My Review of 'Dewey'

If you look at my library, or if you know me, then you can tell right away that I am a fiction nut, a fantasy obsessed reader, and I rarely, if ever, venture into the non-fiction section. And the few times I do try out a non-fiction book instead of a fiction, it's rare that I find a book that really grabs me and pulls me in, connecting me with the characters and story like fantasy books do. It's not always because the books are bad ones, but they're just not my type of book. But as soon as I picked up Dewey, I was hooked, as much so as if I were reading one of my favorite fantasy books instead of a real life one.

I don't want to give too much away, because I feel that to properly enjoy the story behind Dewey, you have to read and experience it yourself. But I will say that this story was an amazing, inspiring, and yes, tearful, one, told by his owner, Vicki Myron, who is, in my opinion, a wonderful writter and person. She didn't just write about Dewey, she wrote about everything that affected him or that he affected, both locally and nationally, personally and for the general population. It was told from the heart, straight forward and intense, but always true.

Dewey's life started out hard, but that fateful day, when Vicki found him and took him in, everything changed, both for Dewey and for everyone who would come to know him over his almost two-decade span of life. His story really touched me, and I would recommend it to anyone and everyone whom I thought would be able to read it and truly appreciate it. That is to say, someone who is not an animal lover, particularly a cat lover, may think it's a nice story and put it out of their mind, while someone who has grown up with cats all their lives, maybe even experienced a few that could be almost kin to Dewey as far as personality and the way that they touched the person's life, would probably cherish this story.

I've had cats my whole life, and though all of them have touched me in some way, there have been a few that stand out a bit more. Unfortunately, it always seems like those ones are the ones who pass on quicker, or so it seems to us, the owners. Though many of the extrememly special ones in my life have passed on, I still remember them, every special memory, every touch and connection that we had, and yes, sometimes, even years later, I still grieve for them, even though I know that they are still here in a way, and they are no longer in pain. Because of this, I felt an instant connection to Dewey and his story, though I had never met him, or heard of him before this book, and after finishing the story, my only wish was that I could have been able to meet him.

There was one line, the very last paragraph in the book, that really got me, and I think that it sums up everything I feel after reading this wonderful book:

"He's still holding me now. So thank you, Dewey. Thank you. Wherever you are."

Thank you, both Dewey and Vicki, for allow me, and other readers, to enjoy this unique, loving, and very touching story of love, survival, and more than a few laughs.

4.5/5 STARS! An amazing book about a very special cat and a city that pulled together to care for him, only to realize after wards that he was the one that cared for them. A must read for anyone who wants to be inspired and amazed, to laugh and to cry. Watch out, though: The ending is a 10-hanky that will probably have you blinking back tears for a while afterwards *Even right now, I'm not ashamed to say that I am still a little bit red-eyed and sniffly*, even causing you to stop at a few parts to collect yourself before continuing. It's a very powerful story, and one that I hope to be able to pass on to others.

I just finished reading this book (I got it via a "cold request" from the publisher, after losing the ER lottery), and I cried nonstop for the last several chapters. I think it will be a few days before I'm able to write a sane review ...

I can't read this type of book. It makes cry too much and then I think about it for weeks and weeks and just keep crying. So, no touching animal books for me!

I just bought the book today. I've only had one cat in my life, but she was around for about 17-18 years and just died recently. I'm hoping I won't be blubbering once I start reading it.

Uhm, you're going to have to make sure you know where the nearest box of tissues is at all time, rastaphrog.

It took me a couple of days to review it. I got it through a cold request to the reviewer, too. I sobbed for the last, say, three chapters. Fantastic book, but stock up on Kleenex!

It is being positioned at the next Marley and Me, but it falls short of that in my opinion. The big difference is the level of writing between John Grogan and Vicki Myron. Myron's inexperience as a published writer really shows, especially in its structure which never is fully realized. It's an interesting story, but it comes across as very dry in the print form. I wonder if the audiobook would be better, especially with Myron reading it. I don't doubt her enthusiasm for the cat, but it just isn't conveyed very well in print.

I'm still reading Dewey; almost done. I didn't get one from ER so I took a copy out of the library (fitting). I'm really loving it so far, not just because of the cat, but even the history and description of the small town in Iowa - I never thought that would interest me, but it does now! I know I'm gonna cry at the end, especially as I still miss my own orange cat, but it's worth it. The cover photo is out of this world cute.

>7 anyanka323: I agree. I thought the writing in the book was fairly basic. The only upside to that is that this book will appeal to a wide variety of readers and the writing makes it fairly accessible. My review is up on my blog.

I'm officially a wuss. I was crying on page 10...

I didn't get the book through Early Reviewers but bought my own copy.