When my friend Chrissie Manby asked me if I'd like to read a pre-publication copy of her latest book, she said, "Oh, by the way, the story is narrated by a ghost-dog." A ghost-dog? Really? That didn't sound like my sort of thing at all. I even wondered if she'd gone a bit barmy.
But d'you know what - Saying Goodbye to Tuesday is utterly gorgeous. It's clever and different, but not at all in a look-at-me, I've-written-something-marvellous kind of way. It is a deeply touching story, filled with emotion - hope, fear, despair, courage, humour - but above all, with love. . . because this is a story told by a dog whose love for his owner and her baby knows no bounds.
The dog in question is Stupendo and the story opens with his discovery that he is now a ghost. He doesn't want to leave his beloved Tuesday and William behind and neither can he remember what happened to him at the end of his life. I spent most of the book in a state of near-dread because I desperately didn't want anything bad to happen to Stupendo - which was daft, because obviously something Very Bad was going to happen or else he wouldn't now be a ghost. But that speaks to the quality of Chrissie's writing. In Stupendo, she has created a wonderful, loveable, funny character, who carries the story along with ease.
In case you're wondering, this isn't just a tale about animals. It's also about human relationships of various kinds - including a depiction of a controlling relationship that will make your skin tingle in the most unpleasant way.
Saying Goodbye to Tuesday is wonderfully funny at times (I wish my cat was as clever as Caligula), deeply moving at other times and heartwarming from start to finish.
* * * *
PS When our cat Cassie yowls at us to feed her, we now tell her she should press the sad button. When you've read the book, you'll understand.
Click here to go to Saying Goodbye to Tuesday on Amazon. It is published in Kindle format on September 9th and as a paperback on November 11th.
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