The Dog Stars by Peter Heller

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow! Finally, a book that had me lying in bed, thinking of getting a book light so I could read just a few more pages. When I woke up and in those first few moments of thinking of my day, I am instantly thinking of when I can get back to this book. I chuckled, I laughed, I cried. I want more. Yes, it is reminiscent of The Road by Cormac McCarthy in that it is in a post apocalyptic world and has beautiful sparse prose that takes a bit to get used to but, for me, The Dog Stars is so much more. It is sad but it was also funny. The characters have wonderfully complex layers (yes, I even loved Bangley). Hig with his heart and compassion (don’t even get me started on Jasper!). It made me feel the deprivation and want to go out and hug a tree and breathe it in deep. I loved that the ending didn’t have a neat bow on it. The only fault I have with this book is that it is over. I didn’t want it to end…..ever.

Peter Heller, where have you been all my life. I am so happy to have discovered you and that you have other novels waiting for me to lose myself in. Although I don’t generally like to reread books, I suspect that I will come back to this novel again one day to lose myself and fall in love all over again.