DOGSBODY
Author: Diana Wynne Jones
Publisher: Firebird (part of the Penguin Group)
ISBN-10: 0142420131
ISBN-13: 978-0142420133
ASIN: B005UT1B3G
Sirius, the dog-star, finds himself on trial for murder and is convicted. The star’s punishment is to take on the form of a dog on Earth and in order to end the punishment reclaim a lost item known as the Zoi. When Sirius is reborn as a puppy, his memory is foggy, and only over time and interacting with other animals and luminaries does he begin to piece together his mission. However, while searching for the Zoi, Sirius unexpectedly bonds with a young Irish girl living in an English household named Kathleen who has nowhere to stay because her father is in jail for political terrorism. Although a somewhat dated read now – the book appears to be set in the mid 1970s when it was written – the overall themes of love and devotion between people and animal rise above any period aspects of the book to make it timeless. The April 2012 Firebird reissue also includes a very moving Introduction by Neil Gaiman that, as he recommends, really should be saved until the end for fullest impact.
A free copy of this book was furnished by the publisher for review, but providing a copy did not guarantee a review. This information is provided per the regulations of the Federal Trade Commission.
