A Boy and His Dog at the End of the World by C.A. Fletcher

Jan 04, 2019 Petrik rated it really liked it

Recommends it for: Station Eleven and Post-Apocalyptic fans

Shelves: arcs-and-review-copies, owned-physical-books

ARC provided by the publisher—Orbit—in exchange for an honest review.

An important post-apocalyptic story that teaches us to always be kind, loyal, and hopeful.

With countless books being published every single day, the cover art quality of a book published by an author I haven’t heard of is very crucial in grabbing my interest; that's not exactly what happened with this book. Don't get me wrong, the cover art is certainly pretty but what grabbed my attention immediately was something of a rarer ...more

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Dec 06, 2018 karen rated it really liked it

Shelves: live-through-this, from-publisher-or-author, roof, the-end

NOW AVAILABLE!!!

i have never seen this on an arc before:

usually, i am very mindful to avoid potential spoilers in reviews of ARCs.

BUT THIS EXPLICIT, POLITELY-WORDED REQUEST MAKES ME FEEL SO MISCHIEVOUS! THERE IS NAUGHTINESS STIRRING WITHIN ME!! WHAT WILL HAPPEN???

*************************************

THIS IS WHAT WILL HAPPEN

*************************************

Ends happen fast, and often arrive before you’ve been warned they’ve coming.

i’ll write a general review first, for the booknerds, and ...more

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Oct 22, 2019 Robin Hobb rated it really liked it

Recommends it for: readers who like end of the world tales

First, the usual Caveat. I received this book free from the publisher. I have not met C. A. Fletcher. I do not think receiving the book for free affected my reaction to it.

I think all my readers know that I love dogs. I form very deep and strong bonds with my dogs. They are my companions, not my 'pets'.

So the first word that comes to mind for this book is 'harrowing'. Several times I thought, "I can't read any more of this book." But I also found I could not walk away from the story until I knew ...more

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Feb 22, 2019 Scarlett Readz and Runz....Through Novel Time & Distance rated it it was amazing

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. It begins at the end.

This story was written in the last moments of a hopeless soul that’s lost it all, locked up in a prison cell of a post-apocalyptic society at the edges of a mainland near the Atlantic ocean on the North East coast.

The world is empty after the Gelding with only a few remaining people that escaped, survived and spread wide and far. Resources are scarce and what is left resembles living peoples of the past void of technology. Vying for resources in a world without electrical ...more

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Oct 22, 2019 Hamad rated it liked it

Shelves: 2019-reads, from-the-publisher, paperbacks

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“If we’re not loyal to the things we love, what’s the point?”

Disclaimer: Copy provided by the publisher in exchange of an honest review.

I always try to stay positive whenever I read a book and focus on things that I liked, my rants reviews are usually saved for books that made me angry and this does not apply here. This is a good book and I enjoyed it, I think it will appeal more for dog owners and dog persons. Due to my allergy for dogs, I can not ...more

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Aug 31, 2019 Cheri rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2019, dystopia, fiction, debut-novel, scotland, family-relationships

4.5 Stars

”Of all the animals that travelled the long road through the ages with us, dogs always walked closest.”

In 1923, Robert Frost wrote of the end of the world in one of his most popular poem Fire and Ice, but C.A. Fletcher’s post-apocalyptic world isn’t quite as dire, it offers a “softer” slowing down of the world, the loss of many things, among them the very limited ability of humans to procreate, as well as the inability to use electronics. No computers, no television, no radios, no ...more

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Apr 14, 2019 Nils | nilsreviewsit rated it really liked it

4.5 stars.

‘Dogs were with us from the very beginning. And of all the animals that walked the long centuries beside us, they always walked the closest.
And then they paid the price. Fuck us.’
~
A Boy and His Dog at the End of the World by C.A Fletcher was a book that really caught my eye by its title alone. I love books that have a coming of age story, heartwarming animal friendships, and I also love a lonely setting, so this quickly became a must read. After delving into merely a few pages, I knew ...more

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Apr 29, 2019 Whispering Stories rated it really liked it

Book Reviewed by Stacey on www.whisperingstories.com

Just as the author requested at the beginning of the book, to keep reviews spoiler free, I will give you a short introduction into the book.

Griz lives with his parents, his brother Ferg, and his sister Bar, oh and their two dogs Jip and Jess, on a remote island called Mingulay off the coast of Scotland. They are the only occupants on the island, in fact, the whole world is sparsely populated due to something called the Gelding. No-one really Book Reviewed by Stacey on www.whisperingstories.com

Just as the author requested at the beginning of the book, to keep reviews spoiler free, I will give you a short introduction into the book.

Griz lives with his parents, his brother Ferg, and his sister Bar, oh and their two dogs Jip and Jess, on a remote island called Mingulay off the coast of Scotland. They are the only occupants on the island, in fact, the whole world is sparsely populated due to something called the Gelding. No-one really knows what caused the Gelding, but people stopped having children, well all but 0.0001 percent of people did.

The family rarely see any other people, so when a stranger called Brand sails up to their island they invite him in and listen to his stories of what the world is like. After eating the marmalade that Brand brought with him the family take ill and fall asleep. In the morning Griz realises that that Brand has left without a goodbye or trading any items, he soon realises it’s much worse than that though, the man had stolen Griz’s beloved pet dog, Jess.

Not thinking straight, Griz grabs a weapon and his dog and jumps into the families boat and chases after Brand. This is the story of what Griz learns about the world, the past and himself whilst trying to get his dog back.

A Boy and his Dog at the End of the World is a post-apocalyptic novel following Griz as he tries to rescue his dog Jess from a stranger who has stolen him. The way the world has come to have such few people is nothing new in the post-apocalyptic novel world, in fact, I read a book early this year which used infertility as to how the world was coming to an end, and Dan Brown used it in one of his books too.

The book is told from Griz’s point of view as he looks back over what happened to him and what he learned on his adventure trying to get his dog back. He is mainly talking to a photograph of a boy he found in an abandoned house, but it does feel like he is talking to the reader as he mentions what it must have been like before the Gelding. Afterward, the world not only lost people it also went back in time as technology disappeared and food became sparse and people had to hunt for their food.

I don’t really want to give any more away than what I have. What I will say is that the book is an adventure. There aren’t many characters in it, just like there aren’t many people left in the world. It has plenty of poignant moments and moments which might make you look at your own life and the world we currently live in.

The book is extraordinary. You can tell how much heart, blood, sweat, and tears went into creating this story. It is quite simply beautiful. It is not so much about life in a post-apocalyptic world but more about Griz, his dog, and the people and places he encounters. If you are an emotional person you might want to keep tissues at the ready throughout too. ...more

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Apr 04, 2019 Lisa Wolf rated it it was amazing

Shelves: end-of-the-world-and-other-disaster, speculative-fiction

A man stole my dog.

I went after him.

Bad things happened.

I can never go home.

I'll keep this short and to the point, because it would be way too easy to veer into spoilery territory, and this book is best experienced fresh and free from a whole lot of expectations. It's a wonderful story about love and loyalty, centered around a quest to retrieve a beloved dog, and filled with danger, unexpected alliances and moments of grace, bravery, and defiance. And yes, a little sadness too.

The title says a

A man stole my dog.

I went after him.

Bad things happened.

I can never go home.

I'll keep this short and to the point, because it would be way too easy to veer into spoilery territory, and this book is best experienced fresh and free from a whole lot of expectations. It's a wonderful story about love and loyalty, centered around a quest to retrieve a beloved dog, and filled with danger, unexpected alliances and moments of grace, bravery, and defiance. And yes, a little sadness too.

The title says a lot about the basics of the book. The key point is that this is a world of after -- nothing is as we know it. And it's not because of a world war or other doomsday scenario. Instead, the world basically went infertile, except for a very small percentage of people who didn't. There was a last generation, and once they died out, the people who remained -- about 7,000 worldwide -- were left to live on in whatever fashion suited them. The world we know was essentially dead. Nothing new was made or created, and people survived through farming and scavenging (or, as Griz's family calls it, "viking" -- they'd go "a-viking" to see what they could find to reuse and repurpose on their own little isolated island).

Told through Griz's first-person narration, the story takes us along Griz's journey, across the sea and through an abandoned and alien mainland... because a stolen dog cannot be forgotten. I loved the writing, both plain and unembellished, yet full of fun word play and cadences:

And then the thing that happened happened and what happened was really three things and they all happened at once.

I really truly loved this book. It's sad and frightening, but also lovely and inspiring. Griz is a terrific, memorable main character. The story wraps up well, neatly enough to leave me satisfied, but I still wish I could learn more about this world and the people left in it.

(view spoiler)

Highly recommended. What a treat!

Review copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley. Full review at Bookshelf Fantasies. ...more

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Jan 23, 2019 Holly (Holly Hearts Books) rated it it was ok

Shelves: dnf, review-copies

“Remembering dreams is like picking up a jellyfish-they slip through your fingers-and you never know if it’s a dream you had or if you added to the dream in the remembering of the dream. Sometimes it’s hard to know if you’re dreaming a dream at all, or just a dream about remembering a dream.”

WHAT?! You want to run that by me again.

“And if that doesn’t make sense, well, neither do dreams.”

Okay at least you’re self aware.

A Boy and His Dog at the End of the World is a dystopian scifi that starts ...more

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Apr 12, 2019 Celeste rated it really liked it

Shelves: speculative, dystopian

I received a copy of this book from the publisher (Orbit) in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

You can find this review and more at Novel Notions.

Actual rating: 4.5 stars

“Solitude is its own kind of madness. Like hope itself.”

I wasn’t really sure what to expect from this book. I knew it was going to be post-apocalyptic and involve a dog, but that’s really all I knew. And I’m incredibly glad I went in so blind.

“Hope can keep you afloat in

I received a copy of this book from the publisher (Orbit) in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

You can find this review and more at Novel Notions.

Actual rating: 4.5 stars

“Solitude is its own kind of madness. Like hope itself.”

I wasn’t really sure what to expect from this book. I knew it was going to be post-apocalyptic and involve a dog, but that’s really all I knew. And I’m incredibly glad I went in so blind.

“Hope can keep you afloat in troubled times. It can also drown you if you let it distract you at the wrong moment.”

Griz is one of the very few members of Earth’s dwindling population. Over a century before we meet him, an event called the Gelding had taken place, rendering all but a scant few members of the population incapable of reproduction. No one ever figured out the catalyst for the Gelding, whether it was a biological weapon gone wrong or simply Mother Nature deciding that enough was enough. Whatever the case, the world’s population went from billions to thousands as people began dying of old age. Griz and his family live on a little island with their dogs, and they’re mostly happy. Until a visitor appears that will change the course of Griz’s life forever.

“Better a brain than a fist. A brain can hold anything, from giant things, like distant stars and planets, to tiny things we can’t see, like germs. A brain can even hold things that aren’t and never were, like hobbits. A brain can hold the whole universe, a fist just holds what little it can grab. Or hits what it can’t.”

What instantly won me over in regards to this book was how much it reminded me of books from my childhood. Not in post-apocalyptic setting, but in the idea of man both battling against and find a way to peacefully exist with nature. This book brought me back to stories like Hatchet and My Side of the Mountain and Island of the Blue Dolphins. In those novels we see kids suddenly thrown into solitude in the elements, whether by choice or happenstance. Seeing these young people find new strength within themselves in the face of adversity always brings out loads of emotions within me.

“Forgetting is a kind of betrayal, even if it’s what happens to all grief. Time wears everything smoother as it grinds past, I suppose.”

That being said, even though I enjoyed returning to something from my childhood, I didn’t connect with this book on an emotional level for the majority of the book. There were a lot of elements I loved. I appreciated that Fletcher took the themes I loved as a child and crafted a story that felt more adult. I loved the closeness Griz had to his dogs, and his family, and the books that he had discovered and treasured over the course of his life. As a side note, can I just say how much I adored the literary references? Authors that I love were mentioned with great care, and books that I haven’t read yet suddenly became even more appealing because of Griz’s love for them. Fletcher did a great job giving Griz a unique voice, and his storytelling style had a really cool balance of foreshadowing that never gave away too much.

“I lose myself in stories. I find myself there too.”

While I enjoyed the book from the start, it didn’t blow me away until around the last fifty pages of the book. There were a couple of massive plot twists, one of which completely blindsided me. Looking back, I still can’t see any hints of that twist. Those twists are what rocketed this book from 3.5 stars to 4.5 stars. The author included a note at the beginning of the book asking that readers try not to spoil the story for others, and I think that’s an incredibly wise inclusion.

“If we’re not loyal to the things we love, what’s the point? That’s like not having a memory. That’s when we stop being human. That’s a kind of death, even if you keep breathing.”

If you’ve been sitting on the fence regarding this book, I encourage you to give it a read. If this is a book you’ve been anticipating, I’m so excited for you to get your hands on it and have your mind blown like mine was. A Boy and His Dog at the End of the World is poignant and thoughtful and surprising, and will have you looking at the world a little differently. ...more

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Aug 16, 2019 Lea ♞ That_Bookdragon rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: owned

4/5

Thank you so much to Orbit for sending me a review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

"If we're not loyal to the things we love, what's the point?"

Usually, I'm not a big fan of post-apocalyptic novels and films because they make me think a lot about the future and it scares me a little, I have to be honest with you. Recent events have made me quite anxious about the environmental damages we, human beings, are causing to our home. However, when I first heard about this book, I ...more

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Jul 08, 2019 Bark rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: post-apocalypse, audiobook, dogs

I picked up this book on audio because of the title and because a few trusted blogger friends convinced me with their reviews. I just want to tell you that I am not a big fan of adventure stories. I hold nothing against them and you are welcome to adore them. They just don’t happen to be the first thing I pick up when I’m looking for my next book but this book which is nothing but one large adventure is the exception. If you like action and adventure or even if you don’t, I think you should read I picked up this book on audio because of the title and because a few trusted blogger friends convinced me with their reviews. I just want to tell you that I am not a big fan of adventure stories. I hold nothing against them and you are welcome to adore them. They just don’t happen to be the first thing I pick up when I’m looking for my next book but this book which is nothing but one large adventure is the exception. If you like action and adventure or even if you don’t, I think you should read it because it is amazing. Even if you think I have atrocious taste and know nothing, go read the other reviews and then go read this book!

I have to admit that I was a little worried at first because things weren’t 100% clicking with me but I think it was more my fault than anything in the book. When I discovered it was less a post-apocalyptic story and more of a “boy on an adventure tale” I started to tune out just a little bit. I’m sorry, I can be a jerk like that but I usually stick with things and in this case I am so very glad I did.

So, it’s sometime in the future and most of humanity has died out which likely serves them right. Idiot humans did something idiotic to the dogs so they are scarce as well and the love of a good dog isn’t something to be taken for granted. When Griz’s best dog Jess is stolen he doesn’t stop to think. He is angry and upset and he sets off after the thief like his pants are on fire, leaving his life and everything familiar behind except his other little dog Jip. Things naturally go awry. He makes some decisions that he will come to regret but he’s young and hurt and his actions are always believable. I loved Griz. Griz had so much grit and courage and was such a strong young soul. Griz lived on an isolated island before his big adventure and knows little of the world and seeing everything new from his eyes was fascinating. He’s also a big reader so most of you here will appreciate all of the bookish references.

This is how the book starts and once Griz is off after his pup the book barely comes up for air (except for one section that was a wee bit slow). There aren’t many characters in this book but the one’s Griz meets are compelling and interesting characters. Some good, some somewhere in the middle and some quite terrible but through it all Griz never gives up hope. There are turns and twists and all of them caught me off guard. It was an exhilarating read.

I admit that I feared this book with its dogs and children constantly in peril was going to break me by the end and though it came close to doing that a time or two, it did not destroy my heart and crush all of my dreams and I will say no more about that. It’s ultimately about risking it all for the love of your best companion and never giving up despite the odds against you. It was a little slow in that one section but mostly it’s nail-biting and heart-warming and all of those clichéd things people say about the best books. This is one of the best books. Go read it or listen to it. If you’re a dog lover I don’t think you will be disappointed and if you are you can blame one of those other reviewers!
...more

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May 06, 2019 Faith rated it really liked it

Shelves: reviewed, audio, overdrive, netgalley

An unidentified disaster, referred to as the Gelding, has rendered most of the humans on Earth unable to reproduce. The population has dwindled to almost nothing and the people who are left lead a very isolated existence. Dogs also have trouble reproducing because few females are born, so they are a valuable commodity for their companionship. The story is told in the form of a journal written by a boy nicknamed Griz, who lives with his parents, siblings and dogs. He directs his writing to an ...more

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Jun 13, 2019 Sebastien Castell rated it it was amazing

Shelves: dystopian, young-adult

The best way to decide if A Boy and His Dog at the End of the World is for you is to simply read a couple of the opening chapters. There's a very specific voice and style to this book, one that works incredibly well for the story it tells, but also one that can be described as heavy, even oppressive at times. Griz, the narrator, lives in a dystopian future in which humanity has almost entirely died out due to "The Guelding" - an epidemic that left most of the population infertile. As a result ...more

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Apr 29, 2019 Carole (Carole's Random Life in Books) rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2019-netgalley-challenge, net-galley, reviewed, 2019

This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life in Books.

I ended up really enjoying this book. As soon as I saw the title and read the description for this book, I knew that I absolutely had to read it. I looked forward to reading this book for months. Unfortunately, I had a really hard time getting into this book. I really think that this had more to do with my life than the book but I did have some doubts. I did hang in there with the book and am so glad that I did but this was a book This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life in Books.

I ended up really enjoying this book. As soon as I saw the title and read the description for this book, I knew that I absolutely had to read it. I looked forward to reading this book for months. Unfortunately, I had a really hard time getting into this book. I really think that this had more to do with my life than the book but I did have some doubts. I did hang in there with the book and am so glad that I did but this was a book that I couldn't put down before it was all over.

I love a good end of the world story and I also love stories that involve dogs. This book had both of those elements so it had a whole lot going for it before I even got too involved in the story. I loved this take on the end of the world. It was a little different than other books that I have read and I thought that it was one of the most realistic explanations that I have seen. I really felt like this could happen which really added to the impact of the story.

Griz was a great character and I found him really easy to relate to from the start. I didn't always understand everything he was doing but I was behind him on his main quest. Without a doubt, I know that if someone took my dog, I would do whatever was in my power to get her back and Griz felt exactly the same way. It was really interesting to see Griz navigate parts of the world that he has never seen as he tracked down his beloved Jess. I loved his descriptions of what was left of the world and found that I was easily able to visualize what he was seeing.

This book is told by Griz as he writes in his journal. I think that I had a bit of difficulty with Griz's voice at the start of the book but eventually warmed up to it. There were a few times were words were spelled as Griz heard them instead of the proper spelling which I would have preferred but I think that this was really the best way to tell this story.

I do recommend that readers go into this book as blindly as possible. There were a few twists that I didn't see coming which made this book really enjoyable. I do highly recommend this book but strongly suggest that readers avoid any possibility of coming across a spoiler.

I received a digital review copy of this book from Orbit Books via NetGalley.

Initial Thoughts
I had a really slow start with this one. It took me forever to read the first 30% or so of the book and I found myself constantly being distracted by other stories. But once this story started clicking for me, I flew through it. This story is told as if the main character, Griz, has written it in his journal and I just had trouble connecting with the character's voice but as things became more interesting the storytelling style started working better for me. I liked the world building and thought it was a really unique take on the end of the world. There were even a few jaw-dropping moments before the book came to a close. I really ended up enjoying this one in the end. ...more

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Sep 18, 2019 Carol (Bookaria) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: sci-fi, top-2019, 2019, fiction, young-adult

“Dogs were with us from the very beginning. And of all the animals that walked the long centuries beside us, they always walked the closest.”

Captivating, adventurous, and surprising!

A stranger visits the island where Griz lives with family and their dogs. The stranger arrives sharing tales and food but leaves with their loving dog. Now Griz will look for the stranger to get back what was stolen from them.

The novel takes place a post-apocalyptic future where most of the human population has been ...more

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Apr 26, 2019 Lou rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I think there are quite a few readers who have wrongly concluded that due to its beautiful imagery and title it is a work of children's literature, but that couldn't be further from the truth. C.A Fletcher's dystopian debut (under this nom de guerre) will touch readers of all ages and all persuasions with its movingly powerful message and lyrical narrative. In this post-apocalyptic landscape, we journey with Griz, a young boy who has led a sheltered life on a remote Scottish island with barely a I think there are quite a few readers who have wrongly concluded that due to its beautiful imagery and title it is a work of children's literature, but that couldn't be further from the truth. C.A Fletcher's dystopian debut (under this nom de guerre) will touch readers of all ages and all persuasions with its movingly powerful message and lyrical narrative. In this post-apocalyptic landscape, we journey with Griz, a young boy who has led a sheltered life on a remote Scottish island with barely a glimpse of others or the world beyond; that is until his beloved dog Jess is stolen and prompts Griz to venture outside for the first time in his life where makes some truly shocking discoveries,.

It is indeed a simple story, but this is one of many occasions when a simple, heartfelt plot holds so much power. It's such an emotionally involving tale and one that plays on the love we all have for our furry companions on whose love we can rely unconditionally. What I loved the most was the philosophical questions posed and the way these principles were raised in the story by Griz and explained in an accessible fashion. This adds plenty of food for thought to the novel for readers to ponder.

Fletcher also explores the tenuous distinctions between what we may perceive to be beautiful or ugly, good or evil, but, as is shown, nothing is really ever that black and white. The stark descriptions of returning to a world where we must scavenge in order to survive are haunting. I absolutely adored Griz and one of the lines I feel sums up his thoughts and beliefs the most is this gem: "... if we aren't loyal to the things we love, what's the point?" and he's right on the money there. Despite the messages of heartbreak and grief and the poignant moments throughout there are also countless moments of hope and messages of empowerment.

All in all, this is a captivating, exquisite story told by a true master storyteller who knows how to write so that both the plot and the characters deepen effortlessly as you read. I'll call it out now as a book that'll stand the test of time. An unforgettable, exceptional work of fiction. Unreservedly recommended. Many thanks to Orbit for an ARC. ...more

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Apr 17, 2019 Mogsy (MMOGC) rated it really liked it

Shelves: post-apocalyptic, review-copy, science-fiction, arcs-and-galleys

4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2019/04/23/...

I have two dogs, and they are family. And I would do anything for family. If someone were to make off with them, you can damn well be sure I’d go to the ends of the earth to get them back. Hence it is little wonder why I was immediately drawn to the premise of this book, which spoke to me as I’m sure it speaks to dog lovers everywhere.

At its heart, A Boy and his Dog at the End of the World by C.A. Fletcher is a 4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2019/04/23/...

I have two dogs, and they are family. And I would do anything for family. If someone were to make off with them, you can damn well be sure I’d go to the ends of the earth to get them back. Hence it is little wonder why I was immediately drawn to the premise of this book, which spoke to me as I’m sure it speaks to dog lovers everywhere.

At its heart, A Boy and his Dog at the End of the World by C.A. Fletcher is a post-apocalyptic story of courage, determination and survival, with themes of friendship and unconditional love. Long after the Gelding, an event which caused sterility in most of the human population, the world has become a crumbling and empty wasteland. It’s an isolated life for our protagonist Griz, who lives with his parents, brother, sister, and dogs Jip and Jess on the coast where they are entirely self-sufficient because they have to be, for in just a few generations the number of people living on earth has decreased so drastically that you rarely meet anyone anymore.

Which is why when a boat with red sails appears on the horizon one day, everyone is excited albeit a little wary. Visitors mean news from the outside world and potential for trade, but Griz still understands the need to be careful. He does not trust the stranger, Brand, when he arrives, despite—or perhaps because of—the big man’s powerful charisma. With his exotic goods and fascinating stories, Brand charms them all, but sadly Griz’s suspicions ultimately proved to be correct when he wakes up the next morning to find the boat with the red sails gone, along with Jess. Brand had stolen away in the early hours with the family’s food stores, some of their provisions, as well as Griz’s beloved terrier, and now our protagonist will do anything to get his best friend back.

What follows is an adventure, one unlike any you’ve seen before. It is lonely and a little sad, yes, but there is also beauty in that quiet solitude. When Griz first realizes that he has lost Jess, there is a burst of confusion and panic, a wild and feverish moment where all the boy can think of is catching the thief and rescuing his dog. But after a while, that energy starts to fade, and in truth, this is where I think the novel truly starts to shine. Like Griz, you might not wish to slow down, but it is in these quieter, more subdued moments that readers are finally able to appreciate all the little things this story has to offer, and as the saying goes, you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone, a point which this book illustrates frighteningly well.

For example, let’s start with the way this story is told. In a world where electricity is but a memory, the people in this new post-apocalyptic reality have learned ways to make their own entertainment. For Griz, his joy lay in books, from which he learned about the world before. The people who wrote them might be long gone, but their stories remain, inspiring Griz to write his own. He’s recounting his life to you personally, except “you” are actually boy from an old photograph he’s found. He imagines you in your past filled with airplanes and mobile phones, wondering what it must be like to fly or to have any information you might want to know at your fingertips. The result is a touching narrative with tragic and heart-wrenching undertones, especially since Griz’s voice comes across so personal and genuine.

I was also surprised to find that while this entire novel is based around the protagonist’s journey to get his dog back, in fact the actual search for Jess encompasses only a small part of this saga. Most of this story is Griz’s, but later on we do get to meet at least one other important character who winds up changing our protagonist’s life, teaching him lessons in friendship and loyalty. Like I said, this is a lonely book, but the few people (and dogs) we get to meet in it have such huge and flavorful personalities that at no time did the story feel empty or small.

That said, there were some pacing issues, with most of these hitches being in the middle sections given how much time Griz spends alone. But considering the limitations Fletcher had to work with, I think he did a great job pulling all the pieces of this story together. I also wish the ending had been better developed, given some of the bombshells revealed there, but because of the way this book is presented, as a kind of journal, we have a lot of restrictions on how information can be shared and explored. Again, I think the author did the best he could within the constraints.

All in all, this book was a joy to read, full of wistfulness and melancholy but also plenty of hope, love, and simple pleasures. I thought I had read it all when it comes to post-apocalyptic and dystopian novels, but books like A Boy and his Dog at the End of the World prove there are still amazing stories to be told in this genre! ...more

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Jan 03, 2019 Liz Barnsley rated it it was amazing

An incredible, moving and melancholy novel, beautifully done. I'll be reviewing for the official tour later this year. I hope everyone will honour the no spoilers request and not give away this novels secrets.

Highly Recommended. Pretty much guaranteed even at this early stage to be one of my books of the year.

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Sep 23, 2019 Maja Ingrid rated it really liked it

Shelves: fiction

"If we're not loyal to the things we love, what's the point? That's like not having a memory. That's when we stop being human.
It's a kind of death, even if you keep breathing"

The first 130 pages I read very fragmentally, like 10-20 every now and then and sometimes with complete breaks to read other books. Which is a bit of a regret because it made it feel a little like trudging through a swamp. But once I actually gave it the time it deserved ( I read the other 235 pages in two days) i had much ...more

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Apr 22, 2019 Athena (OneReadingNurse) rated it liked it

Thank you so much to Orbit books and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

A Boy and His Dog at the End of the World is a post apocalyptic, dystopian novel where a great gelding seems to have reduced the population to a handful of hardy stragglers.

Griz, his family, and their dogs live on an island. They are a resourceful bunch, who hunt and fish and go "a-viking" to scavenge from the mainland. When a traveller shows up to trade some goods, everything goes to hell for Griz ...more

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Feb 15, 2019 The Tattooed Book Geek (Drew). rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

As always this review can also be found on my blog The Tattooed Book Geek: https://thetattooedbookgeek.wordpress...

These words that I write don’t do justice to A Boy and his Dog at the End of the World but they are all that I have and they are the best that I can muster. Fletcher and Orbit have an absolute winner on their hands with this evocative and powerful book. After I finished reading it I was left tattered and torn, like a doll coming apart at the seams, it is a book that left me bereft, ...more

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Nov 17, 2019 Joseph Spuckler rated it really liked it

I picked this by accident because it had a similar title to a book I remembered from the 1970s. The main character is thirteen years old and that seems to be right where the target audience should be. Taking that into consideration, it is a well written story with enough twists to keep a young mind engaged. For adults who prefer literature this book may be a bit simplistic. Rating reflects target audience rating.

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Mar 27, 2019 Tammy rated it it was amazing

I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.The nitty-gritty: Exquisitely written, Fletcher’s latest is an adventure story like no other, full of danger, discovery, joy and heartbreak. And dogs. Because dogs are the best.

Sometimes you just know that a book is going to surpass all other books you’ve read, break your heart and then stitch it back together, make you feel and think about ...more

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Aug 04, 2019 Patricija - ReadOff rated it really liked it

Shelves: recommendations

I knew this would be a good book and that's why I gave it three chances. The first two were a blast because I kept being in a reading slump, but the third one was the charm.
The tone of the book reminds me of Matt Haig's The Humans. Really atmospherical. This is technically a dystopian sci-fi, but it reads like fiction. It had an amusing and compelling plot and great character building. I wished there was more world-building, but I get it, it's not that kind of a book.
So I recommend this to ...more

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Apr 23, 2019 The Captain rated it it was ok

Shelves: sci-fi

Ahoy there me mateys! I received this sci-fi eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. So here be me honest musings . . .

The title, cover, and dystopian nature is what made me want to read this book. I love end-of-the-world stories. While I enjoyed many parts of this book, it didn't completely float me boat. It ended up being only an okay read due to me personal preferences.

I really did find the premise to be interesting. The end of the world has come and gone and humans are headed Ahoy there me mateys! I received this sci-fi eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. So here be me honest musings . . .

The title, cover, and dystopian nature is what made me want to read this book. I love end-of-the-world stories. While I enjoyed many parts of this book, it didn't completely float me boat. It ended up being only an okay read due to me personal preferences.

I really did find the premise to be interesting. The end of the world has come and gone and humans are headed for extinction. There are only about 7000 of them left scattered across the globe. Griz lives on an island in Scotland with his mother, father, two siblings, ponies, and dogs. Their closest and only neighbors are on another island quite a bit away.

The family is seemingly content in life but one day another ship with red sails is spotted on the horizon. The trader comes to swap tales but uses trickery to steal from the family. Only one of the stolen items is Griz's dog, Jess. Griz is determined to follow and get his dog back.

The introduction to the world was lovely and unusual. The book is written in the style of a journal where the intended reader is a long-dead person Griz only knows via a photograph. It sounds odd but it does work. I was interested in how the world worked and the explanations of how the apocalypse happened. Getting into the novel took a minute because of the unique structure but I was engaged up until the moment Griz decides to go after the trader and his dog.

That is when the book began to lose its me. The boy decides to sail after the trader with very little preparation or thinking. Stupid choices are made over and over again and seemed unrealistic. The mainland is a dangerous place and yet those dangers seemed muted so that Griz could survive. It seems like 150 years would not have been enough time for the environmental damages to have been mitigated. Plus structures have been breaking down and are strewn across the landscape and yet Griz climbs on and around them with very little problem. I just didn't really feel that Griz was in actual danger.

Because this journal has been written after the events they portray, there are some foreshadowing moments that perk interest. But there is also a lot of attempted philosophizing about what the world used to be like and how long-dead-reader would have felt about things in both the past and present. A lot of it was repetitive. So the action stalled and very little distance was actually travelled. I got a bit bored.

It got better when Griz meets his first person on the mainland. Even though they don't speak a common language, the bond they form is wonderful. I loved almost the whole section The only downside is when wolves attack Griz and his companion. This was completely unrealistic and silly. Griz talks continuously about how plentiful game is. Rabbits, deer, wild boar, etc. are everywhere. The wolves would have had absolutely no reason to attack people and a horse. Especially when fire was present. Wolves don't do that and I get tired of these animals being used as a convenient plot point.

Once the two humans split up, the book took another turn that was not to me taste. I thought Griz was going to track down the trader and have a reckoning. But other spoilery things happen that seemed too ridiculous and I didn't buy it. There were just too many arbitrary coincidences and the resolution just seemed too perfect. The happy ending seems to have warmed the hearts of the crew though. I am in the minority about not liking the twist.

I have no regrets about reading this book and it has lovely characters, thoughts, and ideas. I would have just preferred a different take on the whole situation. But I do think that most readers will love it just as it is. Arrrr!

So lastly . . .Thank ye Orbit Books!

Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordp... ...more

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Mar 02, 2019 switterbug (Betsey) rated it it was amazing

C.A. Fletcher’s irresistible story is a page-turning bildungsroman filled with adventure. The main character is reminiscent of Cervantes’ Quixote, with a bit of Virgil, Homer, and Dante thrown in. I even thought a bit of the “Fool” on the Tarot Card. This is the first lone adventure for our hero, Griz, who has knowledge about our era only from books. When there’s almost nobody left, it’s the only way to learn. “We’re out here on the wrong side of a dying world trying to piece together the story C.A. Fletcher’s irresistible story is a page-turning bildungsroman filled with adventure. The main character is reminiscent of Cervantes’ Quixote, with a bit of Virgil, Homer, and Dante thrown in. I even thought a bit of the “Fool” on the Tarot Card. This is the first lone adventure for our hero, Griz, who has knowledge about our era only from books. When there’s almost nobody left, it’s the only way to learn. “We’re out here on the wrong side of a dying world trying to piece together the story of what’s happened from torn fragments that we can only snatch at as they flutter past us in the wind.”

The author’s love of literature is on gleaming display in a world with not much else that has survived. Fletcher portrays a vivid, primitive future that came after the “soft apocalypse.”

“Maybe if this were a proper story it would start calm and lead up to a cataclysm…But this isn’t that kind of story…This is me writing down the real, telling what I know…And everything that I know, even my being born, happened long, long after that apocalypse had already softly wheezed its way out.”

This now dystopian earth is grim and stark--old rusted cars are piled up on top of one another, shrubs and trees grow savagely in the cracks of concrete, and old fallen houses are prolific. It’s a tilted, hushed topography now. This is a planet beyond the “Gelding” and the “Baby Bust”-- a world that has no more technology, no more schools. Women aren’t able to breed anymore, and dogs (especially female) are a scarcity. Griz’s family lives on a Scottish island, and their contact with other people is rare. There’s less than 20,000 people left on the planet.

Griz’s intimate, personal voice narrating this story is a captivating blend of strength, purpose, and warmth. Circumstances compel our hero to chase a visiting trader to the mainland on the family boat, a man who has absconded with one of Griz’ beloved dogs. And that is how this exciting journey takes off. It won’t belong before you feel you are walking in Griz’s shoes.

This could have been categorized under YA books, but I am glad it wasn’t, because I would have passed it by. It’s a coming-of-age novel meant for the ageless population of readers. The narrative is ripe with twists and turns you won’t see coming, and the story of redemption and humanity’s best friend will resonate long after you come to the end of the story--or to the end of the world.

“Dogs were with us from the very beginning. And of all the animals that walked the long centuries beside us, they always walked the closest.” ...more

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Jan 14, 2019 Mary Lins rated it it was amazing

Shelves: complete

Don’t start “A Boy and His Dog at the End of the World”, by C.A. Fletcher, unless you have time to fall down this engrossing and addicting rabbit hole! This post-apocalyptic story of “Griz” and his family and his dogs, is simply irresistible. Griz’ narrative voice is utterly compelling and the story is fascinating and beautifully crafted.

Note: this is the first time I’ve gotten an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of a book with a Spoiler Alert: “please don’t reveal secrets to new readers”! Of course ...more

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Oct 28, 2019 Becky rated it really liked it

Shelves: reviewed, audiobook, tear-jerkers, apocalyptic-types, dystopias, science-fiction, 2019

I picked this book up as a "Why not?" freebie in Audible's latest 2-for-1 sale. I didn't know anything about it. I'd never even heard of it before, but I liked the cover, and the title sounded intriguing enough, and I didn't hate the reader (also the author). So I went with it. I didn't know what to expect, other than there being a boy, a dog, and an end of the world. And I did get all of those things... just not necessarily in ways that the title leads us to assume.

I'm not going to talk about I picked this book up as a "Why not?" freebie in Audible's latest 2-for-1 sale. I didn't know anything about it. I'd never even heard of it before, but I liked the cover, and the title sounded intriguing enough, and I didn't hate the reader (also the author). So I went with it. I didn't know what to expect, other than there being a boy, a dog, and an end of the world. And I did get all of those things... just not necessarily in ways that the title leads us to assume.

I'm not going to talk about the plot, partially because I almost never do (which is almost always because I'm terrible at it) and partially because the telling IS the story, and any kind of summary would just not do it justice. And that, the telling aspect, I will talk about.

This was written as though the main character, Griz, is writing their story. This isn't unusual, journal format is common enough. But where this differs is that Griz isn't writing it as a journal, but as a story told to a 3rd party, with 4th wall breaking narrative sections, which I don't think I've ever seen before. Usually the journal is just written for the writer, or for posterity... and generally I'm not a fan of journal style books, because I never think that they are done well. They usually end up being straight up first person narratives, which annoys me. But with this style conceit, that worked pretty well.

But there were a few failure points for me with this structure, which served to take me out of the story instead of pulling me in. Things that just felt "off" about it, that I couldn't quite put my finger on for a while, but then once I realized them, stuck out like a sore thumb. Or sore thumbs.

First was in the ridiculous amount of foreshadowing used. Maybe this was intentional - this was supposed to be written by a young teenager, after all. One who has read their share of novels, as many as they could acquire, but still pretty new to storytelling as an artform. I'm well on my way to 40, and I couldn't story-tell my way out of a wet paper bag. It's not a skill I possess. But a skill I do possess is knowing when something is overused and heavy-handed, and the foreshadowing in this book was both. Intentional or not. "I didn't know then that that discovery would be my downfall." "I didn't realize that I would be making the biggest mistake of my life." Etc. My head hurts from being whacked over the head with foreshadowing so often.

Secondly was the pacing. Because of the foreshadowing mentioned in the last point, it was really hard sometimes to tell how much time was passing, or had passed between the events described and the time of the writing of them. Sometimes it felt nearly immediate, and other times like ages had passed and Griz was looking back over a huge gulf of time to recount the story. It was distracting, because I would find myself being drawn into the story... and then foreshadow punched right back out of it when I realize that there's no immediate danger to Griz if Griz is recounting how because of some new upcoming threat, they'll be stuck or stranded or trapped or something for a long time, and then I'm left to wonder again at the timeline.

Thirdly was the pacing. Supposedly this story was written in a small journal, but that just doesn't make sense to me considering how many meanderings and wanderings and musings the narrative took. It just felt strange to me that someone would use up so much of their VERY limited resource of paper/book for musings on the past, when they still had so much of their own story still to tell, and had no way of knowing what there would be left to tell. It just seemed... frivolous and wasteful. And so it shouldn't come as any surprise that I did feel that the ending was rushed. VERY rushed. We get twist after twist, revelations of what it all means, and then things happen very quickly the end it's over.

This is the kind of story where, once it all comes together, it ends up being a bigger and better story than the sum of the parts leading up to it. The journey is important, the telling is important, the growth along the way is important, but the realization of the full circle LARGER journey, is key. And that is what makes this a great story despite all of my complaints above. But I do wish that the pacing had been a bit better at the end, and that the ending, especially with Brand(sp?) was tied up a bit better.

I also have to say that I was a bit surprised by this story for how... adult it seemed at times. I picked this up assuming that it was YA, and most of the time I listened to it, I felt like it was YA. The main character is young, it's about a quest, a coming of age, an adventure... And then every once in a while, it would pop off with some VERY adult themes. This is not a complaint, and actually I like the story a lot better for it. I do wish that it had felt a bit more not-YA more frequently so it wasn't so jarring when it reminded me that it wasn't really ever that in the first place, but again... maybe this was intentional. Our narrator contains multitudes and is full of surprises.

Finally, I have to say that I loved the stewardship and respect theme of this book. The way that the characters all (well mostly all) really loved and respected their pets and companions, like family, resonated with me. These animals were definitely animals, not idealized or anthropomorphized, which was refreshing, considering that animals played such a big role in this book. These were companions, coexisting with and relying on humans, just as the humans relied on them. As such, the actions that the animals took felt realistic, which is a good thing. And because the animals were portrayed so realistically and so lovingly, when any of them were lost, it was really heartbreaking.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book, despite my issues with it, which is the mark of a good writer who can make me feel something beyond the writing. And that's what this book did. I'm sure that this was intentional. ...more

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