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captlychee's review against another edition
4.0
This book is a cut above the usual 'fabulist' model, in that there is some discipline in the writing and it isn't totally self-indulgently wrapped up in its own genius. That makes it a pleasant surprise.
The central device of having animals narrate the various stories make the stories themselves more interesting. While many of them are very mundane - particularly the final story - the animals themselves are sometimes cute, which lifts the stories out of the ordinary. The author has taken some care to avoid the 'paint by numbers' style of learning how to do a given literary device and then plugging that into the narrative to show she can do it, or to win a prize. It's also fun to try to identify the authros mentioned by the animals, although there is apparently a guide on the author's webiste.
This one gets four stars partly because it hasn't been ruined by an obligation to study it, partly because it didn't bore the crap out of me, but mostly because it was a delight to read a novel by a South African that wasn't totally smothered, weighed down and buried by the ghostly presence of apartheid. It gives me hope and delight that there is a generation of South African authors now around who don't feel they have to condemn this long-dead fashion with every utterance. [a:Alan Paton|3527|Alan Paton|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1206549067p2/3527.jpg] and [a:Athol Fugard|7770|Athol Fugard|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1220823761p2/7770.jpg] are probably rolling in their graves, but perhaps that energy can be harnessed for a green future, so Ms Dovey has done even more good for the last lighted part of the Dark Continent.
The central device of having animals narrate the various stories make the stories themselves more interesting. While many of them are very mundane - particularly the final story - the animals themselves are sometimes cute, which lifts the stories out of the ordinary. The author has taken some care to avoid the 'paint by numbers' style of learning how to do a given literary device and then plugging that into the narrative to show she can do it, or to win a prize. It's also fun to try to identify the authros mentioned by the animals, although there is apparently a guide on the author's webiste.
This one gets four stars partly because it hasn't been ruined by an obligation to study it, partly because it didn't bore the crap out of me, but mostly because it was a delight to read a novel by a South African that wasn't totally smothered, weighed down and buried by the ghostly presence of apartheid. It gives me hope and delight that there is a generation of South African authors now around who don't feel they have to condemn this long-dead fashion with every utterance. [a:Alan Paton|3527|Alan Paton|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1206549067p2/3527.jpg] and [a:Athol Fugard|7770|Athol Fugard|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1220823761p2/7770.jpg] are probably rolling in their graves, but perhaps that energy can be harnessed for a green future, so Ms Dovey has done even more good for the last lighted part of the Dark Continent.
chloebethx_'s review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
blodeuedd's review against another edition
3.0
This is a book about animals. And they all get a chapter of their own.
The first one about a camel, well not a lot happened there.
The second one about a cat was better, and sad! A cat at the Western front. Meeting another cat, thinking about the owner, all while surviving.
Then we had such a creepy tale about a chimpanzee writing letter to the wife of the man who trained him to act human. I mean it was really good, but creepy.
The next story was about a dog, whose owner was into Hinduism, Buddhism, and the dog started to think about karma. Interesting.
Then came the beatnick mussel on the road. Well written.
After that a sad tortoise who met interesting people before going into space.
Then an elephant story, they are just so sad you know. They try to live their lives while people are at war.
The bear story was not any happier. It took place in Sarajevo. The bear starved while another bear told a story about a prince.
The next one was about dolphins trained for war. All stories start with the death date of the animal, so they are not happy.
And last, about a parrot. The end hit me there, why oh why.
Animals forgotten while people are at war. Animals trained for war. Animals just trying to live. I liked these stories. They are sad, thoughtful and quite wonderful. And they worked as short glimpses into a life of an animal.
The first one about a camel, well not a lot happened there.
The second one about a cat was better, and sad! A cat at the Western front. Meeting another cat, thinking about the owner, all while surviving.
Then we had such a creepy tale about a chimpanzee writing letter to the wife of the man who trained him to act human. I mean it was really good, but creepy.
The next story was about a dog, whose owner was into Hinduism, Buddhism, and the dog started to think about karma. Interesting.
Then came the beatnick mussel on the road. Well written.
After that a sad tortoise who met interesting people before going into space.
Then an elephant story, they are just so sad you know. They try to live their lives while people are at war.
The bear story was not any happier. It took place in Sarajevo. The bear starved while another bear told a story about a prince.
The next one was about dolphins trained for war. All stories start with the death date of the animal, so they are not happy.
And last, about a parrot. The end hit me there, why oh why.
Animals forgotten while people are at war. Animals trained for war. Animals just trying to live. I liked these stories. They are sad, thoughtful and quite wonderful. And they worked as short glimpses into a life of an animal.
coachadnycbooks's review against another edition
4.0
Fantastic! Highly recommend! Such an interesting idea for short stories. Many of them really spoke to me and were quite emotional. Loved the Mussel, Dolphin and Parrot stories in particular. Animals are just better than humans and reading what their perspective of humanity might be is so interesting.
bibliobabe94's review against another edition
2.0
I can see how people liked this for a book club, but it's not really my type of book.
dellydoos's review against another edition
2.0
Ceridwen Dovey’s Only the Animals is a collection of short stories, told posthumously by animal narrators. Uncannily charismatic, flawed and curious, the animals and their voices provide an allegory of humans, their wars, conflicts and their relationship with the world around them. There are ten stories within Only the Animals and at the end of each the animal narrator dies as a casualty of human conflict. And if that sounds bleak to you- that's because it is.
It's safe to say that I thoroughly disliked this book. Whilst I cannot deny how well researched and written it actually was, the actual contents of these short stories haunted me. It's a book on animal cruelty, plain and simple. From a camel being shot by his drunken master, to a dog forced to become a suicide bomber during World War II, to that fucking weird story about a chimp being in love with a human woman; it was just too much for me. I was visibly upset by the end of this book, crying over how cruel and stupid humans are with the lives of animals.
The strength, at least for me, came in the joyous, precious lives each of these innocent animals lived before the inevitable end. Their voices were tender, playful and curious of the world around them. And god, I wish I had all the money in the world to buy a large block of land and let these animals run, swim and fly around in ecstasy and in freedom. 2/5 stars for me.
It's safe to say that I thoroughly disliked this book. Whilst I cannot deny how well researched and written it actually was, the actual contents of these short stories haunted me. It's a book on animal cruelty, plain and simple. From a camel being shot by his drunken master, to a dog forced to become a suicide bomber during World War II, to that fucking weird story about a chimp being in love with a human woman; it was just too much for me. I was visibly upset by the end of this book, crying over how cruel and stupid humans are with the lives of animals.
The strength, at least for me, came in the joyous, precious lives each of these innocent animals lived before the inevitable end. Their voices were tender, playful and curious of the world around them. And god, I wish I had all the money in the world to buy a large block of land and let these animals run, swim and fly around in ecstasy and in freedom. 2/5 stars for me.
nood13's review
dark
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
saiha's review
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
mia_arianne's review
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
This was a compulsory school literature book. I enjoyed reading most of the short stories however all of them ended with death and housed some aspect of cruelty towards animals, the morals were incredibly clear. I would not read the chimpanzee one again as it just didn’t feel right and made me feel so violated that I felt distressed for days after. Overall I did really enjoy this book, especially as it opened opportunities for me to read more short stories in the future!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Violence, War, Suicide, Cannibalism, Animal death, and Animal cruelty
coachadnyc's review against another edition
4.0
Fantastic! Highly recommend! Such an interesting idea for short stories. Many of them really spoke to me and were quite emotional. Loved the Mussel, Dolphin and Parrot stories in particular. Animals are just better than humans and reading what their perspective of humanity might be is so interesting.