Name: Heart of a Dog
Rating: 4.078947368421052 (57 reviews)
ISBN: 9780802150592

Mikhail Bulgakov

A biting political satire about a canine who becomes a Soviet Commissar in charge of eliminaing vagrant quadrupeds

Heart of a Dog

how clever and goofy. bulgakov never disappoints with his fantastical satires

marlisa

Sammy

genius genius genius!!! satirists will always have a special place in my heart. 

being able to criticise such complex, serious topics in a humorous way is truly an art—an art that bulgakov beautifully mastered. 

"he who does not hurry manages to get everywhere," yeaaahhhh, says the man who impulsively created a monster (arguably)…

Omar AlHashmi

Well this is my first time tackling Russian Literature, and let's just say that it won't be my last. I have started to realize my love for satirical books. Pynchon gave me the first taste into the world of satire and how deeply layered and complex the books are. Bulgakov just gave me a second taste and I am loving it. It is such a difficult genre to like since it is unlike everything else. The real meat and content is the underlying details of the book. Stuff that should be inferred rather than having them hand fed to you. I guess that is why I am enjoying this genre, which reflects also in my taste in obscure movies. 

Now about the book. The story revolves around a brilliant scientist who has gone through with an experiment that turned out wrong. Completely wrong I should say. Turning a dog into a human being, while still having all the experiences and memories of the dog. Bulgakov certainly pulls us into philosophical questioning. What is the soul? How is that connected to our memories and action? Can it be moved? All of these fly through your head as you read the book. The story just never lets you down. The ending is also very very satisfying and something I did not expect. It had me thinking for a while to imagine the journey the dog has been through. Even though it was a small novel it still felt like a lot. All in all, I loved the book and will be looking forward to reading more satirical books. I also look forward to delving more into Russian Literature, as the setting was quite intriguing. 5/5

Simon Elliott Stegall

As with most satire, I enjoyed it for what it was but ultimately found it a bit forgettable.

Heart of a Dog

Reviews

Highlights