105. The Starlight Barking

The Starlight Barking. Dodie Smith. 1967. 160 pages. [Source: Bought]

First sentence: Not long ago there lived in Suffolk a hundred and one Dalmatians whose adventures had once thrilled all the dogs of England.

Premise/plot: The Starlight Barking is the sequel to One Hundred and One Dalmatians by Dodie Smith. Pongo plays a starring role in this psychedelic animal fantasy. 

The book opens with Pongo, Missis, Perdita, and Prince realizing that their humans are asleep and won't wake up. They soon realize that it isn't just Mr. and Mrs. Dearly and the other humans at Heaven Hall who won't wake up. After traveling to th19e neighboring farm and visiting the General sheepdog, they realize ALL are asleep excepting dogs.  

This in and of itself would be weird and bizarre. But that's just the tippy-tippy-tip of the iceberg. Soon after arriving at the farm, they receive their first communication from their daughter, Cadpig. Not by twilight bark or starlight bark--or any other time of day bark--but by telepathy. And not only can they send out their thoughts to specific dogs--but to all dogs everywhere. But that's not quite enough. All dogs--at least the dogs that have been updated to their new awesome abilities--can also SWOOSH (Smith's word for fast zooming/flying). They can also group-think. Think DOCTOR STRANGE plus STAR WARS. 

So why out of the blue do dogs have these new powers and abilities? And do these new powers come at a cost?

 My thoughts: I have two questions. That's a lie. I'll start with two questions. Question one: how did this get published in the first place in 1967. Was there already a signed contract with Dodie Smith to write a sequel to 101 Dalmatians? Did someone actually read the manuscript and think it was a great book? Were they under the influence when they read the manuscript? (See I told you more than two questions!)

Question two: How does this book keep getting republished? That is perhaps the more important question. The copy I have is from 1970. But looking at GoodRead's all editions, I see reprints in 1970, 1972, 1976, 1988, 1994, 1996, 1997, 2003, 2006, 2011, 2015, and 2017. The most recent being an audio book. 

 Before I go all spoiler-y, I just want to talk about reader's expectations and SEQUELS. First, authors are under no obligation to the reader--though they may be with the publisher?--to write a sequel in the first place. Second, authors should have the freedom of creativity to write what they want to write and experiment with their style and plot and characters. Maybe Smith really, really, really wanted to try her hand at writing science fiction. BUT. Are sequels the best place to change things up completely and really go all topsy-turvy with content? Shouldn't sequels be somewhat similar to the original? The first book is delightful, charming, packed with adventure, has a cutesy charm. This second book is just...there are no words for how bizarre and crazy it is.

 

I feel the covers of the book are not HONEST representation of the content. I feel that readers might see the cover and think they're getting one thing when in reality they are getting something else.   

This one comes closest maybe to being honest.

So Smith's book in the end comes with a heavy agenda. 

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What follows is very spoiler-y so this is your last chance to avoid spoilers.

The book turns into a HUMANS ARE GOING TO DESTROY THE PLANET AT ANY MOMENT AND IT IS IN DOG'S BEST INTEREST TO NOT BE ON PLANET EARTH WHEN MANKIND IN HIS STUPIDITY RUINS IT FOR EVERYBODY AND EVERYTHING. 

The question that Pongo and all the other dogs must face is do they want to stay on Earth with their people, with their humans, with their pets, despite the possible risks because they are man's best friend and super-super-loyal or do they want a guaranteed blissful life on another planet/star with a Being that can use mind-control?

 I am all for being against nuclear war--who isn't?--but the book is just BIZARRE.

© 2020 Becky Laney of Young Readers