The Dog

Starred review from June 9, 2014
As he did brilliantly in Netherland, O’Neill, in his latest, creates a character who is alienated from his home and social class, and who feels dangerously vulnerable in a country in which he lives a luxurious but precarious existence. The unnamed narrator (we do learn that his given name begins with X) fled from his position in a Manhattan law firm after a bad breakup with a colleague. Feeling lucky at first to get a job in Dubai as “family officer” of the wealthy Batros family, the narrator discovers that he must ignore his ethical principles in order to do the blatantly illegal work required of him. Everyone encountered by the narrator is corrupt, except for his assistant, Ali, who is a bidoon—a stateless person lacking basic human rights. O’Neill’s Dubai is “a vast booby trap of medieval judicial perils,” and the narrator gets caught in “one fucking glitch after another.” Gradually, the sordidness of his situation wears down the his psychological defenses. His agitated thoughts, which the author conveys in pitch-perfect prose, become more and more muddled; his asides within asides (indicated by multiple parentheses) veer into philosophical ramblings and recurrent mea culpas, as he accuses himself of “chronic self-misrepresentation and inner absenteeism.” The narrator develops an obsession with the disappearance of another American man, even while his own life cascades toward a dead end. Clever, witty, and profoundly insightful, this is a beautifully crafted narrative about a man undone by a soulless society.

O'Neill's novel is a seriously philosophical and absurdly funny work. It's heavily laden with its protagonist's monologue, which Erik Davies delivers in a monotone in an obvious effort to portray the narrator's feelings of isolation and resignation. While Davies's approach works well for those emotions, it downplays the character's humor, at times giving what should be funny a sense of tediousness. However, during the less frequent dialogue exchanges, Davies shines as he gracefully delivers a wide array of accents and intonations. The humor in these conversations carries a stronger impact and is more engaging. This title is likely to have select audience appeal. Those with an interest in it will find Davies's narration worth listening to. J.F. © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine