Yep, that's a Siberian Husky wearing a cravat.

I just finished reading Kirsten Bakis' Lives of the Monster Dogs. How's that for a title? This is a book about monster dogs, people. Specifically, it's about a race of hyper-intelligent dogs equipped with voice boxes and surgically attached mechanical hands who walk on their hind legs into present-day Manhattan. Oh, and did I mention that they're fabulously wealthy and dressed in 19th century Prussian fashions? Really. And it actually works as a modern Gothic novel that echoes themes from Mary Shelley's Frankenstein.

This book isn't perfect. Bakis frequently breaks the show, don't tell rule and cleverly cheats her way out of having to explain much of the seemingly inexplicable, but the fact that I was able to suspend my disbelief for the duration of such a fantastic narrative is a testament to her storytelling skills. Not only did I suspend my disbelief, but I am willing to admit that I was emotionally invested in a story about walking, talking dogs. That's reason enough to recommend it.

And holy lord, it looks like it's going to become a film.