At first it was hard to get into reading this book, due to the stream of consciousness writing style. But, it's well worth getting into the rhythm of it to enjoy this lovely post-apocolyptic story. That seems contradictive, but it's really quite beautiful and evocative. Yes, there is some gut wrenching stuff; but it's SO much easier to handle than reading The Road. I stupidly read that book when I was, oh, about 4 months postpartum with my first child; I'm still horrified when I think about it... Anyhow, there are more hopeful themes in The Dog Stars and I thoroughly enjoyed it.