Dogs and Monsters

‘A marvel of a collection - suffused with curiosity, humanity and mystery, bold in its scope and virtuoso in its telling. Mark Haddon makes stories matter’ * Kaliane Bradley *‘In sentences as precisely cut as paper sculptures, Mark Haddon fits ancient myth to the cruelties and wonders of the present’ * Francis Spufford *‘Timeless spins on classic Greek myths … [Haddon] seems to be toying with the essence of storytelling, the way that it has persevered and sustained itself through the ages … The times may change but the stories remain the same in this ambitious, eclectic collection’ * Kirkus *I’m looking forward to this – Haddon is reliably excellent * New Scientist *These delicately worked and impressively patient stories show us what other visions might reveal themselves when we are not in too much of a hurry to get to the end * Observer *A gripping exploration of narratives and those who control them…The tight prose and descriptive range are remarkable… There isn’t much room for redemption in this wise, immersive book: but… with a faithful mutt by your side, you’ll (usually) be all right in the end * Spectator *Breathing new life into myths, Haddon heads into the labyrinth in this impressive collection which tackles transformation and transmutation * Daily Mail *Compelling… Haddon’s writing, [is] always rock solid and frequently luminous… All [the stories] are complex, surprising, evocative and richly entertaining * Guardian *Haddon follows his imagination from the human into the animal realm and beyond, into the divine… [in these] supple and emotionally involving tales * Times Literary Supplement *Eight engrossing, inventive retellings of myths… Dogs feature throughout, and it is humans who are the monsters. Highly recommended * Mail on Sunday *[Haddon] moulds myths and fables into vivid new shapes * Guardian, Books of the Year *

Mark Haddon is a writer and artist. His bestselling novel, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (2003) won seventeen literary prizes, was translated into 36 languages, and went on to become an award-winning stage adaptation by Simon Stephens. His most recent works of fiction include a novel, The Porpoise (2019), and a collection of fables and stories, Dogs and Monsters (2024).