Yannick Murphy’s The Call is one of the most unique books I’ve read recently. The novel is laid out in the format of a veterinarian’s call log book. Each entry states the nature of the call, the vet’s actions, the results and what he thinks about on the way home. Just when I began to think that this was going to be an interesting book about farm life in the country, Kevin (the vet) takes his 12 year old son deer hunting. His son is shot in the shoulder by an unknown hunter, causing him to fall out of his deer stand and end up in a coma. Kevin continues taking calls — treating horses, a pet sheep who lives in the kitchen, and other animal emergencies — all while trying to find out who shot his son and then disappeared.
As the story progresses, the call log entries expand to what his wife or his kids say, what he does while visiting his son in the hospital, and other musings that keep the narrative moving. The format can be a bit jarring but I found it a very effective device. The characters are fun and quirky. Kevin listens to a teach-yourself-German CD while driving and often refers to one of the people in the lessons as if she really exists. He frequently witnesses lights in the sky, which he refers to as a spaceship. His wife Jen claims to get transmissions from someone in space looking for a Head Potty Cleaner. The kids are just as wacky as their parents, which is a nice change from the wooden drones that kids can be when they’re minor characters.
The calls are pretty typical for a large animal vet in the country and I found myself resorting to Google a few times – people who know horses may know what it means to float their teeth, but I had no clue. Kevin worries about calls reducing because people can’t afford to pay a vet anymore but also accepts payment in the form of bacon or mutton and uses the least expensive means possible to treat the animals. He’s a kind-hearted guy who loves his family and treats animals with dignity and respect, but he’s also sharp enough to realize it’s the aforementioned sheep’s owner who really needs a doctor.
If you like books with unusual formats and quirky characters, including the animals, check out The Call.
Nancy likes her life in the suburbs but wonders what it would be like to live on a farm. She writes about her 2 boys, books and life in Colorado at Life With My Boys and Books.
Pam ( says
Very interesting! I actually know several large animal vets so this is something I’ll totally read and I’m sure I’ll pass on.