Scan barcode
cmrider713's review against another edition
4.0
This book will make you look back on your life and examine how you've treated animals in the past. It follows the lives of a companion animal (Cooper, the dog), a circus animal (Nancy, the elephant), a farm animal (323, the pig), and a wild animal (the bear) as they are suddenly granted an awareness of their self-worth, the relationship between humans and animals, and their own power.
There were some parts of the book that were kitschy and predictable, but for the most part, it was well-written and drew me into it. I do feel like the end leaves something left to be desired; there is a philosophical undertone to the book that just becomes blatantly obvious in the ending. I think the idea behind the plot of the book was interesting - there have been books "written" from an animal's point of view, but they are always based on the premise that the animal has always had some level of awareness that they could comprehend. The best way to relate the experience would be a blind person gaining sight, a deaf person gaining the capacity to hear, etc.
There were some parts of the book that were kitschy and predictable, but for the most part, it was well-written and drew me into it. I do feel like the end leaves something left to be desired; there is a philosophical undertone to the book that just becomes blatantly obvious in the ending. I think the idea behind the plot of the book was interesting - there have been books "written" from an animal's point of view, but they are always based on the premise that the animal has always had some level of awareness that they could comprehend. The best way to relate the experience would be a blind person gaining sight, a deaf person gaining the capacity to hear, etc.
More...