The Animals

by Cary Fagan

In a quaint tourist village, Dorn makes miniature scale models displayed in the local shops. Yet life is far from idyllic; he suffers under the thumb of a rich, philandering younger brother and an unloving father, and cannot find the courage to admit his love to Ravenna, the ungainly schoolteacher. Life takes a strange turn when the government-sponsored "Wild Home Project" is introduced and wolves, rats, minks, otters, and bears move into villagers' homes. Soon, Dorn receives a mysterious commission, finds a body in a park, and has several run-ins with a former classmate-turned police officer. When fire breaks out, Dorn takes on the unlikely role of hero in the hope of changing the course of his life. A realist novel with the air of a fairy tale, The Animals is a surprising, funny, and thought-provoking story that explores the nature of relationships faunal and human, and reminds us of the challenges of finding one's place in society . . . and that living with a wolf is not a very good idea.

Genres: Canada, Fiction, Fantasy

220 pages, Paperback

Published October 4, 2022

About the author

Cary Fagan has written numerous books for children, including What Are You Doing, Benny?, Little Blue Chair and Mr. Zinger's Hat, which was awarded the Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award and the IODE Jean Throop Award. He has also won the Vicky Metcalf Award for Literature for Young People for his body of work. Cary was born and raised in Toronto, where he continues to live with his family.

Reviews

[Bandit · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm the first person to review this novel, which is always a pleasure when the reading experience was...well, a pleasure. So, on with it...
There’s a right way to do a sort of slice-of-life-thread-through-with-whimsy story and Fagan absolutely nailed it in Animals.
Set in a quaint sleepy village that time if not forgot than maybe just didn’t hit quite as potently as some other places, this is a story of a place that had a terrible idea. The idea being allowing wild animals to stay with people. Randomly.
Of course, it’s all going to go to doodoo, but until then…
Until then, this is a story of a model maker named Dorn. A quiet unassuming man leading a quiet unassuming life and quietly pining away for a local schoolteacher.
For all his quiet charm, Dorn, much like this novel, wins you over easily and complete engages your attention. You’ll care about his journey, the people he meets, the difficult brother he contends with. A perfect protagonist, really.
And there’s something perfect about this novel too. Or maybe it just hit all the right notes for me. Either way, it was an absolute pleasure to read. Just a lovely, immersive, transporting experience, though it went by very quickly.
I’ve never heard of the author before (he’s Canadian), but this was a most auspicious introduction. A charming book through and through and not at all sappy or twee as these things tend to be. Great read. Recommended. Thanks Netgalley

This and more at https://advancetheplot.weebly.com/

[Dana · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Animals is such an escape! It pulled me in immediately and had my full attention right up until the very last page.

I want my review to do this book justice but I'm finding it hard to put into words the way this book made me feel. The thing is, it's quite peculiar, but also whimsical. I found parts laugh out loud funny, and other parts I asked myself wtf. The storyline is extremely unique and a little bit terrifying. Can you imagine housing a wild animal? Free to roam around your home, out on the streets? Wolves and bears!? Such a crazy concept! To be fair, the Government doesn't always make the best decisions ...

I was so fond of the main character, Dorn. Living his life in a small tourist village, working away on his miniature scale models. His character came across as so sad, I just wanted to give him a hug! I loved how he evolved throughout the pages.

Overall this was a quick, enjoyable read. I plan to check out the authors backlist. Thanks to Book*hug Press for my review copy!

[Lata · Rating 3 out of 5]

In a quaint little town, miniature model maker Dorn lives a quiet life. He has created miniature models for each of the businesses in town, keeps to himself since his girlfriend left him, visits his cantankerous and not particularly affectionate father occasionally, feels somewhat bemused by his brash, overly confident and greedy brother, and pines after teacher and former athlete Ravenna.

He is very surprised one day to discover that there is a program ("Wild Home Project") for people to live with a wild animal when he discovers a wolf living with an acquaintance. It sounds like a frankly ridiculous and dangerous idea and pretty soon Dorn sees more people with their wild animal companions.

Does this go well? Of course not. At the same time, we see Dorn's too placid daily life making models on commission, and interacting minimally with others, all while constantly yearning after Ravenna. At the same time, both not much and some surprising things happen in the town, culminating in a conflagration.

I don't think I'm part of the audience for this book. It never really captured my imagination, and I kept wondering what I was supposed to glean from the story, other than 1) it's really stupid trying to live in proximity to a wild creature, and 2) deal with your fears to move your life forward.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Book*hug Press for this ARC in exchange for my review.

[Lolly K Dandeneau · Rating 4 out of 5]

via my blog: https://bookstalkerblog.wordpress.com/
𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐬- 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐫 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠. 𝐎𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐚 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐟𝐞𝐰 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐃𝐨𝐫𝐧 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦.

Written in the tale, “The longer you stand here, investing your time, the harder it is to leave,” is an interesting statement, one that makes me imagine people as ancient, rooted trees. Change is hard, and it’s a natural thing, getting trapped in our ways. Worse, when you live in a village or town where you are well known, your character is constantly reinforced, not allowing much room for one’s evolution. We all have our roles, too, within the family structure and it doesn’t always benefit each individual. Dorn knows this reality all too well.

Dorn builds miniature scale models, his works are displayed in windows of businesses throughout his village, they are commissions he relies upon. A letter lands under his door requesting a unique commission, but it isn’t signed. It makes him uncomfortable, but the money is good. It isn’t the most peculiar event that has come his way. The “Wild Home Project” occupies the locals, urging villagers to “Bring the Wild Home”, allowing wild creatures into their residence. Dorn is perplexed, surely he loves animals, a lonely man on his own, but he cannot fathom what would drive someone to do such a thing. Wildlife that is untamed, savage at times, far too big to live alongside human beings. Disturbing incidents start to occur and the animals aren’t the only ones acting beastly. Dorn’s vile brother Vin is more than happy to remind him of what a weak, cowardly failure he is. Their aging, emotionally distant father is wrapped up in his own crazy plans, his heart much younger than his old body. It seems the people in his world have lost their marbles. Will the crazy antics light a fire in his own insecure soul and nudge him to confess his love for school teacher Raveena. Raveena is a strange bird herself, tall and charmingly disheveled. Horla, an elusive, elderly author of some notoriety, has recently published a book for children about a blinking eye. Dorn admires her work, but like her other fans, can’t explain why.

Raveena gets really angry, Dorn finds a body and he starts seeing more of a police officer, who was once a classmate, but the real crime is the things he didn’t know about the object of his affection. Why is Vin always coming out on top? Why is his own life so small and why do people act infinitely stupid? Will he ever have a chance with Raveena and is that a baby in the mouth of a fox? Sometimes a person’s world must collapse to welcome change.

This was a surprisingly fun story. There is no such thing as quiet villages and towns. There are always tensions simmering, unrequited loves, strained relationships and someone who needs to be shaken out of their dusty existence. It just doesn’t always take wolves or bears to chase you into action. Yes, read it.

Publication Date: October 4, 2022 Available Now

Book*hug Press

[Lori L (She Treads Softly) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Animals by Cary Fagan is a highly recommended literary modern fable.

Dorn lives in a curious tourist village and makes miniature scale models which are displayed in the local shops. He pines for schoolteacher Ravenna, dutifully visits his elderly father who treats him callously, and has a younger brother who treats him as an afterthought. His life is quiet, predictable, and unassuming. As he makes his way through his unobtrusive daily routine he notices neighbors participating in the government-sponsored "Wild Home Project" which has wild animals, like wolves, rats, minks, otters, and bear, move into the villagers homes.

The pages will fly by in this compact novel. The writing is excellent and the narrative resembles an allegorical fairy tale. The moral or lesson is conceivably along the lines of one must be their own advocate and make their own way through the world, and that wild animals are just that, wild and unpredictable, much like many people. Dorn is a sympathetic character and readers will support him as he goes through his days encountering various characters. The final denouement, or perhaps an alternate moral to the story, may be that life requires you to be brave, take chances, and embrace change.

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Book*hug Press via NetGalley.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2022/1...

[Isabel Tyldesley · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

"But I have learned that sometimes there is evil and sometimes there is stupidity, and not infrequently the two are so close as to be impossible to tell apart."

The Animals is a short and fascinating tale that highlights the complex relationship between humanity and wildlife. The book follows Dorn, a model maker from a small tourist village, a character who is rather restrained, possibly from his fear of what might happen if he chooses to let go. When his village adopts a new Wildlife Programme that allows the villagers to have wild animals - such as wolves, bears, and birds of prey - as pets, Dorn wonders how anyone could possibly want to join the scheme as he watches chaos consume those around him.

To me, this is a story about letting loose, and losing control. It's a tale in which everyone wants their last hoorah. The village in which Dorn lived was quiet, almost fairy tale esque in it's solitude. People would run away from the City to escape it. Or they would never leave. Or, in Dorn's case, return when overwhelmed by the fast-paced world outside, to the place they felt was safe. It almost felt as if the ferocious wildlife brought life to the village, and the village, much like it's more traditional inhabitants, struggled to cope - though they couldn't help but welcome the wild animals into their home. In the end, Dorn embraces his fears. In a drastic bid to let his emotions fly, he learns to confront his blazing feelings, and his life completely turns around.

This was a short, easy, and quick read. The short chapters gave it a fast-pace, hooking me, and persuading me to read it all in one sitting.

Did Woodcutter know the Animals had not been Formed / For his Pleasure and Use?

For lovers of literary fiction, I highly recommend you pick this up! Out October 4th!

[shhhmommysreading · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'd like to introduce you to one of my favourite books of the year: ⁠The Animals by Cary Fagan⁠
(Thanks so much to Book*Hug Pres and ZG Stories for sending me this book to review!)⁠
⁠
The Animals was a pleasure to read. Truly, it was. I can't decide if it had all the elements of a story I love, or if Cary Fagan is a really superb writer. I have a feeling both of those are true.⁠
It was peculiar, whimsical, unique, a little anxiety-inducing, with a bit of wholesome all mixed together. If you loved TJ Klune's Linus Baker, then you'll love Dorn.⁠
⁠
"Sometimes, Dorn thought, the answer to a mystery is that there is no real mystery at all." ⁠

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

THE ANIMALS by Cary Fagan is a fun little book! It’s about a man, Dorn, who lives in a small town and there’s a new initiative for people to care for wild animals. He’s unsure how this could possibly be a good idea. I really enjoyed the quaint and whimsical small town vibe as we meet quirky side characters and Dorn finds himself in some weird situations. This is a great quick read at less than 200 pages and I really enjoyed it!
.
Thank you to Book*hug Press for my gifted review copy!

[Cody Morrissette · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was recommended this book by a friend. As I stepped through its pages I was met with a relatable character, interesting small town drama and a sense of something deeper lying below the surface. About halfway through, this book becomes completely unhinged in the most delightful way contrasted by a feeling a mundaness that is still found in multiple scenes throughout this later half of the book. Overall this was an excellent read and I too would recommend to a friend.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely brilliant read. Quirky and imaginative but not cloying. Some very strange going’s on in Dorn’s village. The wildlife program was disturbingly funny and sad at the same time.

[Girish · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cary Fagan's Animals was a confusing book for me. Just when I felt the author was going for a fable style modern story, the book took away the focus from Animals and stayed with dangerous humans.

Maybe that was the point. Dorn, a miniaturist in the village is a simple shy man who has to put up with a dysfunctional family and a lady love to whom he can't express his feelings. In this background, the Govt rolls out a scheme for people to adopt wild animals and keep them at home.

The book gives up on this plot only to use it as a pivot for the other plot around complex relationships and attitude towards life. Like how his father at 70 goes off to climb a mountain with his new lover or how Ravenna, a school teacher surprises him when she gets arrested.

I didn't like the book much though it was engaging. Sometimes you wonder just what is the point.

[Sam Goodale · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was sneaky. I didn’t realize how good it was until I read 100 pages. And then I thought maybe this is very good, and it was, and so was the ending. I would love to live with a squirrel, I think, and be friends. But I know it’s not a good idea. Sometimes you shouldn’t live with things you love. Because life moves and ideas don’t.

[Nathaniel Kelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some are born wild, some achieve wildness, and some have wildness thrust upon them.

Comparisons to Wes Anderson films have already -- rightly -- been made to Cary Fagan's wonderful upcoming novel, The Animals​ (Oct. 4, 2022). I've no doubt that the similarity is intentional; much like how any one of Anderson's films feel like dramedies-within-doll-houses, protagonist Dorn (himself a miniature model-maker) navigates through both an environment and cast of characters defined by a certain soft quirkiness. Every paragraph feels cast within a broad, bright light and, if you don't mind I put too fine a point on it, the setting often feels more like set design than natural milieu. It's a fun place to spend some time, in the way that a living history museum entertains voyeurs.

But where for me Anderson's stories falter, Fagan's novel succeeds. I think mainly of how Anderson's characters never seem to escape the veneer of artificiality, how (despite the indisputable quality of the films) there's a heavy hand of restraint throughout the entire experience. The Animals​' plot acknowledges a need for a certain wildness to be injected, and Fagan displays confidence in letting his hand off the leash, so to speak, by introducing literal wild animals into the homes of his villagers.


As a vehicle, the Wild Home Project, the government-sponsored program allowing residents of the unnamed village to foster a wide array of wildlife, introduces a necessary variable into lives of otherwise interminable placidity. Despite their inherent eccentricities (I'm talking a pair of maybe-sibling sex shop owners, an Olympic-level javelin thrower turned schoolteacher, a feeble octogenarian romantically entangled with his decades younger caretaker), the villagers comfortably situated inside a nonevent narrative -- perhaps it's this deep-set comfort that allowed them to make such ridiculous decisions as "loose a wolf into your living room." Certainly nobody seems to want to have wild animals traipsing their halls, and yet with this history of perpetual sunny days (and maybe a dash of everyone-else-is-doing-it), the Wild Home Project catches on quickly, to obvious disaster.

But it's not as though life completely halts whilst the minks run rampant: Dorn still has scale models to make, a woman to pine over, a schemer of a brother to endure. And midway through the novel we even spend time with a cantankerous novelist, which leads to the most perplexing chapter, a paraphrasing of this acclaimed novelist's first children's picture book. A week later I'm still pondering over the point of it, and while it screams allegory I can't quite seem to connect the dots. At the very least it operates as yet another example of how culturally removed this village is from the rest of the world; not only are the names fantastical (Koj, Glin, Torpe, Feenis), but these same villagers take time to enjoy some Yiss pudding, or Forgel beer. It's one step away from​ reading a translated conversation between two Sims characters.

I'd be remiss to ignore the craft put into this book. Cary Fagan threads the needle between the surreal and the outright ridiculous, all while maintaining a tone fit for fables. It's a slim book overall, but even so the story slides by with excellent pacing, and I'd finished The Animals well before I'd anticipated. And even with a concept like "beset these villagers with feral animals, and see what happens," not once did I pick up any authorial meanness toward his characters. Rather, remarkably, I found it surprisingly gentle, which made the denouement (and my finishing the book) an almost sad experience.

I would gladly visit this village again.

[Thomas Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The village of this work functions as a character of its own alongside its protagonist Dorn, who makes miniature wooden models for the various businesses, even making a raunchy set of BDSM figurines for a local sex shop. There's no better image painted of small town life than Cary Fagan's magical description of the local coffee shop, "It was a little warm and humid, pleasantly womb-like, a place where one might curl up and fall into the deepest sleep." The village is a timeless place, forgotten, passed off between various nations, kept alive by its residents and their quirks, most importantly their deep-seated secrets. The fictional "Vordram", a typical hefty English class work, a blend between Beowulf and Dante's Divine Comedy shows how deeply attached Dorn is to the past, to opportunities not taken, to his usual routine, all in the face of constant change.

His figurines are described by a local bookseller as "bullshit nostalgia", along with the town's commitment to attracting tourist by maintaining an appearance of a medieval village, with the sex shop included. While it begins as a muted survey of a town caught in the fold between past and future, The Animals quickly devolves into a series of chaotic happenings around the town, spurred by Dorn's neighbor suddenly keeping a pet wolf. College, nursing homes, even coffee shops all are steeped in an imaginative and distinct mythology that is an absolute joy to watch unfold. The Animals is ultimately a stunning, magical examination of an artist's attempt to overcome his abandoned dreams and aimless trajectory in order to make his mark on and open up to the world caught between dys and utopia, no matter how feral it gets.

[Hallie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fagan is slow to begin this one, and starts off with Dorn, our main character, making a model for the sex shop. Dorn is someone who is fine to depict anything in his models, but is almost incapable of holding a true conversation with someone.

By the title and the description, I expected the animals to take more of a center-stage plot, but they came off as a secondary component of the novel. I thought Fagan might make more of a commentary on the animals people were choosing, which he started to do once or twice, but then quickly moved away from. And because Dorn is not an owner himself, we don't even see how our main character might interact with a wild animal. Though I suppose one could make an argument his "animal" is Ravenna. Instead, we focus more on Dorn as a person: his relationship with his brother, his father, schoolteacher Ravenna, and how he feels about his work.

In all, this has the feel of many translated-from-the-Japanese magical realism books I've read this year: Where the Wild Ladies Are; The Emissary, There's No Such Thing as an Easy Job. Once you get 20% in or so, it reads quickly, and I read the whole book in a single sitting. If you enjoyed some of the other titles listed here, you will like the tone and vibe of this book!

[Henry Birch · Rating 4 out of 5]

THE ANIMALS is quiet, reserved literature with adornment stripped away to highlight its central theme: an examination of the principle of restraint. The novel itself, being short and focused, is the very picture of restraint while its narrative examines the pros and cons of different types: moral and ethical self-restraint in personal lives as well as in education and city government, including the application of rules and laws. Protagonist Dorn seems overly self-restrained in his manner and pursuits while friends and family seem less so, creating an intriguing contrast, e.g., Dorn's brother is a d%*k, morally and ethically nefarious, but he DOES seem happy and, of course, gets the girl (while nice guys, as we all know, never do). Readers will inevitably compare Dorn to his brother, wondering which lifestyle is better (author Cary Fagan gives no answer to that, only more examples to consider) and will also likely locate and examine examples in their own lives, asking what they should do differently now or should have done differently in the past. The entire novel is an interesting thought experiment and an exercise in self-analysis, which seems the mark of great literary fiction. For that, I commend Fagan: this is masterfully written and a fine novel.

[Monica · Rating 4 out of 5]

*somewhere between a 3.5 and a 4*
This was an oddly engaging and strangely whimsical little novella. The blurb on the back cover of the novel describes it as a "realist novel with the air of a fairy tale" and I can absolutely agree with that. That subtle fairy tale like air was intriguing.
I liked the main character, Dorn -- his earnest innocence (?) for lack of better way of phrasing it, and his inaction (at least in the first two thirds of the novella) was actually almost charming and he was a realistic, interesting character that gives you a lot to think about. I actually thought of T.S Elliot's "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" a few times when reading about Dorn.
I liked the discussion of certain themes, like the ties between humans and animals, and writing and art. My only critique though is that I wanted more; I know this is meant to be a novella, but I really feel like even more could have been said about these themes.
Nonetheless, this is a quick and enjoyable read. I also liked the ending.

Thanks to the journal Canadian Literature for providing me with an ARC.

[Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes, saving yourself first is the only way to become a superhero.

How did the book make me feel/think?

A massive INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER takes the literary world by storm.

The Animals by Cary Fagan carries a powerful, nuanced punch.

I could barely feel it; a page flips, and I find myself inside the book.

Dorn is dull. The town he lives in is dull. Competitiveness fuels every village in the world, in order to survive.

Tourism is the answer. Can tourism ever be the answer? Or is tourism not the means to devastation and the end of everything?

Dorn simply wants to live. He wants love, but he is far too awkward to bring desires to fruition. He’s a simple man. Characters are injected into the plotline. Mixing them all together, the characters become each of us.

Another punch.

I’m feeling it now.

I’m deep inside the book.

I’m absolutely; what’s a word more than absolutely?—loving it! An all-time favourite.

Dorn’s brother is a selfish jerk, but is he?

A wolf kills a man, but does it?

Stay away from the mink.

Sometimes, saving yourself first is the only way to become a superhero.

And if and when you do, maybe love will catch your fall.

The Animals deftly will draw you in, and by the end, you will be absolutely ecstatic it did as it lingers with you long after you’ve devoured the last word.

If you only read a small stack of books this year, The Animals should undoubtedly rise to the top.

WRITTEN: 22 August 2022

[Purnur · Rating 4 out of 5]

After giving some thought to the title and the blinking eye story, I may have got the idea. Both allegorical, of course, the animals express his fears of people around him, and the eye is his own alienated personality. He either sees danger or feels inferior: his brother, the secret customer, the animals that might kill him, feeling despised by the writer. Even his retired father is more successful at making friends. Even teenagers best him at that. We still don't know if he gets the girl at the end - but he finally wins over his fear and befriends the wolf. Meeting the writer helps him, too. Slowly learning that life is ok.

[Milly Reynolds · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a relatively short read and is almost fairy-tale like. We are in a picturesque village that at one time was very popular with tourists but now not quite so much. You get the idea that you are walking through a street full of beautiful olde-worlde cottages. Our main character is Dorn, a very gentle, quiet, unassuming man who makes models. He carves his models from wood in exquisite detail – wait till you read about the model he makes for the sex shop! Most of the shops in the town have one of his models. Every day he visits the coffee shop because Ravenna, a local teacher will be there but Dorn does not have the courage to tell her his feelings. And that is his life, making models. He has a younger brother who is controlling and an elderly father who is just as uncaring. Dorn is a character that you really like, even though you are frustrated that he doesn't tell Ravenna his feelings.

The government then decided to introduce an initiative where families can apply to take a wild animal into their home. His next door neighbour takes a wolf! As you can imagine wild animals and people don't mix. In the midst of this tale Dorn gets a strange commission, almost a foreshadowing of events, events which cause Dorn to, for the first time in his life, to rush towards danger. The ending is sweet and you are left with a feeling of hope for the future.

Like all fairy tales, there must be a moral and I suppose here it is that we must be brave if we want to change our lives. I really enjoyed this.

[Jillian · Rating 2 out of 5]

Usually, I like magical realism, but The Animals felt more like a broad sketch of a village than anything that felt both real and magical. Dorn as a main character feels so unremarkable as to almost be a Mary Sue. Though it is compulsively readable, The Animals has no emotional core or real characterization. There's no true weight to anything, and so I found it hard to care. There's so much going on with the various characters, and yet there is also no plot. I liked some elements, bit I don't think everything came together as a cohesive novel.

[Daniel Kukwa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A strange, awkward, bizarre story that feels like it's been ripped out of an Irish village and placed into some new, unknown location. It really shouldn't work, but its askew nature actually works in its favour...resulting in the reader (myself included) determined to see how this odd but compelling tale will end. This will quickly confound any preconceptions you might have after reading the cover blurb.

[Amy Casey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a strange, awkward tale of a strange, awkward man in a town where nothing ever happens, except the occassional high absurdity that gets assimilated into everyday life quite seamlessly. The humor is painfully subtle, but ever-present, and there's a lot of the main character falling asleep with pizza on him. Reads like one of those dreams that makes sense while you're dreaming it, but then you wake up and say-- "What... was that?"

[Annarella · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sort of fairy tale, an original and highly entertaining story about common people. People who find a way to improve their life and maybe find happyness.
I loved the style of writing and the character development. The plot made me laugh but there were also some more poignant moments.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

[Enid Wray · Rating 4 out of 5]

A most unusual little book (coming in at less than 150 pages on my reader…).

An allegorical - cautionary - tale… for so much of what ails so many of us in this modern world.

You’ll still be thinking about this long after you’ve finished reading.

3.5 rounded up to 4

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is surprisingly good. Very good writing and a story that includes interesting characters and situations. On the surface, it may seem like a simple story, but there's a lot there if one cares to ready carefully. Recommended.

I really appreciate the free ARC for review!!

[Janessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't know what else to say about this short little novel other than about 25 pages in I went, "is this CanLit? It's got to be." And I flipped to the publisher to find that, of course, it is.

Stay weird Canada. A delightfully quirky one-day read.

[Ross · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great little egg of a book.

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful!

[Nik Maack · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute. Simple. Easy to read. A bit random. Inoffensive. Not particularly challenging or memorable. I guess I liked it. But it's also unsatisfying and slim.