Sharp Teeth by Toby Barlow

Sharp Teeth (P.S.)

by Toby Barlow

An ancient race of lycanthropes survives in modern LA and its numbers are growing as packs convert the city's downtrodden into their fold. Stuck in the middle are a local dogcatcher and the woman he loves, whose secret past haunts her as she fights a bloody one-woman battle to save their relationship. Meanwhile, dog packs fight and scheme all around the them, hiding out in old warehouses, city kennel cages, or the plush comfort of suburban homes. Paying no heed to the moon, these packs change from human to wolf at will, squaring off against one another as they seek dominance at any cost. "Sharp Teeth" is a novel-in-verse that blends epic themes with dark humour, dogs playing cards, crystal meth labs, and acts of heartache and betrayal in Southern California.

Reviewed by ibeforem on

5 of 5 stars

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Wow, am I glad the front of this caught my eye at the library. I wasn’t sure what to expect from it, between the graphic novel comparisons and free verse format. Happily, I found the verse to be almost mesmerizing, sucking me and and pulling me along until before I know it, another 50 pages have passed. The story itself is actually pretty classic… a struggle between the bad guys and the kinda good guys, with a love story woven in between. It’s hard to choose just one excerpt. Overall, I was just really, really impressed.

Tomorrow she knows
the tactics will have to change
her luck has held three times
and Lark has always said,
luck is stupid as a cow
and blind as a bat.

What would you do
to protect the love you have?
Would you kill?
Would you hunt to kill?
Would you kill without mercy?
And if you wouldn’t
Then how precious is your love?

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 18 June, 2008: Finished reading
  • 18 June, 2008: Reviewed