The Dogs of Babel : A Novel

Rating:
Summary: More than meets the eye
Review: A short blurb in a book club circular first piqued my interest in Dogs of Babel. "Grieving widower attempts to teach family dog to talk." One of my favorite books of all time was Watchers by Dean Koontz. I instantly wanted to jump into this book, hoping for another taste of that level of fantasy; what would it be like if our family pet could really speak? After reading the PW review, I realized that I might not be getting what I had hoped for, but even so, I am very glad I chose to go ahead and read this book.

As others have already mentioned, the story is about Paul Iverson's attempt to teach his dog to speak so that he could learn the secrets surrounding his wife's sudden death. As I read, I realized that teaching the dog to speak really wasn't Paul's focus, at all. It was just his way of coping, grieving, and remembering his wife. There is an element of poignant romance in the story as he tells the story of his wife from their first meeting to that fateful last day, but it is done in a way that is moving rather than sloppy sweet. In his narrative, you can clearly see Paul's shortcomings and his wife's mental instability, from their bizarre first date through to the end of the book. These are not perfect people, and that is what makes the book all the better.

I have to admit that my favorite character in the book is Lorelei, the dog. The only places where I really cried were when she grieved in her own way the loss of her master. I did like reading about her take on Paul's attempt to teach her language, particularly in the scene where he is trying to get her to say "Wa" for water, withholds her water to make her ask for it and she (logical and intelligent) goes and gets a drink out of the toilet when she is thirsty. Very smart dog.

As for Paul's side trip into the world of Cerberus; That was the only point in the book where I really hated that guy. But that brings us back to the fallibility of people and how grief affects each person differently. It seemed he'd go to almost any length to discover the truth about his wife's death, even at the expense of a very trusting companion.

In short, I enjoyed the story (finished it in a day) and found the characters compelling and real. Two thumbs up!

Rating:
Summary: If only we could talk with our dogs . . .
Review: Although there were parts of the story that were contrived, I think that the idea and the writing were very good. Ms. Parkhurst understands and conveys in a tender way both the human grieving process and the comfort that our animals give to us. She also does a pretty good job of showing the highs and lows of one who suffers from depression (manic depression, perhaps) and the frustration and helplessness the person's family feels as a result.

Rating:
Summary: Suspend Your Disbelief or Not For Cynics
Review: First off, I am not what you would call a dog lover, that said you don't have to be one to love this book. This story is ultimately a love story and about lost love. It is also about a man's grief and his attempt at escaping that grief in an intellectual way. In the process of reading this we learn of Paul and Lexy his young wife who dies unexpectedly. Without giving away the story, I found that while I could relate to both characters I was particularly drawn to Lexy, the troubled and sensitive artist. In an attempt to do anything to rationally explain his wifes death, Paul's quest leads him to some rather irrational if not bizarre means of doing so. However along the way this takes us through the heartbreaking story of their meeting and falling in love and life together; one that is unusual and yet familiar. This in the end will lead him to some truths he has perhaps known all along and others he has forgotten. Your heart will ache for both of these people. In the end I found myself caring for and missing someone I had never known. It is truly good that someone can write something that make you feel so much.

Rating:
Summary: Not what I was expecting
Review: I kept putting off reading this book because the premise sounded kind of dumb to me - a man tries to teach his dog to speak after his wife dies in an apparent accident. Little did I know that it would turn out to be a romantic, wistful, and tragic story of love and loss.

After Paul's wife Lexy dies falling from a tree, he decides to try to teach their dog, Lorelei, to speak since she is the only creature to have witnessed Lexy's fall and know if it was an accident or suicide. Through the process, we learn of Paul and Lexy's courtship and marriage in flashbacks that are telling of her state of mind.

As we read about their relationship, it becomes clear that Lexy has emotional problems that Paul isn't quite equipped to deal with and that she is reluctant to talk about. She becomes depressed and has violent moments that contrast with the free-spirited woman he married.

In his quest to find out what happened at her death, Paul finds himself mixed up in an underground group of scientists who are mutilating dogs in their attempts to get them to speak.

The two stories come together in an ending that tells of the love Lexy had for her husband, even beyond death.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Read
Review: Maybe it's because I am a dog lover, maybe not, but I found The Dogs of Babel to be an extraordinary story. Here's how it goes: Lorelei, the Rhodesian Ridgeback, being the only witness to his wife's fatal fall from an apple tree, Paul Iverson believes that if he can teach her to talk than he will discover whether it was truly an accident. As the story unfolds, you learn not only about the methods Paul tries in teaching Lorelei to talk (which are non-surgical, thank you), but also about the intense relationship that he and Lexy, his late wife, had.

To shake things up more, there is a secret club of people, if you can call it that, who believe in surgically enabling a dog to speak. They perform grotesque surgeries, attempting to alter dogs' throats in order to allow them to speak. Unfortunately, many are killed during these horrible practices. For me the description about this club and the poor dogs involved was the most heartbreaking part, of course I am an animal lover, remember.

As for this book being similar to The Lovely Bones, I did not find much evidence of that. And this didn't make The Dogs of Babel a disappointment to me at all. Overall I found the book to be a rich story about life after loss and the healing process, as well as how creully some people chose to treat animals for the "benefit of science."

Rating:
Summary: Surprisingly fabulous!
Review: Prior to reading this novel, I wasn't sure if I wanted to or not. I had heard good things about it, but I didn't think I'd find it very interesting. Boy was I wrong! The Dogs of Babel is officially on my list for the best books I've read this year.

Paul Iverson's wife, Lexy, is found dead after an apparent fall from an apple tree in their yard. The only witness is their dog, Lorelei, who cannot relay the answer to Paul's most important question -- did Lexy fall on accident, or was it suicide? As a linguistics professor, Paul does a lot of research and work with the spoken word. Why couldn't he teach Lorelei to talk? So Paul takes a sabbatical and embarks on the process of teaching Lorelei to say what she knows about that fateful day.

I loved every minute of this book. The Dogs of Babel is beautifully written and I commend Carolyn Parkhurst for writing this story. However, it is more about teaching a dog to talk. The flashbacks of Paul and Lexy's life together are the best parts of the book. Lexy is a free-spiritied and troubled character, and their courtship and marriage was incredibly romantic and tragic at the same time. And despite some sensitive material about dog abuse, I still found The Dogs of Babel an exquisite read.

Rating:
Summary: Interesting premise, but...
Review: The interesting premise of "The Dogs of Babel" was what attracted me to the book: can Paul Iverson teach his dog, the only witness to his wife Lexy's death after a fall from a tree, to speak so that the grieving husband can discover what happened? Once the story unfolds, however, the original story line goes astray with a series of flashbacks that explore Lexy's personality and her relationship with Paul. Ultimately it is Paul's own memories of Lexy that uncover the truth.

Not only does the "teach the family dog to speak" action fizzle out, but there are some unbelievable and downright silly subplots that detract from the beauty of the storytelling. These include Paul's brief association with a disturbing and fanatical group of dog abusers, Lexy's rearrangement of the books on the shelves to convey a cryptic "message", and Paul's conversations with telephone psychics. As we learn more about Lexy herself, she is revealed to be a very disturbed woman with a penchant for impulsive actions and violent behavior, and I did not find her to be a sympathetic character. Nor could I understand what made Paul tick, since many of his actions often seemed irrational and out of character.

On the positive side, the book is well written and it does have some good points. It contains interesting symbolism about masks, as is highlighted on the front cover. There are insightful comments on relationships, love, and loss. Lexy's fanciful side, including her square egg machine and her philosophy on food and dating, provides some light moments in a predominantly melancholy story. All in all, however, I found the book disappointing.

Rating:
Summary: Beautiful writing can't override discomfort with abused dogs
Review: This is an odd little book. Its selection by Anna Quindlen for the Today Show book club was enough to get me to read it, but this was no LOVELY BONES. Linguistics Professor Paul Iverson is devastated when his wife, Lexy, is found dead in their yard, apparently from a fall from their apple tree. The police rule it an accident but he can't help but wonder what really happened. The more he digs, the more he finds odd about the days leading up to her death. The only witness was their dog, Lorelei, a Rhodesian Ridgeback, and Paul gets obsessed with the idea of teaching her to talk so that she may tell him the truth of what happened to Lexy - was it an accident or suicide? I wasn't initially aware of, but was very put off by, the abuse of animals in this book, so I feel compelled to mention it here, but despite that, parts of the book were really beautifully written.