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A review by thebookclubmks
Marley and Me by John Grogan
"John and Jenny were just beginning their life together. They were young and in love, with a perfect little house and not a care in the world. Then they brought home Marley, a wiggly yellow fur-ball of a puppy. Life would never be the same."
That description from the slip cover, obviously written by an editor, does not quite do justice to the back-story, but does give a general idea of the premise for this story. John and his wife, newly married, decided to sharpen their parenting skills, which they thought they would soon need, by purchasing a dog. They ended up with Marley, a crazy, loveable Labrador Retriever. He wasn't only crazy, but also big, tipping the scales at nearly 100 pounds. He was also an active dog. Although, he was mentally unstable. He was the type of dog most people would have given up on.
Marley was soon accepted as a member of the family, constantly challenging the love and patience of John and Jenny. He shared the joys and pains of the family, even to the point of comforting Jenny in the aftermath of a heartbreaking miscarriage. This is my favourite scene, a very upsetting yet comforting. I can feel how sad and broken Jenny was losing her baby and at the same time I can see how Marley can show his empathy by leaning his head on Jenny's lap (like he knew that Jenny was so sad), showing that a big and active dog like Marley, could be a very gentle and heart-warming. At that moment, Jenny hugs Marley and cried, letting all her emotions go.
Marley & Me isn't the type of book that will change a life. But it will warm a heart and provide more than a few good laughs. Those readers who own pets, and dogs in particular, will probably nod their heads knowingly more than a few times. It is a tale of nearly infinite love and patience. It is the story of a man who loves his animal far more than I ever could. And I guess that is an admirable thing. Personally, I did have that kind of relationship with my dog, Happy. She was a Chihuahua. A tiny, very active one and her voice annoyed a lot of people. We spent 17 years together since I was in 6th grade (I was 11 yo) and she finally run freely to heaven in April 2018. I still believe that she was sent from God for me to protect and keep me sane in my hardest time. I can't tell you exactly what she did, but knowing that she was always there for me, I always feel better even when it was the worst day of my life.
I read this book first time in 2007 and I read it again in this 2020, and it made me feel that this kind of relationship is real. And I think it was a privilege to be chosen to have a pet.
*Review by Thata
That description from the slip cover, obviously written by an editor, does not quite do justice to the back-story, but does give a general idea of the premise for this story. John and his wife, newly married, decided to sharpen their parenting skills, which they thought they would soon need, by purchasing a dog. They ended up with Marley, a crazy, loveable Labrador Retriever. He wasn't only crazy, but also big, tipping the scales at nearly 100 pounds. He was also an active dog. Although, he was mentally unstable. He was the type of dog most people would have given up on.
Marley was soon accepted as a member of the family, constantly challenging the love and patience of John and Jenny. He shared the joys and pains of the family, even to the point of comforting Jenny in the aftermath of a heartbreaking miscarriage. This is my favourite scene, a very upsetting yet comforting. I can feel how sad and broken Jenny was losing her baby and at the same time I can see how Marley can show his empathy by leaning his head on Jenny's lap (like he knew that Jenny was so sad), showing that a big and active dog like Marley, could be a very gentle and heart-warming. At that moment, Jenny hugs Marley and cried, letting all her emotions go.
Marley & Me isn't the type of book that will change a life. But it will warm a heart and provide more than a few good laughs. Those readers who own pets, and dogs in particular, will probably nod their heads knowingly more than a few times. It is a tale of nearly infinite love and patience. It is the story of a man who loves his animal far more than I ever could. And I guess that is an admirable thing. Personally, I did have that kind of relationship with my dog, Happy. She was a Chihuahua. A tiny, very active one and her voice annoyed a lot of people. We spent 17 years together since I was in 6th grade (I was 11 yo) and she finally run freely to heaven in April 2018. I still believe that she was sent from God for me to protect and keep me sane in my hardest time. I can't tell you exactly what she did, but knowing that she was always there for me, I always feel better even when it was the worst day of my life.
I read this book first time in 2007 and I read it again in this 2020, and it made me feel that this kind of relationship is real. And I think it was a privilege to be chosen to have a pet.
*Review by Thata