Ray describes himself as a giant, lumbering man who is not able to do things, has no knack for destruction, and stoops, weighted down by his own lump of fear. He has always lived in his father’s house in a small Irish town by the sea. One Tuesday (his normal day for going into town), he sees a notice for a dog that’s available at the local shelter. Ray has never had a dog before, but he adopts this scarred, snarling animal, despite the discouraging remarks of the kennel keeper.

The one-eyed dog obviously has been through some hard times and has issues of his own. Maybe because of that, the two form a strange sort of friendship. All of his life, Ray lived with his father, an odd man in his own right, up until the day he died, and now he continues to live on there. Ray’s life revolves around routines. He does certain things on certain days of the week, like going to town on Tuesdays, and tries to avoid people as much as possible, especially children. But now all of that has changed. He has a dog, and dogs need to be walked. Surprisingly, Ray finds comfort in this shakeup of his life. He finds joy in watching OneEye run free and scamper. One of the best places for that is the beach, so they go there often. Unfortunately, OneEye’s trust issues come into play and make big trouble for the pair of them. In order for Ray to avoid losing the only friend he has ever had, he and OneEye must make a run for it.

"SPILL SIMMER FALTER WITHER is beautifully written, with gorgeous, although sometimes dark, prose. Author Sara Baume paints us a poignant picture of the relationship between a badly damaged dog and his human counterpart."

The man and his dog set out in Ray’s clunker of a car, traveling by day wherever the roads take them. At night, they find an abandoned gateway to maneuver into and rest. Ray finally has a taste of freedom. And it feels good. For a short while. But it can’t last, and he’s homesick. They are caught between the proverbial rock and hard place, for back home they face trouble. However, the road has its own challenges. In truth, though, the longer Ray spends with his new companion, the more attached to him he becomes. He finally admits to himself that, in just two short seasons, he doesn’t know how he could go on without OneEye.

Many of us feel that way about our four-legged friends, but just imagine if that four-legged friend was the only friend you ever had. The world can be a cruel, frightening place, especially when traveled alone. A man like Ray simply does not make friends. So the part of himself that he gives to OneEye is huge. Once he has experienced that wonderful expansion of his heart, there really is no going back for him. But how can he keep OneEye safe from the authorities?

SPILL SIMMER FALTER WITHER is beautifully written, with gorgeous, although sometimes dark, prose. Author Sara Baume paints us a poignant picture of the relationship between a badly damaged dog and his human counterpart. But, while beautiful and poignant, it is also terribly sad, in that it shows how little tolerance society has for creatures that don’t fit in. Most of us go about daily living without much of a stumble. For Ray and OneEye, it’s not so easy. And once things have gone so wrong, figuring out what to do can be immobilizing. Here, for this pair, there are several solutions they can choose from, but only one answer that the town will give them.

Since Ray has only ever lived in his father’s house, and now he can’t envision living without his newfound friend, how is he supposed to choose? I leave it to you, the reader, to discover the depth of this special bond.