A Quick Note On This Review: This article includes affiliate links to Bookshop.org as a way of supporting both local bookshops and my own ability to write.
Toto has always tried to be a Good Dog, but calling in animal control over a minor…incident pushed him over the edge. Of course, the day got worse when he and Dorothy ended up surrounded by a handful of short guys with a masculinity problem and a witch named Glinda welcoming them to Oz. After being sent off on the Yellow Brick Road to find the Great Wizard of Oz in the hope he would send Dorothy and Toto home, Toto finds that not everything is quite as magical as it’s made out to be, and although he wants nothing more than to be a Bad Dog, even Toto knows you can’t leave a socially anxious teenager alone to fend for herself when there are monsters lurking in the woods and fields of this strange new land.
Toto by A.J. Hackwith is one of the more interesting cases of a story that takes a time-honored tale and turns it upside down. While most stories that seek to reimagine a timeworn tale take a more serious approach to the task (such as Nghi Vo’s The Chosen and the Beautiful attempt to reimagine F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby), Hackwith takes a more irreverent approach, taking the land of Oz far less seriously than the original did, which opens up far more possibilities for strangeness and surprise than one would expect. Hackwith’s story doesn’t necessarily satirize The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, but it does refresh the narrative to allow readers to experience it in a new way without becoming too detached from the original.
For casual readers, Toto would be best liked by those who like reimaginings of familiar stories that go beyond a simple update in the setting or time period. Further, the story effectively creates a system for the reader to use their imagination by telling it from the perspective of Toto instead of Dorothy, which would be endearing for lovers of novels told from animals’ perspectives and those who may want something lighter to read. Hackwith also displays a phenomenal wit in her ability to add humor to the dialogue and plot, putting Toto and Dorothy into situations that brought a smile to my face at several points throughout the story.
For writers, Toto offers quite a bit of instruction in how to adapt old stories to new audiences. While The Wizard of Oz is a canonical movie, it may not resonate with as many people today if left alone, and Hackwith does a phenomenal job of positioning the story in a way that opens a conversations about perspective and the ways context can influence a writer’s perspective. Additionally, Hackwith’s work does a great job of introducing uncanny elements into a seemingly perfect setting, even integrating a version of social critique that toes the line between reality and fiction without ever truly crossing it, which is something any writer can benefit from, but especially those interested in being more direct with their storytelling without overtly criticizing. Finally, Hackwith’s wit is thoroughly enjoyable, and while writers should always seek to find their own voice, she does provide some templates for writers to explore.
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What’s Next?
I am an avid reader and have quite a few thoughts on how some books could benefit both people that want to be entertained and those looking to sharpen their literary skills.
If you’re interested in finding out more about what I’ve been reading – and how it could benefit you – I will be publishing those thoughts on Fridays on a weekly basis. Check back next week for a discussion of Melissa Caruso’s The Last Hour Between Worlds!
The Writerly Review 