Between the Pages

This book takes the reader through a number of lifetimes experienced by one dog. When we first meet him, he is a stray struggling to stay alive with his mother, brother and sister. After a too-short life, he finds himself reborn as a Golden Retriever who finds a loving home with a young boy called Ethan. Bailey – as Ethan names him – and the boy are inseparable, and Bailey is amazed when at the end of a long happy life, he finds himself reborn again with a another new owner. The story takes us through the dog’s four lives, each one teaching himself new, and each time wondering what his purpose in life really is.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, not least because I am dog crazy…I would have a houseful of dogs, if we only had the space and time to devote to them. I really enjoyed reading about things from the dog’s point of view, and found myself both laughing and feeling sad at different points in the story.

If I’m honest, I would have to say that it’s a lovely story, but the writing is a bit simplistic – however, that might be a deliberate thing given that the narrator is a dog, with of course, a dog’s view of the world. I liked how, especially in the segment where Bailey and Ethan live together, Bailey would describe things that happened without really understanding them, but it was clear to the reader what the situation was.

I’d recommend this book, especially to dog lovers. It’s an undemanding and enjoyable read.