February 15, 2007

Marley & Me

Last week I was at our monthly Paws for Love meeting and a friend had just finished Marley & Me. When she went home, she left it for someone else to take. Unable to resist the opportunity to not hit the hold list at the library, I took it home. It was excellent.

I do not own a yellow lab, but I do understand the whole "worst dog in the world" concept quite intimately. (Don’t we all, really?) I have also known my fair share of labs that could be Marley’s twin.

Weighing in at 304 pages, the length seems to fit perfectly. It is well paced and at no point did I find myself wanting to skip ahead or find myself completely lost. John Grogan is known for his light, personable writing with a penchant for good-hearted humor. This book is no exception. I found myself reading into the wee hours of the night (the fact that I start reading at eleven doesn’t help) and finished it in about four nights of reading. It was engaging and entertaining. Partway through I thought that I would be disappointed at the end, craving more insane-canine antics. Quite the opposite was true as I wrapped up the novel last night. Grogan did an excellent job of winding us down to the conclusion at exactly the right pace, leaving us contented to set the novel down, both nostalgic for the past and optimistic for the future.

I won’t recap the book more than this…. Young couple decides to get a dog, picks a boisterous lab, and lives with the consequences. Ok, a little more. The story follows this family’s growth as it adapts to a string of changes including starting a family. We meet Marley as a young pup bursting with way too much energy, watch him flunk out of obedience school, and finally grow old and need more human assistance. Any dog owner can relate to this story, but anyone who has lived with a less-than-perfect canine companion will find themselves flinching, groaning, laughing, and crying right alongside the Grogans.

February 15, 2007 04:07 PM

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