‘This is a powerful novel about how people’s lives can change in an instant, and how the animals affected by human disaster learn to survive… a tense, thought-provoking drama whose descriptions of animal life are reminiscent of Watership Down. Rock the Boat is publishing a sumptuous hardback edition.’ Charlotte Eyre, Bookseller, One to Watch
Dogs of the Deadlands
Anthony McGowan‘It broke my heart and then splinted it back together again… Magnificent.’ Hannah Gold, bestselling author of The Last Bear
‘A dog’s eye perspective that’s so vivid you can almost taste the earthworms.’ FT, YA Book of the Year
‘This visceral story of heartbreak and survival…has the memorable feel of a classic.’ Guardian, Best children’s and YA books of 2022
Chernobyl, 1986. Natasha’s world is coming to an end. Forced to evacuate her home in the middle of the night, she must leave her puppy behind and has no idea if she’ll ever return. Some time later, growing up in the shadow of the ruined nuclear power plant, pups Misha and Bratan have to learn how to live in the wild—and fast. Creatures with sharp teeth, claws, and yellow eyes lurk in the overgrown woods. And they’re watching the brothers’ every move…
But will the dogs survive without humans? And can humans live without them?
Reviews
‘Loved Dogs of the Deadlands – swept along by the story – powerful telling of dogs’ survival in the wilds against the backdrop of Chernobyl and the spaces humans left behind.’ Gill Lewis, author of A Street Dog Named Pup
‘The dogs’ behaviour is convincingly authentic… A phenomenal story of survival despite, and because of, the desolation of a modern nuclear fallout.’ Simon Barrett, Armadillo Magazine
‘A story about hope… a story that never lets up in excitement and overall engagement from start to finish.’ Books for Keeps, 5* review
‘The devastation the explosion caused is hauntingly described… There is, though, a lot of hope here too.’ Literary Review
‘Underscores the dangers of nuclear power plants and their catastrophic effects on pets and wildlife when problems arise like the Chernobyl meltdown. A story that will linger in the mind and memory of its young readers...' Midwest Book Review
‘This gripping and unusual tale… A remarkable and intimate story of loyalty and love, resilience, survival and hope.’ BookTrust
Praise for Anthony McGowan:
‘The Carnegie medal winner McGowan is superb at stories about children who do not have all the advantages.’ Sunday Times
‘McGowan's prose is beautiful in its brevity and devastating in its emotional impact.’ Bookseller
‘Extraordinary – exciting, brutal, heartbreaking, it carries you along with every howl, every bite and every moment of joy. Wonderful!’ Alastair Chisholm, author of Orion Lost
‘Raw, unflinching, and blisteringly well written, Dogs of the Deadlands is already certain to be one of my books of the year! Just WOW.’ A. M. Howell, author of The Garden of Lost Secrets
‘Insightful and entertaining, this is animal storytelling at its best.’ New Zealand Listener
'This wonderful novel deserves to receive the literary equivalent of the starlight barking to ensure it’s read by all.' The Times
Anthony McGowan
Anthony McGowan is one of the most widely acclaimed young adult and children’s authors in the UK. His books have won numerous major awards. In 2020, he was awarded the CILIP Carnegie Medal for Lark. He was also shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal with Rook and won the Booktrust Teenage Prize and the Catalyst Award for Henry Tumour. His YA novel The Knife that Killed Me was made into a critically-lauded film in 2014. Anthony lives in London, with his wife, two children and dog.
Author page
