The Plague Dogs: A Novel by Richard Adams
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Book Reviews of The Plague Dogs: A Novel
Book Review: A wonderful, but heartbreaking book
Summary: 5 Stars
This book is not an easy book to read, not by any way you look at it. It tells the story of two dogs, Snitter (who once had a master) and Rowf (who never did and is therefore known only by the sound he makes, a great big "Rowf"), who escape from an animal experiment research place (called, amusingly enough Animal Research, Surgical and Experimental -- yes, that spells out A.R.S.E.). The stories of their tortures at the hands of the scientists and of the torture of other animals are all too realistic as they're based off real experiments, many of which are simply not necessary and are done "just to see how the animal reacts." That is part of what makes it difficult to read. The other part is some of the dialect. I admit, the dialect of the tod (a fox) was so hard to get through at first that I came close, more than once, to putting down the book.
I'm glad I didn't.
After a time you get used to it and it helps to really solidify his voice in your head.
These two dogs in their travels are first chased off and later pursued by farmers for killing sheep and hens and raiding dust bins. The press gets involved, bringing the public's attention to these two dogs and after finding out that there were experiments going on regarding the plague at A.R.S.E., concocts a story in which the dogs might or might not carry the plague. Either way, the public outcry for the deaths of the two "plague dogs" is overwhelming.
What ensues from here on out is a media circus and manhunt of the worst kind.
I won't spoil the ending, because I was surprised and amazed. Despite the sometimes emotional difficulty of reading about the experiments done not just on dogs, but on many other animals as well, and despite the difficulties of reading the tod's dialect, I will say this book was VERY worth reading. By the end I couldn't put it down and I was in tears.
Besides the plot and the twists therein, I found the book a rather telling commentary on the media and just what they can do to the public's perception. The way the media twists the facts, creating a story just to sell some more copies, is astonishingly accurate.
Book Review: The Heartbeat of a Writer
Summary: 5 Stars
There's little doubt many modern readers would find this book hard to finish. It wanders with canine abandon, frolicks throught the narrative hills, and rolls around in the mud. It chases shadows. It wallows in subplots. And yet, with all its old-school flaws, it lured me in.
"The Plague Dogs" follows Snitter and Rowf, two animals being experimented upon in England's Lake Country, at a secretive government facility called Animal Research Scientific, Experimental (A.R.S.E.). The not so subtle acronym gives clear indication that Richard Adams, best known for his book "Watership Down", is once again making a statement about the way humankind and animals coexist. In this case, Snitter and Rowf cause quite a stir when they manage to escape from ARSE one weekend. Soon, they're hunting sheep to survive, and the local farmers are out to destroy them. The news catches the attention of an opportunistic reporter, Driver Digby, and he writes a volatile newspaper article suggesting these dogs are infected with bubonic plague. Not only are the local townfolks upset, but the very corridors of parliamentary power are challenged for there decision to support ARSE in the first place. What government secrets are being hidden? What diseases might soon threaten dear old England? Caught in the buzzsaw of politics and media manipulation, Snitter and Rowf have little chance of survival.
Adams does a wonderful job of taking us into the thoughts and actions of these erstwhile heroes. He grows a bit satirical, sometimes heavy-handed, in his dealing with issues of animal research and environment, but he always has points worth making. The writing style is dated, and there are some awkward literary devices, ranging from omniscient points of view to the sudden appearance of vital characters. Nevertheless, I found myself swept up in Adams' passion for his themes, his canine protagonists, and his love for the English countryside.
Some of the more modern genre bestsellers are cleaned up and sterilized, all for the sake of our limited attention spans, but few throb with the same heartbeat of a writer in love with the language and the world around him.
Book Review: Way more brutal than the movie.
Summary: 5 Stars
I actually watched the movie before ever reading the book. Its safe for me to say that this book is way more disturbing than the movie and thats saying something. I haven't gotten too far into it yet because I'm reading Watership Down too, so most of whats in this review will be based on what I've read so far. For one this is way more detailed than the movie. The laboritory in which the dogs are held is described to be almost like a torture chamber to me. The test and stuff they put these animals through are horrendous. I know humans can benefit from animal testing, but some of the test described in this book seem unnecessary. Whats interesting is that thier actually test done in real life! I can't begin to imagine what thats like. I also noticed that Snitter, the little terrior in the book, is even more disturbed than his movie counterpart. One thing I always wondered is what they did to Snitters brain to drive him to the point of being Skitzo. The movie never really explained this detail, but I heard the book does. What I like about this book is that it doesn't just go by the viewpoint of the dogs. It also focuses on the scientist themselves and other humans to fill in what has resulted from the dogs escape. I have to admit its a little harder to read than Watership Down, but its still a good read. From what I've read so far I'm not sure if its appropriate or not for kids (I don't have any). From what peaples said on Youtube I assume its one of those "Do you think your child can take it" situations. If you love the book I also recommend the movie which Is just as dark and disturbing.Book Review: A Beautiful Book
Summary: 5 Stars
This really is a super novel. The copy just acquired is my third copy, having had the film tie-in before and prior to that the late seventies original paperback. Read first when at school, I fell in love with the book having absorbed the wonders of Watership Down - although Plague Dogs is far from a childrens book. Mixing the wonderful companionship of Rowf and Snitter, the horrors of the animal testing station, the excitement of escape and the evocotive Lake District countryside the story charts the dogs' progress on their journey without sidestepping the realities of life in the wild - for 2 dogs used to having their food provided for them; rather than becoming hunters and scavengers themselves whilst the worst hunter of all, man, is hunting them. Buy this book and treasure it. This copy has a beautiful glossy cover of the two escapees and as an American print the northern dialect has been slightly toned down but without losing the charm of the book. Prepare to enjoy, enthrall, laugh - and probably cry too.
Book Review: The author's best(?)
Summary: 5 Stars
I won't waste your time equivocating: I think this is Richard Adams' greatest novel. The story of the two dogs on the lam from a horrible experimental facility is heart-stopping at times, beautiful at other moments, always unforgettable. And if you're an animal lover, I warn you: At times you'll fight back tears, and at other times you'll feel enraged. Thank heaven we've learned a few things as a society since the time of this book's setting ... yet animals are still abused, and it's bitterly hard for me to understand why; they give us so much.
Snitter and Rowf are as real to me as any dogs I've ever loved, and I've had many in my half century of life. This is one of those books I wish I could read again for the first time, but since that's not possible, I'll just have to re-read it, again and again. The wonder of it never fails to please me.