The Dog Years

Charles has a wonderful mother, Alice, and an abusive father, Wilfred, and a little sister who dies when she is still an infant. His mother dies too, and his father invites in his girlfriend, Sylvie. The main part of the story shows Charles' years from grade 1 to grade 6, until the point when he goes into secondary school (I suppose that may mean "Junior High" in Quebec terms.) He has really good quality friends, such as Henri who lives across the street, and later, Blondin (surname), a boy who lives in a nearby highrise appartment. Charles loves dogs and eventually his dad and Sylvie let him have an adpoted dog named Boff, but just barely. You see, the father beats up both the dog and his son. This book portrays very well the perilous show more journey that every young person takes through the world of family, friends, school, work, and the strangers who surround him or her.
I think I read in the promo for the book that something about the October Crisis (1970) would be in the book. As it turned out, not only was that in the book, but the Parti Quebecois provincial election victory of 1976, and the introduction of the laws on language for signage. But these were not prominent in the story, which focused squarely on the family lives of the characters. I am curious to see if in the two sequels, when presumably Charles gets to be an adult, if he himself will get involved in politics. It sure looks like he might be heading that way. show less

Deepened my regret at not mastering French well enough to enjoy the original. After reading this first volume, immediately bought and read the next two.