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callies's review against another edition
5.0
A charming novel with beautiful prose that weaves together the tales of several women deftly, giving an artful portrayal of their lives. The narrator writes while largely leaving herself out out of the plot, which means that she remains a mystery. So too do the motivations of all the women. It is only the men who are seen in stark contrast, but none of these portraits are flattering.
What links the tale together is the charismatic Alba Cambó. She is an alluring figure but manages to remain elusive even after 297 pages. And that seems to to be the point; women have more to them than the men surrounding them give them credit for.
Subtle and revealing, this is a stunning portrayal of the life of the five women from very different backgrounds with very different ideas. A joy to read.
What links the tale together is the charismatic Alba Cambó. She is an alluring figure but manages to remain elusive even after 297 pages. And that seems to to be the point; women have more to them than the men surrounding them give them credit for.
Subtle and revealing, this is a stunning portrayal of the life of the five women from very different backgrounds with very different ideas. A joy to read.
kate66's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars
Once in a while a bit of strange comes along. Bret Easton Ellis and The Other Dogs is definitely a bit of strange.
I listened to the audio and the narrator had very definite ideas about how some of the men sounded. It was quite jarring at times but definitely gave you a sense of that person's character.
The story (and the eponymous dogs barely get a mention) is ostensibly about Araceli who lives in an apartment with her mother above a dying woman called Alba Cambo who writes strange short stories.
Alba's short stories are interspersed with Araceli's story making the whole become quite tangled at times. It seems on later inspection that the stories are all versions of Alba's own life.
We are also introduced to several men/lovers of Alba's acquaintance who also tell their stories.
This is one of those books that doesn't really go anywhere but feels like it says a lot. I found it challenging and interesting and the narration was clear and engaging.
Once in a while a bit of strange comes along. Bret Easton Ellis and The Other Dogs is definitely a bit of strange.
I listened to the audio and the narrator had very definite ideas about how some of the men sounded. It was quite jarring at times but definitely gave you a sense of that person's character.
The story (and the eponymous dogs barely get a mention) is ostensibly about Araceli who lives in an apartment with her mother above a dying woman called Alba Cambo who writes strange short stories.
Alba's short stories are interspersed with Araceli's story making the whole become quite tangled at times. It seems on later inspection that the stories are all versions of Alba's own life.
We are also introduced to several men/lovers of Alba's acquaintance who also tell their stories.
This is one of those books that doesn't really go anywhere but feels like it says a lot. I found it challenging and interesting and the narration was clear and engaging.
thishannah's review against another edition
This was a compelling read--more like a collection of linked stories than a novel, but I liked that they were presented as a whole and not as standalones. Each piece was interesting and readable in its own way and felt cohesive even though the through line was pretty loose. I did feel pretty misled by the title and the book summary. It looks like the Goodreads copy has been updated to better reflect the actual contents, though the copy on the print version and on the publisher's website still claims that this book is about a brothel and their dogs. In reality, the brothel and dogs are just a blip in the story, and the narrator, Araceli, has a bigger role in keeping the whole thing together than the copy would lead you to believe. The title did catch my attention, but it didn't feel like an honest representation of the book and sometimes even felt like a gimmick. Still, it worked on me, and I'm glad I read this book regardless.
applesodaperson's review against another edition
This book was extremely misrepresented in all of the blurbs that I read, including the one on the back of the physical book. I was actually expecting it to be about the brothel women and their dogs, like the cover and title also imply. But it wasn't at all. The brothel story line is barely a side story, and doesn't even appear until the last quarter of the book (I skimmed the rest after stopping). And the actually story just isn't as interesting. I mean the main character's name isn't even mentioned in the blurb. My dislike for this book really just comes down to how misrepresented it was and how vastly different my expectations were from the actual reality of this book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Pedophilia
bev's review against another edition
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
tommooney's review against another edition
2.0
Like a Bolano without the fire underneath it. While the prose is cool and the aloof storytelling is modern and fresh, there is nothing here that burns to be told. I don't believe Wolff really has anything to tell me I desperately need to know.
taywls's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
lene_kretzsch's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0