Book Review: A Dog’s Way Home

Review

If you’ve read author W. Bruce Cameron’s previous dog-centric books (A Dog’s Journey, A Dog’s Purpose), you know that he is a master at both tugging on our heartstrings and telling a wonderful story from the perspective of a dog.

In his newest novel, A Dog’s Way Home once again finds that sweet spot of humor, emotion and drama as Bella’s story unfolds and captures the love, devotion and personality of this sweet dog. You’ve heard stories of dogs traveling hundreds of miles to find their beloved owners – now we get to see it from the unique perspective of the dog herself as she tries to get home to her Lucas and his mother.

He has created a cast of characters (animal and human) that you will love (or despise), and there is the mastery of this author – his ability to make you CARE so much. I found myself looking around the room for my own spunky (and often annoying) ball-obsessed spaniel as Bella found herself in danger again and again. Cameron is, however, gentler on our tear ducts – while this did have me welling up, it wasn’t the full on ugly cry that caught my husband out on his flight from Chicago to Newark. I deem it flight safe for the self-consciously weepy reader.

A Dog’s Way Home serves well to shed a light on the unintended consequences and tragedies of Breed Discriminatory Legislation. Bella is (inaccurately) labelled as a pit by shady and petty animal control officers, and even after other staff members note that she is a mix, sweet and gentle, nothing can be done to reverse the labelling.  I think it also reinforces the importance of adoptions via animal rescue!

The story also shows in a heartbreakingly tender way the ability of dogs to calm and soothe as Bella interacts with veterans at the VA hospital. It’s amazing what dogs can sense, and the book brings this to life from the perspective of a dog and the importance and need for service dogs for veterans.

A Dog’s Way Home thoughtfully weaves together these many themes and leaves you with a full heart. Go get this book. Good reader!

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About the Author

W. BRUCE CAMERON is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of A Dog’s Purpose (now a major motion picture), A Dog’s Journey, The Dog Master, and The Midnight Plan of the Repo Man, 8 Simple Rules for Dating my Daughter and other books. He lives in California with his wife, filmmaker, actress, and writer Cathryn Michon, and their dog, Tucker.

*Many thanks to the author for providing me with an advanced reader copy. All thoughts, opinions and typos are my own.  

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