Abandoned in a big city at the onset of winter, a hungry four year old boy follows a stray dog to her lair. There in the rich smelly darkness, in the rub of hair, claws and teeth, he joins four puppies in the warmth of their mother's coat.
And so begins Romochka's life as a dog. Weak and hairless, with his useless nose and blunt little teeth, Romochka is ashamed of what a poor dog he makes. But learning how to be something else ... that's a skill a human can master. Fortunately, because one day Romochka will have to learn how to be a boy.
This book drew a few strong reactions, which, considering the basic survival theme, is not really surprising. The fact that it was a small child who found himself in such circumstances only heightened our groups distaste, so much so that a few could not even read on.
But for those who did, it was an emotional and unforgettable read. Denise found the writing excellent, tense and very edgy. Most found it amazingly believable, which was unexpected. We felt that this age old story of a boy being raised by dogs (or wild animals of some kind) belongs more in the fantasy or fairytale category, with references being made back to Mogali of Jungle Book and as far back as Ancient Rome and the poet Publius Ovidius, which is covered in the David Malouf book An Imaginary Life. But this very contemporary story dwells in the here and now of Moscow, which a few of our members have visited. Tera thought the descriptions of Moscow very well done. She even brought us photos she had taken of the city's subways and train stations that feature so prominently in the book. There is of course a hefty handful of true life feral children, so our suspended believe need not be stretched too far.
Viti found the treatment of the poorer classes and general conditions disturbing and a good deal of our discussion centred on this. The winters in this part of the world are harsh and we reflected on how difficult it would be for the homeless and abandoned.
There were a few points that did not sit right with some of us. We found it out of character for Romochka to kill his uncle, no matter how much he deserved it! Romochka to this point had only been taught to kill for food or in self defence. And the torture scene was hard to bear. Did children really behave in this cruel manner? Again, Tera had had first hand experience with the street orphans of Moscow and she confirmed that the survival instinct is extremely strong and that she did find this event within her realm of believe.
So, if you are not prone to squeamish reactions and like a good, gutsy human hardship tale, Dog Boy could be good choice over these winter months. It will certainly make you appreciate your warm and cozy reading corner!
