Ugly Dogs Don’t Cry is a retelling of Of Mice and Men set in modern-day West London which if anything is more emotional than the original. Even though I knew how it had to end, given the original material, I was hoping so hard that Armstrong would just make a radical diversion from the plot 😂 He really makes you feel for these characters, so the drama and emotion is high stakes!

.

I always enjoy a book centred around friendship, and this one between two young Black boys, Kyle and Sideeq, an artist and an aspiring rapper & entrepreneur, is the star of the show. I don’t read many retellings so I’m no expert, but these two definitely had George and Lennie vibes but just - better? Like the power imbalance wasn’t as obvious, Sideeq is blind in one eye and deaf in one ear; basically there is enough faithfulness to the original to make it a good retelling, but enough of the author’s own unique storytelling and characters to let it stand on its own two feet.

.

My only complaint is that I was hoping for more agency from ‘Curley’s Wife’s’ counterpart. In the original, I think Steinbeck himself admitted she’s just a plot device, not a fully formed or even named character. In this retelling, Nerissa does have a name and some more airtime, but as only one of two girls in a semi-main role, she does feel a little 2D compared to the boys, and her storyline is tragic. A ‘bad things happen to her and she does bad things in return’ thing.

.

Nadia @the.storygraph said she could picture it as a gritty London TV drama, and I definitely agree, it’d make a fab adaptation!