Review of Dogs and women allowed

[Janki Patel]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Dogs and women allowed" by Emma Briggs.]

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4 out of 5 stars

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Dogs and Women Allowed by Emma Briggs is a story about women navigating their way through the male-dominated sport of golf. 

Peckers Wood Club, an elite golf club, takes pride in its age-old patriarchal customs and the so-called gentlemanly way of functioning. Philly, Prudence, Birdie, Bogey, and a few other women decide to carve out a space for themselves in this club. The president of the club grudgingly agrees to open the position of a Lady Captain. However, time and again, these women are made to realise the insignificance and futility of their opinions. Thus, this is a story about women breaking the age-old notions concerning golf as a sport and proving their worth in other fields that have for long been deemed befitting only men. 

The book is rife with comedic scenes and humour, offering a respite from the tension built by deeper themes and issues. The gravity of inequality comes into greater focus when the men of the club are utterly oblivious to the fact that women too can provide useful insights into the day-to-day running of the club. In the face of the incompetency of the treasurer—who inherited the position from his father—to maintain an adequate pool of funds, the author sheds light on the obvious demerits of nepotism. The book does not portray women as conquerors, bringing about some revolutionary change. Rather, it describes the more real aspect of the struggle, one that requires constant reassurance and support to overcome gender-based challenges.

The characters are written to near perfection, as each has their own flair and uniqueness. My favourite in terms of enjoyment would be the twins, Birdie and Bogey Banger. They add a zest to the book that makes the whole reading experience jolly. One of the characters, Mrs. Pushet, is characteristic of that old granny who has the least number of filters, making the person she is talking to comically uncomfortable. These and other characters go on to show the versatility of the author in picturing a diverse cast of characters. 

Other than the editing errors here and there, I had a joyous time reading this book. If a combination of meaningful themes and comedy is what you are looking for, then this book is for you. Moreover, the ending wraps up each character’s story beautifully, making it worth reading.

For the above-mentioned reasons, I rate this book four out of five.

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Dogs and women allowed
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