Albina and the Dog-Men

Having read Alejandro Jodorowsky’s “Where the Bird Sings Best,” I was prepared for the weirdness in his second translated novel, “Albina and the Dog-Men.” Weirdness aside, inside, this is a good, entertaining story, a journey, like any good road trip. Quite often I was reminded of Indiana Jones looking for the Holy Grail, and even the Temple of Doom. The three main characters are named for their characteristics, but see transformations that bring out their true names. Crabby, who walks hunched over like a crab, rejected her given male name of Isaac, and later turns this into Isabella. She finds and names amnesiac Albina in the first chapter, and they run from the authorities together, hitting the road. Just when they need help, they join up with the hat maker, Amado Dellarosa, making for a strange kind of love triangle.

Albina, who is somewhere between human and goddess, infects men who in turn infect women with a canine virus, which under moonlight turns them all into dogs. This can only be cured by a cactus that flowers for ten seconds once every one hundred years. They have to find this cactus, in the tomb of Atahualpa, with little more than an armadillo as a guiding compass.

Wandering through the desert, where only spiders live, they come across a concrete and plaster replica of Columbus’s ship, populated by life-size Saint Peter icons. The oddness of this presence adds some humor, as do the colorful flocks of parrots that either harmonize with Gregorian chants or match their plumage to their background. Past the adventure story, there is a biblical or vaguely religious vibe, the most direct interactions being with the indigenous legends. If there is any symbolism, it isn’t overt, nor does it beg for analysis. That is, you don’t have to read too deep into it, unless you want to; the book is entertaining enough without.

“Albina and the Dog-Men” is fast-paced and dreamlike, not in the foggy around the edges sense, but in the way weird, inexplicable stuff happens as if normal - almost like a fairy tale. Old-fashioned illustrations for an adult readership appear at the beginning of each chapter, enhancing the already movie-like imagery. Given Jodorowsky’s controversial reputation, this book stands on its own as a good, even fun, read.

Note: I received a copy of this title courtesy of Restless Books