Hi everyone! How are you all? It’s Friday, and it’s time for another review. Today, I am reviewing A Dog’s Purpose by W. Bruce Cameron.

A Dog’s Purpose was published in 2010 by Pan and is 334 pages long.

The Plot
A Dog’s Purpose is a heartwarming novel that follows a dog throughout a series of reincarnations as he strives to discover his true purpose. Throughout the story, he learns important life lessons and helps the people around him with his unconditional love.

Characters
The Dog /Toby/Bailey/Ellie/Buddy
The story’s main character, the dog, is a lovable and loyal companion driven by his desire to find his purpose in life. Throughout the book, he is reincarnated multiple times, taking on a different breed and personality traits. Despite his changing lives, the dog remains steadfast in his loyalty to his human companions and his quest to find his purpose.

Ethan
Ethan is a young boy whose mother rescues the dog when, during his first reincarnation, he’s a puppy trapped in a hot car. She takes him home to her son, Ethan, a kind and caring boy who loves spending time with his dog and enjoys playing with him; their bond is immediate and intense, which the dog remembers fondly, though, often sadly, throughout his multiple reincarnations.

Hannah
Hannah is Ethan’s love interest, and she becomes a significant character in the novel. Although the two grow apart, the dog is eventually helpful in reuniting them.

Maya
Maya is a police officer and another human companion the dog encounters on his journey. Maya takes over the care of the dog now in the German Shepherd, Ellie, incarnation, when her first trainer is injured on duty. With Maya’s help, Ellie learns invaluable skills that she comes to depend upon later in the story.

All of the characters in A Dog’s Purpose bring their unique perspectives and personalities to the story, shaping the dog’s journey and helping them discover their true purpose. Through their interactions with the dog, they demonstrate the power of love, kindness, and compassion in making a difference in the lives of others.

Writing Style
W. Bruce Cameron’s writing style is easy to read and engaging, and he uses a unique perspective to tell this story, as it is narrated from the dog’s point of view.

The narrative of this story captures the essence of the canine experience—the joy of simple pleasures, the acute sense of loyalty, and the intuitive understanding of human emotions.

Through humour and heartache, A Dog’s Purpose invites us to see life and the world through a dog’s eyes and consider the mark our pets leave on us.

What makes this novel special is its ability to convey complex emotions and philosophical questions in an accessible and captivating way. It challenges us to reflect on its themes of reincarnation, destiny, and the nature of love—all while wrapped in the adventurous and often humorous escapades of its canine narrator.

Furthermore, the author does not shy away from portraying the often more challenging sides of a dog’s life, including abandonment, abuse, neglect, and euthanasia, which was heartbreaking to read at times.

My favourite part of the novel is the dog’s character development; he begins the book as a puppy, living only on instincts and the rules taught by his original mother, and ends the book having learned important lessons and skills. The relationships he forms with each of his owners and other dogs he meets along the way are heartwarming and realistic. There are even some funny interactions with other animals, where the dog’s personality shines through in his thoughts and opinions about them (especially those about a horse named Flare).

Final Thoughts
This book repeatedly broke my heart into a billion pieces and glued it back together again. It’s a touching and uplifting story exploring the deep bond between human beings and their animal friends. All that being said, this is not just a novel for dog lovers; it’s a fantastic story for anyone who has ever pondered their place in the world or the significance of their relationships with other people and animals.

I wish people everywhere would read this beautiful book. It really affected me for days after reading it. I am giving it a solid 10/10.

There’s a film adaptation of the book, too, starring KJ. Apa of Riverdale fame, but I had put off watching it until I could read the book (both have been out for years now, but I’ve been busy!). Though I want to see how the story translates to the screen, I’ll give it a beat and let myself get over the book first.

Have you read A Dog’s Purpose? What did you think?

Thank you, as ever, for stopping by to read my review! It means a lot.

Until next time,

George

© 2024 GLT

Categories: Book Reviews, Reading

Tags: A Dogs Purpose, animals, book review, dogs, puppies, Reincarnation, reviews