via Shescribes
W Bruce. Cameron’s #1 New York bestseller, “A Dog’s Purpose” recently made its debut onto the screens of movie theatres all over. In lieu of this event I made the executive decision to take some time to read the pageturner that inspired the controversial film. Going into the novel, I was a bit skeptical. After seeing sketchy videos and countless claims of animal neglect on set, I was disgusted by the idea of this film. Shortly after the release of these disturbing videos, I read a statement by author W. Bruce Cameron regarding the events seen in the videos. I found myself swept up in his passion for animals and became instantly empathetic as the devoted author was genuinely upset and blindsided by the idea that any animal may have been harmed in his film. When I finished his lengthy confession, I decided that this book was worth a shot.
So I sat down in my dorm, cuddled up and began. The most notable thing about this book is its perspective. The novel is written from the dog’s point of view, which I found refreshing. The book began and I found myself underwhelmed by the writing style. However, as I proceeded I grew to find the style easy to read and paid more attention to the story than its prose. It was simple language and the story was presented concisely and clearly. I found myself quickly swept up into the plot. The book contains multiple accounts of a single dog’s soul reliving its life in different bodies. The change of lives keeps you interested all the way through. While the dog encounters many people, many events, many obstacles, the main goal he faces is to find his true purpose so that he can finally be at rest.
The book progresses quickly and you’re constantly on your toes rooting for the dog to fulfill his goal. Each life presents aspects that any dog lover could relate to. It’s an accurate recollection of the love and belonging you feel with a dog. It preys on every emotion, tapping into any animal lovers heart and resonating. I found myself bawling in every chapter (even during my quiz section) and rejoicing at every success. This book provokes every emotion. In a mere 18 hours I finished the 311-page novel and felt at ease with the satisfying end. While an easy read difficulty wise, it was definitely not an easy read emotionally. I was very impressed with this book and would recommend it to any dog owner, dog lover, or anyone looking to understand the connection between animal and human.