Starlight Barking
Ratings1
Average rating2
Dodie Smith's The Hundred and One Dalmatians, later adapted by Disney, was declared a classic when first published in 1956. The Starlight Barking, Dodie's own long-forgotten sequel, is a thrilling new adventure for Pongo and his family, lavishly illustrated by the same artist team as the first book. As the story opens, every living creature except dogs is gripped by an enchanted sleep. One of the original Dalmatian puppies, all grown up since the first novel, is now the Prime Minister's mascot. Relying on her spotted parents for guidance, she assumes emergency leadership for the canine population of England. Awaiting advice from Sirius, the Dog Star, dogs of every breed crowd Trafalgar Square to watch the evening skies. The message they receive is a disturbing proposition, one that might forever destroy their status as "man's best friend."
Reviews
Popular Reviews
Reviews with the most likes.
Another 372 pages read. 12 chapters of unhinged weirdness, 1960's British humor, whooshing dogs, and nothing resembling a plot. Every non-dog creature n the world falls into a coma, while the dogs wake up with magic powers. An alien shows up and offers the dogs the chance to get out of Dodge before humanity possibly nukes itself to death. The dogs briefly discuss it, decide not to leave, and everything goes back to normal. I mean briefly. It's like three pages.
The best part is the bit where the dogs wonder if Cruella Deville might somehow be responsible for the coma slash magic powers thing, discover she's also unconscious and can't be behind it, then debate whether they should just murder her in her sleep, since they're there anyway.
