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gilnean's review against another edition
adventurous
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, Racial slurs, Murder, Blood, Death, Animal cruelty, Kidnapping, Racism, Violence, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Gun violence
Minor: Grief, Misogyny, and Sexism
clevermird's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Installment #12 on my quest to read the great classics of Western Literary Canon, The Call of the Wild is one of several works by Jack London that deal with the Alaska Gold Rush. I read it back when I was 12 or so, but it's been quite a while since then, and I was eager to see what it brought to the table as an adult.
The book follows Buck, a not-so-ordinary pet dog who is kidnapped and sent to the Yukon as a sled dog. There, he learns how cruel the world (and people) can be, but also unlocks an inner strength and connection to his wolf ancestors that he never could have dreamed of as he passes through various masters and journeys through the wilderness.
This book was okay. The writing style is a little. . . I hesitate to say outdated, because that sounds more negative than I want it to. But it's certainly not a narrative style that is used a lot in modern writing. It's very much "tell don't show", almost as though we're being told a story rather than experiencing it with the characters. It works very well for the story they're telling, but it's a bit of a shock if you aren't expecting it.
I feel like I should have more to say about this one, but it's kind of just "there" for me. The characters are relatively well drawn for how limited the interaction with most of them (apart from Buck) is, the character arc for Buck makes sense, etc. I enjoyed reading it well enough, but I guess it just didn't connect with me.
The book follows Buck, a not-so-ordinary pet dog who is kidnapped and sent to the Yukon as a sled dog. There, he learns how cruel the world (and people) can be, but also unlocks an inner strength and connection to his wolf ancestors that he never could have dreamed of as he passes through various masters and journeys through the wilderness.
This book was okay. The writing style is a little. . . I hesitate to say outdated, because that sounds more negative than I want it to. But it's certainly not a narrative style that is used a lot in modern writing. It's very much "tell don't show", almost as though we're being told a story rather than experiencing it with the characters. It works very well for the story they're telling, but it's a bit of a shock if you aren't expecting it.
I feel like I should have more to say about this one, but it's kind of just "there" for me. The characters are relatively well drawn for how limited the interaction with most of them (apart from Buck) is, the character arc for Buck makes sense, etc. I enjoyed reading it well enough, but I guess it just didn't connect with me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death and Animal cruelty
Moderate: Kidnapping, Blood, Death, Racial slurs, Injury/Injury detail, and Racism
Minor: Toxic relationship
scruffie's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
I'm beginning to feel that London revels in cruelty and has much respect for the "survival of the fittest". Don't get me wrong, Buck is a great dog, but it seems to me that London pays a lot of attention to ancestry, genes, and race (and, most importantly, discriminates on it). Now that I've read both White Fang and The Call of the Wild I don't think I'll be reading any more of his books; he really tips my racism sensor and I've been annoyed enough by this.
For what it's worth, I liked the ending.
For what it's worth, I liked the ending.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Murder, Torture, Violence, Kidnapping, and Animal cruelty
Moderate: Gore and Blood
Minor: Misogyny, Grief, and Racial slurs
koko09's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
An amazing tale of sheer strength and determination, The Call of The Wild has my heart. I loved the relationship between Buck and John Thornton ❤️
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Kidnapping, and Death
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