Book Review: A Boy and His Dog at the End of the World – C.A. Fletcher
I know I’m late to the game, but I recently discovered Netgalley and signed up to review. I wasn’t too sure how many books I’d get approved for, and when I spotted the cover for A Boy and His Dog at the End of the World, I was immediately drawn in. Reading the synopsis pulled me in further. I have a soft spot for dog fiction. Even though I typically try to limit how many post-apocalypse themed books I read, I knew I needed to give this one a shot. This was the very first book that I was approved to read through the website, which I think made it a bit sentimental.
The narrative in this book is great. It’s been some time since I’ve read a book told in diary form and specifically talking to the reader, but as it turns out, I’ve now read two back-to-back. (The other was Will Haunt You by Brian Kirk, which was a phenomenal read for you horror fans out there.)
The story follows a young boy a number of years after the world began its demise. The “apocalypse” in this tale was a fantastic twist on the genre and it made me stop and think about how it’s something that could very well happen.
The boy and his family live on a small island somewhere near the United Kingdom.
Then one day a boat is spotted and a stranger arrives. The man is worldly, enthralling, but also different. Leaving the boy with a sense of unease towards the stranger, his beard and his smile.
When the boy wakes up and the stranger has left with his beloved dog, the story begins, as the boy gives chase.
Overall this was a fantastic telling of the lengths a human will go towards their pet. But as most of us dog owners know, our pets are more than just pets, they are family.
The boy has to overcome a number of obstacles, setbacks and roadblocks along the way, as he tracks his dog and the stranger that stole it.
I found there was a few bogged down moments in the middle of the book, which slowed the story and added details that didn’t move the plot along.
However, C.A. Fletcher rights this quickly, which leads us to an ending that I didn’t see coming, but it wrapped everything up and brought the entire story to a phenomenal close.
This tale I think will situate itself nicely with many YA, post-apocalyptic novels, while also separating itself purely with how it is written and the themes shared within.
4/5 stars for an enjoyable romp across an unfriendly landscape.
Original Review:
