Winner of the 2015 Scotiabank Giller Prize
“One evening in Toronto, the gods Apollo and Hermes were at the Wheat Sheaf Tavern.”
The opening scene has gods Hermes and Apollo sitting in a pub in Toronto, arguing about whether human consciousness brings happiness or not. A drunken wager ensues. The two agree to test their bet by giving human intelligence to animals. As they stumble onto the street, they conveniently come upon a veterinary clinic where fifteen dogs are spending the night for one reason or another. That night those hapless dogs are given a taste of humanity and will be observed for the rest of their lives to see if they will indeed be happier. The dogs have no idea why they suddenly feel changed and the reader enters into a clever philosophical exploration that asks as many questions as it answers.
On the surface this is a simple fable of the hounds and their newfound mix of dogness and humanity. It is a complex journey these canines embark on, some even enjoying the ability to speak and compose poetry. Interactions between humans and dogs are examined and there is philosophical pondering about the nature of creation and culture. “It was puzzling to be asked to ‘roll over’ after initiating a conversation about water.”
What I enjoyed most was noticing the changes wrought to animals who normally react simply to physical needs and basic instincts. Suddenly the dogs know empathy, choice, reason, problem solving, strategy, boredom, a sense of the passage of time, imagination, and improved communication. It almost felt like a reverse ‘Lord of the Flies.’ But are they now happy? Did it improve their lives? Is human intelligence a gift or no more than a useful plague?
My children will tell you that I’ve always said that dogs would be far less interesting if they could talk. And the best thing about a dog is that you can confide in them without the risk of your secrets going any further. Dogs are probably the most anthropomorphized creatures (next to cats) and a good relationship with a dog depends on understanding that dogs and people by their very nature act and react differently. The book reminded me of another where the dog has human intelligence and narrates the story, but in that case could not communicate it. I actually liked The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein better than this one, but both are entertaining and not only for dog lovers.
Joanne's Reading Blog 
Even bigger line up at the library hold bin!!
When I was reading this book, I got irritated by the fact that readers are asked to believe the adventures take place in Toronto (an accurate map of the city is provided). However, I rarely, if ever, see stray dogs here, let alone a bunch of them attacking other dogs. Moreover, would anyone invite a stray dog into the home? It just distracted from the story to ask the reader to believe the dogs live in Toronto but then make assumptions about the city that just don’t make sense. However, after I finished the book, I realized I’ll probably never look at dogs quite the same way again, including my own. So …. isn’t that the ultimate test for any novel: Is it memorable? About this book, I’d say: very much so!