Book Reviews & Giveaway: Men and Dogs

Men and Dogs: A Novel

Author: Katie Crouch

This flashframe novel extends a photograph of one event in a family’s life that changes the entire family forever.

The Legare family’s routines and activities are determined by their larger than life father, Buzz Legare. A doctor, Buzz Legare has presence. On April 6, 1985 Buzz’s small fishing vessel is found drifting out to harbor, with the family dog still in the boat, hungry and baffled. Buzz Legare is declared drowned by accident.

Leaving behind Palmer, 13, Hannah, 11 and Daisy, his 36 year old wife, the family immediately grinds to a halt. Hannah thinks her father is still alive. Hannah’s life, at 36, is a shambles. Her marriage to Jon is drowning along with her memories of her father. She returns home to Daisy and her stepfather, Will DeWitt, the town’s richest resident. Hannah has just fallen there stories trying to break into her and Jon’s loft.

Palmer fares no better. His boyfriend Tom wants to have a baby. Palmer, now a vet with his own practice, can barely commit to nurturing a plant, much less a relationship or a baby.

Daisy marries Will one year after Buzz’s death. She alone accepts Buzz’s departure from this earth.

In the way of broken families, Hannah is the one who cannot cope. She is the beaconless lighthouse. In wonderful Peter Taylor-like Southern charm, Crouch’s novel proves hilarious, grim, hilarious again, and finally transcendant.

As fastidious and emotionally closed Palmer reluctantly learns to love Tom, as Hannah stops leaving all her loved ones before they can leave her, and with Daisy and Will as a solid core, the dismantled family starts finding its way back through Hannah’s craziness and determination to find the truth. The truth swims like an eel underneath the brine of the Charleston Harbor, and it with wit and clarity that Katie Crouch delivers “Men and Dogs.”

The odd, eccentric, totally Southern characters and the drama of Southern life charms the reader again and again. And Hannah, who even at 11 could tell her father how many bones are in the body (206) and how many cells (one hundred trillion) finally grows up when she faces losing it all.

Good novel, charming and heartfelt.

Ratings are based on a 5-star scale

Plot: 4
Characters: 4
Presentation: 4
Overall: 4

Book Review by Broad “A” – Ava

Men and Dogs: A Novel Men and Dogs: A Novel is available for pre-order at Amazon.com $16.31

Thank you to the Hachette Book Group for providing this title for our book review as well as this giveaway. We were in no way paid or compensated for our opinions.

GIVEAWAY

Enter Daily

<p>Loading…</p>

Extra Entries

Become a fan of The Broads on Facebook <<< NEW!
Blog about this giveaway on YOUR blog!
Follow the Review Broads – on the sidebar
Subscribe to The Review Broads for FREE
Link to this giveaway on your Facebook page
Follow Bro’B’s new blog – I Pity the Blog
Follow Broad “Z” on twitter.
Grab our badge from the sidebar and add it to your site.
Twitter this giveaway.

Be sure to leave a comment letting me know if you’ve done any of these (if you already subscribe or have our badge – please note that in the comments as well).

* This giveaway is open to US residents, 18 and over and ends on April 23, 2010 11:59 EST.
* The winner will be randomly chosen and contacted via email.
* The winner has 48 hours to respond to my email or an alternate winner will be chosen.
* Please make sure you check your junk mail folder
* Good Luck