Book Review: The Dog Who Dared To Dream by Sun-mi Hwang

SYNOPSIS

This is the story of a dog named Scraggly. Born an outsider because of her distinctive appearance, she spends most of her days in the sun-filled yard of her owner's house. Scraggly has dreams and aspirations just like the rest of us. But each winter, dark clouds descend and Scraggly is faced with challenges that she must overcome. Through the clouds and even beyond the gates of her owner's yard lies the possibility of friendship, motherhood and happiness - they are for the taking if Scraggly can just hold on to them, bring them home and build the life she so desperately desires. The Dog Who Dared to Dream is a wise tale of the relationship between dog and man, as well as a celebration of a life lived with courage.

Translated into English for the first time, it is a classic from Sun-mi Hwang, an international bestselling author.

I came across this when hiding from the weather in Waterstones. Ever since Borders closed in the late noughties, Waterstones has become my favourite shop to be in. I rarely leave there empty-handed. It is a very dangerous shop. In fact, I have two more books I got there recently I haven't yet started.

I read the blurb and skimmed a couple of pages and knew I'd love this book. It has the lovely, simple language style a lot of books from that part of the world. 

Scraggly's life is very difficult. She is an outside dog, living in the garden of her owner who are clearly not a well-off family.  She is the scruffy dog of the litter, scrappy and difficult. She has to watch as her good-looking siblings are sold one-by-one until one day her mother and remaining siblings are taken too - in the most violent and heart-wrenching way. Scraggly is all that is left of her family and soon becomes the breeding dog for the man who owns her. We see her mature and have pups of her own - who are also sold. We see her struggle with the knowledge that the man who took her first family keeps returning to her oblivious owner to scout out more valuable pups from them.

This story is not cute or particularly happy - it's hard-hitting and full of loss and hardships. There are moments of wry humour, though, and heart-warming character arcs, for all that it is only 160 pages of simple sentences and short chapters.

I could not put the book down, pausing only to let things sink in or to blink away tears.  It is a book I will probably read a few more times - there is something really enchanting about it.

This is a story about relationships - between dog and man, dog and other animals, workers and bosses, outcasts and the bonds that bind like-souls together.

The relationship between Scraggly and her owner, and even between Scraggly and the sarcastic, sadistic cat next door, will bring tears to your eyes.

9/10  Definitely recommend it, especially if you're looking for a short book that's different.