For animal lovers this is a real tearjerker. It’s a story about love, a deep and beautiful love for that special someone you trust and can’t live without. For Ted that special someone is Lily, an ageing dachshund.
Ted is a lonely, middle-aged gay man who loves no one as much as he loves Lily. Lily ‘talks’, they have conversions. After ten wonderful years together Ted notices a lump on Lily’s head, which he calls the octopus (because it resembles said mollusc), an octopus that no dog or person should have.
Everything Lily has to endure Ted is there to endure it with her. Like the time she has a seizure and urinates on him, Ted just keeps holding her. It's heartbreaking.
The journey to eliminate the octopus becomes surreal and Ted's constant repetition about it and how he "looks it in the eye" and actually talks to it becomes a little tedious. Despite this and the outpouring of tears I did enjoy this endearing story.
That sounds too sad for me, but I do love dachshunds.
ReplyDeleteThey are very cute. It is.
DeleteYes, it sounds like a "three hanky weeper," as the old expression goes!
ReplyDeleteIt certainly is.
DeleteOur beloved grand-dog has been sick for two days. I couldn’t bear to read this book right now.
ReplyDeleteNo, definitely not Marie.
DeleteI don't think I can read this -- but it sounds beautiful in every way.
ReplyDeleteIt was a book club choice, I'm not sure I would have picked it myself.
DeleteThanks for sharing this book, but I don't think I will read it.
ReplyDeleteAll the best Jan
It is very sad.
DeleteI read this book. I liked it, but it was heartbreaking.
ReplyDeleteYes it was, tears were streaming down my face.
DeleteI read that a while ago. Too sad!
ReplyDeleteIt's always interesting to read about books others enjoy and while this one may not be on my future "to read" list, it obviously was one you enjoyed even if you didn't select it yourself.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing, dear Polly. I don't usually like books or movies with dogs, I am immediately get very anxious that something bad may happen to them and completely lose the plot.
ReplyDeleteAmalia
xo