The call of the wild : Book review


Title: The call of the wild
Author: Jack London
Genre: Classic/Fiction

Reading this classic again after many years. Wanted to do so before the movie releases next Friday.

The call of the wild is a journey about a dog named Buck. Buck leads a comfortable life at the sun kissed Santa Clara Valley. Until that one day when he is kidnapped. He is then thrown into a difficult and a dangerous life.

Those days there was great demand for sledge dogs so Buck finds himself amidst harsh conditions and a menacing pack. In his quest for survival, Buck learns to fight the leader of the pack and earns his place as the master. From a gentle pet dog, Buck’s transformation into a wild hound is appalling, heart wrenching yet extraordinary.

The call of the wild left me with mixed feelings. The violent and brutal treatment towards dogs was disheartening. Similar feelings when I read the harsh treatment meted out to horses in Anna Sewell’s Black Beauty.

Jack London’s lucid and descriptive writing style transported me to the wilderness. Another book that focuses on nature as one of the main themes. The endearing rapport between Buck and John Thornton tugs the strings of the heart.

Overall a powerful read. Quite curious to see how the movie turns out.

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