FIFTEEN DOGS
by André Alexis
Fifteen Dogs is one of the most entertaining books, with one of the weirdest premises, that I have ever read. Set in and around downtown Toronto, the story begins with a conversation in a bar between the gods Hermes and Apollo, who share a drink and make a wager. They debate whether the cause of human unhappiness is consciousness, and so decide to bestow human consciousness on a group of dogs so see if their lives are made happier by it.
They carry out this plan at a kennel and fifteen dogs of various breeds and temperaments are suddenly aware of their own dog-ness, of language and how to use it. They manage to escape into the night, taking up residence as a pack in High Park. The rest of the book follows the pack dynamics as the dogs struggle to retain their sense of self, despite new knowledge and language, and to enact a hierarchy that keeps them safe and fed.
Some dogs break off from the pack and interact with humans with more or less success. Some even attempt to learn human language. The gods (and readers) follow each dog to the end of its life and judge whether they have been happy. The book is funny, touching, weird and thought-provoking, on top of being a page-turner I read in less than 24 hours. I highly recommend this book for a little thought vacation, and promise you will never look at dogs the same way again.(Lily)
