Sharp Teeth by Toby Barlow

Sharp Teeth, by Toby Barlow, reviewed by Gail Parsons, Head of Hoyt Library
HarperCollins, 2008, 312 pages, $22.95
In his very first novel, Toby Barlow tells a story of rival packs of dogs/werewolves that change at will from their human form to visit various types of mayhem on the residents of Los Angeles. He uses free-form verse as his vehicle rather than the usual narrative format, but don’t be intimidated by the look of the page. After the first few stanzas you are comfortable with the easy cadence and lured into this fascinating tale. From a love story to gruesome murders and class issues among the packs – this is well-written with an intelligent, literary style. As a new novelist, Barlow is sure to develop a following.