Sunday, April 9, 2017

Lily and the Octopus by Steven Rowley




Reviewed by Rita

This is the story of Lily and Ted and the incredible love they share. They spend their nights playing board games, ordering take out, and talking about boys just like best friends do-- only Lily is a dog. Ted Flask is a single writer living in L.A. and Lily is his twelve year old dachshund. The fact that Lily is a dog doesn’t stop Ted from having conversations with her that range from hilarious to poignant. 

While conversing with Lily one day, Ted notices an octopus attached to her head and becomes obsessed with its demise. Ted recognizes the danger the octopus poses to Lily while refusing to accept the reality of what it actually is. He exchanges numerous threats with the cephalopod and eventually embarks on an adventure reminiscent of Melville’s Moby Dick. 

It is difficult to further summarize this book without giving away too much. I found the beauty of the story was in sharing Ted’s revelations. I went into it expecting an emotional rollercoaster and it definitely was. Anyone who has experienced the love and loss of an animal companion will relate to Ted and the lengths to which he goes to fight for Lily. I found it both uplifting and heartbreaking. It’s filled with humor, pain, imagination, and a whole lot of love. Read it with a BIG box of tissues handy.

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