Book review for Call of the Wild

"Buck ran with them, side by side with the wild brother, yelping as he ran."

This statement tells what happens after Buck leaves the world of civilization and enters the wild. The Call of the Wild tells the story of Buck, a dog living a normal dog life in California, and how through several twists and turns of events comes to lead a wolf pack and become legendary. This compelling read, written by Jack London, tells a tale of survival and hardship, and paints a harsh and real picture in the mind of the reader. This is one of the better books I have read this year, and I urge everyone who has not read it to go get a copy and read it.

An aspect of this book that stood out to me the most was the way the author developed Buck into a real person and gave an interesting perspective for the story. A dog would not be an author's first choice for a main character, or even a large part of a story, but at about the middle of the book, you almost forget about Buck being a dog. This gave an interesting perspective for the story, and I personally think that taking a non-human character and making them human-like takes a great deal of skill.

The setting of the story was another great aspect in the story. The Alaskan wilderness has long been thought of as an amazing place to see, and London's descriptions help with that assessment. The long snow covered trails and mountains are all described in great detail, and the dangers are also described. Sub-zero temperatures, cracking ice, and wild animals are just a few of the dangers described in detail. The really scary part is that this is all true and people and dogs went through a lot of the same hardships during the Klondike gold rush.

All in all, The Call of the Wild has been my favorite book that we have had to read this year. While I do not like to be told what to read, I was glad to be told to read this. I probably would not have read the book if I hadn't been told to. Good job, Mrs. Gillmore. I applaud you.

78 pages