The Jewish Dog

I’m sorry to say that this book was not one I would recommend to any but a child. Though the concept has great potential, the entire book is so unpolished that it makes it hard to focus on the actual story. There are times when the main character, a dog named Caleb, is unable to grasp that he is working for the Nazis, despite the supposed blessing of being able to understand humans. Then, only a few pages later, Caleb understands that there are different models of machine guns. Further, the author takes the time to post translations of both Hebrew and Germanic phrases, but then forgets these same footnotes on later pages that leave me scratching my head over half a paragraph, trying to figure out if the characters are at Temple or eating dinner. Lastly, the author tries but fails to find a happy medium between morose and humorous, interjecting otherwise witty anecdotes into a mostly depressing atmosphere, which, rather than making me laugh, comes off as inappropriate. I wish that the editors of this book had taken more time to rewrite this novel, instead of focusing on the cover art.