David Doty's Reviews > The Friend

This book sounded good, and it was highly recommended as National Book Award finalist for 2018. However, I did not like it at all. Described as a "moving story of love, friendship, grief, healing, and the magical bond between a woman and her dog," I expected it to be a detailed look into the relationship between the protagonist, who is trying to cope with the sudden death of a male friend, and his aging Great Dane, which she inherits and cares for during the final months of the dog's life.

Unfortunately, while the book does contain some interesting questions and observations about human-dog interactions, the dog is really just a backdrop for what seemed like a random, discombulated set of meditations and ruminations about human relationships, the writing process, and suicide. Also, although the book is a novel, it is told in the first person, which makes it come across as a poorly done memoir.

I must confess, I really just do not get the hype over this book. Perhaps others can enlighten me on what I missed.