A review by desterman
Here Come The Dogs by Omar Musa

3.0

Set in the outer suburbs of a large Australian city (it's never made totally clear, but seems to be Canberra), 'Here Come the Dogs' focuses on three young ethnic men, trying to forge their way and find their place. The novel plays with form in an interesting and challenging way - the use of prose and hip hop/rap poetry throughout is fresh and engaging. The themes explored are wide ranging and relevant - essentially the darker side of multiculturalism. It's about being homeless in your home, marginalised and ostracised in the most subtle of ways without any real understanding of how to change it. It's a powerful look at masculinity, ethnicity, racism, culture, relationships and hope. Musa offers a raw and powerful insight into the lives of these men. Unfortunately, despite their many good qualities, I found the flaws of these men meant they are difficult to like and ultimately affected my ability to empathise with them. It's a challenging book, but still worth the journey.