Reviewers Club: Everybody Died so I got a Dog

In spite of this reviewer’s initial reservations, this memoir turned out to be an interesting and satisfying read.

Emily Dean is a writer and radio presenter, and her memoir describes the overwhelming loss she experienced when her sister died of a rare cancer at the age of 43, followed within two years by the death of her mother (MND) and father (heart attack).

The story of Emily’s chaotic childhood in a bohemian family is told with humour and resignation and her constant theme is her envy of dog families who epitomize normality and homeliness. It is only when she is recovering from her family loss that she dares to commit to owning a dog and finds healing.

Unpretentious, funny and poignant, this is an introspective portrayal of the author’s experience of grief and loss.

4/5 Stars