Soldier Dog by Sam Angus
- Shalini Prasad
- Jul 17, 2018
- 3 min read
As I was browsing through a bookstore, I came across this book and decided to pick it up. I was definitely inclined to buy it especially because of the title and the dog on the cover. As you see the title and the cover, you’ll think you know how the story will be, but you are in for a surprise.
Synopsis
It’s 1917. In the trenches of France, miles from home, Stanley is a boy fighting a man’s war. He is a dog handler, whose dog must be so loyal that he will cross no-man’s-land alone under heavy fire to return to Stanley’s side, carrying a message that could save countless lives. But this journey is fraught with danger, and only the bravest will survive.
As fighting escalated and Stanley experiences the true horror of war, he comes to realize that the loyalty of his dog is the only thing he can rely on…
Review
Honestly, as I was reading the first few chapters of the book, it didn’t seem all that special to me. Compared to what I was expecting, this book seemed a little disappointing. That changed as the story progressed and Stanley joined the army.
Sam Angus had captured how the army works so well in the following chapters. Their desperate need for more fighting men leads them to take Stanley even though they know that he is well below the appropriate age. Along with displaying the compassion and camaraderie between the men, this book also draws attention to how big a role dogs played in wars. I never knew how important dogs were as messengers in the wars, the amount of training they go through, the actual run when they carry the message from one base to another. It was a real eye-opener on that front.
Although the book is narrated in the third person, the dialogues and storytelling seem like Stanley, the 14-year-old is the one narrating the story. For a story like this, I would have liked it to have a richer flow, more character.
The description of the places could have been clearer as the author uses the names of the places rather than describing them in detail, making it hard for me to picture the location of the scene. Picturing the location helps me keep my focus on the story and makes me feel as I am there as well.
We’ve read many stories about losing a loved one in the war, but the pain of losing one’s dog in the war is not that talked about. The pain and struggles that the young boy goes through after losing his messenger dog in the army are so raw and real. We can see how the army forces people to grow up fast, as they immediately assign another dog to Stanley even as he struggles to accept the death of his old one.
Although there are many situations where Stanley has to step up and be the man, there are times that remind us that he is still just a child. The softness of his heart and how much he cares about his friends shape the innocence of his character, giving us glimpses of the child beneath the man he is becoming.
The best part of the book, for me, was when grown men were brought to tears as they see the dog struggle to get back to camp with its message. These are men that have watched their comrades die, enemies slaughtered, and yet feel an unbelievable compassion for the soldier dog. This part of the books shows us how much animals, especially dogs, can touch our lives. Even if they are with us for a brief moment, they change us forever.
If you are a dog lover, I would definitely recommend this book to you. Even if you’re not a dog person, this book is an interesting read.
Rating: 3.5/5
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