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4.04 AVERAGE
4.04 AVERAGE
Oh my goodness, where do I start? This is quite simply the best book I have read in a long while. Although recommended to me ages ago, I've only just got round to reading this, as it's one of the two books I'll read this month for the bookclub I'm a member of.
I'll admit that I was initially a bit put off this book by the front cover picture and description on the back cover, as I'm not very interested in books about war and fighting. However, although it is set during the first world war and a lot of the scenes take place close to the front lines in France, this story is so much more than just a war book.
Fourteen year old Stanley is the main (human!) character and he is endearing and well written. The supporting characters (human and canine) spring into life from the pages and managed to bring forth just about every emotion in me. Happy to angry, frustrated to sad, i finished this feeling wrung out and left me an emotional wreck!
This book is extremely rare in that I didn't pick up a single grammatical error whilst reading. I have to say I can't honestly remember when that last happened. The use of vocabulary is wide and the descriptive language fantastic.
This is a tale of love, betrayal, hurt, pride, family and, most importantly to me, it depicts the level of emotion that I feel for my dogs like nothing else I've ever read. A true masterpiece that I'll be recommending to all my friends, especially my fellow dog lovers. This book just made me want to cuddle my hounds all the way through. Brilliant brilliant writing.
I'll admit that I was initially a bit put off this book by the front cover picture and description on the back cover, as I'm not very interested in books about war and fighting. However, although it is set during the first world war and a lot of the scenes take place close to the front lines in France, this story is so much more than just a war book.
Fourteen year old Stanley is the main (human!) character and he is endearing and well written. The supporting characters (human and canine) spring into life from the pages and managed to bring forth just about every emotion in me. Happy to angry, frustrated to sad, i finished this feeling wrung out and left me an emotional wreck!
This book is extremely rare in that I didn't pick up a single grammatical error whilst reading. I have to say I can't honestly remember when that last happened. The use of vocabulary is wide and the descriptive language fantastic.
This is a tale of love, betrayal, hurt, pride, family and, most importantly to me, it depicts the level of emotion that I feel for my dogs like nothing else I've ever read. A true masterpiece that I'll be recommending to all my friends, especially my fellow dog lovers. This book just made me want to cuddle my hounds all the way through. Brilliant brilliant writing.
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
While this is geared for Middle Grades, the extensive verbiage and knowledge for WWII makes this fit that YA category. While I personally felt emotional and disagree with War, the book touched on dark/real themes.
This book is very intense and I like this book. The characters are great and I love the happy ending. Great Book.
It is May 1917, the war is still raging in France, but Stanley Ryder, 13, is in big trouble back home in Lancashire, England. Things between him and his Da haven't been very good since him mother's death and favored older brother Tom enlisted in army help win the war. Now, Stanley has let his father's prized greyhound, Rocket, out and the dog is missing and in heat.
When the mixed breed puppies are born, the is a runt among that is about to die, but Stanley saves him and named him Soldier after his brother Tom. His father's anger has become explosive and one day he gives Rocket's puppies, except for Soldier, to some tinkers camping nearby. Then one morning, Stanley wakes to find Soldier and his Da gone. Fearing the worst, he races after them, but by the time he gets to the lake, his father standing there - alone.
Hurt and angered beyond measure, Stanly, now 14, decides to lie and enlist in the army so he can be sent to France to find his brother. It is clear the Stanley is much to young for combat, but he manages to get on his Sergeant's wrong side. But he also meets Scots-born brother Hamish and James McManus, who take him under their wing. One day, Hamish shows Stanley a notice asking for volunteers to train with messenger dogs for combat.
Stanley gets accepted into the training program and is given a Great Dane named Bones, a mistrustful suspicious abandoned guard dog. It takes a lot of hard work to train Bones, but eventually he and Stanley are shipped off to France.
But once in France, and in the thick of the war, Stanley realizes his idea of find Tom is really feasible. And Stanley also discovers the realities of war - the danger, the fear and the pride he has in how well Bones does what he was trained to do. One day, while crossing the area called No Man's Land (the area that separates enemy trenches from each other), Bones is with mustard gas by enemy. He manages to get across the field and deliver his message, one that ultimately saved many lives, but later Bones dies a hero from his wounds.
Devastated at his canine losses, first Soldier then Bones, Stanley decides to tell the army his real age and go home, but instead they give him another dog, this one named Pistol. This dog is a traumatized, out of control mix breed who takes to Stanley immediately, which is surprising, since no one else has been able to get near him. Do Pistol and Stanley share the same need - just to be loved and wanted?
Sam Angus's Soldier Dog is one of the most compelling wartime animal stories I have read, on a par with, but different from, Michael Morpurgo's War Horse. Both books take place on the battlefields of World War I, but the real battles being fought are the personal ones that result from being hurt and betrayed by those who should be taking care of their children and animals.
Stanley is a strong, well-developed character who will resonate with boys as well as girls. His father's anger is volatile and at times pretty scary but he never physically hurts Stanley or his dogs, for that matter. I have to be honest and say that I don't like characters (or people) who have such unpredictable explosive tempers, but I thought that Angus did a great job on making Da believable, but not too frightening.
Much of this book occurs in wartime France. The battlefield scenes can be a bit graphic, but not overly so. And the descriptions of what happens when you are hit with mustard gas are not nearly as bad as the real thing. Hopefully just enough to make young readers realize that war is a terrible thing, but on the whole this novel should not offend young readers.
Soldier Dog is a debut novel for Sam Angus. The idea for it came to her after hearing a story on the radio about animals used in World War I, and there were some real canine heroes on that war, just like Bones and Pistol.
This book is recommended for readers age 10+
This book was purchased for my personal library
This book was originally reviewed at Randomly Reading
When the mixed breed puppies are born, the is a runt among that is about to die, but Stanley saves him and named him Soldier after his brother Tom. His father's anger has become explosive and one day he gives Rocket's puppies, except for Soldier, to some tinkers camping nearby. Then one morning, Stanley wakes to find Soldier and his Da gone. Fearing the worst, he races after them, but by the time he gets to the lake, his father standing there - alone.
Hurt and angered beyond measure, Stanly, now 14, decides to lie and enlist in the army so he can be sent to France to find his brother. It is clear the Stanley is much to young for combat, but he manages to get on his Sergeant's wrong side. But he also meets Scots-born brother Hamish and James McManus, who take him under their wing. One day, Hamish shows Stanley a notice asking for volunteers to train with messenger dogs for combat.
Stanley gets accepted into the training program and is given a Great Dane named Bones, a mistrustful suspicious abandoned guard dog. It takes a lot of hard work to train Bones, but eventually he and Stanley are shipped off to France.
But once in France, and in the thick of the war, Stanley realizes his idea of find Tom is really feasible. And Stanley also discovers the realities of war - the danger, the fear and the pride he has in how well Bones does what he was trained to do. One day, while crossing the area called No Man's Land (the area that separates enemy trenches from each other), Bones is with mustard gas by enemy. He manages to get across the field and deliver his message, one that ultimately saved many lives, but later Bones dies a hero from his wounds.
Devastated at his canine losses, first Soldier then Bones, Stanley decides to tell the army his real age and go home, but instead they give him another dog, this one named Pistol. This dog is a traumatized, out of control mix breed who takes to Stanley immediately, which is surprising, since no one else has been able to get near him. Do Pistol and Stanley share the same need - just to be loved and wanted?
Sam Angus's Soldier Dog is one of the most compelling wartime animal stories I have read, on a par with, but different from, Michael Morpurgo's War Horse. Both books take place on the battlefields of World War I, but the real battles being fought are the personal ones that result from being hurt and betrayed by those who should be taking care of their children and animals.
Stanley is a strong, well-developed character who will resonate with boys as well as girls. His father's anger is volatile and at times pretty scary but he never physically hurts Stanley or his dogs, for that matter. I have to be honest and say that I don't like characters (or people) who have such unpredictable explosive tempers, but I thought that Angus did a great job on making Da believable, but not too frightening.
Much of this book occurs in wartime France. The battlefield scenes can be a bit graphic, but not overly so. And the descriptions of what happens when you are hit with mustard gas are not nearly as bad as the real thing. Hopefully just enough to make young readers realize that war is a terrible thing, but on the whole this novel should not offend young readers.
Soldier Dog is a debut novel for Sam Angus. The idea for it came to her after hearing a story on the radio about animals used in World War I, and there were some real canine heroes on that war, just like Bones and Pistol.
This book is recommended for readers age 10+
This book was purchased for my personal library
This book was originally reviewed at Randomly Reading
Honestly, as I was reading the first few chapters of the book, it didn’t seem all that special to me. Compared to what I was expecting, this book seemed a little disappointing. That changed as the story progressed and Stanley joined the army.
Sam Angus had captured how the army works so well in the following chapters. Their desperate need for more fighting men leads them to take Stanley even though they know that he is well below the appropriate age. Along with displaying the compassion and camaraderie between the men, this book also draws attention to how big a role dogs played in wars. I never knew how important dogs were as messengers in the wars, the amount of training they go through, the actual run when they carry the message from one base to another. It was a real eye-opener on that front.
Although the book is narrated in the third person, the dialogues and storytelling seem like Stanley, the 14-year-old is the one narrating the story. For a story like this, I would have liked it to have a richer flow, more character.
The description of the places could have been clearer as the author uses the names of the places rather than describing them in detail, making it hard for me to picture the location of the scene. Picturing the location helps me keep my focus on the story and makes me feel as I am there as well.
***SPOILER(ish) AHEAD***
We’ve read many stories about losing a loved one in the war, but the pain of losing one’s dog in the war is not that talked about. The pain and struggles that the young boy goes through after losing his messenger dog in the army are so raw and real. We can see how the army forces people to grow up fast, as they immediately assign another dog to Stanley even as he struggles to accept the death of his old one.
Although there are many situations where Stanley has to step up and be the man, there are times that remind us that he is still just a child. The softness of his heart and how much he cares about his friends shape the innocence of his character, giving us glimpses of the child beneath the man he is becoming.
The best part of the book, for me, was when grown men were brought to tears as they see the dog struggle to get back to camp with its message. These are men that have watched their comrades die, enemies slaughtered, and yet feel an unbelievable compassion for the soldier dog. This part of the books shows us how much animals, especially dogs, can touch our lives. Even if they are with us for a brief moment, they change us forever.
If you are a dog lover, I would definitely recommend this book to you. Even if you’re not a dog person, this book is an interesting read.
Find more of my other book reviews @ https://travellingthrubooks.wordpress.com
Sam Angus had captured how the army works so well in the following chapters. Their desperate need for more fighting men leads them to take Stanley even though they know that he is well below the appropriate age. Along with displaying the compassion and camaraderie between the men, this book also draws attention to how big a role dogs played in wars. I never knew how important dogs were as messengers in the wars, the amount of training they go through, the actual run when they carry the message from one base to another. It was a real eye-opener on that front.
Although the book is narrated in the third person, the dialogues and storytelling seem like Stanley, the 14-year-old is the one narrating the story. For a story like this, I would have liked it to have a richer flow, more character.
The description of the places could have been clearer as the author uses the names of the places rather than describing them in detail, making it hard for me to picture the location of the scene. Picturing the location helps me keep my focus on the story and makes me feel as I am there as well.
***SPOILER(ish) AHEAD***
We’ve read many stories about losing a loved one in the war, but the pain of losing one’s dog in the war is not that talked about. The pain and struggles that the young boy goes through after losing his messenger dog in the army are so raw and real. We can see how the army forces people to grow up fast, as they immediately assign another dog to Stanley even as he struggles to accept the death of his old one.
Although there are many situations where Stanley has to step up and be the man, there are times that remind us that he is still just a child. The softness of his heart and how much he cares about his friends shape the innocence of his character, giving us glimpses of the child beneath the man he is becoming.
The best part of the book, for me, was when grown men were brought to tears as they see the dog struggle to get back to camp with its message. These are men that have watched their comrades die, enemies slaughtered, and yet feel an unbelievable compassion for the soldier dog. This part of the books shows us how much animals, especially dogs, can touch our lives. Even if they are with us for a brief moment, they change us forever.
If you are a dog lover, I would definitely recommend this book to you. Even if you’re not a dog person, this book is an interesting read.
Find more of my other book reviews @ https://travellingthrubooks.wordpress.com
My Rating : 5🌟
" Whatever lies ahead for you both, remember that to him, you are all his life"
This books low-key made me cry and wish i had a dog who loved me as much Soldier loves Stanley. It is set in the 1917's midst the war between Germany and France, and it follows the story of the under-age boy Stanley who joins the army when things go awry with his father. The hear-wrenching tone of the book is really spread throughout the book.
The character development of Stanley has been done beautifully. It deals with a lot of emotions he deals with and how he understands himself as the story progresses. I really loved the part where the insecurities/grieving the loss of someone you love has been explained raw. It connects much better and i thoroughly enjoyed that.
What makes this book a 5-star read for me is the fact that even though the writing was simple, it made an emotional connection and the author had done an amazing job in conveying emotions through words. The loyalty of a dog, ugly truth of a war, essence of time were all covered well. I still had few issues with this book, but the book as a whole made complete sense and i really loved the progress with respect to character development and story-line. I definitely recommend you to read this book if you are looking for a heart-warming/heart-wrenching story of a teen boy who survives a great war with the help of his dog.
" Whatever lies ahead for you both, remember that to him, you are all his life"
This books low-key made me cry and wish i had a dog who loved me as much Soldier loves Stanley. It is set in the 1917's midst the war between Germany and France, and it follows the story of the under-age boy Stanley who joins the army when things go awry with his father. The hear-wrenching tone of the book is really spread throughout the book.
The character development of Stanley has been done beautifully. It deals with a lot of emotions he deals with and how he understands himself as the story progresses. I really loved the part where the insecurities/grieving the loss of someone you love has been explained raw. It connects much better and i thoroughly enjoyed that.
What makes this book a 5-star read for me is the fact that even though the writing was simple, it made an emotional connection and the author had done an amazing job in conveying emotions through words. The loyalty of a dog, ugly truth of a war, essence of time were all covered well. I still had few issues with this book, but the book as a whole made complete sense and i really loved the progress with respect to character development and story-line. I definitely recommend you to read this book if you are looking for a heart-warming/heart-wrenching story of a teen boy who survives a great war with the help of his dog.
DNF
I didn't finish this book because I didn't connect with the main character and I think I am not in the mood to read this.
I didn't finish this book because I didn't connect with the main character and I think I am not in the mood to read this.
Loved this book.
It was so interesting and well-written.
how I cheered for that little dog... wanting him to do his job.
you can read my full review here
It was so interesting and well-written.
how I cheered for that little dog... wanting him to do his job.
you can read my full review here