runner

The word "Tomorrow" actually refers to the name of the dog in this story, who throughout the book is searching for his master "Vallentyne" a physician by occupation. As the story covers  many many years and many great events it must be accepted that the dog lives a very long time. The purpose of this novel and where it really succeeds is to describe events in Europe over a span of approx 150 years. It's a bold and bawdy journey and gives full reign for the author to explore the great happenings in a continent under constant change with many battles being fought.  From the Freezing of the river Thames in the 19th century to famous battles at that time (Waterloo) being present at the dramatic execution of Charles 2nd, and finishing at the dawn of the Industrial age with the first sighting of steam trains. And as we absorb the colourful and constant change of time and location we meet the players who will forever be associated with certain events namely; Napoleon, Franz Schubert, Duke of Wellington, James 1st and his successor Charles 2nd.

What drew me to the story was reliving events through a dog's point of view. As we move backwards and forwards in time from the palace of James 1st to the artful ambience of Vienna and Venice and the blood soaked plains of Waterloo the story telling is furious and very enjoyable with a constantly flowing descriptive prose...."The king lay down, positioned his neck on the block, trying to get comfortable. The executioner apologized as he tucked a few more stray hairs into the cap, then raised the axe and struck. Blood pumped from the boned neck and a groan went up"....."the trickery of it, the pointlessness, humans and animals born simply to suffer, for the pain to invariably worsen with age, for anguish to thicken and veins clog, until they were skidding down to death"......."Perhaps because decay is the most virulent form of life, or perhaps because nothing speaks more of the phenomenon of being, than the absence of it".........

The only downside of the back and forth time capture narrative is the confusion that can sometimes arise when trying to pinpoint a particular city and time. The is a very slight criticism in a story that I enjoyed told in a very colourful and bold manner. Many thanks to the good people of netgalley and publisher Penguin UK-Michael Joseph for a gratis copy in exchange for an honest review and that is what I have written.