Scan barcode
jennykeery's review against another edition
5.0
I did not expect to be so moved by this book! Stapledon's treatment of a being who is neither dog nor human is thoughtful and sad. I thought 'Sirius' would take a cold, scientific approach but instead it is a fascinating character study.
j4ndo's review against another edition
challenging
dark
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
3.0
lamusadelils's review against another edition
4.0
Este es un lindo, lindo libro. Un trago amargo por uno dulce, resuena lo suficiente en la actualidad como para ignorar lo anticuado que parece a veces.
lukrietz's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
barryhaworth's review against another edition
4.0
Written in 1944, this novel tells the story of a dog whose intelligence has been artificially boosted to human levels, and explores the physical and social practicalities of how a dog with human intelligence might find its place (or not) in a human world.
Another book which I am revisiting after a long time, this one is very much worth the second visit. Stapledon puts a lot of thought into what life in the human world would be like for a dog with human level intelligence, but with a very different sensory and physical abilities. A fascinating exploration.
Another book which I am revisiting after a long time, this one is very much worth the second visit. Stapledon puts a lot of thought into what life in the human world would be like for a dog with human level intelligence, but with a very different sensory and physical abilities. A fascinating exploration.
oliviaalice's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-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? Yes
4.0
ddavis3739's review against another edition
4.0
I definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in science fiction or philosophy. As a super intelligent dog who is one of a kind, how does Sirius adapt to being an alien in a foreign world? As the characters evolve, so do the questions and the ending, though tragic in nature sums up the books themes well.
sirlancelot2021's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
nwhyte's review against another edition
5.0
https://nwhyte.livejournal.com/3424586.html
As a kid I hugely enjoyed Diana Wynne Jones' Dogsbody and A.M. Lightner's Star Dog (the latter long out of print), both of which centre around the relationship between a human and a puppy which has been born with unearthly powers due to extraterrestrial intervention. Here, the eponymous Sirius is the product of human intervention, enhanced to superior intellectual abilities and also much longer lifespan. I've read a lot of Stapledon's cosmic fiction before, and not always been hugely impressed; I found Sirius much easier to relate to both as a book and as a character. Sure, it draws heavily on Frankenstein, but I think Stapledon brings a lot of new material to his source - most particulary the intense relationship between dog and girl. You know of course where it is going to end, but it kept me very engaged until we got there.
As a kid I hugely enjoyed Diana Wynne Jones' Dogsbody and A.M. Lightner's Star Dog (the latter long out of print), both of which centre around the relationship between a human and a puppy which has been born with unearthly powers due to extraterrestrial intervention. Here, the eponymous Sirius is the product of human intervention, enhanced to superior intellectual abilities and also much longer lifespan. I've read a lot of Stapledon's cosmic fiction before, and not always been hugely impressed; I found Sirius much easier to relate to both as a book and as a character. Sure, it draws heavily on Frankenstein, but I think Stapledon brings a lot of new material to his source - most particulary the intense relationship between dog and girl. You know of course where it is going to end, but it kept me very engaged until we got there.