DOGS OF CATHERINE TOWN

In Guess’ novel, a Russian veterinarian tries to solve the stray dog problem in a small town by creating a new species of canine that can walk upright and talk.

In 2018, Nicholas Krylov, a Russian American professor and expert in city planning, visits Yekaterinburg, Russia—also known as Catherine Town—to help them improve their municipal services as they prepare to host the World Cup Games. Meanwhile, veterinarian Ivan Krastov and his assistant, Dmitry Simovich, patrol the streets at night to capture homeless dogs that roam the city in packs and sometimes attack people. Krastov selects the smartest of these animals to use in secret experiments; he’s developing a new species that could soon be “patrolling streets and performing security functions.” Fyodor, a former stray dog that Krastov has successfully trained, can now talk and stand on his hind legs, and he becomes the veterinarian’s closest confidant. As Krastov gets closer to perfecting a new version of man’s best friend, animal rights groups and his own colleagues threaten to derail his work. The plot deals with exciting topics, including secret scientific experiments and anti-government subversion. However, the novel as a whole is surprisingly slow-paced, with characters that feel underdeveloped. The descriptions of women, in particular, tend to focus on their bodies; a minor character is said to be “muscular, not fat, but large-boned and wore a black dress, which was unflattering yet somehow extravagant.” Anna, a faculty member at the local university, is described as having “a well-shaped body” with “nuanced muscles” and “curvy, dimpled thighs.” However, her relationship with Krylov is only sketchily defined, which makes it unbelievable when Anna’s husband is knocked out while hiking with she and Krylov and they take the opportunity to have sex—during a lightning storm. There are many references to the Soviet era, and the novel seems to be aiming to make a statement about Russian civil service under Soviet rule, but the uneven writing undermines this goal.

A tedious dive into an unexpected solution to animal control.