Took My Dog: A Novel, Started Early

Slow to start. Hard to figure out which character the author is talking about. I almost gave up on it, but kept reading. Although the story eventually came together, it remained confusing and hard to follow.

Another great one from Kate Atkinson. I love her series starting with Case Histories. I think this one is one of my favorites. Although not a true hard core mystery, it is a fabulous puzzle piece story that forms a wonderful and just full picture.

Not your typical mystery, expecially the lead detectives who are not movie star types at all! Unrelated, retired British dectectives whose lives intertwinein ironic twists. Great character development, solid mystery. Clever humor. Will definately look for more from this author

If you like Jackson Brody, you will love this book. Yes, it is long and involved. You have to pay close attention to details but it is all worth it in the end. Definitely my favorite Kate Atkinson book.

Odd plot, jumpy narrative, unsatisfactory ending

... and there wasn't much about the dog.

I never mind when a narrative jumps from one character to another - I enjoy seeing the plot develop through other points of view ... but this one didn't do it well for me ... maybe because there were jumps in the time frame as well.

There was an excess of characters who were not necessary to the main plot. And after all this being about stolen children/ missing children, all is left up in the air about the child that was "sold" at the start.

I came late to Kate Atkinson, but better late than never. She manipulates time and characters with more skill than just about anyone, and her character development is outstanding. The story revolves around coincidence, accident, and their conflict with human psychology. I will miss these characters.

Great read. Wonderful characters. Even though its a crime novel, reads like literary fiction. At times, I laughed out loud at her astute observations of both the human and canine natures. Looking forward to more adventures with Jackson and the Ambassador!

I have enjoyed all 3 of the Jackson Brodie novels; he has more foibles than most private detectives. I also admire Ms Atkinson's talent for weaving her characters and their stories together.
However, this time there was just one too many and I lost interest midway through Jackson's plight. I won't spoil it for others by pointing out those that did not advance the main story line or were merely distractions (at least for me). But if you have been a fan, be prepared to be a bit disappointed in this one.

Lost a star for just a little too much descriptive work around the ageing actress's alziemher's, and her connection to the plot seemed a contrivance a little too far. Having said that, I loved this story and the Brodie character is unfailingly credible and humane/human in a perfect balance.

Complex - best to keep a list of the characters, because as each appears they become the central character of this interwoven novel.

Yet, a single element draws them all together: the motive of every act is love but a love whose actions are in the sight of the law a crime (ius opposed to lex).

A review could take any of the characters and spend pages describing their actions, motives, personality, faults and virtues, but this is what makes Atkinson's writing so beautifully complex -she does this for us but constantly switches characters, time and place.

Why, too, is this. a Jackson Brodie novel? Because of his strong acceptance of all that happens. Even when others take advantage of him, he keeps going forward trying to understand not just what has happened but why.

Finally, too, Atkinson brings it all together with Brodie being unexpectedly overwhelmed at the very end of the novel by the sudden love he feels for his son, Nathan.

This is the not always obvious motive behind all that happens in this beautifully written novel.

I started reading this book and was tempted to switch to something else. At first it is a little vague and confusing but little by little you get pulled into it's plot, even if it is a kind of unusual and unbelievable. It is a fun read.