Dogs and Monsters: Stories

In this collection of eight short stories, Haddon (The Porpoise) offers modern twists on tales from Greek mythology. From the story of the Minotaur told from the point of view of his heartbroken mother to a tense foray into a genetic engineering facility, Haddon takes on the patriarchy, animal abuse, and the fragile separation between humans and animals. Each of the four audiobook narrators—Christina Cole, Rachel Bavidge, Robert Bathurst, and Steve John Shepherd—brings a wealth of experience and talent. As they journey through Haddon’s grimly described landscapes, they tap into the relentlessly unsettling atmosphere that runs throughout the collection, lulling listeners with descriptions of the characters’ unsuspecting naivete before moving into a hard-won world-weariness. The change of narrator for each story is a much-needed palate cleanser that listeners will appreciate. Given the heavy nature of Haddon’s stories, some may want to space out their listening, but they will quickly be drawn in again by this collection that encourages deep reflection.