Review: Love Is a Donkey by Meghan Parks

Julian Blaire, better known as pop star JB Kahn, has a hit song, an enormous ego, and a career that may already be fading. Then he wakes up as a donkey. He still thinks like a celebrity, but he can no longer talk his way out of trouble—or make anyone recognize him.

The premise gives Meghan Parks plenty of room for comedy. Julian’s running commentary on hay, flies, his former colleagues, and the indignities of donkey life is often funny precisely because he remains so convinced of his own brilliance. His struggle to play music with hooves is an especially inventive way to connect his old identity with his new one.

As Julian moves between homes, the story becomes more tender and more serious. His bond with Sadie, a young girl who finds comfort in their shared music, gives his change of heart something concrete to grow from. He gradually pays attention to what other people need, even when helping them costs him something.

The shift in tone is substantial. Readers expecting a light animal comedy throughout should know that later chapters include grief, neglect, and frightening scenes of family violence. Julian’s wisecracks can also feel repetitive at times. Still, the relationship at the heart of the book makes its emotional turn convincing.

Love Is a Donkey is an unusual, heartfelt story about a man who has to lose his audience before he learns how to care for someone else.

Goodreads Review:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/8956011787

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