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Dogged
237 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
February 23, 2021
I know Emma as a very engaging poet who's very active in the West Midlands. She's always bright, positive and engaging and her poetry is usually well observed, full of fine detail and humour, so I was really looking forward to reading he first piece of long fiction.
Dogged is set in Wolverhampton and concerns a small cast of superbly drawn characters and a dog, Toby Grundy. Toby is very swiftly displaced from his loving owner, Marilyn Grundy, and embarks upon his own canine odyssey in search of home. Marilyn is in her 60's and notorious in the local area as her who had a bingo win. Marilyn's bingo win is the source of much speculation in the local community especially from her drug dependent son, Daniel, who wants it for himself. Nancy, who lives opposite the Grundys, looks out for Marilyn, agrees to hide Marilyn's winnings in her home and takes her food when she sprains her ankle.
The novel revolves around these three and the people they interact with including the accident prone vet who cares for Toby Grundy, the local professional gossip and shop owner, Doreen, and Bernice the landlady of the pub Nancy cleans at to make ends meet.
Dogged has very strong female characters and a great sense of time and place. Pursehouse uses phonetic spelling to convey the unique Black Country dialect with lines like, 'Still 'ere, ay I?'
The subject matter, working class women struggling to get by and dreaming of so much more, could easily fall into bleak pity, but Pursehouse's handling of character and plot never allows that to happen. Yes, there are dark moments from the past and the present, but these are often offset with humour especially in the form of succinct dialogue.
The descriptive passages of the book are also of note with lines like, '...Marilyn screwing her orange lips into the shape of a cat's arse.' giving us a sense of Marilyn's faded glamour, and 'Nancy is considering the bingo win as she stands on the step outside her front door. She takes off her glasses and huffs hot air onto each of the oval lenses...She stole the glasses out of a bin in Specsavers ages ago when she used to clean there.' showing us how tight things are in Nancy's household.
I really enjoyed this, and I really don't like books without chapters, apart from Cormac McCarthy's The Road, but the pace and characters kept me desperate to find out more. I loved the fact that the main characters were older women who make a stand, the fact that it's set in Wolverhampton, a place I don't know that well, and the fact that it uses dialect.
I read this quite quickly and, as with all good books, was at a loss when it ended. If you want something that is down to earth and real without wallowing in self loathing, and that is infused with warmth, humour and humanity, then this is the book for you.
Dogged is set in Wolverhampton and concerns a small cast of superbly drawn characters and a dog, Toby Grundy. Toby is very swiftly displaced from his loving owner, Marilyn Grundy, and embarks upon his own canine odyssey in search of home. Marilyn is in her 60's and notorious in the local area as her who had a bingo win. Marilyn's bingo win is the source of much speculation in the local community especially from her drug dependent son, Daniel, who wants it for himself. Nancy, who lives opposite the Grundys, looks out for Marilyn, agrees to hide Marilyn's winnings in her home and takes her food when she sprains her ankle.
The novel revolves around these three and the people they interact with including the accident prone vet who cares for Toby Grundy, the local professional gossip and shop owner, Doreen, and Bernice the landlady of the pub Nancy cleans at to make ends meet.
Dogged has very strong female characters and a great sense of time and place. Pursehouse uses phonetic spelling to convey the unique Black Country dialect with lines like, 'Still 'ere, ay I?'
The subject matter, working class women struggling to get by and dreaming of so much more, could easily fall into bleak pity, but Pursehouse's handling of character and plot never allows that to happen. Yes, there are dark moments from the past and the present, but these are often offset with humour especially in the form of succinct dialogue.
The descriptive passages of the book are also of note with lines like, '...Marilyn screwing her orange lips into the shape of a cat's arse.' giving us a sense of Marilyn's faded glamour, and 'Nancy is considering the bingo win as she stands on the step outside her front door. She takes off her glasses and huffs hot air onto each of the oval lenses...She stole the glasses out of a bin in Specsavers ages ago when she used to clean there.' showing us how tight things are in Nancy's household.
I really enjoyed this, and I really don't like books without chapters, apart from Cormac McCarthy's The Road, but the pace and characters kept me desperate to find out more. I loved the fact that the main characters were older women who make a stand, the fact that it's set in Wolverhampton, a place I don't know that well, and the fact that it uses dialect.
I read this quite quickly and, as with all good books, was at a loss when it ended. If you want something that is down to earth and real without wallowing in self loathing, and that is infused with warmth, humour and humanity, then this is the book for you.
October 30, 2025
The book is written in a distinct style. It does contain some black country dialect which takes a page or two to adjust to but bear with - you do acclimatise to this much more quickly than you'd imagine. Having spent a large chunk of my life in the Black Country I felt the author managed to create an evocative picture of everyday Black Country life (with enough additional drama to keep you gripped).
The main characters have depth and you feel, quite quickly, that you know them personally. Their lives interweave as the story builds to a climatic but uplifting end. It is a little reminiscent of a soap opera in some ways, not usually a soap opera lover, with this book I found myself staying up way past my bedtime telling myself 'just one more chapter'...
On the subject of chapters - the scene changes / story breaks are not broken down by a typical structure, a small silhouette of a dog is used instead - also took a bit of getting used to, perhaps that is the one thing I would change.
The main characters have depth and you feel, quite quickly, that you know them personally. Their lives interweave as the story builds to a climatic but uplifting end. It is a little reminiscent of a soap opera in some ways, not usually a soap opera lover, with this book I found myself staying up way past my bedtime telling myself 'just one more chapter'...
On the subject of chapters - the scene changes / story breaks are not broken down by a typical structure, a small silhouette of a dog is used instead - also took a bit of getting used to, perhaps that is the one thing I would change.
February 23, 2021
Loved this book. It's so funny and unexpected. The Black Country characters are skilfully brought to life and even though some of them are pretty hopeless as people I learned to root for them. It's really well structured, following plots and subplots clearly, and that made it a page-turner for me. The fate of the three-legged dog was no exception! There's a strong theme of community and friendship even amongst flawed characters. A sequel please - there are characters whose next steps I'd love to hear about. Including the dog.
February 28, 2021
This is such a cleverly written book, which was easy to read (apart from the Black Country accents that I felt the need to read out loud to sound out the words ... even though I am from the Black Country myself so should be used to it)
The plot itself was interesting and unique - I love the way all the different characters had their own interconnecting stories. I thought it was great that I could picture exactly where in Wolverhampton the characters were, and follow them along streets, and through the town (city centre). The writing made it so easy to create an image of what every character looked like, and to hear their voices. I could hear family members in different characters too!
Brilliant book, would highly recommend. A little tip though: if you're not from the Black Country, then have a look online and find out about the accent!
The plot itself was interesting and unique - I love the way all the different characters had their own interconnecting stories. I thought it was great that I could picture exactly where in Wolverhampton the characters were, and follow them along streets, and through the town (city centre). The writing made it so easy to create an image of what every character looked like, and to hear their voices. I could hear family members in different characters too!
Brilliant book, would highly recommend. A little tip though: if you're not from the Black Country, then have a look online and find out about the accent!
February 19, 2022
I was really delightfully surprised by Dogged, as it is completely out of my comfort zone and not the kind of book I normally read. Very character driven and a wonderful slice-of-life style story.
March 8, 2024
An enjoyable read with abrupt ‘chapters’ and speech, where appropriate, in the Wolverhampton dialect. A little hard to stomach at times due to its graphic description of grime and its smells - not to be read while eating! Excellent characterisations - characters I grew to care about, even the bad ‘uns. A satisfying ending - I couldn’t put it down towards the end.
October 22, 2023
4.5*
Marilyn wins the bingo.
Daniel needs cash for a fix.
Nancy gets a passport
Toby the dog gets out.
That's the plot lines in a nutshell. But, around them, the author has woven a brilliant book full of pathos and kindness, tragedy and hope.
Loved it.
Docked the half star because I really can't be doing with phonetic writing to reflect accents.
Marilyn wins the bingo.
Daniel needs cash for a fix.
Nancy gets a passport
Toby the dog gets out.
That's the plot lines in a nutshell. But, around them, the author has woven a brilliant book full of pathos and kindness, tragedy and hope.
Loved it.
Docked the half star because I really can't be doing with phonetic writing to reflect accents.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 27, 2021
Loved the two ladies who are older in years, very determined and gritty, great that they are central to the story. As the plot builds it's got some great funny bits. It's very down to earth and the author creates real atmosphere with local dialect and description. A great read.
June 1, 2021
Dogged by Emma Purshouse: a story - or more exactly, an interwoven collection of stories - of Black Country people, their struggles and their yearnings for various visions of happiness. One searches through his past, looking for clues about how to find contentment while living a life that nobody would choose; another dreams of foreign travel and freedom from routine and disappointment. Others go about their own business, trying to work out how to live, find love and maintain their self-respect in a world where little goes to plan and obstacles stand in the way at every turn. Fear and regret lurk in the background for almost all the characters, while the business of day-to-day living is all-consuming and fraught with powerful and sometimes conflicting demands. The fact that a large amount of money is hidden somewhere at the heart of it all adds dimensions of uncertainty, secrecy and pressure, rather than bringing about anybody’s vision of a pleasant or easy life.
In less skilful hands, this could be a depressingly bleak narrative, but, in the best tradition of the Black Country, the darkness is lit by sparks of humour, colourful language and the dogged resilience of the leading characters. There is an undeniable and powerful sense of place, generated by the author’s intimate knowledge of the area where the stories are set and by her tremendous talent for dialogue. Those who know the Black Country voice will recognise every word and phrase as genuine; those who don’t yet will soon grasp the accent’s cadences and begin to hear it for themselves, such is the authenticity of the writing. But what truly lights up this novel (for me) is the piercing insight into character. Likeable or loathsome, each has a reality and backstory all their own; most have been damaged by a lack of love and understanding and left with a yearning for something better in their lives. The reader comes to know the main characters well and care deeply about what happens to them, yet there is equal pleasure to be found in the vignettes featuring less central figures – such as a woman with badly-behaved cats from two different relationships or the bin crew who use their lorry to provide an impromptu taxi service for drunks.
This is a novel rich in detail, broad in its emotional scope and engaging in its storytelling style. Some readers might want to dive in and devour it like a bag of hot, vinegared chips on a chilly walk home; others (like me) will prefer to nibble away at it like a block of good plain chocolate, savouring each fragment for its bittersweet darkness. It would work either way. Is there another helping to come? We shall have to wait and see.
In less skilful hands, this could be a depressingly bleak narrative, but, in the best tradition of the Black Country, the darkness is lit by sparks of humour, colourful language and the dogged resilience of the leading characters. There is an undeniable and powerful sense of place, generated by the author’s intimate knowledge of the area where the stories are set and by her tremendous talent for dialogue. Those who know the Black Country voice will recognise every word and phrase as genuine; those who don’t yet will soon grasp the accent’s cadences and begin to hear it for themselves, such is the authenticity of the writing. But what truly lights up this novel (for me) is the piercing insight into character. Likeable or loathsome, each has a reality and backstory all their own; most have been damaged by a lack of love and understanding and left with a yearning for something better in their lives. The reader comes to know the main characters well and care deeply about what happens to them, yet there is equal pleasure to be found in the vignettes featuring less central figures – such as a woman with badly-behaved cats from two different relationships or the bin crew who use their lorry to provide an impromptu taxi service for drunks.
This is a novel rich in detail, broad in its emotional scope and engaging in its storytelling style. Some readers might want to dive in and devour it like a bag of hot, vinegared chips on a chilly walk home; others (like me) will prefer to nibble away at it like a block of good plain chocolate, savouring each fragment for its bittersweet darkness. It would work either way. Is there another helping to come? We shall have to wait and see.
August 16, 2024
I read this book in a day. I loved the story. I am a very proud Wulfrunian and so reading this story made me think of the city I am from and proud to be from. This is the story of Marilyn Grundy who has had a 'big win' on the bingo, and she stores the cash from the win in her shopping trolley. Some of which she invests and the rest she keeps for emergencies. She has a friend Nancy Maddox who lives across the road in an area of Wolverhampton called All Saints.
Nancy is a battle axe of sorts and I would say very typical of some of the characters of the area. Even the drug dealers are terrified of her. Nancy lives with her husband Bill who has never taken her anywhere other than Rhyl. She cleans at a pub I know of. Marilyn asks Nancy to look after her shopping trolley as Marilyn's son Daniel is drug dependant, an alcoholic and is desperate to get his hands on the money so he can keep his addiction going. Marilyn is his long suffering mother who thinks her son is a good lad.
And then there is a little white dog owned by Marilyn- who starts off being Toby Grundy and then gets let out of the house by Daniel by mistake. Toby has an adventure on his own, ending up in the canal three times, losing one of his legs had his name changed to Tripod and then taken in by a kindly gay vet who calls him Sebastian.
I am not going to give away much else about this brilliant book which I thoroughly enjoyed because it captures some of the characters in the area I live in. Yes there is sadness in the book, but it characterises the spirit of the people of the city and their humbleness. I was so taken by the part in which Marilyn goes into Beatties (a very big department store now closed) and asks for a spray of perfume, has her hair done and then buys herself a cup of coffee and thinks she is living a glamorous life as she travels back to All Saints in a taxi. Things that some of us take for granted.
I loved the characters in this book and believe me there are characters in the City where I come from. I won't spoil the end but this is so worth a read.
Nancy is a battle axe of sorts and I would say very typical of some of the characters of the area. Even the drug dealers are terrified of her. Nancy lives with her husband Bill who has never taken her anywhere other than Rhyl. She cleans at a pub I know of. Marilyn asks Nancy to look after her shopping trolley as Marilyn's son Daniel is drug dependant, an alcoholic and is desperate to get his hands on the money so he can keep his addiction going. Marilyn is his long suffering mother who thinks her son is a good lad.
And then there is a little white dog owned by Marilyn- who starts off being Toby Grundy and then gets let out of the house by Daniel by mistake. Toby has an adventure on his own, ending up in the canal three times, losing one of his legs had his name changed to Tripod and then taken in by a kindly gay vet who calls him Sebastian.
I am not going to give away much else about this brilliant book which I thoroughly enjoyed because it captures some of the characters in the area I live in. Yes there is sadness in the book, but it characterises the spirit of the people of the city and their humbleness. I was so taken by the part in which Marilyn goes into Beatties (a very big department store now closed) and asks for a spray of perfume, has her hair done and then buys herself a cup of coffee and thinks she is living a glamorous life as she travels back to All Saints in a taxi. Things that some of us take for granted.
I loved the characters in this book and believe me there are characters in the City where I come from. I won't spoil the end but this is so worth a read.
May 23, 2021
From the moment you start 'Dogged' you know you're in safe hands. The love and heart for the characters Emma has created shines through as you read. Many of the incidents in the book and some of the characters are harsh and, on the surface unsympathetic; but you can't help rooting for them anyway.
The dialect writing is really well handled, just enough to give you the flavour of the Black Country without it being indecipherable.
In short, a lovely, positive take on the lives of people who are often looked down on or simply overlooked.
The dialect writing is really well handled, just enough to give you the flavour of the Black Country without it being indecipherable.
In short, a lovely, positive take on the lives of people who are often looked down on or simply overlooked.
May 23, 2021
I loved the different characters on this entertaining and gritty book. The two main characters were real and easy to engage with. You feel sorry for them.and want them both to overcome their individual barriers. Daniel, the anti hero is awful but wonderful and though he takes and plays his way through life, the reader can't help feel sorry for him. The conclusion of the book gives the reader a very satisfactory ending after laughing and sometimes reading through our fingers through it. Loved it!
April 30, 2023
I nearly missed my stop when reading this on the train home from work. Bursts of humour lighten the quick-paced narrative which includes neighbourliness, alcohol and drug-misuse, amputation (of a dog's leg), a crisp addiction (a dog's) and the silences in long-term relationships, and all of this circling around an unexpected win at the Bingo.
Purshouse manages to be both compassionate and robust in her insights into flawed yet endearing characters; they and their circumstances are voiced with humanity and shrewdness which made them live in my imagination long after I finished the book.
Purshouse manages to be both compassionate and robust in her insights into flawed yet endearing characters; they and their circumstances are voiced with humanity and shrewdness which made them live in my imagination long after I finished the book.
June 6, 2021
A wonderful working-class Wolverhampton novel that weaves in and out of the lives of two households on the same street after one of them wins big on the bingo. The characters were ultra-real and sympathetically drawn (especially the heroin-addicted son), the dialogue was spot-on, and the events all wound in and out of one another - all a bit like a great episode of BoJack Horseman but with cleaners and retirees in All Saints instead of famous horses in LA.
June 6, 2021
I loved this book. It’s different because it’s about working class Black Country folk, in their own unique language and environment.
It’s madcap, fast moving and unexpected in the twists of plot, feeling almost like watching a film play out, complete with flashbacks. The main characters, Marilyn, Nancy and Daniel are fully drawn by the author in an authentic setting. There’s tragedy and humour, and real humanity.
Recommended!
It’s madcap, fast moving and unexpected in the twists of plot, feeling almost like watching a film play out, complete with flashbacks. The main characters, Marilyn, Nancy and Daniel are fully drawn by the author in an authentic setting. There’s tragedy and humour, and real humanity.
Recommended!
July 1, 2021
The people are true Black Country folk, the life hard and the realities harsh but this book is written with such humour and warmth that it is not a dismal read in the least. I enjoyed every minute of reading and finished it regretfully but hopeful. I was concerned that the dialect would be an obstacle but you quickly become tuned in to Black Country speak so don't be put off. A great ending!
December 19, 2023
Absolutely brilliant!! This was a joy to read. Coming from the same area I could relate to everything but that wasn’t necessary. The characters are fantastic, their stories heartwarming and funny, and the flow of the story means you can’t put it down. A truly wonderful read and definitely one for the ‘must read again’ pile.
April 19, 2021
A hugely enjoyable and very original debut novel. I loved the author using dialect that could potentially be seen as challenging but instead works so well.
Really looking forward to Emma's next novel.
Really looking forward to Emma's next novel.
May 23, 2021
Emma is a fantastic poet and performer so I was looking forward to reading her debut novel, and it didn't disappoint. It's a beautifully observed tale of working class Black Country life, full of wit and charm, with plenty of twists, turns and side-plots. Brilliant stuff.
March 24, 2021
What a great wee read about normal life behaviours and a couple of old friendly ladies . Toby sounds like the cutest mischievous dog . Thoroughly enjoyed x
January 5, 2023
Enjoyable
August 4, 2021
3.5 A frank and honest depiction of life for many working class people in Britain, set in the West Midlands, Dogged chronicles the intersecting lives of several residents of a street in a deprived area of Wolverhampton, focusing on one woman's relationship with her wayward son.
The story is compelling and well told, but I particularly enjoyed the writing style of Dogged, Purshouse uses a mix of regional dialect mixed with a present tense narration to provide context. I understood much of the dialect because half of my family are from the Midlands and I often spent summers as a kid with my cousins in Redditch while my dad worked as a builder, so I only had to consult google once. But I think someone who was completely unfamiliar with black country slang would still be able to enjoy this book. The present tense narration used, even as the story flicks back and into past recollection and from character to character, is something I've never seen before and is really well done! The story is a compelling one and there are a few surprises in store. There are some storylines around addiction that I struggled with, while effort is made to give individual points of view, I felt that it was a bit harsh on the character of the son and his struggle with addiction, which is after all, a disease, not a moral failing.
The story is compelling and well told, but I particularly enjoyed the writing style of Dogged, Purshouse uses a mix of regional dialect mixed with a present tense narration to provide context. I understood much of the dialect because half of my family are from the Midlands and I often spent summers as a kid with my cousins in Redditch while my dad worked as a builder, so I only had to consult google once. But I think someone who was completely unfamiliar with black country slang would still be able to enjoy this book. The present tense narration used, even as the story flicks back and into past recollection and from character to character, is something I've never seen before and is really well done! The story is a compelling one and there are a few surprises in store. There are some storylines around addiction that I struggled with, while effort is made to give individual points of view, I felt that it was a bit harsh on the character of the son and his struggle with addiction, which is after all, a disease, not a moral failing.
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