And within three months I was blindsided with pain and death. I had accidentally read two more books where dogs die/are murdered.
This has to stop. I've started a list. I'm taking one for the team and ripping out my heart every time a dog (or dog adjacent) is killed in a book I read, and then documenting it here. And every time I come across another dead dog book I am re-posting this post because THAT is how upsetting dead dog books are.
Your welcome.
Dead Dog Books:
Drood - Dan Simmons: Not one. Not two. THREE dead dogs.
The Imperfectionists - Tom Rachman: Don't read the last five pages. DON'T.
The Little Stranger - Sarah Waters: Euthanizing a dog when you are using it as a scapegoat for an evil ghost = WRONG.
The Story of Edgar Sawtelle - David Wroblewski: The dog thought the boy hated him and then he couldn't tell her he loved her...I'm gonna cry now just thinking about it.
Straight Man - Richard Russo: All you have to do is read the prologue to find a dead dog. PROLOGUE.
Where the Red Fern Grows - Wilson Rawls: Crying, seriously. Best friend dogs shouldn't die.
Dead Dog Adjacent:
A Game of Thrones - George R.R. Martin: Murdering wolves is not OK. Neither is throwing stones at them.
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo - Stieg Larsson: The entire book is graphic, but really? Cat murder as a warning? Not cool.
The Red Pony - John Steinbeck: When the title character bites it in the first section? Devastating
Dead Dog Books I've Been Saved From
Marley & Me - John Grogan: This story is all the worse for its being TRUE. Below the belt.
Old Yeller - Fred Gipson: As E puts it...the dead dog book that started it all
"I should do this for movies as well.
There needs to be a warning on Eight Below.
Paul Walker: save those dogs!!"
me
There needs to be a warning on Eight Below.
Paul Walker: save those dogs!!"
me
Ohmigod....those dogs that died in Drood...what the hell?? That book....when should we do our duo-book review?
ReplyDeleteEdgar Sawtelle though - holy crap was that a good read! I cried at the end - no doubt.
Did the dog die in While I'm Falling? Because I stopped reading that book halfway through because I THOUGHT the mother was going to put the dog down. I was very upset and I don't even know!
Jabba:
ReplyDeleteFor the Drood dogs I could sense the death coming and I totally skipped pages. I don't want to read that!
I have been thinking about my Drood post. How about posting tomorrow?? I can't wait to hear what you thought!!
Sawtelle was an amazing enough book that the dog death was completely tragic, but I wouldn't give reading the book up for it.
NO, the While I'm Falling dog did NOT die. THANKFULLY. Don't worry, that dog is alive and well.
dont forget about old yeller
ReplyDeleteoh wait i guess I should read your blog all the way to the end :) this is why i do a second read through!
ReplyDeleteThere's actually a children's/YA book about this called "No More Dead Dogs". It's surprisingly good and funny and might be cathartic.
ReplyDeleteI actually do a "dead dogs" theme all year in my 6th grade class, we took a tally every time a dog died. We got up to 56 by the end of the year. Try reading a "dead dog" book for every genre... it was a fun challenge lol
ReplyDeleteMy Dog Skip - Willie Morris. Not quite as devastating because Skip lives to a respectable age, but still.
ReplyDeleteWuthering Heights is FULL of dead dogs.
ReplyDelete