num_pages: 272
description: A sharply observed 24-hour urban love story that follows Stephen Connolly  a character from the bestselling novel The Children  through one of the worst days of his life. The day he has decided to dump his girlfriend.On a stiflingly hot December day Stephen has decided its time to break up with his girlfriend Fiona. Hes 39 aimless and unfulfilled hes without a clue working out how to make his life better. All he has are his instincts  and unfortunately they might just be his downfall . . .As he makes his way through the pitiless city and the hours of a single day Stephen must fend off his demanding family endure another shift of his dead-end job at the zoo (including an excruciating teambuilding event) face up to Fionas aggressive ex-husband and the hysteria of a childrens birthday party that goes terribly wrong. As an ordinary day develops into an existential crisis Stephen begins to understand  perhaps too late  that love is not a trap and only he can free himself.Hilarious tender and heartbreaking Animal People is a portrait of urban life a meditation on the conflicted nature of human-animal relationships and a masterpiece of storytelling.Animal People invites readers to question the way we think about animals  what makes an animal person? What value do we as a society place on the lives of creatures? Do we brutalise our pets even as we love them? Whats wrong with anthropomorphism anyway? Filled with challenging ideas and shocks of recognition and revelation Animal People shows a writer of great depth and compassion at work.
language: English
title: Animal People
publisher: Allen & Unwin