Dogs and Monsters

by Mark Haddon

ISBN: 9781784745554

Published: 2024-08-29

'A marvel of a collection' Kaliane Bradley 'There is nothing more terrifying than the monster that squats behind the door you dare not open...' From the bestselling author of The Porpoise come eight mesmerising stories exploring what, ultimately, makes us human. Mark Haddon weaves ancient fables into fresh and unexpected forms, and forges new legends to sit alongside them. The myth of the Minotaur in his labyrinth is turned into a wrenching parable of maternal love - and of the monstrosities of patriarchy. The lover of a goddess, Tithonus, is gifted eternal life but without eternal youth. Actaeon, changed into a stag after glimpsing the naked Diana and torn to pieces by his hunting dogs, becomes a visceral metaphor about how humans use and misuse animals. From genetic engineering to the eternal complications of family, Haddon showcases how we are subject to the same elemental forces that obsessed the Greeks. Whether describing Laika the Soviet space dog on her fateful orbit, or St...