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jugglingpup's review against another edition
5.0
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I grabbed this book because I have been on a graphic novel kick lately. This book far surpassed any expectations I could have for it.
The book follows Liz coming home from war. She was one of the women serving in Iraq. She worked with a MWD or a military working dog. She was very in tune with her dog, Ender. Ender is not part of the book for long. He is mostly seen through flashbacks that Liz is having due to her untreated PTSD. She find another dog and keeps thinking and see him as Ender, which is supremely sad. I was close to tears over this damn book.
The book is VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY (I can keep going) dark. This is not a YA book by any stretch of the imagination. I have no idea why this is shelved that way. There is rape, mild nudity, death, violence, attempted rape, dog fights, excessive alcohol usage, and a great deal of foul language.
Liz is experiencing PTSD, but it is never named in the book. Instead people keep telling her she needs to get help, but she doesn’t see that she needs help. Instead she turns to carrying an unlicensed gun and getting drunk all the time. She tries to hide her flashbacks and how messed up both the war and her rape got her. There is even a scene where Liz is talking with the dogs she saved, Brutus, and explains to him that there is a hierarchy and no one cares about one girl in that. She explains away her own rape to the dog, after snapping at a woman who really cares about her. She had snapped when she said that she knew what it was like to be in a world where she couldn’t’ say no, how could anyone who hadn’t been in that world know what anything really meant. Liz makes so many tremendous points, but they are so clouded in her fear and her PTSD that no one takes her seriously.
There is a big scene where Liz takes another veteran out of an event and talks with him. She is accused of ruining the event for helping the veteran who had asked to leave. She is bullied because she listened to someone instead of letting people who did not experience the trauma dictate how things would work. It was so well done. It showed how people who don’t know how the trauma feels will do things to make themselves feel better instead of what is actually needed by the people who survived. It was brilliant. This book is full of insight like that. Insight that is incredibly valuable.
I loved this book. The art was iffy for me at first. It was too realistic, but it grew on me real quick. I don’t think this story could have been told with a different art style and be as powerful as this.
I grabbed this book because I have been on a graphic novel kick lately. This book far surpassed any expectations I could have for it.
The book follows Liz coming home from war. She was one of the women serving in Iraq. She worked with a MWD or a military working dog. She was very in tune with her dog, Ender. Ender is not part of the book for long. He is mostly seen through flashbacks that Liz is having due to her untreated PTSD. She find another dog and keeps thinking and see him as Ender, which is supremely sad. I was close to tears over this damn book.
The book is VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY (I can keep going) dark. This is not a YA book by any stretch of the imagination. I have no idea why this is shelved that way. There is rape, mild nudity, death, violence, attempted rape, dog fights, excessive alcohol usage, and a great deal of foul language.
Liz is experiencing PTSD, but it is never named in the book. Instead people keep telling her she needs to get help, but she doesn’t see that she needs help. Instead she turns to carrying an unlicensed gun and getting drunk all the time. She tries to hide her flashbacks and how messed up both the war and her rape got her. There is even a scene where Liz is talking with the dogs she saved, Brutus, and explains to him that there is a hierarchy and no one cares about one girl in that. She explains away her own rape to the dog, after snapping at a woman who really cares about her. She had snapped when she said that she knew what it was like to be in a world where she couldn’t’ say no, how could anyone who hadn’t been in that world know what anything really meant. Liz makes so many tremendous points, but they are so clouded in her fear and her PTSD that no one takes her seriously.
There is a big scene where Liz takes another veteran out of an event and talks with him. She is accused of ruining the event for helping the veteran who had asked to leave. She is bullied because she listened to someone instead of letting people who did not experience the trauma dictate how things would work. It was so well done. It showed how people who don’t know how the trauma feels will do things to make themselves feel better instead of what is actually needed by the people who survived. It was brilliant. This book is full of insight like that. Insight that is incredibly valuable.
I loved this book. The art was iffy for me at first. It was too realistic, but it grew on me real quick. I don’t think this story could have been told with a different art style and be as powerful as this.
lisafrancine's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
tweyant's review against another edition
2.0
I wish the ending of the book was different. I wanted to know more that happened with the girl and see less of her hostility.
lavenderdolmeh's review against another edition
challenging
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault and War
nerfherder86's review against another edition
3.0
I read an advance copy of this graphic novel, so the art was not all in full finished form; the drawings were still a little rough. It was pretty good though; it's about what happens when a female soldier returns home from Iraq, suffering from a difficult adjustment to civilian life. She was a dog handler (hence the title: Military Working Dog) and I picked it up thinking it would have a lot more to do with the doghandling than it really did, so that was a little disappointing to me. But it gives a very accurate look at veterans' lives, with violent flashbacks, drinking problems, temper issues. It's really a sad story for the most part, because the military dog saves her life but sacrifices his own :-( and although she gets a new dog as a civilian, there's no fairy tale happy ending, she still has lots of issues to work through. Has adult situations and language, so I'd recommend it for older YA and adult readers.
mrsjhasbooks's review against another edition
4.0
First, the illustrations are beyond gorgeous. They are incredibly detailed and nuanced. The decision to leave them in black and white lend itself to a newspaper feel, which makes sense, considering much of the way I initially ingested news about the Iraq war was via newspaper.
But the heart of the story is Liz’s PTSD and her losing Ender, her MWD—military working dog. I was so struck by how realistic the portrayals are and of the unique challenges military women face. This one will stay with me awhile for sure.
But the heart of the story is Liz’s PTSD and her losing Ender, her MWD—military working dog. I was so struck by how realistic the portrayals are and of the unique challenges military women face. This one will stay with me awhile for sure.
lfagundes's review against another edition
4.0
I did not like the art - all the people looked too similar and kinda ugly - but it made me cry a bit so that's always good!
saranndipity's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
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