LILY AND THE OCTOPUS BY STEVEN ROWLEY

LILY AND THE OCTOPUS BY STEVEN ROWLEY

I.Did.Not.Want.To.Read.This.Book.

At first.

Oh, I heard about it when it was published in 2016, but the story of a man whose dog has an octopus on her head was so absurd, it didn't interest me. (sorry, sometimes I fail at being open minded). Perhaps it was because I've never liked dachshunds. (Apologies to Rover and Toby -- but black lab mixes have always been my jam - shout out to Riley, Ranger and Scout xoxoxoxo) But then an unattractive, scruffy, middle-aged-corgi-mix-rescue-mutt of dubious proportions came to be fostered and wormed his way into becoming a love of my life. My idea of canine beauty changed. Significantly.

But with those intense feelings toward my four-legged friend (named Kramer -- he has a wild hair-do), I was now too scared to read about a dog with an octopus on her head, and an unsure outcome. But I've come to learn my life is largely governed by FOMO, and after reading Steven Rowley's latest book The Celebrants, I bit the bullet. And I'm begrudgingly glad I did.

This is the one about Ted, the middle-aged guy who's missing out on life, except for the excellent companionship of Lily, his aging dachshund. As Ted tells Lily, "Since the day I met you, you have done nothing but make my life better in every possible way." I look at my Kramer, and although I never wanted him and didn't think I could keep him, I can say the same words to him. 

Some people get it, and some don't. But, I think, any novel that celebrates that bond, is worth reading. So I'm glad I opened my mind for this book.