Lily and the Octopus

Lily and the Octopus, by Steven Rowley

Lily and the Octopus is the debut fictional novel by writer Steven Rowley. This entertaining, and somewhat whimsical book, chronicles the journey of two main characters, Ted and his elderly dachshund, Lily,  who live an idyllic life in California, where they share themed evenings such as Monopoly Night, enjoy pizza and ice cream, and dish about celebrities.

One day, Ted discovers an Octopus, sitting right atop Lily’s head! The Octopus refuses to move, instead, making himself at home, right there in between Ted and Lily. Soon enough,readers discover that the Octopus is actually a tumor. Giving it a relatable form, and a personality, is how Ted copes with learning his longtime canine companion has developed a tumor. The story chronicle’s Ted’s zany and imaginative misadventures as he attempts to, first, dislodge the Octopus and, later, save Lily from it and remove it from their lives.

Much of the book is told through flashbacks, with Lily contributing to the narrative,comforting Ted by asking him to tell her their story, and Ted reminiscing the adventures he and Lily have shared.

At first glance, the book’s premise seems a little bit “out there”, and rather silly, maybe even somewhat off-putting. I wasn’t even sure I enjoyed it, until I had finished it and thought about it for a while. The author really does a great job weaving a fantastical tale out of of how some of us might respond to receiving such grim and unwanted news about our beloved furry companions. Ted’s battle with the Octopus covers all of the  steps of the process- denial, anger, bargaining… while coping with the inevitable in a somewhat non-traditional manner. A cute story, overall, though also bittersweet.

Jennifer Casula is an AFAA certified Group Fitness Instructor and Personal Trainer with 23 years’ experience in the industry.  Her hobbies include reading, and studying dog training and behavior. She and her three dogs, two cats and two turtles are currently anticipating a relocation back their home state of Texas, after spending the past two years in Oklahoma.