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A review by richardrbecker
The Call of the Wild by Jack London
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
With perfect brevity, Jack London demonstrates his superb ability as a storyteller with an uncanny understanding of animal and human nature. Both tales, especially The Call of the Wild, have an energy and vitality that keeps readers gasping with every turn of the page — sometimes in horror and sometimes in excitement.
The Call of the Wild is told from the perspective of Buck, a St. Bernard and Shepard mix, during the 1890s Klondike Gold Rush in the Yukon. After he is stolen from his lush California home and sold to prospectors, Buck is forced to learn the law of "club and fang" to survive and thrive in the harsh environment and icy trails of northern Canada and Alaska.
As an adventure story, Buck survives several toils and tribulations until he eventually, just in the nick of time, is saved by the kindness and companionship of a man named John Thornton. The love between the two, including a willingness to give each other the freedom both long for, proves that a dog or a man may remain good despite their harsh and negative environments.
The book is surprisingly profound in a short space of time. There is no question why it has become an American classic that extols the virtues of inner strength and endurance — traits he learned while on his own adventures.
The Call of the Wild is told from the perspective of Buck, a St. Bernard and Shepard mix, during the 1890s Klondike Gold Rush in the Yukon. After he is stolen from his lush California home and sold to prospectors, Buck is forced to learn the law of "club and fang" to survive and thrive in the harsh environment and icy trails of northern Canada and Alaska.
As an adventure story, Buck survives several toils and tribulations until he eventually, just in the nick of time, is saved by the kindness and companionship of a man named John Thornton. The love between the two, including a willingness to give each other the freedom both long for, proves that a dog or a man may remain good despite their harsh and negative environments.
The book is surprisingly profound in a short space of time. There is no question why it has become an American classic that extols the virtues of inner strength and endurance — traits he learned while on his own adventures.