Lily and the Octopus

"Lily and the Octopus is the dog book you must read this summer.... Reading this heart-wrenching but ultimately breathtaking novel was a very profound experience.... As Lily might say, 'YOU! MUST! READ! THIS! BOOK!'" -The Washington Post

"Startlingly imaginative...'Lily and the Octopus' is a love story sure to assert its place in the canine lit pack...Be prepared for outright laughs and searing or silly moments of canine and human recognition. And grab a tissue: THERE! WILL! BE! EYE! RAIN!" -Newsday

"Sensitive, hilarious, and emotionally rewarding.... The intimacy of pet ownership is sweetly suffused throughout this heartwarming autobiographical fiction... In generous helpings of bittersweet humanity, Rowley has written an immensely poignant and touchingly relatable tale that readers (particularly animal lovers) will love." -Publishers Weekly

"Steven Rowley's touching, fresh, energetic novel isn't simply another 'boy and his dog' story. It is a profound exploration of grief-how we find ourselves lost, how we search for reason, how we sacrifice ourselves for our loved ones, all to avoid paying the octopus. But the octopus will be paid. And in settling that debt, in the magical, hopeful world of Lily and the Octopus, we will learn to live-and love-again. A wonderfully moving story." -Garth Stein, bestselling author of The Art of Racing in the Rain

"An exceedingly authentic, keenly insightful, and heartbreakingly poignant tribute to the purity of love between a pet and its human." -Booklist (starred review)

"A quirky and deeply affecting charmer of a novel, Lily and the Octopus is funny, wise, and utterly original in its exploration of what it means to love any mortal creature. This brave little dachshund will capture your heart, as will her prickly, tenderhearted, and irresistible owner. Don't miss their adventures together." -Sara Gruen, bestselling author of Water for Elephants

"Singular, spectacular, and touchingly tentacular." -Chris Cleave, bestselling author of Little Bee

"You will tear through this big-hearted, inventive novel. A fast and funny read that also happens to be a profound meditation on love and forgiveness, Lily and the Octopus is a delight." -Christina Baker Kline, bestselling author of Orphan Train