Hi guys! Happy Monday! I hope your week is off to a great start. Today I’m going to be posting my review of Steven Rowley’s novel Lily and the Octopus.

Lily and the Octopus by: Steven Rowley: A beautiful story about Ted, and his best friend, a dog named Lily. When it looks like her time is starting to come to an end, Ted must face the hardest thing he’s ever had to do, say goodbye. From the moment they first met to the last days of her long, beautiful life, this novel takes the reader on a journey through their friendship, what one means to each other and the true meaning of unconditional love, and what it means to let go. This was a heartfelt and truly moving novel that really let the reader feel all the emotions that the main character felt. The fact that this novel is based on real events and real people, and dog, made this hit closer to home and puts into perspective life, and what matters most. The story was mesmerizing; the metaphors that Rowley used were perfect representations of what he was talking about, they were sweet yet scary, and they just fit right into place. This novel didn’t start off fast paced, it started slow, but then ramped up as the story progressed. Rowley’s writing is very spot on and from the heart; the details he provides and the way he structured every moment really painted a picture for the reader making it feel like they were right alongside him. There are moments when anyone can relate, even if they don’t have a pet, and that’s what spoke to the reader. Yes, this novel was sad, but the underlining message and the take away that is learned is so much bigger. This was truly a masterpiece that hit readers in the heartstrings.