SUN JUNG My Name is Gucci. Reviewed by Michael Jongen

Gucci the Dalmatian narrates this novel of lives entwined from South Korea to Sydney over multiple lifetimes.

I did not expect that a novel narrated by a dog would move and astound me so much. I was not prepared for the richness of My Name is Gucci by Sun Jung. I found it ironic, philosophical, and funny. It gave me plenty to think about, too – though it did end abruptly, with a sense of tying up loose ends that wasn’t as satisfying as I might have liked.

The novel opens with Gucci living in an animal shelter in Singapore:

Straight after rescuing us, the volunteers gleefully posted an ad on their social media:

Two male Dalmatian puppies for adoption!

Over fifty inquiries flooded in within twenty-four hours. Sadly, all disappeared after the more senior volunteers changed ‘Dalmatian’ to the more accurate ‘mongrel’.

The inquirers all seemed to disagree with Sigrid Nunez, who proclaimed in her novel The Friend that mongrels are what nature intended, and that mongrels are what should exist.

After he has been there for five years, he is adopted by a writer and moves to inner-city Sydney to live with her and her Irish partner. He recognises her from a previous incarnation in Korea; his life has been entwined with his guardian/adopter’s fate through recurring reincarnations. He tells the story of her childhood in South Korea as, in their current life, an anti-dog war breaks out in their apartment block.

NCAT declared an amnesty for the dogs to reside in the concrete monster, pending their final decision …

The most symbolic restriction – that dogs must use the back door – had also been lifted for the time being. Upon hearing the news, the pro-dog people cheered with Pawsecco Sparkling Wine in hand and exultantly marched with their pooches through the main door and into the building’s main lobby.

Although the anti-dog people were irritated and indignant, there was little that they could do. At best, they could avert their grimacing eyes or snap, ‘We don’t like dogs!’

The story moves backwards and forwards through Gucci’s different incarnations and the writer’s past and present in Sydney. I loved the exploration of the relationship between dog and human and the slow-burn unveiling of their stories.

Having Gucci as the narrator is fresh and endearing, but the book also has emotional depth in its exploration of reincarnation, karma, and the bond between pets and their humans. There is cultural and geographical diversity with a variety of locations offering the reader glimpses into various settings and lifestyles. The stories of the woman’s upbringing in South Korea with a previous incarnation of Gucci are particularly poignant and gripping. These provide a contrast to the present-day story of Gucci being stalked by an anti-dog resident of the apartment block and, later, after they have moved, his detective work as he and his human struggle to identify who is vandalising garden ornaments in their cottage garden and back laneway.

With My Name is Gucci, Sun Jung joins notable Asian Australian women writers such as Alice Pung, Michelle de Kretser, Mirandi Riwoe, Jessica Au, Shankari Chandran, Melanie Chang, and Michelle Law, who provide a window into the multifaceted experiences of Asian Australians. (The novel also includes a glossary of Korean words and concepts.) Their stories enrich the Australian literary landscape and offer new perspectives on identity, culture, and belonging:

‘Who’s there?’ she asked.

‘It’s Yeosu mum,’ keun umma answered. ‘Wanna talk to your mum?’

‘I already am.’

‘I thought I was keun umma,’ said keun umma teasingly.

‘You are keun umma, big mum, Itaewon mum … my favourite mum.’

Sun Jung’s writing is both engaging and lyrical, effectively drawing readers into the complex world of Gucci’s reincarnations and the lives of his human companions. The themes of reincarnation, karma, and the human-animal bond are expertly woven into the narrative, offering depth and insight.

Emotionally, there is laughter, tears, and moments of deep connection. Gucci and his guardian evolve in meaningful ways, making their stories all the more impactful.

I found this book to be heartwarming and relatable. Gucci is a wonderful dog and narrator. Many readers will reflect on their own relationships with their pets. The story highlights the importance of adoption and rescue, and I hope it encourages readers to consider giving a loving home to animals in need.

Sun Jung My Name is Gucci Transit Lounge 2024 PB 272pp $32.99

Michael Jongen is a librarian and you can find him as @larrydlibrarian on Instagram and Threads.

You can buy My Name is Gucci from Abbey’s at a 10% discount by quoting the promotion code NEWTOWNREVIEW.

You can also check if it is available from Newtown Library.

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Tags: apartment living, Australian fiction, Australian women writers, Dalmatians, dogs, karma, Korea, reincarnation, Singpore, Sun | Jung