I reread this book in anticipation of a book club discussion. I predicted that many other members would insist that the main thrust of the story is about the relationships between people and dogs. People and dogs figure prominently in the novel since the storyteller reluctantly takes a Great Dane from her friend’s third wife when her friend commits suicide. Is the dog, named Apollo, truly grieving? Are dogs capable of loyalty and other human-like traits, or is this foolish anthropomorphism? The book club discussion turned out great. The group appreciated the plot points about the dog, named after a Greek god to illustrate its importance, but also went beyond that relationship to delve into the commentary about life.
I did not think the book was mainly about dogs, but rather about the complex nature of human friendships. It also addressed the possibility of a man and a woman having a platonic friendship. Further, Nunez delves into suicide in society and literature. What I liked most about the book was the focus on literature and writing. The storyteller teaches writing, and the narrative is addressed to her friend, who was an accomplished writing teacher. Questions about what constitutes good writing and how teachers and students survive a college writing program are consistent themes in the narrative. There are many literary quotes, and Nunez also explores the value of therapeutic writing.
There is a little twist near the end that further clarifies the power of characters and literature. The book appeals to both readers and writers. There are passages in this novel that describe the cathartic nature of writing and how it serves as an outlet for self-expression. Writing allows characters and humans to process emotions. There are many questions posed about the power of writing. For instance, if you write about persons you are grieving, are you preserving memories or eternally burying them? In other words, the book explored questions such as, “Do writing and photography destroy or preserve memories?”
