Leonardo Padura tells the story through three interwoven timelines and perspectives. Why do you think he chose this structure? How did it shape your experience as a reader, and how do the shifting perspectives influence your understanding of truth and history in the novel?

In addition to appearing in the title, dogs are a constant presence throughout the novel. What do you think they symbolize, and why might Padura have chosen to make them so central to the story

The novel depicts a heavy, oppressive atmosphere that is dominated by fear. How effectively do you think it captures the psyches of both those who enforce this fear and those who live under it? Can you imagine what it would be like to live in such a world yourself

Throughout the story, Ramón Mercader lives under multiple different names and inside multiple different identities. How do you think living with these aliases affected his psyche and sense of self?

“To hell with Trotsky with his obstinate fanaticism.” Lev Davidovich is portrayed as someone stubbornly and blindly devoted to his beliefs, often pressuring those around him and “breathing down their necks.” To what extent do you think a bit more leniency or flexibility on his part could have changed the course of this story, or even the course of Soviet and World history?

Authors often include versions of themselves in their novels through writer characters. To what extent do you think Padura was writing himself into the character of Iván?

Each of the three main characters faces the betrayal of the ideals they once believed in. How was their faith challenged, and how did each of them respond to that betrayal?

How does the novel explore the concept of personal responsibility under authoritarian rule? Of the numerous characters that appear in the book, who could be considered a victim and who a villain?

Why was it so important for Ramón Mercader to tell his story? And why was it important for Trotsky to write his accounts of the October Revolution and Stalin’s rise? What role do literature, memory, and storytelling play in the political struggles in the novel? Can storytelling be a form of justice?

The novel includes cameo appearances by famous figures like George Orwell and Frida Kahlo. How did these moments affect your reading experience? Did they add depth, distract, or bring something unexpected to the story?

After finishing the story of The Man Who Loved Dogs, Iván hands it off to his friend Dany and wants nothing more to do with it. What do you think is behind his rejection of the story?