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Jonathan Unleashed
National Book Award finalist and bestselling author Meg Rosoff's charming, hilarious new novel about a young New Yorker’s search for happiness and the two dogs who help him find it—the perfect summer read
Jonathan Trefoil’s boss is unhinged, his relationship baffling, and his apartment just the wrong side of legal. His girlfriend wants to marry someone just like him—only richer and with a different sense of humor. He doesn’t remember life being this confusing, back before everyone expected him to act like a grown-up.
When his brother asks him to look after his dogs, Jonathan's world view begins to shift. Could a border collie and a cocker spaniel hold the key to life, the universe, and everything? Their sly maneuvering on daily walks and visits to the alluring vet suggest that human emotional intelligence may not be top dog after all.
A funny, wise romantic comedy set in Manhattan, Jonathan Unleashed is a story of tangled relationships, friendships, and dogs. Rosoff’s novel is for anyone wondering what to be when they grow up, and how on earth to get there.
Jonathan Trefoil’s boss is unhinged, his relationship baffling, and his apartment just the wrong side of legal. His girlfriend wants to marry someone just like him—only richer and with a different sense of humor. He doesn’t remember life being this confusing, back before everyone expected him to act like a grown-up.
When his brother asks him to look after his dogs, Jonathan's world view begins to shift. Could a border collie and a cocker spaniel hold the key to life, the universe, and everything? Their sly maneuvering on daily walks and visits to the alluring vet suggest that human emotional intelligence may not be top dog after all.
A funny, wise romantic comedy set in Manhattan, Jonathan Unleashed is a story of tangled relationships, friendships, and dogs. Rosoff’s novel is for anyone wondering what to be when they grow up, and how on earth to get there.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published July 5, 2016
123 people are currently reading
4336 people want to read
About the author
Meg Rosoff
46 books1,164 followersMeg Rosoff was born in Boston and had three or four careers in publishing and advertising before she moved to London in 1989, where she lives now with her husband and daughter. Formerly a Young Adult author, Meg has earned numerous prizes including the highest American and British honors for YA fiction: the Michael L. Printz Award and the Carnegie Medal.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 542 reviews
July 5, 2017
Click here to watch a video review of this book on my channel, From Beginning to Bookend.
Jonathan Trefoil rents a tiny apartment in Manhattan, works a job he loathes, and is engaged to a woman who’s completely wrong for him. Unexpected change arrives in the form of his brother’s two dogs, Dante and Sissy. Jonathan agrees to watch Dante and Sissy for six months, unaware that their meddlesome influence will lead him to question everything – his career, his relationship, and the meaning of life.
For years now, as long as he could remember, he’d viewed his own life as a comic strip, a bit two-dimensional, yes, but full of eccentric characters with special gifts – the ability to fly, say, or speak fish. This set him apart from people with the kind of lives you saw on TV – normal people with favorite songs and matching towels. He had an apartment and a girlfriend and a job, but everything felt somehow spindly.
Jonathan immediately bonds with Dante and Sissy. He understands that dogs aren’t as intelligent as humans, but he remains unconvinced that they’re “psychologically inferior to or less complex than humans.”
“I know they’re dogs,” he said, struggling to explain. “But I get the feeling they’re dissatisfied. Dante should be herding sheep, at the very least. He’s so intelligent. And Sissy . . . she doesn’t complain, but I often get the sense that she’s missing something. Grouse? I don’t know. They both just seem a bit – off.”
His overt, and occasionally irrational, concern for the mental well-being of Dante and Sissy become the foundation by which Jonathan projects his personal existential crises onto the dogs.
Lying awake beside [his girlfriend] that night, Jonathan thought about the dogs. Maybe they were suffering from melancholy. He stared at the ceiling. Or what if it wasn’t psychological at all, but physical? He’d heard that dogs sometimes developed distemper, and though it seemed a likely diagnosis, he had no idea what distemper actually was.
The more questions Jonathan is forced to ask about his life, the more his mental state unravels. Hilarity ensues, and many laughs are enjoyed as Jonathan struggles to find the means by which to live a happy and fulfilling life.
On the surface, Jonathan Unleashed is a quirky comedic romance about a guy who needs to shake things up, but underneath the humor is a story with deep thematic resonance.
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Special thanks to Penguin Books for providing a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Jonathan Trefoil rents a tiny apartment in Manhattan, works a job he loathes, and is engaged to a woman who’s completely wrong for him. Unexpected change arrives in the form of his brother’s two dogs, Dante and Sissy. Jonathan agrees to watch Dante and Sissy for six months, unaware that their meddlesome influence will lead him to question everything – his career, his relationship, and the meaning of life.
For years now, as long as he could remember, he’d viewed his own life as a comic strip, a bit two-dimensional, yes, but full of eccentric characters with special gifts – the ability to fly, say, or speak fish. This set him apart from people with the kind of lives you saw on TV – normal people with favorite songs and matching towels. He had an apartment and a girlfriend and a job, but everything felt somehow spindly.
Jonathan immediately bonds with Dante and Sissy. He understands that dogs aren’t as intelligent as humans, but he remains unconvinced that they’re “psychologically inferior to or less complex than humans.”
“I know they’re dogs,” he said, struggling to explain. “But I get the feeling they’re dissatisfied. Dante should be herding sheep, at the very least. He’s so intelligent. And Sissy . . . she doesn’t complain, but I often get the sense that she’s missing something. Grouse? I don’t know. They both just seem a bit – off.”
His overt, and occasionally irrational, concern for the mental well-being of Dante and Sissy become the foundation by which Jonathan projects his personal existential crises onto the dogs.
Lying awake beside [his girlfriend] that night, Jonathan thought about the dogs. Maybe they were suffering from melancholy. He stared at the ceiling. Or what if it wasn’t psychological at all, but physical? He’d heard that dogs sometimes developed distemper, and though it seemed a likely diagnosis, he had no idea what distemper actually was.
The more questions Jonathan is forced to ask about his life, the more his mental state unravels. Hilarity ensues, and many laughs are enjoyed as Jonathan struggles to find the means by which to live a happy and fulfilling life.
On the surface, Jonathan Unleashed is a quirky comedic romance about a guy who needs to shake things up, but underneath the humor is a story with deep thematic resonance.
-
Special thanks to Penguin Books for providing a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 12, 2016
2.5*
I really wanted to like this but I really didn't. I liked the parts with the dogs, and that's about it. I didn't like the characters and overall, I found the whole thing to just be all over the place. Unfortunately this was a disappointment for me.
Thank you to Penguin Random House for providing me with an ARC.
I really wanted to like this but I really didn't. I liked the parts with the dogs, and that's about it. I didn't like the characters and overall, I found the whole thing to just be all over the place. Unfortunately this was a disappointment for me.
Thank you to Penguin Random House for providing me with an ARC.
August 31, 2017
This is a charming and entertaining literary romp filled with memorable one liners and a cast of keenly rendered characters that is hard to categorize. It’s at times satirical, often touching with a bit of romance and some surreal flights of fancy, but overall it is the writing that keeps it grounded and will keep you chuckling.
And then there are the dogs. Rosoff imbues these canines with personalities that become the heart of the story and also its catalyst. Dante is an off-the-charts intelligent Border Collie, Sissy is a sweet-natured Spaniel who only wants to be loved. Manhattan is the worst possible place for these dogs and Jonathan is not the first person I’d choose to take care of them, yet they seem to adapt to the situation and they end up being the caretakers of this young man on the precipice of adulthood.
After laughing my way through Standard Deviation I wanted to keep that happy, funny vibe going and queued up for this book after reading Hannah Greendale's splendid review. I’m absolutely gobsmacked by the low ratings on GR and would suggest you read her review and a few professional reviews (Kirkus provides a fast, fresh take) as this did not disappoint in the quirky comedy department.
I recommend it to anyone who wants a sharply-written, fizzy comedy with a lot of heart and two ridiculously adorable dogs that are wise beyond their circumstances. If Dante and Sissy don’t melt your heart then I don’t know what will.
And then there are the dogs. Rosoff imbues these canines with personalities that become the heart of the story and also its catalyst. Dante is an off-the-charts intelligent Border Collie, Sissy is a sweet-natured Spaniel who only wants to be loved. Manhattan is the worst possible place for these dogs and Jonathan is not the first person I’d choose to take care of them, yet they seem to adapt to the situation and they end up being the caretakers of this young man on the precipice of adulthood.
After laughing my way through Standard Deviation I wanted to keep that happy, funny vibe going and queued up for this book after reading Hannah Greendale's splendid review. I’m absolutely gobsmacked by the low ratings on GR and would suggest you read her review and a few professional reviews (Kirkus provides a fast, fresh take) as this did not disappoint in the quirky comedy department.
I recommend it to anyone who wants a sharply-written, fizzy comedy with a lot of heart and two ridiculously adorable dogs that are wise beyond their circumstances. If Dante and Sissy don’t melt your heart then I don’t know what will.
September 19, 2017
Jonathan Trefoil lives a small life. He has a small apartment in Manhattan, and a small job where he feels stifled and…small. He longs for more, but isn’t quite sure what he wants. And then love enters his life.
Not in the form of a girlfriend, he already has a girlfriend. Dogs. Two of them. A Border Collie and a Cocker Spaniel.
”Jonathan came home from work one day to find the dogs talking about him.
They weren’t even his dogs.
‘Just a few months, six maximum? Don’t worry about changing your life,’ his brother pleaded. ‘Take them out before you go to work and when you get home again in the evening. They’re great dogs and won’t trash your place. Honest, you’ll love them.’”
And Jonathan began to love these dogs, Sissy and Dante, to worry about their happiness. They had to want more than food and water and walks out of life. The unexamined life!
He takes the dogs to the Veterinarian, worried for their happiness, thinking that they are dissatisfied. Maybe he should be doing something different. The vet has no cure for abstract concerns, things that can’t be seen or tested.
”Not angst or ennui. Not canine weltschmerz.
Jonathan paid the bill, wondering why all the words for his dogs’ conditions existed only in foreign languages…Was the English language so uninterested in descriptions of spiritual disquiet? Was the Ango-American psyche too indifferent even to contemplate states of philosophical dismay?”
Quirky, charming, entertaining, this is a light, fun read with memorable characters, memorable lines and at least one memorable romance-related moment. I could easily see a rom-com movie made out of this that would do well at the box office, with all the ingredients to succeed.
”To be loved by dogs; well, it was a thing. Not as big a thing as being loved by a person, perhaps, but still.
All around the open area of the flea market, men and women walked with their dogs, talking to them, holding them, adjusting dog coats and dog sweaters, asking their opinions on pieces of hopeless junk. And not a single dog made a contemptuous face and turned away muttering, ‘Waste of goddamned money if you ask me.’
Who wouldn’t prefer dogs?”
Many thanks to my good goodreads friend Victoria, whose review prompted me to read this. Her review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
November 19, 2017
3 1/2 stars.......not quite a 4 star but something more than 3 stars......
This is a quirky, silly and unusual little book. The hero, Jonathan, is a strange individual with a complex and highly active imagination. His brain seems to run non-stop, coming up with scenarios for fulfillment and explanations, or justifications, for the dissatisfaction he feels with his life and choices. He escapes his reality by creating comics based on the characters and events in his mundane and frustrating day-to-day life. And, then, his brother, James, asks Jonathan to watch his two dogs while he travels overseas for work and Jonathan finds a meaningful relationship and his saviors in these dogs, Dante and Sissy.
I really liked the author’s writing style – it’s slow, monochrome and stilted through much of the book but it’s a good thing. It’s a perfect reflection of Jonathon’s unfulfilling life, his incongruous relationship with his girlfriend and his unsatisfying job. The writing style works ideally with the dry, sarcastic humor that’s base to the book. As Jonathon’s relationships – with his dogs, his girlfriend, his vet, the androgynous intern at work who becomes his life coach – all grow and change, his world becomes more vivid - less a desperate conversation in his own mind and more a bold realization of what he wants in the real world.
There are some funny plot lines - a wedding that's really a publicity stunt and a nervous breakdown that leads to a very unusual speech disorder. While Jonathan is painfully endearing, my favorite character is Jonathan’s best friend, Max, who is dry, sarcastic, brutally honest and hysterically funny. He’s also the very best friend someone could hope for, especially someone as weird as Jonathan.
This is a fun book and I loved how pivotal Jonathan’s relationship with Sissy and Dante was to the story and to him finding his happiness and taking control of his life. There was a period in the middle where the story got a little slow and tedious but it was brief and recovered quickly. In the end, it’s an uplifting story of self-discovery and peace, along a very cooky, crazy path! Thanks to
Victoria's review for prompting me to read this one.
This is a quirky, silly and unusual little book. The hero, Jonathan, is a strange individual with a complex and highly active imagination. His brain seems to run non-stop, coming up with scenarios for fulfillment and explanations, or justifications, for the dissatisfaction he feels with his life and choices. He escapes his reality by creating comics based on the characters and events in his mundane and frustrating day-to-day life. And, then, his brother, James, asks Jonathan to watch his two dogs while he travels overseas for work and Jonathan finds a meaningful relationship and his saviors in these dogs, Dante and Sissy.
I really liked the author’s writing style – it’s slow, monochrome and stilted through much of the book but it’s a good thing. It’s a perfect reflection of Jonathon’s unfulfilling life, his incongruous relationship with his girlfriend and his unsatisfying job. The writing style works ideally with the dry, sarcastic humor that’s base to the book. As Jonathon’s relationships – with his dogs, his girlfriend, his vet, the androgynous intern at work who becomes his life coach – all grow and change, his world becomes more vivid - less a desperate conversation in his own mind and more a bold realization of what he wants in the real world.
There are some funny plot lines - a wedding that's really a publicity stunt and a nervous breakdown that leads to a very unusual speech disorder. While Jonathan is painfully endearing, my favorite character is Jonathan’s best friend, Max, who is dry, sarcastic, brutally honest and hysterically funny. He’s also the very best friend someone could hope for, especially someone as weird as Jonathan.
This is a fun book and I loved how pivotal Jonathan’s relationship with Sissy and Dante was to the story and to him finding his happiness and taking control of his life. There was a period in the middle where the story got a little slow and tedious but it was brief and recovered quickly. In the end, it’s an uplifting story of self-discovery and peace, along a very cooky, crazy path! Thanks to
Victoria's review for prompting me to read this one.
March 9, 2016
Even though this book was written by a woman, it is just 213 pages of a man whining and not being nice to women. Such a lot of whining!
It does have dogs, though. Dogs are good. But probably not good enough to compensate for all of the male whining.
It does have dogs, though. Dogs are good. But probably not good enough to compensate for all of the male whining.
June 22, 2017
This is a serious novel masquerading as light fluff. It is fun and hilarious, but it is much more than that. It talks about the way many of us feel in these our modern lives, about boredom and feelings of meaninglessness at a job, and complete alienation between workers, and between them and their managers. I loved the mention of the well-observed German expression, weltschmertz. It is a kind of melancholy that Rosoff explains as “a deep disquiet of the soul which comes from understanding that the world is a terrible and cruel place, unfit for the well-being of a human creature.” Jonathan, the protagonist, does not at first admit that it is he who is suffering from it, but rather projects it onto the two dogs he is keeping for his brother, with whom he identifies and has a much more meaningful relationship than anyone else in his life. He is bored, unhappy, but doesn’t know exactly why, and what he should do about it. His situation is that of a whole generation, whose lives seem to be going perfectly well, but they’re still feeling depressed and that their lives is lacking a point. Jonathan, his situation, and his relationships with the dogs and with his fiancee, are described with great sensibility and humanity, and I'm looking forward to reading more adult fiction from this author.
March 1, 2016
BABT
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b070d5swDescription: Jonathan Trefoil has arrived in New York from college and is ready for his life to begin. He's found himself an apartment and he's temporarily in charge of his brother's dogs (Dante, a Border Collie, and Sissy, a Spaniel) while his brother is working in Dubai. His best friend Max gets him a job at Comrade, a marketing company run by one of their school friends. He has a smart girlfriend, Julie, who will join him once she's found work. Life seems good.
But it isn't really, he's lost; a dreamer floundering. His creativity is stifled by the mind-numbing work at Comrade: thinking up pithy ways to sell a budget office supplies company's wares, which they always reject in favour of tried and tested slogans "Pens: 3 for 2". He holds onto his sanity by writing a graphic novel "The New York Inferno" in which a Border Collie spirit guide accompanies a young poet through the nine circles of the New York underworld.
Things gradually come to a head when Julie secures a job in her company's New York office and the different, unhappy strands of Jonathan's life begin to slowly unravel.
Found out pretty early that I had little interest in this despite the dog angle. Thanks for letting us have a listen in, BBC*
June 22, 2016
So I'll be the first to admit that perhaps I am being a tad generous with my rating on this one, but personally I loved it and for now, that's good enough for me. I honestly think that if you are a "dog person" you will see this book on a totally different level from other readers and that fact alone has probably contributed for a 5/5 for me when it may have been more like a 3-4/5 for most others.
Jonathan has graduated college and is living in Manhattan, working at a low-level ad agency. His brother has moved to Dubai for 6 months for a contract job and left Jonathan to care for his beloved pets, Dante the Border Collie and Sissy the Spaniel. Jonathan's college girlfriend of 4 years, Julie, has just moved to New York and her and Jonathan's relationship is on the fast-track to marriage. The issue is that neither seem to thrilled with this idea and they are clearly not suited for one another.
Jonathan is a pretty funny, yet not entirely likable characters. However, he does have some very redeeming qualities. Jonathan really wants to spend his life drawing comics, and while working at a job he desperately hates, he starts drawing a Dante's Inferno-like comic which features his dog guarding the different gates of Hell. Also, after Jonathan and Julie decide to get married because her wedding magazine wants to throw a promotional streamed ceremony, Jonathan basically has a nervous breakdown and starts speaking nonsense for several weeks which turns out pretty hilarious at times. I've seen people mention that they believe Jonathan is a woman-hater or womanizer and I didn't see him as that. I just saw him as an irritating 20-something who doesn't have his crap together yet and really, there's nothing wrong with that.
Needless to say, Dante and Sissy are the real shining stars in this novel. Despite all of Jonathan's hangups and flaws, he forms a strong attachment to his brother's dogs and they end up being smarter than him in many ways. This is where the dog-lover part comes in...I can handle Jonathan
short-comings because he is so loving and adoring toward Dante and Sissy. Also, I must make mention of Greeley, the 3-month intern at the ad agency. Greeley becomes Jonathan's spiritual guide of sorts in trying to figure out what he wants out of life and despite the fact that Greeley is very androgynous and no one really clarifies anything until near the end of the book, no one simply cares and Jonathan and Greeley develop a great friendship.
Needless to say, if you are a dog-lover, go grab this book immediately. And if you aren't, there are still plenty of things about it you might enjoy. Dante and Sissy really aren't the MC's in the story, but they are very strong components to the plot. I'm really glad I picked up this book and hope others enjoy it as much as I did.
I received this book from the Penguin First to Read program in exchange for an honest review.
Jonathan has graduated college and is living in Manhattan, working at a low-level ad agency. His brother has moved to Dubai for 6 months for a contract job and left Jonathan to care for his beloved pets, Dante the Border Collie and Sissy the Spaniel. Jonathan's college girlfriend of 4 years, Julie, has just moved to New York and her and Jonathan's relationship is on the fast-track to marriage. The issue is that neither seem to thrilled with this idea and they are clearly not suited for one another.
Jonathan is a pretty funny, yet not entirely likable characters. However, he does have some very redeeming qualities. Jonathan really wants to spend his life drawing comics, and while working at a job he desperately hates, he starts drawing a Dante's Inferno-like comic which features his dog guarding the different gates of Hell. Also, after Jonathan and Julie decide to get married because her wedding magazine wants to throw a promotional streamed ceremony, Jonathan basically has a nervous breakdown and starts speaking nonsense for several weeks which turns out pretty hilarious at times. I've seen people mention that they believe Jonathan is a woman-hater or womanizer and I didn't see him as that. I just saw him as an irritating 20-something who doesn't have his crap together yet and really, there's nothing wrong with that.
Needless to say, Dante and Sissy are the real shining stars in this novel. Despite all of Jonathan's hangups and flaws, he forms a strong attachment to his brother's dogs and they end up being smarter than him in many ways. This is where the dog-lover part comes in...I can handle Jonathan
short-comings because he is so loving and adoring toward Dante and Sissy. Also, I must make mention of Greeley, the 3-month intern at the ad agency. Greeley becomes Jonathan's spiritual guide of sorts in trying to figure out what he wants out of life and despite the fact that Greeley is very androgynous and no one really clarifies anything until near the end of the book, no one simply cares and Jonathan and Greeley develop a great friendship.
Needless to say, if you are a dog-lover, go grab this book immediately. And if you aren't, there are still plenty of things about it you might enjoy. Dante and Sissy really aren't the MC's in the story, but they are very strong components to the plot. I'm really glad I picked up this book and hope others enjoy it as much as I did.
I received this book from the Penguin First to Read program in exchange for an honest review.
February 12, 2016
What a wonderful, weird, wacky, fun, entertaining and enjoyable read. I read most of it on a domestic flight and it's a perfect airport read! And it's the perfect book for dog lovers. They will understand this book. The rest of it is engaging and interesting and unusual and wonderful and there aren't enough words available right now to describe how much I liked this book.
November 2, 2015
I was thrilled to have won this book in the Goodreads First Reads Giveaway.
It is rare that I read these type of books, but so glad that I decided to enter into this Giveaway. This novel had me smiling on many occasions. I never write a blurb as to what a story is about for fear of spoiling for others. I shall now be passing this book on to my 16 yr old granddaughter, who I know will enjoy as much as I. Recommended.
It is rare that I read these type of books, but so glad that I decided to enter into this Giveaway. This novel had me smiling on many occasions. I never write a blurb as to what a story is about for fear of spoiling for others. I shall now be passing this book on to my 16 yr old granddaughter, who I know will enjoy as much as I. Recommended.
May 16, 2016
This is such a quirky fun read which follows the main character Jonathan's search to find happiness and a meaningful life. His mundane job in an advertising agency where his creativity is being severely suppressed drives him to a morose stressful state. His intensity and concern for understanding and ensuring the mental well being of the two dogs in his care is at times totally hilarious but also very touching. Jonathan is blessed with an amazingly vivid imagination and is constantly stifled by thoughts of who he should be and where his life is going. The author manages to achieve a wonderful balance of humour, wackiness but also empathy for Jonathan's plight in sorting himself out. His girlfriend of four years has become entrenched in his idea of what he believes is the path his future must take but other interesting characters such as his life long friend Max and the English vet and Greely, the newest staff member at the advertising agency where he works all help Jonathan to make the important changes to move towards a more satisfying life. Its fun and slightly weird but has lots of heart and all in all I found Jonathan Unleashed to be a very enjoyable read.
June 29, 2016
This was a great read! I loved Jonathon, he's fantastic. The dogs, Dante, and Sissy really made the book. It grabbed me the minute I picked it up and I didn't want to put it down.
Jonathan's thoughts were so funny, from how he got his great apartment to his job. They were just so funny. He's a goofy, loveable character who find's seems to take his lead from the ever wise Border Collie, Dante.
If you want to read a book that is lighthearted and will leave you in a great mood this is it. We can all relate to some of the feelings Jonathon was going through. Oh, I loved his parents as well. When they were brought into the story line it was normally a laugh out loud time.
A fantastic book all the way around!
Jonathan's thoughts were so funny, from how he got his great apartment to his job. They were just so funny. He's a goofy, loveable character who find's seems to take his lead from the ever wise Border Collie, Dante.
If you want to read a book that is lighthearted and will leave you in a great mood this is it. We can all relate to some of the feelings Jonathon was going through. Oh, I loved his parents as well. When they were brought into the story line it was normally a laugh out loud time.
A fantastic book all the way around!
February 26, 2016
From BBC Radio 4 - Book at Bedtime:
The first adult novel by Meg Rosoff, author of the bestselling Young Adult novel "How I Live Now".
Jonathan Trefoil has arrived in New York from college and is ready for his life to begin. He's found himself an apartment and he's temporarily in charge of his brother's dogs (Dante, a Border Collie, and Sissy, a Spaniel) while his brother is working in Dubai. His best friend Max gets him a job at Comrade, a marketing company run by one of their school friends. He has a smart girlfriend, Julie, who will join him once she's found work. Life seems good.
But it isn't really, he's lost; a dreamer floundering. His creativity is stifled by the mind-numbing work at Comrade: thinking up pithy ways to sell a budget office supplies company's wares, which they always reject in favour of tried and tested slogans "Pens: 3 for 2". He holds onto his sanity by writing a graphic novel "The New York Inferno" in which a Border Collie spirit guide accompanies a young poet through the nine circles of the New York underworld.
Things gradually come to a head when Julie secures a job in her company's New York office and the different, unhappy strands of Jonathan's life begin to slowly unravel.
2/2: Jonathan's wedding is approaching, and with a work deadline looming, his stress levels are running high.
Read by Rhashan Stone.
Written by Meg Rosoff.
Abridged by David Jackson Young.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b070d5sw
The first adult novel by Meg Rosoff, author of the bestselling Young Adult novel "How I Live Now".
Jonathan Trefoil has arrived in New York from college and is ready for his life to begin. He's found himself an apartment and he's temporarily in charge of his brother's dogs (Dante, a Border Collie, and Sissy, a Spaniel) while his brother is working in Dubai. His best friend Max gets him a job at Comrade, a marketing company run by one of their school friends. He has a smart girlfriend, Julie, who will join him once she's found work. Life seems good.
But it isn't really, he's lost; a dreamer floundering. His creativity is stifled by the mind-numbing work at Comrade: thinking up pithy ways to sell a budget office supplies company's wares, which they always reject in favour of tried and tested slogans "Pens: 3 for 2". He holds onto his sanity by writing a graphic novel "The New York Inferno" in which a Border Collie spirit guide accompanies a young poet through the nine circles of the New York underworld.
Things gradually come to a head when Julie secures a job in her company's New York office and the different, unhappy strands of Jonathan's life begin to slowly unravel.
2/2: Jonathan's wedding is approaching, and with a work deadline looming, his stress levels are running high.
Read by Rhashan Stone.
Written by Meg Rosoff.
Abridged by David Jackson Young.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b070d5sw
June 28, 2016
MY THOUGHTS
Such a charming and perfect summer read!
Jonathan has move to NYC to pursue life and takes in his brother's two adorable dogs, Sissy (cocker spaniel) and Dante (border collie). His girlfriend of four years gets a chance at her dream job at a wedding website there as well and moves in with him. Julie is not a dog person and the dogs know this. I half expected them to throw her out but when her job offers an all expenses paid wedding, she and Jonathan decide that it is time. The dogs know better. Dante feigns illness setting up a cute meet between Jonathan and a local vet.
As the wedding draws closer and Jonathan is finally making the break for glory in his mundane job as an advertising copywriter, he falters and has a breakdown. Words don't come out like they should and now when I hear DUCK ZOO, I cannot keep a straight face. The dogs always come to the rescue and I just wished for one moment they could actually speak, but as they say, actions speak louder than words. The humor is just perfect and although this quick read won't change the world, it does make it a better place.
Such a charming and perfect summer read!
Jonathan has move to NYC to pursue life and takes in his brother's two adorable dogs, Sissy (cocker spaniel) and Dante (border collie). His girlfriend of four years gets a chance at her dream job at a wedding website there as well and moves in with him. Julie is not a dog person and the dogs know this. I half expected them to throw her out but when her job offers an all expenses paid wedding, she and Jonathan decide that it is time. The dogs know better. Dante feigns illness setting up a cute meet between Jonathan and a local vet.
As the wedding draws closer and Jonathan is finally making the break for glory in his mundane job as an advertising copywriter, he falters and has a breakdown. Words don't come out like they should and now when I hear DUCK ZOO, I cannot keep a straight face. The dogs always come to the rescue and I just wished for one moment they could actually speak, but as they say, actions speak louder than words. The humor is just perfect and although this quick read won't change the world, it does make it a better place.
October 4, 2022
לסקירה מפורטת בעברית קישור לבלוג שלי -
https://sivi-the-avid-reader.com/גונת...
https://sivi-the-avid-reader.com/גונת...
February 7, 2021
Esperava mais, foi uma desilusão...
September 18, 2016
This was an odd but good little story, I love quirky characters and I love quirky story lines but I don't think I can really deal with two of them together.
Jonathan Unleashed is a coming of age story for those just starting out as grown ups. If you feel like you've lost your way, this might be a nice story for you to read.
Essentially, Jonathan misses the point a lot. I actually hated his motives for marrying Julie, and he disliked her as much as everyone around him who was telling him he was making a mistake. Julie is horrid, Jonathan's parents made me angry. Max and Greeley were the stand out characters, loved them both.
An aspect I particularly liked was the kiss between Jonathan and Greeley. It was out of the blue, but perfectly placed and I think plays a pivotal part in Jonathan being able to find himself.
The dogs were a fun way to deliver the story, they were the catalysts (dogalysts?) of the plot and I love them both. Puppiiiiiieeeeesssss!
Not what I expected from Rosoff, but not unwelcome in my reading adventures!
See more of my reviews at wordsandwarpaintblog.wordpress.com
Jonathan Unleashed is a coming of age story for those just starting out as grown ups. If you feel like you've lost your way, this might be a nice story for you to read.
Essentially, Jonathan misses the point a lot. I actually hated his motives for marrying Julie, and he disliked her as much as everyone around him who was telling him he was making a mistake. Julie is horrid, Jonathan's parents made me angry. Max and Greeley were the stand out characters, loved them both.
An aspect I particularly liked was the kiss between Jonathan and Greeley. It was out of the blue, but perfectly placed and I think plays a pivotal part in Jonathan being able to find himself.
The dogs were a fun way to deliver the story, they were the catalysts (dogalysts?) of the plot and I love them both. Puppiiiiiieeeeesssss!
Not what I expected from Rosoff, but not unwelcome in my reading adventures!
See more of my reviews at wordsandwarpaintblog.wordpress.com
October 21, 2018
3.5 stars rounded up
Jonathan, twenty-something years old, moves to New York. His best friend, Max, helps him get a job as a junior copyrighter at a middle marketing company.
Jonathan finds an apartment unexpectedly quickly. Look at him go: somebody is willing to pay him a living wage to do nothing very challenging; he's got a beautiful, reliable girlfriend and he's even got an apartment. When his brother moves abroad for a job, Jonathan ends up taking in his two dogs, Sisi and Dante.
Jonathan is kind of a man baby. Usually, I get annoyed with these characters, just like I do in real life, surprisingly, I didn't get completely aggravated by the hapless Jonathan.
There were lots of cute things about this book. The dogs were adorable and they came to play an important role in Jonathan's life.
I've never had a dog. I've also been successfully resisting my kids' pestering to get a pet, because "everybody has got one". While I love animals (I used to be one of those people who claimed "I love animals more than people), I just don't want another creature to look after, clean after, not to mention the expense. I do understand the appeal, but at the same time, there are also certain aspects that I find mindboggling.
Anyway, back to the novel. It's charming, not overly long. It would make for a cute rom-com, although come to think of it, it was a mix of Must Love Dogs and The Truth About Cats and Dogs.
Jonathan, twenty-something years old, moves to New York. His best friend, Max, helps him get a job as a junior copyrighter at a middle marketing company.
Jonathan finds an apartment unexpectedly quickly. Look at him go: somebody is willing to pay him a living wage to do nothing very challenging; he's got a beautiful, reliable girlfriend and he's even got an apartment. When his brother moves abroad for a job, Jonathan ends up taking in his two dogs, Sisi and Dante.
Jonathan is kind of a man baby. Usually, I get annoyed with these characters, just like I do in real life, surprisingly, I didn't get completely aggravated by the hapless Jonathan.
There were lots of cute things about this book. The dogs were adorable and they came to play an important role in Jonathan's life.
I've never had a dog. I've also been successfully resisting my kids' pestering to get a pet, because "everybody has got one". While I love animals (I used to be one of those people who claimed "I love animals more than people), I just don't want another creature to look after, clean after, not to mention the expense. I do understand the appeal, but at the same time, there are also certain aspects that I find mindboggling.
Anyway, back to the novel. It's charming, not overly long. It would make for a cute rom-com, although come to think of it, it was a mix of Must Love Dogs and The Truth About Cats and Dogs.
April 10, 2016
I really, really enjoyed this. I was so excited to see Rosoff had written a book for adults - I've read several of her YA novels and always admired her plots, characters and variety of genres.
And now she's proved she has comic chops for adults as well. Bravo!
As she's demonstrated before (There is no Dog), Rosoff can do offbeat (and looks to be a dog lover as well!). This starts with a man telling us that his dogs have been talking about him... Jonathan is dog-sitting for his brother, two intelligent and canines that he is sure can understand him and feel human emotions.
Not that the vet believes him. The dogs seem to be trying to control his life as well. Which, to us, couldn't really hurt, as Jonathan is stuck in a relationship that the reader can see is less than perfect and in a job so soul-destroying he doesn't have the energy to do anything about it.
Will his doggy roomies help him to make the changes he needs to find love and contentment in his life?
I found this a pleasure from start to finish. Jonathan needs a good kick up the bum (even the dogs can see that) but I still found myself wanting a happier life for him.
Rosoff's unusual trick, to give (but not give) the dogs human thought (through Jonathan) is clever and works brilliantly. They MIGHT be helping him or it MIGHT all be in his head.
Certainly some things ARE in his head (constantly calling a certain wedding a 'funeral', other incredibly funny yet horrifying hospital and medical scenes).
I finished this and thought - yes, in the end, it takes a well-worn path through to an oft-visited destination, but Rosoff designs a new route for reaching it.
Very clever, very funny, I was amused throughout and loved the characters she created.
A lovely summer read. And you might do a double take the next time you walk past your dog...
And now she's proved she has comic chops for adults as well. Bravo!
As she's demonstrated before (There is no Dog), Rosoff can do offbeat (and looks to be a dog lover as well!). This starts with a man telling us that his dogs have been talking about him... Jonathan is dog-sitting for his brother, two intelligent and canines that he is sure can understand him and feel human emotions.
Not that the vet believes him. The dogs seem to be trying to control his life as well. Which, to us, couldn't really hurt, as Jonathan is stuck in a relationship that the reader can see is less than perfect and in a job so soul-destroying he doesn't have the energy to do anything about it.
Will his doggy roomies help him to make the changes he needs to find love and contentment in his life?
I found this a pleasure from start to finish. Jonathan needs a good kick up the bum (even the dogs can see that) but I still found myself wanting a happier life for him.
Rosoff's unusual trick, to give (but not give) the dogs human thought (through Jonathan) is clever and works brilliantly. They MIGHT be helping him or it MIGHT all be in his head.
Certainly some things ARE in his head (constantly calling a certain wedding a 'funeral', other incredibly funny yet horrifying hospital and medical scenes).
I finished this and thought - yes, in the end, it takes a well-worn path through to an oft-visited destination, but Rosoff designs a new route for reaching it.
Very clever, very funny, I was amused throughout and loved the characters she created.
A lovely summer read. And you might do a double take the next time you walk past your dog...
March 21, 2017
Jonathan Unleashed is Meg Rosoff's first novel for adults. I had already read a few of her YA books, of which I loved What I Was best.
Since two blogging friends were very charmed by Jonathan Unleashed, my expectations were quite high. Almost inevitably, I was disappointed.
It is a fairly amusing story about a directionless twenty-something in New York, who has to look after his brother's two dogs for six months. The dogs prove to be gifted psychologists, and although at first it seems as if they turn Jonathan's life into an even bigger mess, they eventually manage (more or less) to sort him out.
I was surprised by how chick-litty and fluffy this was in spite of the male protagonist. Rosoff's YA books are generally more meaty. Since I don't care for chick lit, I didn't give it more than 3 stars.
Big pluses are the dogs (adorable!) and Jonathan's growing affection for them, his best friend Max, and an androgynous colleague named Greeley. A big minus (apart from the chick-lit aspect) is Jonathan himself. I found his indecisiveness and behaviour towards women extremely annoying. I pity the poor soul who ends up with him.
Since two blogging friends were very charmed by Jonathan Unleashed, my expectations were quite high. Almost inevitably, I was disappointed.
It is a fairly amusing story about a directionless twenty-something in New York, who has to look after his brother's two dogs for six months. The dogs prove to be gifted psychologists, and although at first it seems as if they turn Jonathan's life into an even bigger mess, they eventually manage (more or less) to sort him out.
I was surprised by how chick-litty and fluffy this was in spite of the male protagonist. Rosoff's YA books are generally more meaty. Since I don't care for chick lit, I didn't give it more than 3 stars.
Big pluses are the dogs (adorable!) and Jonathan's growing affection for them, his best friend Max, and an androgynous colleague named Greeley. A big minus (apart from the chick-lit aspect) is Jonathan himself. I found his indecisiveness and behaviour towards women extremely annoying. I pity the poor soul who ends up with him.
July 6, 2016
Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a review.
I thought this book was incredibly funny.
Jonathan moves to NYC and leaves his girlfriend Julie in Chicago (once she secures a job she will join him). He finds an apartment rather quickly, and ends up becoming the caretaker of his brother's two dogs: Sissy and Dante. He fears his dogs are unhappy and frequently thinks himself into a state of worry and anxiety that his dogs have stopped eating. He is a frequent visitor to the vet's office, where he explains his fears and the vet brushes him off. How can she not see the importance of a dog's psychology?
Jonathan soon finds himself engaged to Julie and they begin to plan their funeral, ahem, wedding. I really liked and related to Jonathan because in our twenties we have a fear of having no direction, being suck at a mundane job, doing sub-par work. I would recommend this title to those who are dog lovers/owners, looking for direction, and or just a funny story.
I truly cheered for Jonathan throughout the book.
I thought this book was incredibly funny.
Jonathan moves to NYC and leaves his girlfriend Julie in Chicago (once she secures a job she will join him). He finds an apartment rather quickly, and ends up becoming the caretaker of his brother's two dogs: Sissy and Dante. He fears his dogs are unhappy and frequently thinks himself into a state of worry and anxiety that his dogs have stopped eating. He is a frequent visitor to the vet's office, where he explains his fears and the vet brushes him off. How can she not see the importance of a dog's psychology?
Jonathan soon finds himself engaged to Julie and they begin to plan their funeral, ahem, wedding. I really liked and related to Jonathan because in our twenties we have a fear of having no direction, being suck at a mundane job, doing sub-par work. I would recommend this title to those who are dog lovers/owners, looking for direction, and or just a funny story.
I truly cheered for Jonathan throughout the book.
June 21, 2016
I like dogs. I like drama. I like romance. I like a quirky best friend. This book took all those things, mashed them together and made a story. A weird story that felt all over the place. I didn't like this mash up. The story needed something else..but I can't tell you what. It's like eating an Italian Ice on a hot summer day and the flavor being just off of lemon, but not quite lime either.
June 18, 2016
I loved Meg Rosoff's YA books so thought I'd give this one a go too. It's pretty light, but well written and funny (would make a great rom com actually!) You have to empathise with Jonathan, but the dogs are greater too. Worth a read for a bit of escapism on a wet afternoon.
August 26, 2016
A sweet, funny read.
June 8, 2025
It was not bad, it kept me entertained.
Jonathan was a disaster. That man wanted everything and nothing at the same time. He liked more than one women, he was a mess.
But aren't we all?
Jonathan was a disaster. That man wanted everything and nothing at the same time. He liked more than one women, he was a mess.
But aren't we all?
November 13, 2022
ממש נאבקתי עם הספר הזה. לא בגללו, בגללי. אני אוהבת את הספרים שלי קצת יותר עלילתיים. הספר הזה כתוב היטב ויש בו לא מעט תובנות מעניינות ורלבנטיות, אבל אין בו ממש עלילה.
הספר עוקב אחרי ג'ונתן שמתנדב לשמור על 2 הכלבים של אחיו למשך חצי שנה. ג'ונתן נקשר לכלבים ואפילו מאניש אותם כך שהוא בטוח שהם מרכלים עליו, מותחים עליו ביקורת או מנסים לשנות את חייו. ג'ונתן הוא טיפוס מעורר חמלה. אדם לחלוטין לא נורמלי שעושה הכל כדי להיות נורמלי: שוכר דירה בניו יורק, מחזיק בעבודה נורמלית, ואפילו מחזיק חברה נורמלית. אבל התת מודע שלו משדר חוסר שביעות רצון, עד שהכל מתפרץ. הספר מלווה את תהליך הקריסה הנפשית של ג'ונתן, ואותי זה לא ממש עניין. רק מהשלב שבו ג'ונתן קורס באופן סופי ומפסיק להתאמץ להיות כ"כ נורמלי, הספר מתחיל לעניין ולזרום. יש בספר כמה תובנות שנגעו לחיים שלי ולאופן שבו מרביתנו מתנהלים בעולם, אבל עדיין התקשיתי להתחבר לספר והוא לא היה לטעמי.
הספר עוקב אחרי ג'ונתן שמתנדב לשמור על 2 הכלבים של אחיו למשך חצי שנה. ג'ונתן נקשר לכלבים ואפילו מאניש אותם כך שהוא בטוח שהם מרכלים עליו, מותחים עליו ביקורת או מנסים לשנות את חייו. ג'ונתן הוא טיפוס מעורר חמלה. אדם לחלוטין לא נורמלי שעושה הכל כדי להיות נורמלי: שוכר דירה בניו יורק, מחזיק בעבודה נורמלית, ואפילו מחזיק חברה נורמלית. אבל התת מודע שלו משדר חוסר שביעות רצון, עד שהכל מתפרץ. הספר מלווה את תהליך הקריסה הנפשית של ג'ונתן, ואותי זה לא ממש עניין. רק מהשלב שבו ג'ונתן קורס באופן סופי ומפסיק להתאמץ להיות כ"כ נורמלי, הספר מתחיל לעניין ולזרום. יש בספר כמה תובנות שנגעו לחיים שלי ולאופן שבו מרביתנו מתנהלים בעולם, אבל עדיין התקשיתי להתחבר לספר והוא לא היה לטעמי.
August 8, 2020
Este livro foi uma prendinha da Rita Faria e, após duas leituras mais complexas, decidi pegar num livro que fosse mais leve e divertido. Ou pelo menos era isso que estava à espera, mas infelizmente, esta não foi uma boa leitura.
O nosso protagonista é Jonathan, que mora em Nova Iorque, trabalha uma empresa de publicidade e o seu irmão pede-lhe que tome conta dos seus cães durante 6 meses enquanto está a trabalhar no Dubai. Para complicar, a sua namorada muda-se lá para casa e, de repente, surge a conversa do casamento.
Pela premissa, esperava mesma encontrar uma história divertida mas tudo tão sem sentido, parecendo que "saltitávamos" de cena para cena, sem grandes ligações. As conversas, pensamentos e o próprio dia-a dia também me pareceram pouco reais.
O próprio Jonathan é parvo mas não no sentido cómico, é daqueles parvos irritantes. As suas divagações sem sentido e as suas "quedas amorosas". A sério? A autora achou que era interessante?
E nem os cães salvam o livro. Sim, tem algumas cenas engraçadas com os cães mas também estavam presentes em demasiadas cenas.
Uma história bem confusa e com um protagonista irritante.
O nosso protagonista é Jonathan, que mora em Nova Iorque, trabalha uma empresa de publicidade e o seu irmão pede-lhe que tome conta dos seus cães durante 6 meses enquanto está a trabalhar no Dubai. Para complicar, a sua namorada muda-se lá para casa e, de repente, surge a conversa do casamento.
Pela premissa, esperava mesma encontrar uma história divertida mas tudo tão sem sentido, parecendo que "saltitávamos" de cena para cena, sem grandes ligações. As conversas, pensamentos e o próprio dia-a dia também me pareceram pouco reais.
O próprio Jonathan é parvo mas não no sentido cómico, é daqueles parvos irritantes. As suas divagações sem sentido e as suas "quedas amorosas". A sério? A autora achou que era interessante?
E nem os cães salvam o livro. Sim, tem algumas cenas engraçadas com os cães mas também estavam presentes em demasiadas cenas.
Uma história bem confusa e com um protagonista irritante.
September 25, 2016
I was totally absorbed by this book until J. started babbling incoherently about 75% if the way in. it went off the rails for me then and I was never able to find a happy place in this story again. J. got so weird that I found him as unlikable as everyone he worked with. I really didn't care for the ambiguous ending. I was really hoping this would be great.
August 7, 2016
I really wanted to love this, but it fell a little flat. Unlikeable characters are kind of a big thing for me. I wish there was more focus on the dogs actually since I was anticipating it. Overall it was okay.
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