Lives of the Monster Dogs can only be described as a wonderful and magical book, with sensual characters, and an inventive plot.

For a first novel, Kirsten Bakis has given us a world occupied by a strange race of dog-man creatures, genetically bred by a mad scientist in the Canadian wilderness. When the scientist dies, the colony of "monster dogs" (who can speak and walk upright) migrate south to New York City, quickly entrenching themselves into the city's upper class society.

The highly intelligent dogs are a mysterious and closed group, allowing no human into their circle, until a young journalist befriends one of the dogs and is given the story of her career. Given full access to the dogs, she learns their history, their motives, and about a mysterious illness that is killing off the dogs, one by one.

The story centers around this journalist's interactions with the dogs, and the large castle-like building the dogs are erecting in the heart of New York City, but no one knows why.

Bakis has done a great job of making the dogs' society believable and comfortable to the reader, but often the story drags along, with plot twists that do more harm than good.

Regardless, the story was magical and bizarre enough to keep me hooked to the end.



Recommended: Yes