still miss.

Despite the stringent standards, another book has entered the ranks of “The 6th Star Rating.”

FICTION: Check.

STYLE: While this is not written in the literary eloquence you may expect from such an elevated rating, the writing style is one of its qualifications for the prestige. Dog's are simple creatures. Hence, the narrative is simply written. A K9 point of view was charming and never grew tired.

STORY: Ask yourself, how many authors could write from a dog's perspective? How many could do so while presenting, and maintaining, a level of [assumed] accuracy without flagging even once? Now ask yourself, how many authors do you know of who have actually accomplished this? Dog lovers everywhere will recognize, relate to, and mentally affirm Cameron's representation of a dog's perspective.

LEGACY: One of the final qualifications for my “6th Star” rating lies in the book's legacy. It need not be a widely popular work. Rather, I require it to remain with me, producing a lasting mental and emotional resonance. This book impacted me nearly start to finish. In the end, I struggled to finish the book because I could not focus through the tears. Such a reaction to fiction has never occurred in my life.

RECOMMEND-ABILITY: Many people discuss this point, so I'll cover it briefly. Dog lovers will fully appreciate this charming, simple, and well delivered work. Though this is a clear niche audience, I argue that point strengthens my ability to recommend this. I certainly cannot recommend it to everyone I know, but I know exactly who would most enjoy this book.

If they have not already done so, all dog lovers should drop everything they are currently reading and should read this book. Cameron has perfectly capture the voice of a dog. He must have been one in an earlier life.

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.