Anyone who has been around animals will know they all have their own personalities. Jane Smiley’s ability to seemingly inhabit them in this novel is exceptional.

Paras is a thoroughbred racehorse and has just won her first race. Back in the stables, her stall’s door is not quite latched. Paras pushes the door open to explore the wider world, cleverly taking a purse with her in her teeth. She finds herself in Champ de Mars, the extensive parkland surrounding the Eiffel Tower. There she meets Frida, a streetwise German shorthaired pointer; Raoul, a smart-alecky raven; along with ducks, Sid and Nancy. They are ‘strays’ but wouldn’t see themselves as anything other than ‘independent’.

Étienne, an eight-year-old orphan, lives close by the parkland with his very elderly, deaf and blind, great grandmother. Étienne encourages Paras to share the rambling house with him. The animals converse with each other and rely on their learned behaviour to interact with the humans.

Don’t be fooled into thinking that this is juvenile. Smiley’s skill is in making literary prose seem this simple. In naif style, she manages to convey the warmth humans feel from the touch of animals, and the despair both feel when alone. We know that this situation can’t possibly last. Its resolution is emotional and masterful.

This novel of love, grief and acceptance is definitely worth suspending your disbelief for.

Reviewed by Bob Moore