I can only apologise for the title of this post, but there was never going to be any other way to introduce Jim Dodge's Fup – a wonderful fable about two men and a duck. No, really. Jake – 99, convinced of his immortality, an alcoholic gambler; Tiny – meticulous, good-natured and obviously huge; and Fup – an enormous female mallard with the loyalty and spirit of a dog. And together they live out a strange yet harmonious existence. People are recommending me books and I do listen and try and take it onboard, there are simply too many books. When they're thrust at you, however, it's harder to turn them down (thanks, Vik), and as there are not enough book club months left to fill the remaining slots, I can tuck this one away happily.
It's a very funny book, particularly Jake for his grouchiness, but also the general way the characters all play off each other. And though the book is slim, they are beautifully drawn and have memorable personalities. I liked the artwork too, especially as I've been thinking recently about how it can really enhance a book, and in this case the style matches the tone.
What's more though, is that it has a heart too, shown in the affections between our unlikely trio. Fable is probably the right word too, for it couldn't be said to be 'real' in any way, yet the feelings and interactions are real enough. An enormously uplifting book, too, containing happiness and sadness and hope. It's Jonathan Livingston Seagull reimagined by Irvine Welsh – a moral tale with soul, inhabited by wonderfully distinct and exaggerated creations, with a rich seam of humour running throughout. All in less than a hundred pages.
Book number: 46
Title: Fup
Author: Jim Dodge
Category: Book club/recommendations
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