Scan barcode
A review by msbarnesela
The Dog Stars by Peter Heller
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
The author has an MFA, and you can definitely tell in the style, if you know what I mean by that. (Not a bad thing—it’s just a distinct style.)
The post-apocalyptic setting is well-developed. I wanted to know more about the ending of civilization; I’m always curious about specifics.
The book starts really slow. Nothing much happens until about 30% through the book. The really compelling action starts around 50%. The last half of the book goes a lot quicker.
<The dog dies. It’s not a bad death—quiet, in his sleep, old age, next to his human. But it’s still really sad. It’s the inciting incident that gets the MC to go out and explore the world, and the grief comes up a lot.>
The post-apocalyptic setting is well-developed. I wanted to know more about the ending of civilization; I’m always curious about specifics.
The book starts really slow. Nothing much happens until about 30% through the book. The really compelling action starts around 50%. The last half of the book goes a lot quicker.
<The dog dies. It’s not a bad death—quiet, in his sleep, old age, next to his human. But it’s still really sad. It’s the inciting incident that gets the MC to go out and explore the world, and the grief comes up a lot.>
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Violence, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic