Dog-Head (Jarvis) - Book Reviews

Book Reviews
This is an extraordinary collection of three novellas all centered on themes of obsession, myth, and exoticism. They are each mesmerizing, beautifully written, and wholly immersive, presenting the reader with intimate glimpses of little-seen worlds.

Locations are left relatively vague, as the stories are more often told from the point of view of the white outsider; the author is aware of the ways a tourist’s expectations of savage jungles and down-to-earth natives can color lived experiences, but his locals are just as aware of this exchange, which leads to excellent tension. The stories build their worlds slowly and then snap the reader out of reverie with quick plot changes and dramatic conclusions.

IR Verdict: Dog-Head: Tales from the Neotropics is a striking and viscerally immersive exploration of island culture and white tourism, man’s obsession with conquering nature, and the power of mythology.
IndieReader Review