Markus Zusak, best known for The Book Thief, turns his storytelling skills toward real life in Three Wild Dogs, a memoir about the joy and chaos of adopting three unruly rescue pups. From biting piano teachers to breaking bones to—yes—killing the family cat, Reuben, Archer, and Frosty bring love, destruction, and plenty of trouble into the Zusak household.
This book had me laughing out loud one moment and near tears the next. Zusak’s writing is, as expected, top-notch—he can make training disasters feel poetic and losing a pet feel like the end of the world. But while his storytelling is strong, the book felt too long for its 240 pages, bogged down by excessive detail.
I read the eBook and listened to the audiobook, and while Zusak’s narration added authenticity, his thick Australian accent was distracting. Ultimately, I wanted to love this memoir more than I did. If you’re a dog lover, it’s worth a read, but be warned—it’s not all tail wags and belly rubs. ⭐️⭐️⭐️
** Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for a review copy of the book. The opinions are my own.