D.O.G.S. by M. A. Bennett – Book Review

Title: D.O.G.S.

Author: M. A. Bennett

Published: September 2019

Genre: Young Adult Thriller

Rating: 5/5 stars

“That’s why I’d begun to trust him. He’d said last, not laaast. Pass not paaass. He was a northerner.”

Review number two of the week. I am part of the bookstagram tour for this book on Instagram, check out my post on my account @wishfulbooks. I received this book from Darkroom Tours, M A Bennett and Hot Key Books. All opinions are my own and have not been influenced by receiving the book.

I’m generally not a big fan of reviewing sequels; I never want to give any plot details away from previous books. Though I suppose most reading a review would have read previous books in the series.

This is a fantastic sequel, keeping the mystery, thrills and shock of the first book.

STAGS has been reformed, we have new Medievals – Greer, Nel and Shafeen; the ones from the previous book have moved on. There is a slight element of mistrust and scepticism from Greer when she discovers Henry De Walencourts’ twin cousins have started at STAGS sixth form. As a reader, you are not sure whether to trust them or not.

I was excited to delve back into the world of STAGS, the familiars of it being set in England. There is a lot more Nel and Shafeen in this book, which is a bonus. I found this book kept me more invested in the story, when reading, I often found myself thinking just one more chapter. The book and chapters are set like a play with acts and scenes, and follows the format of Jacobean plays being five acts long. The author is somehow able to use a real life event, play and figures from history and intertwine it with the world she has created. The basis for this a controversial lost play ‘The Isle of Dogs’ by Ben Johnson. The play was believed to be satirical and slanderous of the ruling queen and her consorts, all copies of the play were destroyed and none thought to have survived. This idea is intricately woven into the story and it seemingly fits together.

If you enjoyed STAGS, I think you would enjoy this just as much, and if you’re like me it miiight be slightly more!

Happy reading, Lou x