Waiting for Doggo by Mark B Mills
| Waiting for Doggo by Mark B Mills | |
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| Category: General Fiction | |
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Reviewer: Sue Magee
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| Summary: The sort of story which you read in an indulgent sitting when you know that you should be doing something else. If you love dogs you will adore it. If you don't then you might just realise the error of your ways. | |
| Buy? Yes | Borrow? Yes |
| Pages: 224 | Date: November 2014 |
| Publisher: Headline Review | |
| External links: Author's website | |
| ISBN: 978-1472218346 | |
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Daniel didn't quite acquire Doggo by accident. His girlfriend got him from Battersea Dogs' Home but when Clara walked out on him without any notice (well - just a letter...) she told him to take Doggo back. He was, she said just a dog. A small ugly dog. And Daniel was all set to do just that until he discovered that Doggo would quickly be separated from what he considered to be a couple of important parts of his anatomy. After a rethink Daniel had a new job as an advertising copywriter which allowed him to take Doggo to work with him and Doggo's career as a 'mental health companion dog' was born.
Have you ever known that you should be reading something else, but, what the hell, you were going to have a treat? Have you ever looked at a pile of books with a notice above them saying NOW - RIGHT NOW - and picked up another book which could sit there for months without a problem? That's exactly what I did. I'm a sucker for dogs - and I love to hate anyone who talks about a small ugly dog. I stretched out and read Waiting for Doggo in one gloriously indulgent sitting.
When you read Clara's letter to Daniel you think he's going to be, well, unexciting - and there are things about him that are, er steady. He and Clara were together for four years and he'd been content. He's the sort of man who abides by speed limits, wears scruffy sweaters and plays Sudoku. On his iPhone. Not only has he lost his girlfriend, his business partnership has broken up too. His art director, Fat Trev, has had a breakdown and in advertising copywriters and art directors come as matching pairs. So Dan was left with no one but Doggo - and Doggo wasn't that keen on Daniel.
I loved this book. The characters are great: they're all human (and that includes Doggo). They make mistakes and misjudgements but most of them are doing their best. There are a couple who are not - and they're a pleasure to dislike. It's a story you can believe in - the growing relationship between a man and a dog and the way that it comes to define the other relationships in his life. I enjoyed every minute of it and growled when I turned the final page.
I'd like to thank the publishers for sending a copy to the Bookbag.
For another story set in the world of advertising have a look at Remember to Breathe by Simon Pont or for a memoir from a copywriter have a look at Sad Men: A Memoir by Dave Roberts.
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You can read more book reviews or buy Waiting for Doggo by Mark B Mills at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
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