reviewed by Virginia Watson-Rouslin –
“Near this Spot are deposited the Remains of one who possessed Beauty without Vanity, Strength without Insolence, Courage without Ferocity, and all the virtues of Man without his Vices.” ~ Lord Byron on the death of his dog Boatswain
Lily is a dachshund and Ted is her best friend, or “owner” if you prefer. Their amazing story, by first-time author Steven Rowley, has become a best seller in a few short months. And that’s as it should be. Ted purchases Lily, the runt of the litter, as his relationship with his partner Jeffrey begins to disintegrate. Meanwhile Ted has fallen madly in love with Lily and their bond is stronger and breathtaking, more than anything he shares with the other humans in his life, including his sister and his mother. Actually, Lily can talk, mostly in capital letters separated by exclamation marks, but she gets her point across.
Ted begins this journey understanding that the “very best thing about dogs is how they just know when you need them most, and they’ll drop everything that they’re doing to sit with you awhile.” But then enters the octopus.
This is fiction, so at first the reader may think that the octopus exists. He sits atop Lily’s head and his tentacles eventually cause her to go blind. He even speaks to Ted and Lily, in a laconic, but forceful way. Is Ted crazy? His therapist goes along with the octopus situation as does his best friend Trent and the vet. So, we might as well. Meanwhile, life for Ted and Lily becomes more attenuated. A freelance writer, he stops writing and his “job” is to take care of his increasingly fragile dog. Trent urges him to stop playing the octopus’ game and to wage war on the octopus. Ted does, which accelerates the novel – and your hand, as you quickly turn the pages.
As anyone who has ever been companion to a dog knows, death will take your dog before you’re ready. They have a shorter life span; nonetheless, Lily teaches Ted lessons that his friends or shrink cannot. Live in the present. Give spontaneous affection. And, if you spend your entire life trying to cheat death, there’s no time to embrace life.
New Releases – Available at Tanner’s Books
The Heart Goes Last by Margaret Atwood (fiction)
Purity by Jonathan Franzen (fiction)
The Days by Marion Farrant (fiction)
History’s People by Margaret Macmillan (non-fiction)
Dynasty: The Rise & Fall Of the House Of Caesar by Tom Holland (non-fiction)
To Hell and Back by Ian Kershaw (non-fiction)
