A crime is committed amidst the celestial bodies with a tool called the zoi, and all fingers point to Sirius and his infamous temper being the cause. As punishment, the luminaries banish him from the cosmos and sentence Sirius to become one of Earth’s creatures. Sirius is reborn as a dog and must locate the zoi before his lifespan ends if he ever hopes to regain his place among the stars. However, Sirius’ past life is but a distant memory, and he will stumble his way through an unfamiliar world with the kind, guiding hands of his owner Kathleen, and a helpful luminary, too.
Dogsbody by Diana Wynne Jones is a strange story, but rightly so when the premise is about a star that turns into a dog. It was an odd yet enjoyable read overall, but its strength did not lie with its vague and confusing magical elements. Instead, the heart and soul of this story belong to the tale of a young girl and her dog which was unexpected, heartwrenching, and delightful.
The beauty of this book is that it tells many different stories, and it depends on where your focus lands. Initially, I started reading for Sirius’ task and wanted to stay connected to his end goal of finding the zoi and earning his place among the stars once again. But that was quickly replaced, and I gave into the wonder of the second story where we learned about the world for the first time through a dog’s eyes. The third story features Kathleen and showcases a lonely girl living with her uncle’s family. Each story feels separate for some time, but they ultimately bleed into one another and create the satisfying connections that had been building throughout the book. Even though it was the entire purpose of the plot, I liked Sirius’ quest to find the zoi the least and found a lot of love, sadness, and comfort in the simple moments between a young girl and her dog.
There was a pervasive sense of melancholy throughout the story that I had difficulty shaking. It doesn’t appear that this was Jones’ goal because the spirit of Dogsbody feels more rooted in the whimsical nature of Sirius becoming a dog and exploring the world. I considered that maybe being a dog owner made me more sensitive to you know, a book that opens with drowning puppies. But it was more than that because I was also deeply affected by the picture painted of Kathleen’s life as well. If anything, Dogsbody has several avenues for you to follow and make the experience what you will. I was drawn more into Kathleen’s loneliness and Sirius’ confusion and fear, but there are so many bright spots in the book. Enjoy the moments Sirius triumphantly navigates earth as a dog, respects the joyful spirit that Kathleen holds on to, and relishes in the cast of characters that mostly help Sirius on his journey.
I wished that I had a better grasp of the magical and celestial parts of Dogsbody. The book is 80% Sirius learning how to be a dog and 20% Sirius interacting with the luminary. It’s not surprising then that the magical part of his life, the players in it, and the strange tools (like the zoi) are still a mystery to me. Anything about this story track was unsatisfying because I simply had no clue what was going on. Sirius’ experiences with the family and his shenanigans about town were the strongest parts which I loved but was not where I thought my attention would land.
Dogsbody was not what I expected but it certainly made for an interesting read. If anything, it’s made me more curious about Diana Wynne Jones’ portfolio, and I’ll be certain to approach her other stories with an open mind.
Rating: Dogsbody – 7.5/10
-Brandee
