Walking in Circles Before Lying Down: A Novel (original 2006; edition 2007)

Way too weird for me.... ( )

amusing little book about a woman with horrible taste in men learning to cope with life from the mouth of her dog, Chuck. Dawn Tarnauerhas two short marriages under her belt and is trying to find and keep #3. Her mother is trying out her new get-rich-quick-scheme with a not too honest new man in her life and her flighty sister,Halley, has become a Life Coach simply because she can't do anything else.
Chuck is her new dog who has neuroses of his own,especially his belief that Dawn loved her first dead dog more than him. The difference is Chuck doesn't suffer in silence. he tells Dawn exactly what he thinks and seems utterlt bewildered by human ways.
A touching portrait of the bond between man and dog filled with humor and zany characters. A thoroughly enjoyable quick read. You will delight in this author's writing. ( )

This was a mildly amusing tale (ha!)but full of a little too much angst in the character of Dawn for my tastes. But it was fine to read when recovering from the flu and wanting something light. I've often wondered what dogs were thinking, because I'm sure it's more than the classic cartoon that has parts of the brain outlines as sleep. roll over, hump leg, fetch, etc. A good dog is hard to find and Dawn was blessed with two, one of which she was smart enough to listen to. ( )

They say dogs and babies will steal a scene every single time — so be careful concerning when you feature them. Because one well-placed puppy? He’ll completely capitalize on the attention of your audience, forcing everything in the background to blur.

Sadly, I’d say Merrill Markoe’s Walking In Circles Before Lying Down is proof that just isn’t true. Not even a cute dog could divert my focus from all the other bizarre happenings in this Los Angeles-based novel.

Among narrator Dawn Tarnauer’s many problems — including a meddling sister, an entrepreneurial mother and a distant jerk of a boyfriend — is one tiny new development: her dog Chuck seems to be talking to her.

Well, he doesn’t seem to be. He is. And Chuck has plenty to say.

Walking In Circles Before Lying Down is a look at Dawn’s life as it slowly, but surely, begins to break down. Newly dumped by her boyfriend Paxton, an arrogant radio DJ, Dawn moves into her little sister Halley’s mobile home in Malibu and takes a job at a local veterinary. A serious dog lover, Chuck serves as Dawn’s closest ally and companion during this turbulent part of her life.

So I guess it should come as no shock that as Dawn struggles with entering a “new phase” in her life, she relies heavily on Chuck to comfort and support her as the Tarnauers, as a group, continually fail her. Halley gives her shelter, sure, but can’t bring herself to help her sister beyond offering some of the same pat “advice” she gives her celebrity clients, some of whom are slightly more than notorious. And Joyce Tarnauer? She’s about as kind and welcoming a mother as an iceberg. An inconsiderate iceberg.

Here’s my problem with this novel: everyone was pretty terrible. The only personality trait the Tarnauers seemed to share came in the form of their selfish, ridiculous behavior. Dawn basically fumbles her way through life, apparently with “doormat” written in lipstick across her face. Dawn’s boyfriend? A self-absorbed loser. And the fact that no one else in Dawn’s family can even be bothered to notice that, except the dog, was really upsetting.

What’s funny is that while I was reading Walking In Circles Before Lying Down, I was actually pretty absorbed in the story — though sometimes jolted by the extreme amount of profanity. Markoe has a snarky, fun writing style, and I would probably pick up another of her novels in the future. But not even intelligent, perceptive talking dogs and the hints at philosophy could save this one for me. ( )

One young woman's trials with trying to find happiness and success. She does by starting her own business and going her own way. ( )