Title: The Dogs
Author: Allan Stratton
Genre: Young Adult, Thriller
Length: 286
Rating: 3.5 Star rounded down to 4
Description/Synopsis:
Cameron and his mom have been on the run for five years. His father is hunting them. At least, that’s what Cameron’s been told.
When they settle in an isolated farmhouse, Cameron starts to see and hear things that aren’t possible. Soon he’s questioning everything he thought he knew and even his sanity.
What’s hiding in the night? Buried in the past? Cameron must uncover the dark secrets before they tear him apart.
Review – MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS
I received this book from Penguin Publishing in exchange for an honest review. I had never heard of it before and really no idea what I was in for. My expectations were a little low admittedly, the angle of not knowing if things are real or not in a book has really bitten me negatively before, but I was actually really surprised and pleased with what I got!
Now, I don’t want to go too into the plot because not knowing all that much about it is what I think made the book for me but I have to touch on it a little. The pace of the story I wouldn’t really call suspenseful but I would call it page turning. The story deals a lot with the comparison of the past and the present and I really liked that. I have always been a fan of past stories in with the present. I really liked having to work out how much of the past had to do with what was going on, as well as trying to work out if Cameron seeing things would work out to his advantage or not and just how much of what he sees is true. Its this that really made the book.
In terms of characters I think most of them fell a bit flat. Cameron, our main character, was really well developed. While I didn’t agree with all the things he does and feels I can completely understand he does and feels things. The people around him don’t handle things well, ever. But all those around him seem very one dimensional and lacked depth. The mother specially really annoyed me, just, gah. You will understand when you read the book. I can almost forgive the lack of character depth in the side characters though, because pretty much all of them are side characters and are only slightly important to the story. It is pretty much just about what is happening (maybe) inside Cameron’s head. They are there to just add little bits to the story, not drive it.
I don’t want t say anymore because I might ruin the book for you then. All you need to know is that I was really surprised and really enjoyed this book. I loved the struggle that Cameron has to go through with all the things that are happening. If enough people keeping telling you you are crazy for long enough you start to believe it. I suggest that you should at least give this book a go, it was a super easy read for me and I completed it in a day.
Till Next Time…
