The Plague Dogs: A Novel
by Richard Adams
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Book Summary Information
Author: Richard AdamsEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2006-11-28
ISBN: 0345494024
Number of pages: 416
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Book Reviews of The Plague Dogs: A Novel
Book Review: Misunderstood: Victim of Amateur Readers
Summary: 5 Stars
**DO NOT READ THIS BOOK IF YOU EXPECT AN EASY-CHILD DEVELOPED SCHEME**
**DO NOT READ THIS BOOK IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT ANALYSIS AND ATTENTION MEAN**
I think many people that have reviewed about this book (and that have obviously read it) in a negative way started reading "The Plague Dogs" when they saw "Watership Down successor" in the cover page. That was their first mistake. The Plague Dogs is ANOTHER book, nothing to do with bunnies and not as a real attempt of a classic or a "successor", those words are an editorial strategy to summon people to read the book.
Second mistake: You read Watership Down BEFORE The Plague Dogs, thus, you were expecting something similar or you were making up your own story before even starting to read the book, just because you thought you knew the author's style. Once again: IT'S ANOTHER BOOK. Flush the bunnies out of your mind and start from 0 again.
In reality, this is one of the best books I have ever read, and I can't say the same of 'Watership Down'. "The Pague Dogs" is usually seen under the fake idea (besides the ones I already wrote) of having an "animal protection" or "no animal testing" goal. It doesn't. Of course it promotes not harming animals, and the very same stroy makes you hate all scientists that mess with doggies, but it is not the author's goal, there are many more EASIER ways to stand against animal abuse without taking the time to do a story like this one, specially not as deep and profound.
People usually think it's tedious and boring, with complex words and a lot of poetic sense, so they don't really pay attention to what they're actually reading. They don't notice that "The Plague Dogs" is about many "human" issues, and it plays with very serious situations BESIDES animal abuse and testing. It touches very sensitive spots of psychology, such as guilt, trauma, suicide, family ethics and even racism. It also contains social weak spots, such as sensationalist media, panic disorder and poor government efficiency.
Whoever read this book and didn't notice anything special besides a "no animal testing" message, should go back and read it again, but with a more open mind about the details and other "unnecessary" information. You should also try to read beyond the letters: try to read it under a strict eye and ask yourself questions. Everything in the story, even the first pages that don't seem so special, have a lot to do with what comes next.
About the ending... It is a masterpiece of language, poetry and sintaxis: it is perfect in that way, but I do have to accept that it kinda' broke all the tragedy of the book, and I don't mean the "invasion" of characters in the last pages. That was fine, actually, it was in those pages where racism is handled in a very sutile way, as well as other important topics. But the END, the happily ever after end. Yeah, it might be open to opinions, but it didn't really left a door open to a sad ending.
I was happy, though, to see that the movie (the uncut movie) had a better ending, in fact, I saw the movie before reading the book. I think that if the book had the movie ending, it would have been an EXCELENT-EXCELENT book, but sadly it is just EXCELENT. I also highly recommend the uncut movie to adults, NO CHILDREN.
Summary of The Plague Dogs: A Novel
"Thousands and thousands of people will love this book!"THE BOSTON GLOBE
A lyrical, engrossing tale, by the author of WATERSHIP DOWN, Richard Adams creates a lyrical and engrossing tale, a remarkable journey into the hearts and minds of two canine heroes, Snitter and Rowf, fugitives from the horrors of an animal research center who escape into the isolation--and terror--of the wilderness.
From the Paperback edition.
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