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Your Robot Dog Will Die
Fusing the heart of Julie of the Wolves with the imagination of Little Brother and Ship Breaker , this speculative YA is a must-read for any dog lover.
When a global genetic experiment goes awry and canines stop wagging their tails, mass hysteria ensues and the species is systematically euthanized. But soon, Mechanical Tail comes to the rescue. The company creates replacements for “man’s best friend” and studies them on Dog Island, where 17-year-old Nano Miller was born and raised. Nano’s life has become a cycle of annual heartbreak. Every spring, she is given the latest robot dog model to test, only to have it torn from her arms a year later. But one day she makes a discovery that upends everything she’s taken for a living puppy that miraculously wags its tail. And there is no way she’s letting this dog go.
When a global genetic experiment goes awry and canines stop wagging their tails, mass hysteria ensues and the species is systematically euthanized. But soon, Mechanical Tail comes to the rescue. The company creates replacements for “man’s best friend” and studies them on Dog Island, where 17-year-old Nano Miller was born and raised. Nano’s life has become a cycle of annual heartbreak. Every spring, she is given the latest robot dog model to test, only to have it torn from her arms a year later. But one day she makes a discovery that upends everything she’s taken for a living puppy that miraculously wags its tail. And there is no way she’s letting this dog go.
192 pages, Paperback
First published April 17, 2018
13 people are currently reading
486 people want to read
About the author
Arin Greenwood
7 books35 followersArin Greenwood is an animal writer, novelist, and former lawyer living in St. Petersburg, Florida, with her husband, Ray, their dog Murray, and their cats Elf, Jack, and Chappy. Arin was animal welfare editor for The Huffington Post. Her stories about dogs, cats, and other critters have appeared in The Dodo, The Washington Post, Slate, Creative Loafing, The Today Show's website, the American Bar Association Journal, and other publications. Arin's third novel, Your Robot Dog Will Die, was published by Soho Teen in 2018. She is also the author of Tropical Depression and Save the Enemy.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 96 reviews
January 5, 2018
Arin Greenwood’s YOUR ROBOT DOG WILL DIE is a quirky YA novel set in a dystopian near-future when all but a handful of dogs have been necessarily euthanized after a genetics project gone wrong. The few remaining canines live in a sanctuary on Dog Island in southern Florida, tended by a group of animal lovers intent on protecting them. The narrator is 17-year-old Nano Miller, who was born on Dog Island and has never traveled beyond it shores. She’s one of only two teens on the island – the others are Wolf and Jack, her best friends. And she loves dogs. She loves the five dogs being protected in the “Ruffuge,” and she loves the robot dogs she’s owned for years, created by Mechanical Tail, a company determined to return dogs to human homes, even if they will no longer be “Organic.” The problem is, the residents of Dog Island are tasked with trying out the new models of robot dogs, and each year they must give up the one they’ve come to love and accept a new one, with new-and-improved features. This proves to be devastatingly difficult for Nano, who can’t help but fall in love with each robot dog she’s given.
The plot revolves around a real-life puppy Nano discovers at one of her visits to the Ruffuge, a puppy who will certainly be euthanized if he’s discovered (I won’t give away the reason why). So Nano and her friends set out to save the puppy. But in the process they discover some very troubling secrets, not just about Dog Island and its benefactors, but also about the world beyond the island, and what’s really on.
I wasn’t sure quite what to make of the first half of this novel. Nano is an interesting character, and the world she inhabits is definitely intriguing. She’s falling in love with BFF Wolf, which causes a few issues with Jack (since the three of them have always been a team). Also, Nano’s older brother Billy disappeared a year before the novel begins, and she’s never stopped wondering what happened to him. Her parents (like many of the residents of Dog Island) are latter-day hippies, animal lovers dedicated to vegan living and peace and well-being. But by the time the real story gets going (and Nano leaves Dog Island for the first time in her life) things get very serious, very intense, and even very horrifying. It surprised me, but in a good way. Because Greenwood’s story isn’t about a cute teenager trying to save a puppy; it’s about insidious people determined to destroy the world (with the best of intentions, of course). And Nano’s goal can’t just be about the puppy – or the robot dogs she’s loved and lost – but rather about unraveling the truth behind the only world she’s ever known and somehow making things right.
Ultimately, this is a fantastic read. I worried as I got closer and closer to the end that this would be the first of a trilogy and I’d be left hanging. But no, there’s a real resolution – one that’s both believable and satisfying (and that says a lot considering what happens in this novel). It’s being marketed as a YA novel, and I do think kids in the 12-18 age range will love it. But I see it as a novel for all ages. Its focus is on Nano, who’s 17, but its message is one that all of us can relate to. I highly recommend it.
[Please note: I was provided an Advance Reading Copy of this novel free of charge; the opinions expressed here are my own.]
The plot revolves around a real-life puppy Nano discovers at one of her visits to the Ruffuge, a puppy who will certainly be euthanized if he’s discovered (I won’t give away the reason why). So Nano and her friends set out to save the puppy. But in the process they discover some very troubling secrets, not just about Dog Island and its benefactors, but also about the world beyond the island, and what’s really on.
I wasn’t sure quite what to make of the first half of this novel. Nano is an interesting character, and the world she inhabits is definitely intriguing. She’s falling in love with BFF Wolf, which causes a few issues with Jack (since the three of them have always been a team). Also, Nano’s older brother Billy disappeared a year before the novel begins, and she’s never stopped wondering what happened to him. Her parents (like many of the residents of Dog Island) are latter-day hippies, animal lovers dedicated to vegan living and peace and well-being. But by the time the real story gets going (and Nano leaves Dog Island for the first time in her life) things get very serious, very intense, and even very horrifying. It surprised me, but in a good way. Because Greenwood’s story isn’t about a cute teenager trying to save a puppy; it’s about insidious people determined to destroy the world (with the best of intentions, of course). And Nano’s goal can’t just be about the puppy – or the robot dogs she’s loved and lost – but rather about unraveling the truth behind the only world she’s ever known and somehow making things right.
Ultimately, this is a fantastic read. I worried as I got closer and closer to the end that this would be the first of a trilogy and I’d be left hanging. But no, there’s a real resolution – one that’s both believable and satisfying (and that says a lot considering what happens in this novel). It’s being marketed as a YA novel, and I do think kids in the 12-18 age range will love it. But I see it as a novel for all ages. Its focus is on Nano, who’s 17, but its message is one that all of us can relate to. I highly recommend it.
[Please note: I was provided an Advance Reading Copy of this novel free of charge; the opinions expressed here are my own.]
October 10, 2022
Unfortunately, Greenwood took an interesting idea, tried to cram it into less than 200 pages and make it appropriate for children (I'd argue it isn't), and chose a to publish an uncopyedited version for no apparent reason (I don't think I've ever seen so many typos in a single book). I really don't like to be negative about books, but the potential of the story was really wasted here. :/
April 19, 2018
Oh my Dog, what an awesome, funny, sad, and funny, and hearwarming book this is! I laughed and teared up, and walked away filled with love for those heroes among us who dedicate their lives to saving animals. Arin's love for animals is pouring from the pages. This book teaches compassion and breaks down the notion that our killing of animals, however 'humane' is not the answer and that we can do better. Certainly, animals deserve better from us. I love that this is a YA book, because it's important for kids to cultivate this kind of thinking.
Aside from a serious message, this book is funny as heck. From characters like Marky Barky, to the mother clucking chickens, this book is through the roof!!...Or, as the author puts it, through the woof!
A feel good, funny book with an important message; whether you're 15 or 55, it should be read...preferably with a doggie on your lap.
Aside from a serious message, this book is funny as heck. From characters like Marky Barky, to the mother clucking chickens, this book is through the roof!!...Or, as the author puts it, through the woof!
A feel good, funny book with an important message; whether you're 15 or 55, it should be read...preferably with a doggie on your lap.
July 29, 2018
Uhhhhh what did I just read. It seemed all over the place. From what I can only describe as furries and then death cults and along the way the loss of virginity. I was expecting light hearted fun and this was definitely not it.
August 19, 2024
A Disappointment
Your Robot Dog Will Die had an intriguing premise—a world where dogs have died due to a botched experiment, leaving humanity to grapple with the aftermath, which also includes a worldwide drought, and scarce food. Unfortunately, the story falls short on many fronts and leaves readers with more questions than answers.
As the plot unfolds, it becomes clear that the narrative is riddled with loose threads that unravel the more you pull at them. The protagonist drifts through the story with little agency, and the lack of meaningful role models is glaring. Her parents, for instance, seem indifferent to her well-being. They don't bat an eye when she spends the night on a beach with two teenage boys or when she takes off on a plane for a few nights because she was invited to an exclusive party (a lie). Even when their daughter faces mortal danger, they fail to act like any concerned parent would.
The villain, who wields global power over animal control, is portrayed as utterly unhinged. Yet, the "good guys" believe they can simply reason with her to get what they want. The lack of logical leverage in these interactions is baffling, making it hard to suspend disbelief.
And then, just like that, the story wraps up with a tidy, happy ending. The world miraculously improves, and harmony between humans and animals is restored, leaving readers to wonder how this abrupt resolution fits into the bleak reality previously presented.
In the end, I struggled to take anything meaningful away from this book. It’s hard to recommend this book to anyone, especially to its intended teen audience. The story promises much but delivers little, leaving readers with a hollow experience rather than a thought-provoking one.
Your Robot Dog Will Die had an intriguing premise—a world where dogs have died due to a botched experiment, leaving humanity to grapple with the aftermath, which also includes a worldwide drought, and scarce food. Unfortunately, the story falls short on many fronts and leaves readers with more questions than answers.
As the plot unfolds, it becomes clear that the narrative is riddled with loose threads that unravel the more you pull at them. The protagonist drifts through the story with little agency, and the lack of meaningful role models is glaring. Her parents, for instance, seem indifferent to her well-being. They don't bat an eye when she spends the night on a beach with two teenage boys or when she takes off on a plane for a few nights because she was invited to an exclusive party (a lie). Even when their daughter faces mortal danger, they fail to act like any concerned parent would.
The villain, who wields global power over animal control, is portrayed as utterly unhinged. Yet, the "good guys" believe they can simply reason with her to get what they want. The lack of logical leverage in these interactions is baffling, making it hard to suspend disbelief.
And then, just like that, the story wraps up with a tidy, happy ending. The world miraculously improves, and harmony between humans and animals is restored, leaving readers to wonder how this abrupt resolution fits into the bleak reality previously presented.
In the end, I struggled to take anything meaningful away from this book. It’s hard to recommend this book to anyone, especially to its intended teen audience. The story promises much but delivers little, leaving readers with a hollow experience rather than a thought-provoking one.
April 1, 2021
Du skulle liksom handle om hunder. Jeg vil ikke lese om mennesker+ekstrem brå slutt. Alt i alt, ikke jævlig.
Read
May 9, 2020Alright, this is probably one of the most difficult reviews I've ever had to write.
Because what just happened?
As I was reading, I fully understood what was going on--Nano finds a dog, Nano meets some famous guy's daughter, daughter takes Nano and her boyfriend Wolf to see the other side of things. On the most basic level, as in what was happening in each scene, I understood this book.
But on a broader scale, I am so confused. The whole purpose of the book is lost on me. When I requested this, I was looking for some sort of comedy, whether it was the dry wit of Nice Try, Jane Sinner or the hilarious nature of My Lady Jane or some sort of parody or satire.
I'm just confused on what this book is trying to do. It lightly touches on so many things--animal abuse and blindly following people--but never goes in depth on a topic enough that I know what the book is doing. Sometimes it felt super serious, and other times it was so exaggerated that it felt like a comedic villain from overexaggeration rather than the satiric viewpoint on a dystopia that I was just reading about.
Basically, it felt like the comedic part of this novel got really confused. It jumped from overexaggeration to pointing out flaws in humanity on a more serious tone and it ended up really confusing me on what this book was trying to do.
Seriously, some of the phrases the members of the Dog Island community use are just so comedic. Instead of saying "Dear God!", they say "Dear Dog!" and all sorts of other doggish puns or switcharoos.
I think if it was more focused, I could have understood it better.
But it's also good to bring up the point that maybe I just didn't get it.
This happens sometimes--when reading more classic literature, sometimes I don't grasp the deeper meaning on the first read, especially when I read at the speed I read YA at. I could see hints of a possible deeper meaning being introduced, but I personally wasn't able to really find that in this book.
I wanted it to be more clear and centralized--and that doesn't mean to dumb the book down for us, but to pick a satire style and stick with it. Instead of overexaggerating the villain one moment and then switching to another form of satire the next, sticking with only one would have made this book so much clearer in purpose.
This was definitely a major problem that led to me not enjoying the book as much as I wanted to.
Similarly, I had a couple problems with Nano, the narrator. She felt kind of...not bright? to me.
I'm not saying she's not smart, but sometimes she sounds too young or too much like a blind follower that it makes you question if she has any sort of individual thought. In these types of books, the protagonist usually has this hint of rebellion deep within them.
But not Nano. Her rebellion doesn't really stem from her own observations, but rather how the situation forced her to do something. The most complex thought I really saw from her was just basic compassion for a living thing.
It made this very different to read and definitely has the potential to make some readers frustrated with Nano's simplistic thought. And, it's true that her education really isn't top notch with their spotty wi-fi and virtual school, but that doesn't mean intellectual curiosity will go away, does it?
The development of the world was also a little fuzzy for me. We spend most of the beginning of the novel on Dog Island, and how the dystopia is introduced leaves it to be kind of unclear as to if people off Dog Island actually use that funky terminology. There's also this drought which keeps popping up, but I was confused at how the drought came about? I felt like there could have been a little more exposition on this aspect and how it tied into the satire, I don't know.
I feel like this book's concept had so much potential, but the execution sadly just fell flat for me. I think using the "blind-follower" protagonist could have been amazing if done right, but I think the execution of this and the rest of the book's satire ended up falling flat or just flying over my head. I probably wouldn't recommend this unless you're looking for something where you can draw parallels between loosely related concepts.
Because what just happened?
As I was reading, I fully understood what was going on--Nano finds a dog, Nano meets some famous guy's daughter, daughter takes Nano and her boyfriend Wolf to see the other side of things. On the most basic level, as in what was happening in each scene, I understood this book.
But on a broader scale, I am so confused. The whole purpose of the book is lost on me. When I requested this, I was looking for some sort of comedy, whether it was the dry wit of Nice Try, Jane Sinner or the hilarious nature of My Lady Jane or some sort of parody or satire.
I'm just confused on what this book is trying to do. It lightly touches on so many things--animal abuse and blindly following people--but never goes in depth on a topic enough that I know what the book is doing. Sometimes it felt super serious, and other times it was so exaggerated that it felt like a comedic villain from overexaggeration rather than the satiric viewpoint on a dystopia that I was just reading about.
Basically, it felt like the comedic part of this novel got really confused. It jumped from overexaggeration to pointing out flaws in humanity on a more serious tone and it ended up really confusing me on what this book was trying to do.
Seriously, some of the phrases the members of the Dog Island community use are just so comedic. Instead of saying "Dear God!", they say "Dear Dog!" and all sorts of other doggish puns or switcharoos.
I think if it was more focused, I could have understood it better.
But it's also good to bring up the point that maybe I just didn't get it.
This happens sometimes--when reading more classic literature, sometimes I don't grasp the deeper meaning on the first read, especially when I read at the speed I read YA at. I could see hints of a possible deeper meaning being introduced, but I personally wasn't able to really find that in this book.
I wanted it to be more clear and centralized--and that doesn't mean to dumb the book down for us, but to pick a satire style and stick with it. Instead of overexaggerating the villain one moment and then switching to another form of satire the next, sticking with only one would have made this book so much clearer in purpose.
This was definitely a major problem that led to me not enjoying the book as much as I wanted to.
Similarly, I had a couple problems with Nano, the narrator. She felt kind of...not bright? to me.
I'm not saying she's not smart, but sometimes she sounds too young or too much like a blind follower that it makes you question if she has any sort of individual thought. In these types of books, the protagonist usually has this hint of rebellion deep within them.
But not Nano. Her rebellion doesn't really stem from her own observations, but rather how the situation forced her to do something. The most complex thought I really saw from her was just basic compassion for a living thing.
It made this very different to read and definitely has the potential to make some readers frustrated with Nano's simplistic thought. And, it's true that her education really isn't top notch with their spotty wi-fi and virtual school, but that doesn't mean intellectual curiosity will go away, does it?
The development of the world was also a little fuzzy for me. We spend most of the beginning of the novel on Dog Island, and how the dystopia is introduced leaves it to be kind of unclear as to if people off Dog Island actually use that funky terminology. There's also this drought which keeps popping up, but I was confused at how the drought came about? I felt like there could have been a little more exposition on this aspect and how it tied into the satire, I don't know.
I feel like this book's concept had so much potential, but the execution sadly just fell flat for me. I think using the "blind-follower" protagonist could have been amazing if done right, but I think the execution of this and the rest of the book's satire ended up falling flat or just flying over my head. I probably wouldn't recommend this unless you're looking for something where you can draw parallels between loosely related concepts.
October 4, 2017
Nano Miller, a seventeen year-old girl has a problem. Every year she is given a new robot dog by Mechanical Tail, manufacturer of faux canines. But she first has to surrender last year’s model. Nano falls in love with each new robot dog during the year. So giving the old one up is rough. But she does it and names the new pet Billy, after her brother who has been missing now for almost a year. Thus begins "Your Robot Dog Will Die" a YA SF Dystopian novel set in the mid-21st century. The story follows Nano and her two best friends, Jack and Wolf as they negotiate adolescence on Dog Island in Florida. They face many trials and have tough decisions to make as the story of Dog Island, whose administrator, Dorothy, is attempting to create a Canine Utopia, unfolds. This is a first rate novel and a good read. The characters leap off the page and lodge themselves in one’s imagination. They become flesh and blood as Greenwood paints a picture of a Florida vastly different from what we know. Hers is a world where Climate Change has altered the coast of Florida leaving many coastal cities as islands. A drought has made water more precious and driven many to vegan diets. Our heros live in a difficult world that they have adapted to. But the story of their coming of age and learning what goes on behind the curtain will grip you. The story is good and well told. This is a very fast read as well. I strongly urge all to read this fantastic work. It will be out in April of 2018 and when it hits the shelves run, don’t walk, to get yourself a copy. You will not be disappointed.
May 1, 2018
Wonderful book for any animal lover. Clever, heartfelt, quirky and thought-provoking. From page one, I found myself immersed in a future world with great characters and sweet animals. As I finished the book, I was sad to say goodbye to my new friends. It is one of those reads that sticks with you long after the last page.
February 26, 2018
I am reviewing this for School Library Connection so my review must appear there first. I will say that this book had quite an interesting premise but just did not deliver :(
June 27, 2020
The book is somewhat futuristic. It plays out in the middle of the 21st century where organic dogs are mostly extinct. People make use of robot dogs for companionship now. An experiment caused dogs to become hyperintelligent and aggressive so people couldn't keep them anymore. The last existing dogs are being kept on a separate island called Dog Island. They're being protected there and they're stuck in a huge cage. The robot dogs are also being testing among the inhabitants of Dog Island before they're being sold to the masses. The main character, Nano, gets a new robot dog every year and this year is no different. She gets the newest model and calls him Billy after her brother. Brother Billy recently disappeared from the island and Nano has no idea what happened to him. One of Nano's friends, Wolf, is her biggest comfort and their friendship grows into something more to Jack's regret who is the other best friend in this triangle. It wouldn't be an actual story if there weren't any issues. Nano finds out about a nest of living puppies where one puppy wags its tail. At that moment, she knows that she has to protect this one.
This is maybe one of the weirdest books I've ever read. The concept is completely unique. The synopsis is precisely why I wanted to read it since I don't add that many books to my TBR anymore. After reading the summary again, I think there are a couple of plotholes that I hadn't noticed before. This is almost par for the course with such a small book of only 200 pages. I think this is way too short for a well-developed story and that is the case with this one as well. Not a whole lot happened. The first half of the story is a description of Nano's life on the island and how it all flows. The second half is what drove the plot. I don't know what to think of this book. I didn't think it was great, but it's also not like I didn't have while reading it. I thought the ending of the book was bizarrely violent and the dark turn it took shocked me. I didn't see any of that coming when I started reading, but the book has some cult happenings going on (if that gives you an indication of how dark this book is). It felt very sudden for me and the 'villain' wasn't very well-developed. She could have gotten more motivation and intention behind her actions. No one is fully good or bad and I think I would have liked to see a little more good so I could better understand why people would want to follow her.
This is maybe one of the weirdest books I've ever read. The concept is completely unique. The synopsis is precisely why I wanted to read it since I don't add that many books to my TBR anymore. After reading the summary again, I think there are a couple of plotholes that I hadn't noticed before. This is almost par for the course with such a small book of only 200 pages. I think this is way too short for a well-developed story and that is the case with this one as well. Not a whole lot happened. The first half of the story is a description of Nano's life on the island and how it all flows. The second half is what drove the plot. I don't know what to think of this book. I didn't think it was great, but it's also not like I didn't have while reading it. I thought the ending of the book was bizarrely violent and the dark turn it took shocked me. I didn't see any of that coming when I started reading, but the book has some cult happenings going on (if that gives you an indication of how dark this book is). It felt very sudden for me and the 'villain' wasn't very well-developed. She could have gotten more motivation and intention behind her actions. No one is fully good or bad and I think I would have liked to see a little more good so I could better understand why people would want to follow her.
October 29, 2019
It probably helped that I had no expectations of this book: I knew nothing about it, was simply attracted by the quirky cover and title. Overall it seemed a bit haphazard, a story that touches on some important issues but doesn't have much depth.
It's something of a dystopia, there is mention of a decades-long drought, and most animals are extinct or on the way there. After failed experiments on dogs, they have become vicious and are no longer domesticated. So instead, people keep robot dogs, and main character Nano is part of the island community who test the latest model - which means that she has to return her pet for a replacement every year, although she can't help but get attached to it.
The islanders are a bit of a hippie cult, who want to give the appearance that they have the best interests of the real animals at heart, but perhaps do not.
The characters are really simplistic. If it wasn't for the references to smoking weed and sex I would have thought this was a children's book, the main character seemed so young. The two friends were just cardboard cutouts, names on a page. Main character is dating one of them, but it just seemed so pointless as he had no personality.
It was an odd combination of simplistic, easy read that veered from cheesy puns to depictions of animal abuse. Left with mixed feelings after this one.
It's something of a dystopia, there is mention of a decades-long drought, and most animals are extinct or on the way there. After failed experiments on dogs, they have become vicious and are no longer domesticated. So instead, people keep robot dogs, and main character Nano is part of the island community who test the latest model - which means that she has to return her pet for a replacement every year, although she can't help but get attached to it.
The islanders are a bit of a hippie cult, who want to give the appearance that they have the best interests of the real animals at heart, but perhaps do not.
The characters are really simplistic. If it wasn't for the references to smoking weed and sex I would have thought this was a children's book, the main character seemed so young. The two friends were just cardboard cutouts, names on a page. Main character is dating one of them, but it just seemed so pointless as he had no personality.
It was an odd combination of simplistic, easy read that veered from cheesy puns to depictions of animal abuse. Left with mixed feelings after this one.
April 28, 2018
What an outstanding, unique book. Loved it. Excellent writing.
February 25, 2018
Thanks to NetGalley and Soho Press for a digital ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Nano lives on Dog Island, where dogs are revered, yet caged and studied. You see, a previous genetic experiment on our canine companions went awry, and dogs were thus labeled deadly and dangerous. All the remaining dogs were euthanized with “Kinderend,” a euthanasia drug, and a select few were kept on Dog Island to be examined. This isn’t the only strange thing happening on Dog Island. Instead of keeping “organic” dogs as pets, people on Dog Island are given robot dogs, which are replaced yearly when the new model comes out. Nano can’t help but get attached to her robotic pets, and cries whenever one is taken from her. This is life on Dog Island.
Things go awry one night when Nano is feeding the organic dogs with her mom. Nano discovers a litter of puppies who are quickly euthanized by her mom (we can’t have dangerous dogs breeding, now can we?). That is, all except one that Nano hides meet their “kinder end.” And this is where the wild adventure into dog smuggling, animal abuse, and secret underground worlds begins.
When I read the premise for Your Robot Dog Will Die, I was excited to jump into this book. Dystopia is my thing, and I hadn’t read a book about a dystopian dog world before. However, Your Robot Dog Will Die suffers from poor execution, outlandish plot points, and confusing storytelling. Through much of the book, I couldn’t tell if everything I was reading was a “big joke.” I was waiting for the wool to be pulled from my eyes, to get some sign that this novel was satire. I felt this way because there is essentially no world-building, and readers are thrown into a world where dogs have gone rogue, people say “thank Dog,” instead of “thank God,” water is scarce, and people actually print their clothes. There was some background provided on the dogs, but I was given no other points of reference for any of the other odd turns of events. This made it very hard to “get into” the story and really find it believable. As an adult, I honestly felt confused through much of the book, and can imagine young readers feeling equally muddled. There were also descriptive passages about animal abuse that were uncomfortable to read. That is probably the point, but for a book being marketed as a must-read for dog lovers, I found it very upsetting to have the images and descriptions of abuse thrust upon me. Lastly, the climax involving the book’s villain was so out there ... no spoilers, but I just wasn’t buying it.
I think that if this book took itself more seriously, did some major world-building at the beginning, and had a more believable and knowledgable narrator, it could be so much more than it unfortunately is.
Nano lives on Dog Island, where dogs are revered, yet caged and studied. You see, a previous genetic experiment on our canine companions went awry, and dogs were thus labeled deadly and dangerous. All the remaining dogs were euthanized with “Kinderend,” a euthanasia drug, and a select few were kept on Dog Island to be examined. This isn’t the only strange thing happening on Dog Island. Instead of keeping “organic” dogs as pets, people on Dog Island are given robot dogs, which are replaced yearly when the new model comes out. Nano can’t help but get attached to her robotic pets, and cries whenever one is taken from her. This is life on Dog Island.
Things go awry one night when Nano is feeding the organic dogs with her mom. Nano discovers a litter of puppies who are quickly euthanized by her mom (we can’t have dangerous dogs breeding, now can we?). That is, all except one that Nano hides meet their “kinder end.” And this is where the wild adventure into dog smuggling, animal abuse, and secret underground worlds begins.
When I read the premise for Your Robot Dog Will Die, I was excited to jump into this book. Dystopia is my thing, and I hadn’t read a book about a dystopian dog world before. However, Your Robot Dog Will Die suffers from poor execution, outlandish plot points, and confusing storytelling. Through much of the book, I couldn’t tell if everything I was reading was a “big joke.” I was waiting for the wool to be pulled from my eyes, to get some sign that this novel was satire. I felt this way because there is essentially no world-building, and readers are thrown into a world where dogs have gone rogue, people say “thank Dog,” instead of “thank God,” water is scarce, and people actually print their clothes. There was some background provided on the dogs, but I was given no other points of reference for any of the other odd turns of events. This made it very hard to “get into” the story and really find it believable. As an adult, I honestly felt confused through much of the book, and can imagine young readers feeling equally muddled. There were also descriptive passages about animal abuse that were uncomfortable to read. That is probably the point, but for a book being marketed as a must-read for dog lovers, I found it very upsetting to have the images and descriptions of abuse thrust upon me. Lastly, the climax involving the book’s villain was so out there ... no spoilers, but I just wasn’t buying it.
I think that if this book took itself more seriously, did some major world-building at the beginning, and had a more believable and knowledgable narrator, it could be so much more than it unfortunately is.
January 1, 2018
OMG, I love this book. Here's my review —
Arin Greenwood moved to Gulfport, Florida in 2015, where she fit right in because she's as passionate about dogs as everyone else in the just-over-two-square-mile town.
So when you read Your Robot Dog Will Die, don't be shocked to learn the setting — Dog Island — has taken over a two-square-mile-town separated from the mainland by sea level rise. In this fictional former town of Beachport, there's a Casino, across the street from which sits an abandoned restaurant — The Smiling Manatee — that has a balcony overlooking the water. Houses, splashed with color, have plastic flamingoes in the front yard; people, horrified by the idea of animals living in servitude to people, live by strict tenets of veganism. There's a dog sanctuary that has a small hill and kayaks nearby, and there are golf cars everywhere. If you've ever been to Gulfport, this may sound familiar.
As a local, you'll delight in reading it for that reason (and a few other striking similarities) alone, but Your Robot Dog Will Die, intended as a dystopian sci-fi YA work, tacitly challenges our notions of kindness and our world view of bioethics.
Without spoilers, here's the nickel summary:
*Read the rest.*
Arin Greenwood moved to Gulfport, Florida in 2015, where she fit right in because she's as passionate about dogs as everyone else in the just-over-two-square-mile town.
So when you read Your Robot Dog Will Die, don't be shocked to learn the setting — Dog Island — has taken over a two-square-mile-town separated from the mainland by sea level rise. In this fictional former town of Beachport, there's a Casino, across the street from which sits an abandoned restaurant — The Smiling Manatee — that has a balcony overlooking the water. Houses, splashed with color, have plastic flamingoes in the front yard; people, horrified by the idea of animals living in servitude to people, live by strict tenets of veganism. There's a dog sanctuary that has a small hill and kayaks nearby, and there are golf cars everywhere. If you've ever been to Gulfport, this may sound familiar.
As a local, you'll delight in reading it for that reason (and a few other striking similarities) alone, but Your Robot Dog Will Die, intended as a dystopian sci-fi YA work, tacitly challenges our notions of kindness and our world view of bioethics.
Without spoilers, here's the nickel summary:
*Read the rest.*
May 16, 2018
{My thoughts} – Nano is a sweet girl that has a love for animals. She lives in a world where a mass majority of the live “organic” animals have died out. There are very few organic digs left and they are kept on Dog Island where Nano and her family live.
In order for the vast population to experience what it is like to have a dog, they have replaced them with robot dogs. Robot dogs are really they only kind of dog Nano has ever been around, aside from when she goes with her mom to feed the organics on the island.
Nano is led to believe that they are doing what is in the best of the organics interest. When the organics breed the offspring is put to sleep with a special spray that everyone is told is to relieve their suffering. One day Nano goes with her mom to feed the organics and there are puppies. Nano decides to save one and then the entire story goes into a tailspin in an attempt to save and protect that puppy.
I really enjoyed reading this book. It made me think about how things could be without any real animals in the world. It showed that even when someone believes they are helping that they still have the potential to cause harm.
I highly recommend this book to anyone that loves animals. It will more then certainly cause you to laugh or cry or both periodically throughout its pages. It’s an incredibly enjoyable book and I hope to see more books from this author in the future.
In order for the vast population to experience what it is like to have a dog, they have replaced them with robot dogs. Robot dogs are really they only kind of dog Nano has ever been around, aside from when she goes with her mom to feed the organics on the island.
Nano is led to believe that they are doing what is in the best of the organics interest. When the organics breed the offspring is put to sleep with a special spray that everyone is told is to relieve their suffering. One day Nano goes with her mom to feed the organics and there are puppies. Nano decides to save one and then the entire story goes into a tailspin in an attempt to save and protect that puppy.
I really enjoyed reading this book. It made me think about how things could be without any real animals in the world. It showed that even when someone believes they are helping that they still have the potential to cause harm.
I highly recommend this book to anyone that loves animals. It will more then certainly cause you to laugh or cry or both periodically throughout its pages. It’s an incredibly enjoyable book and I hope to see more books from this author in the future.
February 20, 2018
Although the overall subject of the book (dog/animal abuse) is a very emotional one, Your Robot Dog will Die is fun, fast, easy, intelligent and very readable. I devoured it in 2 or 3 sittings. At first you only know that there was an experiment that made dogs vicious and un-safe to be with humans. Dog Island and the Robot Dogs sounds nice, until you understand Dorothy, the leader of Dog Island’s, true motives. Dorothy believes that the way to end the suffering of animals is to put them to sleep. When her followers rescue an animal from abuse, they immediately euthanize it so that it will no longer suffer. For those of us in the dog rescue world, we all believe that dogs that are rescued from abuse should be shown love and given a second chance at life. They should be given a chance at happiness and love!!! All of us in the rescue world that is, except PETA, who goes by this philosophy when they rescue dogs. PETA believes, much like Dorothy, that humans should not have companion animals of any kind. I think PETA would like Robot Dogs.
Once Nano learns the truth, things get interesting. Fuzzy Mansion sounds like heaven on earth! But what of Dog Island and the puppy that Nano saved? What about her parents? She has to go back. Nano’s version of Dog Island… now that’s HEAVEN!
Once Nano learns the truth, things get interesting. Fuzzy Mansion sounds like heaven on earth! But what of Dog Island and the puppy that Nano saved? What about her parents? She has to go back. Nano’s version of Dog Island… now that’s HEAVEN!
December 17, 2017
It may be YA, but there're enough sophisticated lessons in Arin Greenwood's new novel for both teens and adults alike. As sci-fi does, this novel makes us think about what our current actions as a society - in this case mistreatment and genetic engineering of animals and neglect to address climate change - will manifest in our future.
The protagonist in this book, 17-year-old Nano Miller, embodies some characteristics of some of my favorite real-life people - sweetness, innocent sincerity, and a concern with doing the right thing based on personal convictions (in the face of evil personalities and flawed parents). From the discovery of a real-live pup, the story unfolds quickly and eventually good faces off with evil, with Nano becoming an inadvertent heroine. I also like that Greenwood made a minor but key character gay with little fanfare.
Through Greenwood's career as an animal advocate, she has provided a voice and community for downtrodden and unprotected furry creatures and those doing God's work to protect them. With Your Robot Dog Will Die, this mission has carried over into her fiction. It was a pleasure and ease to read and has an ethical message to boot.
The protagonist in this book, 17-year-old Nano Miller, embodies some characteristics of some of my favorite real-life people - sweetness, innocent sincerity, and a concern with doing the right thing based on personal convictions (in the face of evil personalities and flawed parents). From the discovery of a real-live pup, the story unfolds quickly and eventually good faces off with evil, with Nano becoming an inadvertent heroine. I also like that Greenwood made a minor but key character gay with little fanfare.
Through Greenwood's career as an animal advocate, she has provided a voice and community for downtrodden and unprotected furry creatures and those doing God's work to protect them. With Your Robot Dog Will Die, this mission has carried over into her fiction. It was a pleasure and ease to read and has an ethical message to boot.
May 5, 2018
I loved this book!
Sure, it's borderline hackneyed (maybe on the wrong side of that border!) to invoke the "write what you know" adage here. But part of what makes "Your Robot Dog Will Die"--a terrific, fast-paced novel propelled by some essential animal welfare themes--such a soaring triumph is that Arin Greenwood is deeply steeped in that realm.
She's the former animal welfare editor of The Huffington Post, and in recent years, has contributed critter coverage to The Washington Post, The Today Show website, and The Dodo. So this book--which, while reading, I forgot was intended to be a Young Adult novel--reflects her expertise and command of these topics while spinning an irresistible yarn.
Plus, if you're even somewhat conversant with the world of animal welfare--including a large, polarizing animal rights organization and its idiosyncratic leader--it'll be hard not to see "Your Robot Dog Will Die" as a gripping allegory. And if you're not that conversant, you'll still find this a helluva book.
Sure, it's borderline hackneyed (maybe on the wrong side of that border!) to invoke the "write what you know" adage here. But part of what makes "Your Robot Dog Will Die"--a terrific, fast-paced novel propelled by some essential animal welfare themes--such a soaring triumph is that Arin Greenwood is deeply steeped in that realm.
She's the former animal welfare editor of The Huffington Post, and in recent years, has contributed critter coverage to The Washington Post, The Today Show website, and The Dodo. So this book--which, while reading, I forgot was intended to be a Young Adult novel--reflects her expertise and command of these topics while spinning an irresistible yarn.
Plus, if you're even somewhat conversant with the world of animal welfare--including a large, polarizing animal rights organization and its idiosyncratic leader--it'll be hard not to see "Your Robot Dog Will Die" as a gripping allegory. And if you're not that conversant, you'll still find this a helluva book.
February 12, 2018
While this wildly creative novel might be targeted at YA, I highly recommend it to everyone – all ages, especially animal and sci-fi lovers. Narrated by an impassioned teenage girl named Nano Miller, this easy read is filled with life lessons and societal issues - everything from love, loss, compassion, family, friendship, disappointment and bioethical choices.
As a known and respected animal advocate, Arin cleverly weaves in references to things she loves, including her family and the Sunshine State, specifically the Gulfport area. This novel reflects Arin’s passion for animal welfare and gives voice to environmental issues.
Your Robot Dog Will Die offers an intriguing storyline with well-developed characters that will leave readers wanting to escape to a one-of-a-kind sanctuary affectionately called Dog Island.
Note: I was provided an Advance Reading Copy of this novel free of charge. All comments and opinions expressed here are my own. Now, I am off to re-read this thought-provoking, relevant work of words.
As a known and respected animal advocate, Arin cleverly weaves in references to things she loves, including her family and the Sunshine State, specifically the Gulfport area. This novel reflects Arin’s passion for animal welfare and gives voice to environmental issues.
Your Robot Dog Will Die offers an intriguing storyline with well-developed characters that will leave readers wanting to escape to a one-of-a-kind sanctuary affectionately called Dog Island.
Note: I was provided an Advance Reading Copy of this novel free of charge. All comments and opinions expressed here are my own. Now, I am off to re-read this thought-provoking, relevant work of words.
April 14, 2018
I adored this book. I found the book quite witty, with an excellent balance of humor and tension. I loved all the characters, who the author makes us all quickly care about and become invested in.
Your Robot Dog Will Die is a book that introduces you to a rich but frightening world that seems all too close, and confronts you with powerful questions about our relationship to animals and the earth at large.
As a Floridian and an animal-lover, I immediately found myself drawn into this universe and almost felt the story end too soon. I loved the characters of Nano, Wolf, and, of course, Donut, and I’m sure their stories will stay with me for a long time.
Your Robot Dog Will Die is a book that introduces you to a rich but frightening world that seems all too close, and confronts you with powerful questions about our relationship to animals and the earth at large.
As a Floridian and an animal-lover, I immediately found myself drawn into this universe and almost felt the story end too soon. I loved the characters of Nano, Wolf, and, of course, Donut, and I’m sure their stories will stay with me for a long time.
May 10, 2018
Arin Greenwood's Your Robot Dog Will Die is a fantastic read. It's has a very interesting plot and a compelling protagonist in the heroine Nano. Ms. Greenwood creates an intriguing concept and relatable characters that make this book a very enjoyable read. In summary, it is intelligent, funny, raw, and heartfelt. This is a must read for any animal lover. From the first page, I was hooked and I could not put it down. I was sad when the book ended and it left me wanting more. I am looking forward to more works of art by Ms. Greenwood. In closing, this is the type of story that would make an excellent movie.
Read
March 22, 2018I got an advanced readers copy of this book for a honest review from NetGalley.
Generally, I am all on board for a young adult dystopian novel. Unfortunately, this was not my jam. The characters all felt a little trite. While I can also appreciate the dog puns for a little bit it ended up feeling like overkill and took me out of the book. I would probably suggest this to someone who has just aged out of the young readers section but is not quite old enough for teen either.
Generally, I am all on board for a young adult dystopian novel. Unfortunately, this was not my jam. The characters all felt a little trite. While I can also appreciate the dog puns for a little bit it ended up feeling like overkill and took me out of the book. I would probably suggest this to someone who has just aged out of the young readers section but is not quite old enough for teen either.
June 3, 2018
In the near future, our real dogs will all be gone, replaced with robot dogs. And that is how Arin Greenwood’s tale begins. It’s marketed as YA but as someone who is not YA, I loved the book. It got me right in the feels. I don’t often recommend books but this is one I would definitely recommend to others and have given a few copies to friends / family.
January 28, 2018
Great premise but I found it a bit clunky to read.
February 1, 2018
Enjoyable but not outstanding.
February 4, 2022
Dogs are one of the most beloved animals in the world. They are adorable, soft creatures that come in many shapes and sizes. Many people even cry when a fictitious “actor” dog dies in a movie. But when a puppy creates a life-threatening situation, how many people would actually be able to make a moral and just decision? Would they risk their lives to protect innocent dogs from harm? In the young adult novel, “Your Robot Dog Will Die'' by Arin Greenwood, Nano Miller is put under pressure to choose between protecting the lives of dogs or protecting the lives of her family and friends. I recommend this engrossing tale for any and all dog-lovers interested in a book with a constantly changing plot.
“Your Robot Dog Will Die” takes place in the mid 21st century in a dystopian setting. It is told from the perspective of 17 year old Nano Miller, who lives on an island off the coast of Florida. The name of the island that she lives on is called Dog Island, an obvious reference to the dogs living there. Most readers would assume that Dog Island must be GREAT for DOGS. Unfortunately, the name Dog Island does not measure up. In fact, Dog Island is a sanctuary for the last few “organic” dogs in the entire world. After cruel scientific experiments were performed on the poor creatures, the dogs became angry and violent. They stopped wagging their tails, and attacked humans. People had no idea what to do with the crazy dogs, so they would kill them, or neglect them “to death”. The few remaining dogs are known as Organics, and are kept in an isolated area on Dog Island. To replace the Organic dogs, a company called Mechanical Tail created robot dogs, a new and improved “mans-best-friend”. Each iteration of robot dog is more advanced than the next, and Nano is one of the “chosen” people who test the robots. Just as people become attached to their dog, Nano becomes attached to each robot dog handed to her and her heart breaks each time they swap out her existing pet for a new and improved one. An adventure awaits Nano when she discovers an organic puppy on her trip to the dog sanctuary. Her training and knowledge about how dangerous dogs are is tested when the puppy wags its tail, a trait believed to be genetically lost in the animals. Nano’s discovery of the puppy creates problems that require heartbreaking decisions.
Overall, I thought this book was well written. It has a nice, logical plot, good character development, and it kept me on my toes with the plot twists. The pacing of the book was the only problem; several chapters seemed like filler and were unnecessary. Other than that, I enjoyed reading this book a lot, and I believe that others will like it as well.
“Your Robot Dog Will Die” takes place in the mid 21st century in a dystopian setting. It is told from the perspective of 17 year old Nano Miller, who lives on an island off the coast of Florida. The name of the island that she lives on is called Dog Island, an obvious reference to the dogs living there. Most readers would assume that Dog Island must be GREAT for DOGS. Unfortunately, the name Dog Island does not measure up. In fact, Dog Island is a sanctuary for the last few “organic” dogs in the entire world. After cruel scientific experiments were performed on the poor creatures, the dogs became angry and violent. They stopped wagging their tails, and attacked humans. People had no idea what to do with the crazy dogs, so they would kill them, or neglect them “to death”. The few remaining dogs are known as Organics, and are kept in an isolated area on Dog Island. To replace the Organic dogs, a company called Mechanical Tail created robot dogs, a new and improved “mans-best-friend”. Each iteration of robot dog is more advanced than the next, and Nano is one of the “chosen” people who test the robots. Just as people become attached to their dog, Nano becomes attached to each robot dog handed to her and her heart breaks each time they swap out her existing pet for a new and improved one. An adventure awaits Nano when she discovers an organic puppy on her trip to the dog sanctuary. Her training and knowledge about how dangerous dogs are is tested when the puppy wags its tail, a trait believed to be genetically lost in the animals. Nano’s discovery of the puppy creates problems that require heartbreaking decisions.
Overall, I thought this book was well written. It has a nice, logical plot, good character development, and it kept me on my toes with the plot twists. The pacing of the book was the only problem; several chapters seemed like filler and were unnecessary. Other than that, I enjoyed reading this book a lot, and I believe that others will like it as well.
January 18, 2018
Nano is seventeen, just discovering what lies beyond best friends with her guy pal Wolf, and lives on an island off the South Florida coast in an overly zealous community that’s keeping the last dogs in a protected “ruffuge” for their, and everyone else’s, safety. Of course, this is also the group that led the drive to euthanize all dogs after an unfortunate attempt at boosting their intelligence made turned them from tail thumping companions into something from a horror movie.
Nano loves dogs, though she’s too young to have known the 1.0 version, and she loves being allowed to go to the ruffuge to feed the small pack sequestered there. She’s also more than willing to love the robot dog replacements that she’s given as part of the product testing group, at least until they’re taken away from her at the end of the year and a new model arrives. That part sucks.
When she discovers that one of the real dogs has had a litter, despite the contraceptive chemicals they’re fed, one of the pups wags its tail when it sees her, behavior that’s no longer supposed to exist in dogs. She hides the pup from her mother, who took her along to do the feeding and watches while her mother lovingly euthanizes the other pups. So they won’t suffer.
Nano and her friends embark on the expected course of action, hiding the pup from the adults and ultimately getting mixed up with an underground movement to protect animals from the kill happy protections of the Dog Island group. As their story develops, they’re faced with realities of animal abuse as well as the conflicts within the animal rights world, and ultimately must decide where they stand on some pretty thorny bio-ethical issues.
The characters are engaging, including, of course Donut, the pup, but also Billy, Nano’s latest robot dog, named after her older brother who went missing from the island a year ago after questioning the leader’s ideas. There’s a real Jonestown cult vibe towards the end that makes Nano’s choices more critical.
There are a few points that I think could have been made clearer, including what happened to change the dogs originally, and what’s changed since then, but all in all this was a great read and a good place to start a dialog about humans and animals.
Nano loves dogs, though she’s too young to have known the 1.0 version, and she loves being allowed to go to the ruffuge to feed the small pack sequestered there. She’s also more than willing to love the robot dog replacements that she’s given as part of the product testing group, at least until they’re taken away from her at the end of the year and a new model arrives. That part sucks.
When she discovers that one of the real dogs has had a litter, despite the contraceptive chemicals they’re fed, one of the pups wags its tail when it sees her, behavior that’s no longer supposed to exist in dogs. She hides the pup from her mother, who took her along to do the feeding and watches while her mother lovingly euthanizes the other pups. So they won’t suffer.
Nano and her friends embark on the expected course of action, hiding the pup from the adults and ultimately getting mixed up with an underground movement to protect animals from the kill happy protections of the Dog Island group. As their story develops, they’re faced with realities of animal abuse as well as the conflicts within the animal rights world, and ultimately must decide where they stand on some pretty thorny bio-ethical issues.
The characters are engaging, including, of course Donut, the pup, but also Billy, Nano’s latest robot dog, named after her older brother who went missing from the island a year ago after questioning the leader’s ideas. There’s a real Jonestown cult vibe towards the end that makes Nano’s choices more critical.
There are a few points that I think could have been made clearer, including what happened to change the dogs originally, and what’s changed since then, but all in all this was a great read and a good place to start a dialog about humans and animals.
July 28, 2018
A friend of mine urged me to read this. I wasn't as thrilled by it as she was. It's a YA novel, and maybe I would like it better if I were in that age group. But as an adult reader, I spotted a flaw in the set-up for the plot that bothered me for the rest of the time I was reading it.
I give the author credit for coming up with an intriguing idea. Genetic tampering in the future has altered the nature of dogs worldwide so they're hostile to humans. Only a few remain in the U.S., kept in a refuge on an island off the Florida coast. Everyone else now owns robot dogs -- and the people on Dog Island get to test out the new models. Meanwhile there's a terrible drought going on that requires special clothes that don't need washing and all kinds of other adaptations.
The narrator, a teenage girl named Nano who lives on Dog Island, goes with her mom to feed the remaining real dogs, and discovers a cute puppy and smuggles it out and hides it with the help of her boyfriend Wolf and her friend Jack. Ultimately this leads to her discovering to real nature of Dog Island and a confrontation with its leader, not to mention finding her long-lost brother Billy.
There's a lot of talk in the book about what constitutes animal cruelty and whether it's better to rescue injured animals or just give them a humane death. I was hoping there would also be some discussion about how robots can't really replace what's real, and maybe some humorous contrasting between the two, but no.
The plot hole I stumbled over happened early in the book, when Nano is explaining how humans messed up the ancient connection between humans and dogs. She says scientists were trying to tweak dog DNA to make them even more helpful to humans -- flying planes, cooking meals, that kind of thing -- but they screwed up and the dogs they were working on became vicious attackers. But Nano can't explain how this rapidly spread to all the other dogs in the world. She says it somehow spread like a virus, but of course a DNA change would take generations to spread beyond the small group of experimental animals. I just couldn't get past that and it affected my ability to suspend disbelief for the rest of the novel.
I give the author credit for coming up with an intriguing idea. Genetic tampering in the future has altered the nature of dogs worldwide so they're hostile to humans. Only a few remain in the U.S., kept in a refuge on an island off the Florida coast. Everyone else now owns robot dogs -- and the people on Dog Island get to test out the new models. Meanwhile there's a terrible drought going on that requires special clothes that don't need washing and all kinds of other adaptations.
The narrator, a teenage girl named Nano who lives on Dog Island, goes with her mom to feed the remaining real dogs, and discovers a cute puppy and smuggles it out and hides it with the help of her boyfriend Wolf and her friend Jack. Ultimately this leads to her discovering to real nature of Dog Island and a confrontation with its leader, not to mention finding her long-lost brother Billy.
There's a lot of talk in the book about what constitutes animal cruelty and whether it's better to rescue injured animals or just give them a humane death. I was hoping there would also be some discussion about how robots can't really replace what's real, and maybe some humorous contrasting between the two, but no.
The plot hole I stumbled over happened early in the book, when Nano is explaining how humans messed up the ancient connection between humans and dogs. She says scientists were trying to tweak dog DNA to make them even more helpful to humans -- flying planes, cooking meals, that kind of thing -- but they screwed up and the dogs they were working on became vicious attackers. But Nano can't explain how this rapidly spread to all the other dogs in the world. She says it somehow spread like a virus, but of course a DNA change would take generations to spread beyond the small group of experimental animals. I just couldn't get past that and it affected my ability to suspend disbelief for the rest of the novel.
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