Pegasus Books, November 8, 2016.
Three Stars
This is a novel of psychological suspense about a troubled
family and their dog – believe me, it is much darker than it sounds. This is
not a feel-good story about a girl and her loyal pet. The Cross family is emotionally
dysfunctional and their poor decisions are continuously shocking. They face
life-changing events, without any sense of emotional growth, making things even
worse.
Delia Cross is a talented, up and coming actress, and
at eleven years old, her career is just beginning. Her successes support her
entire family, including her father Bart, who spends money faster than she can
make it, and stage mom Pat, who is living vicariously through her daughter. Delia’s
twin brother Robbie just wants a normal life, but he becomes reclusive and
introverted in the shadow of his famous sister. Between her mother’s
pill-popping, her father’s heavy drinking, and her brother’s practical jokes,
Delia struggles to relax during her time off.
The family dog Caity seems to be the only calming
force in Delia’s life – the two share a special connection, and Delia relies on
her for a sense of quiet understanding after a difficult day. A Queensland
Heeler, Caity is an incredibly loyal dog, although not all members of the
family deserve it. When a tragic accident puts Delia’s career on hold, everyone
in the Cross family reevaluates their roles in her life. Pat tries to turn
Delia’s accident into a publicity stunt, but the young girl stays true to
herself and her own morals. Caity the dog seems to be Delia’s only supporter, and
she tries to protect the girl from her family, leading to shocking
consequences.
Caity cannot always protect Delia, but they know they
can be together, even in the afterlife. This novel is emotional and sometimes
melodramatic, but never sentimental. The relationship between a girl and her
dog is powerful, and their connection is eerie at times – this was reminiscent
of some of Stephen King’s novels, which is not surprising considering he
provided a cover quote for this novel. The
Secret Life of Souls is surprising in plot as well as tone, and while I wasn’t
expecting the direction it took, I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough to find
out what happened at the end.
I received this book from Pegasus Books and NetGalley
in exchange for an honest review.
No comments:
Post a Comment