Fifteen Dogs

Contributed by Sophie, grade 12 -- June 2018

Fifteen Dogs is an extraordinary novel about the great adventure of fifteen dogs receiving human intelligence. I really enjoyed this book because not only is it very playful and easy to read, but it also shines light on the different philosophical aspects of life and the different ways of thinking that each individual has. The conflicts and the storylines in the book are very realistic and are able to translate into situations that our society faces at this current moment.


Contributed by Samantha, grade 12 -- June 2018

I found the book Fifteen Dogs by Andre Alexis to be an easy yet unique read. The book is very short; there is lots of content on each page which made me never want to put it down.

The book explores the emotional side of reading as well as letting the reader experience new senses through the characters, which are mainly dogs. I believe that this book would appeal to more mature readers due to some language and graphic scenes.

Contributed by Chris, grade 12 -- June 2018

Fifteen Dogs is a brutal and heart-wrenching story that also manages to derive a comedic solution to an interesting philosophical issue. Set in present day Toronto, the plot kicks off with a bet between Greek gods Apollo and Hermes, who argue whether or not animals that are given human intelligence would die happy.

Using their powers, the gods gift this intelligence to fifteen dogs in a shelter, leaving the animals to their own devices. As such, the dogs struggle with their new identity, some lashing out violently -- others choosing peaceful routes such as poetry.

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a quick and interesting story, but with the warning that the book does get very graphic at times.

Contributed by Kate, grade 12 -- June 2018

I found Fifteen Dogs to be humorous, imaginative, and truly touching. Andre Alexis impressed me with his ability to realistically simulate and articulate the thoughts of the dogs in the novel. I imagine that my own dog would have the same concerns Alexis constructed, if he was gifted human intelligence. While I often chuckled at the realistic canine perspectives, I was also deeply moved by the tragic aspects of the novel. Namely, I was affected by the occurrence of violence throughout the novel, but only because Andre Alexis developed such personable characters. The plot of Fifteen Dogs is unique in itself, but Andre Alexis’ character development made it a joy for me to read.

Contributed by Maryam, grade 12 -- June 2018

The idea behind this book is astonishing -- to be able to see what it would be like if

dogs had the same mentality that people have if pretty cool, if you ask me! The way the dogs talk, think, act, and react to daily activities makes the book enjoyable book to read and from which to learn life lessons.

Contributed  by Mahdi, grade 12 -- June 2018

It’s a great book with many deep layers and many messages.The story is about fifteen dogs being given the human intelligence which is caused by a bet between Apollo and Hermes about how many of the dogs will die happily and how many will die sadly. Each of the dogs has a different story with different feelings and thoughts, but each of them highlights some important issues with which humans struggle. I think the writer chose a really clever and interesting way to tell the story and to highlight these issues.