Rainbow Bridge

Rainbow Bridge is pet fiction in a class all its own. Author Dan V. Jackson is clearly a dog lover, and that love is portrayed throughout the book. Jackson really captured the gamut of emotions pet owners go through during the lives of their beloved canine friends. (These emotions are not limited to only dog lovers. I imagine all owners of beloved pets go through much the same emotions.)

The story covers the fictional life of protagonist Nathan Wilkinson, from a young toddler to an older adult, with emphasis on the dogs that were a part of his life. There were several dogs throughout those years, all different, yet each loved by Nathan. Each dog has a particular reason for being in Nathan’s life, from a dog’s perspective.

If this was simply a story about a boy and his dogs, it would be a good story. However, when you add in the element of Rainbow Bridge – that place where all beloved pets wait for their masters to come and pick them up on the way to heaven – it turns into a great story.

As I mentioned, each dog is placed in Nathan’s life for a particular reason. We’re not privy to what that reason is until it is upon us. The “placement” of the dogs is done by a very special dog. Saying more would reveal spoilers, so you’ll have to read the story to find out what is so special about that dog.

I think the author really captures the typical relationship between a boy and his dog(s) as he progresses from toddler to young boy to teenager, and up through being a parent. The relationship is not always the same. I know it to be true because it happened that way with me and the dogs in my life.

If you think this is a book that will tug at the heart strings – you’re right. It does. But it tugs at all the strings, not just the sad ones. There is a lot of joy in this story, as well as the inevitable sadness that follows. If a book can really move a reader emotionally, then the author did a great job. This, too, is the case in Rainbow Bridge. I admit that my eyes watered once at some point in the story.

Technically, the book is well edited. The story arcs for the main characters were good, with a few surprises along the way. The pacing kept me fully engaged from the beginning, and each dog seemed to have his/her own climax in the story, which I enjoyed very much.

The biggest surprise to me was the ending. I never saw it coming, and I was a little surprised that the author chose that ending. However, it did put closure on the story, and I finished it as a satisfied reader.

I heartily recommend this book to all pet lovers, particularly those that have shared their life with canine companions. You won’t be disappointed!