Sharp Teeth, by Toby Barlow

A very unique book: an epic poem about werewolves in modern-day Los Angeles

Book Review by Ryan Agee | 08 Sep 2007
Book title: Sharp Teeth,
Author: Toby Barlow
In the spirit of Robert Frost's statement that "poetry is a way of taking life by the throat", Toby Barlow has written a very unique book: an epic poem about werewolves in modern-day Los Angeles. It initially follows a dog-catcher called Anthony, but as he becomes more and more puzzled by weird occurrences, we meet Lark, leader of the were-pack. But there are rival packs around, at first only in rumour, but soon affecting the plot dramatically. And what a plot it is, revolving around the crimes the wolves commit, the internal politics of the group, and the sexual politics of the packs, which only ever include one female, like wolves in the wild. And when the female in Lark's pack falls in love with Anthony, things get complicated. Barlow is good on LA, referencing ancient epics on trips to burger bars or warehouses while listening to the FM radio in the car. Some of the details are too strange – it's hard to say why some of the wolves enter a bridge tournament. And the ever-twisting plot can be hard to follow. But this is an exciting experiment, and though not a classic epic poem by any means, it's an entertaining page turner. [Ryan Agee]
Out Now. Published by William Heinemann. Cover Price £12.99 hardback.