A review by blymanor
Only the Animals by Ceridwen Dovey
dark
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
Dovey references a lot of other works in this book, so if that's what you enjoy, go for it. However, sometimes she stays so close to her source material it feels like a copy. Each short story is a cautionary tale about the immorality of humans, told through the eyes of an animal. None of the animals survive until the end of the story (not a spoiler, you figure this out pretty fast). Some are better than others - my favourite was Red Peter's Little Lady.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Animal cruelty, Toxic relationship, and Confinement
Minor: Sexual content