Dog

by Rob Perry

When 18-year-old Benjamin Glass goes to look at a dead whale that has washed up on the beach, he meets an unfamiliar dog who follows him home to his caravan. Benjamin isn't equipped to take care of a dog – he has a chronic fear of germs, and is currently living alone while his grandmother is in hospital.

But when a delivery driver recognises the dog as The Mighty Gary, the fastest greyhound in the country, and tells Benjamin about his unsavoury owners, Benjamin is forced to trust the stranger on his doorstep and devise a plan to keep Gary safe. 

As Benjamin becomes more attached to the dog, it becomes clear that his trust in the delivery driver may well have been misplaced. He will have to leave his comfort zone, take some unhygienic risks, cross paths with dangerous and powerful men and confront his very worst fears if he has any hope of protecting what he loves the most.

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, Animals, Literary Fiction, Roman

295 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 25, 2024

Reviews

[Nat K · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Not saying there's anything wrong with him. We're all a bit weird, aren't we?"

Can a book both break your heart and fill it at the same time? In this case, yes it can.

"You're a good person Benjamin. There’s nothing more than that."

Benjamin Glass lives with his beloved nan in her caravan and works the tills at the local supermarket. He's an eighteen year old lad that's wise beyond his years, yet also strangely insular. He has a mind filled with all sorts of facts, and an unhealthy aversion to germs, touching door handles which others have touched and airborne pathogens.

At the suggestion of his hippylike friend from work Camille, one weekend he heads to the beach to look at the carcass of a whale which has beached itself. He doesn't want to go, but Camille encourages him to go to connect more with the earth, and to feel.

A strange "tiger like" (brindle) dog that looks as sad as Benjamin feels while looking at the whale follows him around the sand dunes and finally home to his caravan. Dragging his leash behind him.

It turns out the dog (who becomes very quickly attached to Benjamin) is a greyhound by the name of "The Mighty Gary". A very special and very valuable greyhound. As Benjamin discovers when the driver delivering the Chinese takeaway for dinner sagely tells him, immediately recognising Gary. But how does Leonard (the delivery driver) know Gary? And why is he so adamant that Benjamin return him before Monday?

Struggling to deal with the complexity of having a strange dog in his caravan and the stranger Leonard hovering, Benjamin wishes his nan was there to comfort him and tell him what to do. She has been taken ill and is in hospital. With Covid restrictions just having been put in place it has become more difficult to visit her. He misses her incredibly and is doing his best to keep her caravan spick and span which is difficult with a dog sniffling and leaving nose marks everywhere.

"Memories washed over him. Hundreds of days and moments flooding in like a photograph album spitting out pictures."

This is such a beautiful story of unexpected friendships and the connection that only animals can give you. The bond that is beyond words.

In many respects this book reminded me of Sara Baume's Spill Simmer Falter Wither as Benjamin is also quite the outsider. Someone that doesn't quite fit in and feels more of a pull towards Gary than any of the people around him.

Now before you think this is all doom and gloom, it isn't. There’s plenty of gentle humour and moments of "out there" situations that are amusing. A more unlikely book of characters that you can't help but feel for and hope that everything is going to turn out ok.

"And then he lay still, cold-bright sunshine on his face, the sound of waves swelling down on the beach, rolling over the millions of pebbles there. Gary standing over him as close as he could manage.
'I love you, dog,' he said."

My winning streak of amazingly emotive books continues. I'm so happy the cover of this quirky story caught my eye. I hope it catches the eye of more readers! I know this book is complete in itself, but I really would love a follow-up to hear how they all are.

As has happened with other books I've read recently, the Acknowledgements section is telling.

"It's impossible to write a novel on your own...Everyone you know is in there. So is everyone you've met, been taught by, had a disagreement with or watched in a film. Everyone you've overheard or observed. This book is no exception."

"And finally, thanks to my dogs, Rodrigo and Drew. For the love, and the details. And in the way of canines generally, for giving everything and for asking nothing in return."

So true.

A wonderful début novel from Rob Perry. Definitely one of my favourites from this year. And one I'll always carry around with me.

[Kira · Rating 3 out of 5]

the dog was lovely. i really enjoyed the characters. the book is really simple and a light read but the ending was a little disappointing. and it would have all been solved if the author kept going for maybe like 5-10 pages more

[Paula · Rating 2 out of 5]

Had the makings of a lovely book. Unfortunately, it's ridiculous,over the top,not funny,no real ending.
Awful.

[Sasha Kilmurray · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved the storyline but slightly disappointed at the ending! I love mighty Gary!!

[Olivia Ritchie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid 3.75⭐️

[Alexilexi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Was für ein wildes Buch.
Mich hat diese Geschichte von Benjamin, dem ein berühmter Rennhund zuläuft, auf sonderbare Art berührt. Oft wollte ich Benjamin, der so verloren schien, so gern umarmen!
Die Beschreibung zur Liebe zu seiner Oma war besonders, genau wie die zu Gary dem Hund.
Der Autor hat Benjamins Angst vor Krankheiten und Viren unglaublich gut beschrieben, so sehr, dass ich mich auch schon oft unwohl gefühlt hab beim Lesen und mir die Hände waschen wollte.
Der Humor, der wegen Benjamins Art und und Sicht auf die Welt teils sehr trocken war, hat sehr gut gepasst.
Teilweise ging es drunter und drüber, Benjamin und Gary wurden mit schrägen Leute und finsteren Figuren verstrickt.
Der letzte Part war mir etwas zu seltsam und auch das Ende nicht nach meinem Geschmack.

Ein Buch, welches ich sehr gern gelesen habe, mich oft traurig gestimmt und zum lachen gebracht hat!

[Helen the Bassist · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5%

I adored this book up to the very last chapter but am now extremely cross with Mr Perry. Somehow he should have found a way to give Benjamin and Gary a happy future. I was left feeling grumpy and worried for a fictional dog - reflecting the quality of the prose but the ultimate failure of the book. Docked half a star for p***ing me off. This would seriously have been a contender for my book of the year but Rob blew it at the last moment.

[Rubes · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a lovely heart warming story. I completely fell in love with Benjamin from the very start. The relationship between him and Gary is magical. I won’t give this review justice, so I’ll end it by saying, take a chance on this quirky and heartfelt book, I can guarantee you won’t want Benjamin and Gary’s adventure to end!

[Zoë · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful story and Rob Perry's first novel. I wouldn't have picked this up had it not been for a trip to an independent bookshop in Bakewell. A tender and heartfelt tale, made me shed a tear on more than one occasion.

[David Garcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing story that is simple and not overly complicated. Really great way to show how a well written character can make you think about your own life and appreciate it in a whole new way.

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

This started as a book that had such potential to be a fave but it just didn’t deliver for me personally. The ending just seemed very meh. I just wanted a little bit more

[Daniella · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

Once again I am a sucker for a dog book - this one had the interesting twist of the kid being kind of grossed out and at arms length for the dog, but you know he won him over!!!

It felt like a kind of caper I could see as a fun movie - boy meets dog, bad guys want dog, morally grey goofball helps him out, morally grey goofball screws up but then has a heart of gold....the classic! Of course I wanted a little more closure on the ending but a nice story about finding your place in the world, and finding reasons to be brave.

[Marta Neto · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,5 ⭐️
I love you, dog 😭 que livro fofo!!
História simples, nada de transcendente, mas com pequenos detalhes que me fizeram refletir sobre certos aspetos da nossa vida.

[rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

fin!!💓

[Sandra Goitowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Was ein tolles Buch !
Endlich mal eine neue ganz andere Geschichte, die mich von Seite 1 an durchgehend überzeugt hat.
Ich bin jetzt traurig, dass ich es ausgelesen habe und werde Benjamin und Gary vermissen…

[essie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was recommended to me by a friend. The story follows 18 year old Benjamin, a neurodivergent hypochondriac, and Gary, an all-star racing greyhound, right on the brink of COVID.
It was such a bittersweet, loving, fast-paced story - I'm so glad to have read it🥹

[Kathrin Olzog · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ich mochte es einfach sehr. Ich habe zwischendurch sehr gelacht und sicherlich wird das Buch zum Ende hin etwas langatmig und Gray wird etwas nebensächlich, aber insgesamt war ich sehr gut unterhalten
Note: 2

[Erika · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rob Perry überzeugt in seinem Roman mit schrägen, liebenswerten Charakteren. Der sanfte Riese Gary heftet sich unversehens an die Fersen des Protagonisten Benjamin und lässt den jungen Mann über sich hinauswachsen. Der Hund weckt seine Beschützerinstinkte und für ihn lässt er selbst seine überzogenen hygienischen Bedenken fallen. Eine spannende Verfolgungsjagd beginnt, denn der eigentliche Besitzer möchte nicht auf seinen schnellsten Rennhund verzichten.
Das Buch hat wirklich Spaß gebracht. Auch wenn der Roman sprachlich (vor allem in der zweiten Hälfte) noch nicht völlig ausgereift war, kann ich die Lektüre nur empfehlen. Die ungewöhnliche Handlung und der Charme, der von den Protagonisten ausgeht, machen das allemal wett.
Ich erwarte mir noch viel von dieser neuen Stimme.

[Emma Hartick · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked many aspects of the book and enjoyed the characters, however I felt the ending was rushed and the book felt very incomplete. I would read a sequel if there was one but sadly I do not think there is.

[Leggo Quando Voglio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dog di Rob Perry è un romanzo del 2024 portato in Italia da Mondadori.

Opera d’esordio, si è fatta notare per la consapevolezza stilistica già matura della penna: ha vinto il Short Story Prize, è arrivato secondo in altri due premi letterari ed è stato inserito nella shortlist del Peggy Chapman-Andrews First Novel Award.
L’autore, che è stato anche copywriter, in questo testo colpisce per la capacità di raccontare con umorismo e leggerezza tematiche difficili e serie senza mai scadere nella superficialità.

Pro
Il primo aspetto positivo nonché il motivo principale per cui si dovrebbe leggere questo romanzo è il senso di comfort che si prova nell’affrontarlo.
Nonostante le tematiche siano serie e spesso legate a emozioni negative, l’atmosfera che si prova è costantemente quella associata al libro-coccola: sai che ti puoi fidare e che non soffrirai andando avanti.
Questo aspetto al giorno d’oggi è spesso accompagnato da una scrittura mediocre, che su un lettore più attento rischia di rovinare completamente la percezione del libro, ma con Dog troviamo finalmente l’esempio di un romanzo che riesce ad essere leggero senza diventare superficiale permettendo al lettore che lo desidera di fare una pausa tra letture più serie senza avere però la sensazione di perdere tempo in qualcosa di poco qualitativo.

Il resto della recensione su https://www.leggoquandovoglio.it/Dog-...

[Domic · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hm. Weiß nicht. Es ging gut los, ich mochte die Figuren sehr - Benjamin, Leonard, Camille und natürlich Gary. Aber irgendwie hat es mich so etwa ab 2/3 verloren und das Ende wirkte auf mich so, als habe der Autor keine Lust mehr gehabt, die Geschichte "fertig" zu erzählen.
Ich habe prinzipiell nix gegen offene Enden, aber hier wurde so ziemlich alles in der Schwebe gelassen: Was wird aus Benjamin und Gary? Aus Leonard und Camille?
Anfangs hat mir die Story gut gefallen - wir lernen Benjamin kennen, der bei seiner Oma lebt und in einem Supermarkt an der Kasse jobt. Am Strand läuft ihm ein Renn-Greyhound zu, und nachdem er anfangs gar nicht begeistert ist, weil Hund halt nicht so wahnsinnig "hygienisch" sind und Benjamin eine Mikroben-Phobie hat, wächst ihm das Tier doch ans Herz.
Wie Leonard unf Benjamins Chefin Camille da ins Bild passen und wieso Benjamin am Ende mit Gary in gar nicht hygienischen Zuständen lebt, musst Du selber lesen. Sicher eine tolle Geschichte für Hundefans, aber der Schluß ging für mich gar nicht.

[Clara · Rating 2 out of 5]

No! Decisamente non ci siamo. Le prime 150 pagine sono abbastanza noiose, succede poco e quello che succede, malgrado il tema coinvolge poco. La seconda metà è migliore e si fa leggere abbastanza volentieri. Il libro però è decisamente poco credibile, una storia che nella realtà difficilmente sarebbe realizzabile sotto tanti punti di vista e il tutto sfocia in un finale orrendo che mi ha lasciato non solo l'amaro in bocca ma mi ha decisamente fatta innervosire. Decisamente no!

[Dylan Kakoulli · Rating 1 out of 5]

finally finished -and my god what a slog!

Unsatisfying, unmoving (and this from a big ol’ animal advocate), Dog was a deeply disappointing -frankly dull to the point of skim reading, read.

1 star

[Rebeca Knight · Rating 4 out of 5]

I saw so much of myself in Benjamin and his anxieties & now I need a greyhound to cuddle

[Yara Schiele · Rating 3 out of 5]

An sich ein cuter Roman, geht schließlich um einen Hund?!?
Aber es passiert nicht wirklich viel, ist ein netter Roman für zwischendurch. Sehr schade, die Geschichte hätte Potential für mehr gehabt.

[Rosie · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 ⭐️

I loved the beginning, but the last few chapters and the lack of resolve really let it down.

It felt like the author ran out of steam and wasn't sure where to take the story, so cut it short.

[Karin Falkner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ich mochte dieses Buch sehr, besonders Benjamin und natürlich den Hund! Nur das Ende hat mich enttäuscht und etwas ratlos zurückgelassen. Irgendwie wirkt es als wäre die Geschichte nicht fertig erzählt worden. Schade!

[Zoe Hopkins · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oh how I really wanted to love this book. The first 20 pages I predicted this to be a 5 star read but as the story progressed Dog unfortunately fell flat. I loved Benjamin’s character and his relationship with Gary, and the fact that this ominous “virus” was looming throughout the book. I felt like the author could have done so much with this side of the story but it was almost like Benjamin’s fears of the world and hygiene disappeared for most of the book and I didn’t find it believable. Potentially I went into Dog expecting a certain storyline and got something completely different and this may be why I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I expected.

I did really enjoy the snippets of Benjamin reminiscing on his relationship with his grandmother as my Nan and I are extremely close, so this did pull on y heartstrings. I also enjoyed Camille’s character and how she helped Benjamin. An okay read but I can’t say I want to rave about it unfortunately. So many reviews from people who have loved this one though so maybe check those out to see if this is for you! 😊

[Saskia Pemberton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this, I thought it was very sweet. I fell in love with all of the characters (especially Gary the dog) and was very invested in what happened to all of them, which is why I was quite heartbroken to find that the ending was so abrupt. All the way through it was giving the kind of vibe where there'd be a happy, bittersweet ending and it's not that we didn't get that ending. We didn't really get any ending. We got to what essentially was the final confrontation/climax of the story and the book ended right smack down in the middle of it. I'm genuinely sad that I won't get to find out what happened to Gary and Benjamin. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the rest of the book so much I'll happily give it 4 stars.
Thank you Angharad for gifting me this lovely book!

[MirjS · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wenn Mut und Empathie über Ängste siegen -
Großartige Idee, großartige Umsetzung!

Was bedeutet es eigentlich, sich trotz sämtlicher Phobien, Ängsten und Zwängen, um ein „keimbehaftetes“ Tier zu kümmern, das einem in Form eines Windhundes, plötzlich am Strand hinterher läuft? Sich plötzlich, aus Sorge um einen völlig fremden Hund, der sich zudem noch als bekannter Rennchampion entpuppt, seinen eigenen Ängsten zu stellen und obendrein noch den Mut aufzubringen, ihn vor seinen grausamen Besitzern zu beschützen? Im Roman „Der große Gary“ von Rob Perry geht es um Ängste, um Mitgefühl, Liebe und um Mut. Es geht um skurrile Menschen und um Freundschaft. Das Buch erzählt die ergreifende Geschichte des jungen Außenseiters Benjamin, der, nach dem Zusammenbruch seiner Oma, ganz allein auf sich gestellt, Halt und Hoffnung durch und bei einem Hund findet. Einem ganz besonderen Hund, dem großen Gary.

Mit seiner ganz besonderen Erzählweise und einer gewissen Art von Leichtigkeit, greift der Autor u.a. die oftmals nicht nur tabuisierten, sondern ebenso unverstandenen Themen der Zwänge, Ängste und Phobien auf. Indem er diese aus Sicht von Benjamin darstellt, werden sie plötzlich greifbar und lassen sich besser nachvollziehen. Oft musste ich erstmal innehalten und über das Ausmaß nachdenken, über die Einschränkungen und auch die Isolation, die Benjamin aufgrund dessen widerfährt. Und darüber, wie großartig seine Entwicklung, in Anbetracht dessen, im Verkauf der Geschichte doch ist. Ich konnte richtig mitfühlen, wäre am Liebsten selbst zu Hilfe geeilt, hätte Mut zugesprochen und mich mit auf diesen skurrilen Roadtrip begeben. Um dieser, eigentlich recht dramatischen und traurigen Geschichte besagte Leichtigkeit und sogar Humor zu verleihen, kommen die übrigen, echt schrägen, doch irgendwie auch ebenso liebenswerten, Protagonisten ins Spiel. Alle sind sie auf ihre spezielle Art und Weise Außenseiter, doch zugleich absolut echt und authentisch. Wobei ich jedem, von Zwangs- oder Angststörungen Geplagten, eine Vorgesetzte und Freundin wie Camille, einfach nur wünschen kann!

Da ich nicht nur eine große Tierfreundin bin, sondern selbst auch mit Ängsten zu kämpfen und eine Oma im Krankenhaus habe, kann ich nicht beurteilen ob das Buch wirklich jeden so erreichen wird, wie es mich beim lesen erreicht und zudem zutiefst berührt hat. Ich denke, um die Tiefgründigkeit des Buches wirklich fühlen zu können, sollte man zumindest offen bzw. interessiert an psychischen Problematiken sein und darüber hinaus auch die enge Verbundenheit und Liebe zu einem Tier nachempfinden können oder sie im besten Fall selbst schon einmal erlebt haben. In dem Fall kann ich das Buch nur wärmstens empfehlen, für mich war es in Idee und Umsetzung ein wahres Highlight. Ich kann mich jedenfalls nicht daran erinnern, wann mich ein Buch das letzte Mal dazu gebracht hat, es in einem Rutsch durchzulesen. Dabei hat es mir gleichzeitig sowohl Tränen, als auch urkomische Schmunzler entlockt. Einfach eine großartige Mischung, wenngleich ich mir schon irgendwie ein klareres Ende gewünscht hätte, ein eindeutigeres Happy End, eines schwarz auf weiß, das nicht so viel Raum für Interpretationen und eigene Gedanken gelassen hätte. Eines, das ich Benjamin zutiefst wünsche.

Fazit: Ein Muss für jeden, der weiß was es heißt - trotz seiner Ängste - mutig zu sein! Und ein Muss für jeden, der weiß wie heilsam Tiere sein können, wie sie es immer wieder schaffen, dass man aus Liebe zu ihnen über sich selbst hinauswächst!