Official Review: This Side of the Bridge

Kristy Khem · Post by **Kristy Khem** » 29 Mar 2019, 11:17

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "This Side of the Bridge" by David D. Michael.]

4 out of 4 stars

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This Side of the Bridge by David D. Michael is an illustrated story about his dog, King Kane. The story is inspired by poems and essays from Norse mythology and Native American folklore which describe a beautiful supernatural place where the souls of deceased pets go to wait for their human counterparts. The author writes from the perspective of his wise old dog, King Kane who arrives in this wonderful place. Here, all of his sore joints and paws are healed. He finds that he can run and jump as he used to when he was younger. The only problem is that King Kane misses his siblings and his human master. He makes new friends in this new land, but he waits for the day when he will be reunited with his family. Then, together they will continue on their journey to Heaven.

At some time in our lives, every pet owner wonders where their pets’ souls go after they die. This is an insightful story that depicts the afterlife in a remarkable way. Although pets physically leave us after they die, according to this tale, they will be waiting to escort us to Heaven. When I think of my own death to come in the future, I am comforted knowing that I will not be alone. I will have animal friends to walk beside me. This aspect of the book is what I liked most because I found it to be extremely reassuring.

I also like that the book is written from the perspective of a dog. Because of King Kane, I contemplated how my dog sees the world, what he must think about in his mind, and how he must feel. Currently, my dog, Lion is very old. He gets arthritis when it’s cold and he has a cough. Just the thought of knowing that his soul may go to a healing meadow to wait for me is consoling. When King Kane described his ‘grey-peppered mask’, I immediately associated his character to Lion because my dog's black fur has little grey splotches now. I can confidently say that this book is very relatable.

The illustrations in this book really complement the story. Each large, colored picture in the book takes up an entire page. It is a joy to look at them and see the beautiful world that the author described. The illustrator, Ayin Visitacion, also captures the expressions of the dogs quite realistically. The style is more realistic than animated. This perfectly suits the story because the overall mood of the book is quite somber.

I have no complaints when it comes to this book. It offers an insightful outlook into the concept of ‘pet heaven’ which readers will find to be reassuring and relatable. This inspirational and moving story also fosters healthy contemplation about the pets in our lives. Moreover, it was edited fully as I did not find a single error. I rate it 4 out of 4 stars. This is the perfect book for animal lovers of all ages. It can provide both children and adults with explanations about where pets go after they die. I think this book will make a lovely gift for someone who has just lost their dog. However, readers who have never experienced the joy of owning a pet may not be able to relate to this story so I wouldn’t recommend it to them.

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This Side of the Bridge
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Chele2018 · Post by **Chele2018** » 02 Apr 2019, 02:06

man, the review sounds so good . I am really interested in reading this. I like the descriptions of the the pictures you gave.

abdulusman99 · Post by **abdulusman99** » 02 Apr 2019, 04:15

wow this book is quite unprecedented and i find it alot charming. this book quickly reminded me of our family decease dog his name is also Lion

Post by **Alice Heritage** » 02 Apr 2019, 04:27

I am so touched by the idea of pets going to a special heaven where they wait for their owners. This does indeed provoke new thoughts about the animals' perspective. Thank you for a heartfelt review.

Post by **kandscreeley** » 02 Apr 2019, 07:50

That's a very sweet concept. All of us animal lovers lose a bit of our souls when our pets die. I think this would be especially great to comfort a child after the loss of their first pet. Thanks so much for the great review.

chiefsimplex · Post by **chiefsimplex** » 02 Apr 2019, 08:49

This kind of imagination fascinates,the story being told from a dog's perspective.Indeed the story is relatable.Thanks for sharing.

yimei1209 · Post by **yimei1209** » 02 Apr 2019, 09:47

So heart-warming! I'd love to read it! Thanks for the review!

Kristy Khem · Post by **Kristy Khem** » 02 Apr 2019, 12:20

ButterscotchCherrie wrote: ↑02 Apr 2019, 04:27 I am so touched by the idea of pets going to a special heaven where they wait for their owners. This does indeed provoke new thoughts about the animals' perspective. Thank you for a heartfelt review.

You're welcome

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Kristy Khem · Post by **Kristy Khem** » 02 Apr 2019, 12:22

abdulusman99 wrote: ↑02 Apr 2019, 04:15 wow this book is quite unprecedented and i find it alot charming. this book quickly reminded me of our family decease dog his name is also Lion

May your dog Lion's soul rest in peace

Juliana_Isabella · Post by **Juliana_Isabella** » 02 Apr 2019, 14:52

This sounds like a great way to explain a beloved pet's death to a child.

Post by **Radiant3** » 02 Apr 2019, 15:04

I was surprised that it was written from the perspective of a "wise old dog". The storyline seems very interesting. I will add this to my reading list. Thank you for the great review.

Prisallen · Post by **Prisallen** » 03 Apr 2019, 08:05

This would be the perfect book for anyone grieving over the loss of their pet. It sounds like it was well written and illustrated. Thanks for the review!

kdstrack · Post by **kdstrack** » 03 Apr 2019, 13:27

Having King Kane tell the story is unique. We all talk to our pets and believe they understand us! This sounds like a heart-warming story. Thanks for your review of this appealing book.

shereads shereads · Post by **shereads shereads** » 03 Apr 2019, 18:35

Just reading the description of this book brings tears to my eyes. Anyone who has lost a pet knows the pain we go through, and this book sounds like a wonderful idea of what happens after they die.

Post by **Diana Lowery** » 06 Apr 2019, 08:19

Great review. I like your suggestion of giving it to someone whose pet has just died. Pet owners are creating a whole new buyers market, and it sounds like this book will fill a niche. I especially liked that it is written from the viewpoint of the dog,