A Book Review
I’m not quite sure how this book even found its way onto my Kindle. It might have been one of the many daily deal emails I receive, or perhaps it was featured in BookPage or another trusted source of readerly news and reviews. However it happened, I’m grateful it did—because this book turned out to be a small gem.
Unnatural Selection is built on a brilliant and genuinely unique premise: a story told from the unreliable perspective of a dog. Teddy, a Goldendoodle, is completely in love with his life and with his soulmate, Maggie (he’s not ready to call her his master—yet). That life is abruptly upended by a series of events he doesn’t fully understand. And since Teddy is, after all, a dog (a fact he himself isn’t quite ready to admit), his interpretation of what’s happening—including the apparent abduction of his beloved Maggie—may be wildly inaccurate. What is certain is Teddy’s determination to restore his world to the way it was and right every wrong along the way.
When I first started reading, I expected a light, silly, and charming book—something animal lovers like myself would happily devour. And I wasn’t wrong. But I also wasn’t fully right. Because this novel is far more than a cute story told from the perspective of a cute dog.
Part mystery and part self-exploration, Unnatural Selection is ultimately a story about identity: about discovering who we are, finding the courage to redefine ourselves, and learning how to return home with a deeper understanding of what makes life—and the people (and creatures) in it—worth loving.
The book is filled with genuinely funny moments. I especially loved the group text messages and emails between various side characters. It’s hard to choose a favorite among them, but if pressed, I’d have to say the animal therapist, Howard Tynte, stole the show. I could happily read an entire anthology of his emails and never grow tired of his misadventures.
In many ways, this book reminds me of Doctor Who’s TARDIS—it’s bigger on the inside. The number of side stories and characters is impressive, and with each turn of the page, I found myself increasingly surprised by the depth and care woven into the narrative.
If you’re an animal lover who also enjoys inventive storytelling packed with humor, mystery, and thoughtful introspection, I think you’ll find a lot to love in Coco Cooper’s debut novel.
Lisa M. Gott 