Stories of characters who face tragedies alongside their canine
companions.
Noley Reid's fourth book, Origami Dogs, is a testament to her mastery
of the form. Here, dogs rove the grounds of their companions' emotions.
The creatures in this short story collection often act subtly, serving
as witnesses without language, exacerbating tension and providing relief
to the human characters. Sometimes they are central to the stories'
plots, such as in the lead story, "Origami Dogs," which focuses on Iris
Garr, a dog breeder's teenage daughter, as she begins noticing odd birth
defects in new litters and realizes she must confront her mother, whom
she loves yet cannot help but resent. In some stories, teens struggle
toward womanhood or wrestle with sexuality and queerness, confronting
parents who are unable to provide the care or support they need. In
other stories, Reid's characters are adults striving to be better
spouses, parents, or both, and are often grappling with life-changing
events--like a new disability or the loss of a child. Despite the
gravitas of these tragedies, with Reid's touch, they feel alive,
present, and painfully close. Reid brings us to her characters in the
fierce damp aftermath of calamity and asks us to dwell with them until
new possibilities arrive.
At these tipping points, the characters of Origami Dogs stand ready
with their dogs (or memories of them), to take the next step. By turns
tender, moving, and devastating, this story collection is a celebration
of the bond of devotion possible between humans and dogs, and it
presents an intimate rendering of the lives we share.
