I just finished “Sharp Teeth” by Toby Barlow. The story revolved around several gangs of lycanthropic creatures in the California area. Barlow turned the traditional werewolf genre upside down though and created a new urban legend composed of characters with the ability to transform from human form to dog form at will. Each gang of canine-humans incorporated its own unique modus operandi making it difficult to pinpoint the objectives and goals each group was seeking individually. Thankfully, since the plot was deliciously complex, the story managed to be entertaining while simultaneously exposing the reader’s brain to stimulating thought processes. Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! Once each gang’s history was methodically revealed by the author, the story became even more captivating. I read this book in three days and could have easily completed it in one sitting if not for the daily chores of life. Toby Barlow utilized free verse to unveil the prose within his totally imaginative first book. I was thoroughly hooked, and the words dug into my cranium like incisors into raw flesh. Ironically, I wouldn’t rank this as a horror novel because ultimately it was character driven and more dramatic than any gruesome scare fest I’ve ever read before including many of Stephen King’s masterpieces. Upon reading the last words of the novel, I reflected on the book’s protagonists with glee: Lark (gang leader with the most mysterious, intricate plan), Anthony (the dogcatcher), Peabody (the cop), Cutter and Blue (the card sharks reminding me of those famous dog gambling photos), Mr. Venable (creepy mystery dude), Ray (traitor without a plan), Barron (Judas) and the solitary women fulcrums of each gang (Sasha, Annie, Marie and especially Anthony’s lover). Toby Barlow did a fantastic job of capturing the hearts and souls of his novel’s characters both when they were humans and also when they were dogs. “Sharp Teeth” is a MUST READ.
My Grade: A+
6/4/2008
1 response so far ↓
Proud Mary Entertainment // September 6, 2009 at 9:25 pm |
Hello,
New here. Thanks
Mary Aloe
Proud Mary Entertainment