Review copy was received from NetGalley, Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Toto by AJ Hackwith Published by Ace on November 12, 2024
Genres: Fantasy
Pages: 368
Length: 10 hours, 46 minutes
Format: Audiobook, eARC
Source: NetGalley, Publisher
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I was mostly a Good Dog until they sold me out to animal control, okay?
But if it’s a choice between Oz, with its creepy little singing dudes, and being behind bars in gray old Kansas, I’ll choose the place where animals talk and run the show for now, thanks.
It’s not my fault that the kid is stuck here too, or that she stumbled into a tug-of-war over a pair of slippers that don’t even taste good. Now one witch in good eyeliner calls her pretty and we’re off on a quest? Teenagers.
I try to tell her she’s falling in with the wrong crowd when she befriends a freaking hedge wizard made of straw, that blue jay with revolutionary aspirations, and the walking tin can. Still, I’m not one to judge when there’s the small matter of a coup in the Forest Kingdom....
Look, something really stinks in Oz, and this Wizard guy and the witches positively reek of it. As usual, it’s going to be up to a sensible little dog to do a big dog’s job and get to the bottom of it.
And trust Little dogs can get away with anything.
The premise of a retelling of the Wizard of Oz from Toto’s point of view is immensely appealing. The general flow of the story was similar but with a few new characters and some new cultural nods.
Toto goes on a journey of personal growth as much as Dorothy does here. He is reasonably upset that the Gales were wiling to let him be hauled off to the pound and decides to strike out on his own as a bad dog. Then he makes a whole group of friends in Oz and a revived connection with Dorothy.
The regular characters of scarecrow, Tin Man and Lion are a bit overshadowed by some new characters. The “witches” are quite different too. The Wizard of Oz is mostly the same, a little more sinister and egotistic.
I enjoyed Toto’s perception and feelings about their journey. Toto is a fun, but philosophical adventure.
Narration:
I don’t believe I have listened to this narrator previously but I enjoy the performance. The voices were distinct enough for me to know the characters. I listened comfortably at 1.5x speed.
Listen to a clip: HERE
About AJ Hackwith
A. J. Hackwith is (almost) certainly not an ink witch in a hoodie. She’s a queer writer of fantasy and science fiction living in Seattle, and writes sci-fi romance as Ada Harper. She is a graduate of the Viable Paradise writer’s workshop and her work appears in Uncanny Magazine and assorted anthologies. Summon A.J. at your own peril with an arcane circle of fountain pens and classic RPGs, or you can find her on Twitter and other dark corners of the Internet.
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I read all types of books but my favorites are urban fantasy and romantic suspense.I like some romance and some action / adventure / mystery in everything.I like sex in my books but please, only between TWO people.Intimate conversation is equally important to the sex in a book.It lets me see the characters.The other thing I enjoy is humor.
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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- 24-COYER
I’ve been curious about this but didn’t have time to read it this month. I’m glad it had both familiar and new Wizard of Oz elements 😁
It also kept the style of being a learning journey for the main characters which is the foundation to many great books.
This looks cute and love the idea.
I just couldn’t resist the concept and there were clever cultural aspects too.
I’m intrigued by this one and I love the take on the traditional story. I’m glad to see you overall enjoyed it.
It’s edgier than the original (to be expected from this author) and I’m not sure how I feel about the new characters. But overall a good read.
Yeah, that would be great to get it from Toto’s view. Ah, poor pup feeling unwanted.
The concept was irresistible for me.
OMG – this sounds so delightful! Thanks!
I hope you get to enjoy it.
Sounds like a fun take on the original! I’d definitely be rooting for Toto!
Thanks. Of course, I was rooting for Toto. I have this odd habit of becoming the character telling the story in my head so …
This sounds fun! Thanks for featuring, Anne💜
Thank you. I loved the concept.
This sounds fun. It should be interesting reading Toto’s POV.
I always enjoy stories with dogs. This is edgier than the original version though and of course, more modern.
When I seen you picked this up I was curious if it was going to be any good! 😀 Great review!!
Thank you.
I didn’t know about this one but it’s intriguing
It’s a really appealing concept.