Between a Wolf and a Dog, by Georgia Blain

What does the title mean? The obscure metaphor initially seems to refer to the unloved family pooch, but he quickly disappears from the narrative, making it difficult to see the point of him at all. Is it the wild wolf of creativity versus the dog of domestic reality? Is it as base as sister beast versus sister bitch? It never becomes apparent. Sisters Ester and April are estranged, largely because of Ester’s ex-husband, perpetual man-child Lawrence. Their mother Hilary lays an enormous responsibility on him, which she hopes will trigger forgiveness and reconciliation, and he rises to the occasion in an unlikely denouement. The writing is clear and beautiful, the story less so. Despite her distractingly annoying missing H, Ester is the most believable and relatable character. Her motivations, behaviours and reactions strike a chord of recognition. By contrast, April and Lawrence are unconvincing and Hilary is a little insubstantial. The result is a novel of style and promise that does not quite deliver on substance. It is nevertheless a great pity it will be Blain’s last novel as she sadly died last week, at the age of 51.