It’s been ages since I wrote a review–mostly because it’s been ages since I actually finished a book. 😛 Oh, I’ve started a good many of them, but finished? Not so much. Time has been rather more precious than usual over the last few months, and so I’ve been particularly protective of it…which has made me rather quick to abandon less than stellar reads, I’m afraid. I’m happy to report, however, that All Dogs Go to Kevin wasn’t one of those. Here are my thoughts.
Why I read it
I’m not normally a big reader of memoirs, but I’ve decided I need to expand my reading repertoire, and so I’ve started purchasing Kobo’s “daily deals” when I’m looking for a new book. It helped that the description for All Dogs Go to Kevin billed the read as something that would appeal to fans of James Herriot’s veterinary series, a childhood favourite of mine.
What I liked about it
As a dog person myself, I loved Vogelsang’s heartwarming observations about the canines that had been part of her family. Her love for and commitment to these animals is obvious, and she tells their stories with humour and respect. I also enjoyed the client stories woven into the book. Vogelsang has an easy, approachable writing style that is indeed reminiscent of Herriot.
What I didn’t like
At times the book felt a tad disjointed, with bits of stories thrown in and then left, never fully woven in or finished. This should have been something addressed at the editorial stage, in my opinion, and it led to moments of frustration for me as I paged back and forth on my Kobo to see if I’d missed something somewhere (I hadn’t).
Final thoughts: Having gone in expecting Herriot, I was initially a little disappointed not to have more anecdotes from the veterinary side of things…once I let go of those expectations, however, I began to enjoy Vogelsang’s own voice and the insights into her life. This was, after all, a memoir and not a job history. By the end, I wished it was longer — which is always a sign of a good book. 🙂 In short, I wholeheartedly recommend All Dogs Go to Kevin, especially if you’re a lover of dogs . Oh, but do make sure you have the tissues handy. You’ll definitely need them!
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