He also writes a mean (sic) dog, though Peter Woodhouse is certainly not mean. Peter has a unique role in Smith's pantheon of fictional dogs. Unlike Freddy de la Hay, who has to be rescued from a spying mission gone wrong, he is not a point of view character. Even Cyril, drinker of ale and Edinburgh artist companion, reveals through his doggy point of view his compulsion to bite ankles. But Peter's role is different. Though he has plenty of adventures, he is more symbolic than pivotal to the plot. For this is a novel about love and forgiveness and ultimate redemption, even for some who've recently fought on the side of "a government founded on hate."
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