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Dogland Will Shetterly 9780312866051 Books

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Dogland Will Shetterly 9780312866051 Books

In high school, our AP class discussed Fred Chappell and his use of "magical realism." Long before that class, I had purchased this book because I liked the cover and it looked interesting. It was slightly above my reading level at the age of 10, but by the age of 15, it was right at my reading level. Although this book is touted for elementary to middle school aged children, this book gets better with age. I knew more about the book when I read it at 15 as opposed to 10 and I pick up something new every time I read it. It's a wonderful book that deals with late '50s and '60s Americana, social upheaval and the civil rights movements, and a changing family dynamic. The magical realism I mentioned in this book isn't overtly present, but rather intertwined throughout the book in such ways that you might almost miss it if you weren't paying attention. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.


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Dogland Will Shetterly 9780312866051 Books Reviews

An interesting and very readable view on the late '50s - early '60s in the South. Told from a child's point of view, it was often unrealistic that the child would remember or comprehend most of the conversations and the author has very small children doing things that kids that age are just not capable of, but if you can put that aside, it is insightful.
This well written book pulled me into the time, the place and the characters. The narrative pace was redolent of the time and place. I liked the narrator and cared what happened to his family and friends. It was a fresh approach to the subject of racism. A rather haunting book that sticks with me.
I really enjoyed this book. Whoever heard of a tourist attraction like a zoo of dogs? What a novel idea, there were so many subtleties interpreting what really was happening from the description by a child. Wonderful story idea, however I wished there had been a more definitive conclusion to the storyline.
I grew up in south Florida during this time period and can relate to the story told here living through the school integration and the stupidity of prejudice having black friends being called names. Learning that there are just good people and bad no matter what your race is. The writer gives a good perspective on this issue in this time period. Life in the South was a lot more complicated than is portrayed in the movies. I would recommend this book to anybody that would like to know about this time in Florida's history.
Purest myth and magic, subtle and full of hints and mysteries, set in a beautifully limned North Florida country town, accented by the drama of change in the America of 1958-1962. This book has vaulted into my favorites and will stay there.
"Dogland" paints a vivid and accurate picture of the south in the sixties. (I grew up in the Florida panhandle during this same time period.)The book would probably be classified as magic realism, with Dogland and is neighboring spring as the Garden of Eden. Beautiful writing, interesting time, conflict between races, Yankees coming in with new ideas--so far so good. This is obviously a professionally written and edited book even though I got it during a free promotion.
But, I had some problems. The story is told entirely from the point of view of a boy from 4 to 7 years of age. The kid would have to have an eidetic memory and emotional maturity far beyond his years, even when recounting long-past events as an adult.
And, the book, which seems autobiographical, is just too long, as if the author had to include every event. For example, an old preacher killing himself because a cynic convinces him the rapture already occurred and the preacher didn't make the cut. A good story, but it doesn't add to this book. And, to stay in Chris' POV, this rambling story is presented as a letter that Chris' father lets him read.
Then after an epic battle between good (dogs and Doglanders) and evil (the KKK), the author starts another story line involving kidnapping. Why? Good triumphed. Maybe this is what happened in real life and Mr. Shetterly felt he had to include it to complete the story. Maybe to show that one battle doesn't win the war...
These are just quibbles. After all, I read all 452 virtual pages and enjoyed them. But I think a tighter plot and fewer tangents would make a more enjoyable book. For a book told from an adult perspective that emphasizes the role of WW2 in shacking up the status quo, see "Mudbound" by Hillary Jordan.
I felt like Doglands started out fairly good. I was looking forward to reading a lighthearted story with likable characters. But I found that I was not looking forward to my nightly read after a while. The characters didn't seem to be fully developed, and some of the action came out of nowhere with no foreshadowing.

I do think there were some very good parts ... And definitely some excellent "turn of phrase" bits, but overall I was kind of bored. It's as if the author wanted to write "To Kill A Mockingbird" but didn't have the patience to do the editing that Harper Lee did in order to produce that masterpiece.
In high school, our AP class discussed Fred Chappell and his use of "magical realism." Long before that class, I had purchased this book because I liked the cover and it looked interesting. It was slightly above my reading level at the age of 10, but by the age of 15, it was right at my reading level. Although this book is touted for elementary to middle school aged children, this book gets better with age. I knew more about the book when I read it at 15 as opposed to 10 and I pick up something new every time I read it. It's a wonderful book that deals with late '50s and '60s Americana, social upheaval and the civil rights movements, and a changing family dynamic. The magical realism I mentioned in this book isn't overtly present, but rather intertwined throughout the book in such ways that you might almost miss it if you weren't paying attention. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.