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archimedesfudge's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
ellahoward_'s review against another edition
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
This suspense thriller was a rollercoaster! The story is about someone watching over their family after their death. It is told mainly through Bryony and Sally’s alternating perspectives within each of the chapters, that are not separate but organically intertwined. I really liked the descriptive writing style and how M.S wrote about children’s experience of the grief of adults, how they understand the cruelty of the world and process death. It was a change to read a book based in South Africa and its culture, with the story flowing seamlessly, with an unexpected twist near the end.
Book was a part of a book subscription from aboxofstories!
Tw: murder, massacre, self harm,
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Violence, and Death of parent
Moderate: Self harm
eulrch's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
gellyreads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I kind of regret listening to this instead of reading it. This is really memorable and well done, although it is a bit wild and I struggled to follow the middle a bit.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Violence, Murder, Torture, Kidnapping, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
beth21's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
3.5
lulujoe's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, and Murder
Moderate: Violence, Torture, Blood, and Self harm
Minor: Drug abuse
eclectictales's review
5.0
I received an ARC of this novel courtesy of the publishers in exchange for an honest review. This review in its entirety was originally posted at eclectictales.com: http://www.eclectictales.com/blog/2015/02/06/review-black-dog-summer/
I read Black Dog Summer in one sitting. Not only because the ARC wasn’t that long (clocking less than 300 pages), but also because it was that gripping. We follow Adele and her family as they react and grieve for Sally’s death and their attempts to take care of Sally’s daughter, Gigi, in the aftermath of the massacre. Everyone is grieving in their own way, but Sally’s death and Gigi’s inclusion into their lives opens some old wounds and secrets, especially between Adele and Liam. The tragedy also sheds light on the complex relationship between sisters Adele and Sally, both before and after Liam enters the picture. To a lesser extent the story also sheds light on the complex relationship between Sally and her daughter Gigi, though I felt there were not enough flashback sequences between the two–especially outside of Sally’s love life–to understand the nuances in their sometimes-tense relationship.
I will say that as palpable as the emotions are in this novel, there are moments that remind me that the characters of Gigi and Bryony are still very young, a teenager or on the cusp of it. Given Gigi’s lifestyle, sometimes she comes across as wise beyond her years, other times she’s just a prickly teenager (her grief and mourning aisde). And Bryony’s understanding of what has happened to her cousin is child-like but captures perfectly how a child would understand such a situation.
I don’t know anything about various African cultures in the South African region but the element of spirits and witch doctors adds a heightened sense of foreboding into the story. The symbol and reference to the black dog was really eerie. Lesedi’s presence in the story additionally provides a perspective to the social situation between races in contemporary South Africa post-apartheid, the socio-economic reality, but she also helps Bryony in her character journey.
While the massacre itself is referred to over the course of the story, the actual events aren’t mentioned until later one and it is horrific. I actually had to skim that section because it was too graphic for me (and I was reading this book late at night).
Black Dog Summer was a gripping read that just catches your attention from the beginning and doesn’t let go until the last page. It’s both haunting and poignant in its examination of sisterly bonds, grief, and moving forward after tragedy.
Rating: 4.5/5
I read Black Dog Summer in one sitting. Not only because the ARC wasn’t that long (clocking less than 300 pages), but also because it was that gripping. We follow Adele and her family as they react and grieve for Sally’s death and their attempts to take care of Sally’s daughter, Gigi, in the aftermath of the massacre. Everyone is grieving in their own way, but Sally’s death and Gigi’s inclusion into their lives opens some old wounds and secrets, especially between Adele and Liam. The tragedy also sheds light on the complex relationship between sisters Adele and Sally, both before and after Liam enters the picture. To a lesser extent the story also sheds light on the complex relationship between Sally and her daughter Gigi, though I felt there were not enough flashback sequences between the two–especially outside of Sally’s love life–to understand the nuances in their sometimes-tense relationship.
I will say that as palpable as the emotions are in this novel, there are moments that remind me that the characters of Gigi and Bryony are still very young, a teenager or on the cusp of it. Given Gigi’s lifestyle, sometimes she comes across as wise beyond her years, other times she’s just a prickly teenager (her grief and mourning aisde). And Bryony’s understanding of what has happened to her cousin is child-like but captures perfectly how a child would understand such a situation.
I don’t know anything about various African cultures in the South African region but the element of spirits and witch doctors adds a heightened sense of foreboding into the story. The symbol and reference to the black dog was really eerie. Lesedi’s presence in the story additionally provides a perspective to the social situation between races in contemporary South Africa post-apartheid, the socio-economic reality, but she also helps Bryony in her character journey.
While the massacre itself is referred to over the course of the story, the actual events aren’t mentioned until later one and it is horrific. I actually had to skim that section because it was too graphic for me (and I was reading this book late at night).
Black Dog Summer was a gripping read that just catches your attention from the beginning and doesn’t let go until the last page. It’s both haunting and poignant in its examination of sisterly bonds, grief, and moving forward after tragedy.
Rating: 4.5/5
readinggrrl's review
4.0
The narrator was fabulous. Her different voices for the characters really made it feel more like a play than just a narrative.
There have been several reviewers who have compared this book with the Lovely Bones but instead of a dead child narrating the story it is Sally a murdered mother and her niece Bryony. While you may think this is a story about murder it is more a story about family. The secrets they keep and the relationships that draw them together or push them apart.
Gigi spends most of her time grieving. She had more freedom when she lived at home but now she has to live with her aunt and uncle which she doesn't like. While she tries to move forward something else seems to be bothering her, something that she may have seen which may have devastating effects on the family.
While this book was a little slow to build the ending was worth the wait. Beautifully written and very atmospheric of a culture and place few of us have visited. While the subject matter may seem like a downer this book keeps things light enough to move it along. I highly recommend this book.
There have been several reviewers who have compared this book with the Lovely Bones but instead of a dead child narrating the story it is Sally a murdered mother and her niece Bryony. While you may think this is a story about murder it is more a story about family. The secrets they keep and the relationships that draw them together or push them apart.
Gigi spends most of her time grieving. She had more freedom when she lived at home but now she has to live with her aunt and uncle which she doesn't like. While she tries to move forward something else seems to be bothering her, something that she may have seen which may have devastating effects on the family.
While this book was a little slow to build the ending was worth the wait. Beautifully written and very atmospheric of a culture and place few of us have visited. While the subject matter may seem like a downer this book keeps things light enough to move it along. I highly recommend this book.