Tiki: A Very Ruff Year

by Fred Leclerc, David Azencot, Nanette McGuinness (Translator)

En novembre 2020, en plein second confinement, Fred, la quarantaine, décide avec sa copine Sophie et sa fille Lou, de prendre un chien. Ils choisissent Tiki, une jeune Shiba. Eux qui pensaient trouver un peu de réconfort avec cet animal de compagnie vont vite se retrouver en enfer... La chienne fait tout voler en éclats : les certitudes, les liens, les équilibres. Tiki va devenir le révélateur de leurs failles, et bousculer leurs vies... Un vrai chien dans un jeu de quilles !

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, Animals, Nonfiction, Memoir

131 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 24, 2021

Reviews

[Lucas · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5★

I had no idea the story would go on that route

[Lynda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wow, super depressing graphic novel!

I bought this book at a library book sale because a) I really like graphic novels, b) cute dog on the cover with some happy characters (but one clearly anxious character holding the leash) and c) it was bag day at the book sale, all the books you can fit in a grocery bag for $5 and it was one more book to fit in and get our money's worth.

The author and his wife give in to his young daughter's request for a pet dog during the early days of Covid 19 and impulse-buy one from a pet store to surprise her. He deals with terrible anxiety attacks and the dog doesn't work out so they rehome him multiple times before finally stumbling across a good new home.

As I read this book, I genuinely believed it would have a happy ending where their family ends up keeping the dog and living happily ever after, but it doesn't happen. This is probably a happy ending for the dog, but I definitely feel badly for the daughter for being put through all of this. The author, who comes off as a real jerk (though I have sympathy for his dealings with his mental health and inability to say no to the people he loves) really seems to blame others for the whole situation

[Mrs_Serendipitie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tiki : une année de chien est le livre à lire avant d’adopter un chien car adopter un chien ne se fait pas sur un coup de tête. Il faut bien y réfléchir et se renseigner avant de passer le cap.
Souvent les personnes pensent que tout va se dérouler à la perfection, que le chien va s’adapter à ses adoptants, que les problèmes vont vite se régler. Cependant certaines difficultés peuvent s’avérer être insurmontables.

Fred est un homme qui ne sait pas dire non. Il veut faire plaisir à sa compagne et à sa fille. C’est pour cela qu’il va adopter un chien dans une animalerie à un prix exorbitant. Il va vite se rendre compte qu’adopter un chiot n’est pas une promenade de santé, qu’il aurait dû faire des recherches avant de prendre cette décision.

C’est une bande-dessinée qui se montre très réaliste. L’auteur n’édulcore pas son expérience.
C’est un livre que je recommande parce qu’il fait réfléchir, parce que l’histoire est touchante.

Chronique sur le blog "L'antre d'une rêveuse":
https://lantredunereveuse.wordpress.c...

[Lauredhel · Rating 1 out of 5]

Man makes incredibly and obviously bad decision (with zero dog experience, buys a ridiculously expensive five month old Shiba Inu out of a cage in a pet shop, as a surprise gift for his kid). Then finds out bad decisions have consequences.

This graphic novel was mostly just incredibly annoying. I found it difficult to care about his mental health journey, because he appeared to have zero care for the impact of his crap on people he supposedly loved.

The art was meh.

[Brianna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the most enjoyable story but I respect that the author shared their experience and admitted their mistake in becoming a dog/pet owner. I think the book could be useful to people considering diving into pet ownership or other regretful owners.

[Joanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although this starts with one 0f the funniest ever panels I’ve seen in a graphic novel, overall-as a dog lover- I found the story quite exasperating. Aragonesque art- quite fantastic, actually. Story:2 Art: 5 for a 3ish overall rating.

[Yvette · Rating 3 out of 5]

故事很简单，covid lock down 期间，男主人公经不住女友和女儿的怂恿一时冲动花高价在宠物店买了条五个月大柴犬，取名Tiki。 但领回家一周不到发现自己不适合养这条狗，导致焦虑症大发甚至引发 panic attack。 在紧急联系了一圈家人朋友，可怜小狗被在短短几天转手了三个主人，终于找到了领养人家。男主人公在期间去看了心理医生，被告知自己的讨好型人格源自童年时期母亲的强迫症。经过心理医生一番开导，男主人公觉得突然看懂了自己纠结的47年人生。
读后感: 西方小资产阶级的脆弱心理症啊真是不可救药 ╮（╯＿╰）╭

[Aurora · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a journey I was not expecting.

[Brian Mulhall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tiki: A Very Ruff Year manages to be a very real, heartwarming, and very heartbreaking story at the same time. One of the best books I've read in a long time.

[wildct2003 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent memoir about the problems with a puppy adoption