Paul Yoon’s novel ‘Etna’ features a canine narrator

Paul Yoon’s novel, ‘Etna,’ offers a profound anti-war narrative told through the perspective of a battle-scarred ex-military dog. The story follows Etna, a dog conscripted into an unnamed war in an unnamed country.

The narrative begins with Etna’s peaceful puppyhood before he is recruited by a soldier named Soojin to be trained for military service. The novel details the dog’s specialized training, including his ability to detect gunpowder, human scents, and buried explosives through vapors in the soil.