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The Dog Stars (2012)

by Peter Heller(Favorite Author)

3.88 of 5 Votes: 5

ISBN

0307959945 (ISBN13: 9780307959942)

languge

English

genre

Fiction

publisher

Knopf

review 1: Although I was ambivalent about the writing (some beautiful phrases but also some horribly awkward "sentences"), I found the story (albeit plodding at times) haunting with its overall question of "what does it mean to be human." Unlike many post apocalyptic stories, this one is more introspective. Yes, there are skirmishes and killings, but the story is really not about that. Instead, we are asked to wonder if we, too, would be like Hig and assume people are actually good (which is detrimental to his survival at times) or would we be like his survivalist counterpart who assumes that every other human is suspect? This is a sad tale, but it's one that makes us wonder about humanity and our individual role in it.
review 2: This book was not my typical type since ... moreI don't really go for the dystopian tales, but I listened to the audio and just ate it up. I took it hiking and let me just say I covered way more of the mountain than I intended because it was that good. Difficult and disturbing, but so real and raw. I'm giving it four stars because I followed it right up with his second novel The Painter, and that one spoke to me even more powerfully and incorporated the elements of art amazingly. This is the one I bought for my grown sons however, one who lives right by Eerie Colorado. Heller tells this tale in a style and verbiage that perfectly fits the situation. Really, really good. less

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