Dogs Don't Cry - Novels of the Great War

by John F Andrews

Overview

June, 1918 . . .

A dog's devotion, courage, and intelligence stand between two French teens and despair. Love and determination sustain the threesome as they flee the tidal wave of war. A story of hardship, peril, resilience, and hope.

Abby is the Durand family dog, a companion for fifteen-year-old Marcel and his sister, Geneviève. Marcel is plagued by doubts about his courage as he approaches military age. Geneviève has severe pneumonia and is convinced she will soon die. Evacuation is ordered as the German army barrels toward their home village. The doctor tending to Geneviève warns their mother that the rigors of evacuation will kill the young girl on the eve of her thirteenth birthday. Their mother waits until the last moment to leave their home in search of shelter.

A disastrous escape leaves them orphaned and alone.

Marcel and Geneviève must find a distant relative, Cousin Henri, who lives near Paris. However, they have never met him, are not sure of his last name, and don't know his address. Abby is the key-Henri is her former owner, though she begs to differ on the "owner" concept. If anyone can find him, she can. The teens confront their worst fears while seeking refuge amid the chaos of war, armed only with their faith in Abby.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9798989383535
Publisher:	46 North Publications, LLC
Publication date:	10/25/2024
Series:	Novels of the Great War
Pages:	300
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.67(d)

About the Author

John F. Andrews is the award-winning author of the Novels of the Great War Series, including OUR DESPERATE HOUR, AN AMERICAN NURSE IN PARIS, and DOGS DON'T CRY. He writes from the perspective of a service family father and critical care physician to craft unique stories based on real events. His characters struggle shoulder-to-shoulder with some of the real heroes of WWI as well as showing the plight of civilians caught in one of the most horrible conflicts in human history.

Editorial Reviews

2024-09-05
In Andrews’ historical novel, two French siblings and their dog desperately attempt to escape invading German forces in 1918.

Marcel and Geneviève Durand, 15 and 13 years old, respectively, live in Bouresches, a region of France soon to be evacuated as German troops march perilously close to it. However, Claire, their mother, is terrified by the prospect of evacuating because Geneviève is gravely ill with pneumonia and likely to die if compelled to walk even a modest distance. The Germans inevitably arrive, and Claire dies protecting Geneviève from their furious assault on the town. The children’s father, Pierre, also perishes fighting on the front, and they are left orphaned, their only guardian a fiercely devoted border collie named Abby. Marcel remembers they have a cousin named Henri somewhere in Paris—maybe in Neuilly-sur-Seine—but he has never met him and doesn’t even know his cousin’s last name. Abby, though, knows Henri and his wife, Sophie, well—they were once her owners. In this moving tale, Abby herds the siblings through a countryside ravaged by war, a dangerous journey that threatens the life of the ailing Geneviève. The story is told from multiple perspectives—including Abby’s, who is depicted with great nuance as deeply intelligent (border collies are “geniuses of the dog world”) but still not overly anthropomorphized: “I may not understand human sadness, but I know what it smells and looks like. It fills the house,” the canine observes. The opportunities here for schmaltzy sentimentality are manifold, and occasionally the author simply can’t help but indulge, especially toward the conclusion of the novel. However, for the most part, Andrews resists the allure of maudlin melodrama and limns a surprisingly unflinching tale of loss and survival. This is often a profoundly forlorn story, but not a hopeless one, and it is as emotionally affecting as it is historically authentic.

A remarkably sensitive depiction of the teenage psyche under unthinkable pressure.

Kirkus Reviews