Thursday, February 24, 2011

The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein

Plot: Told from the point of view of a philosophical dog, Enzo tells his life story as the best friend of a race car driver named Denny. Enzo has a very human soul, but was born into a body that walks on four legs and lacks such things as a speech-enabled tongue and opposable thumbs. It is his belief that the dog is the final step in reincarnation before humans, and Enzo is certain that when he dies this time, he will be born again as a human. He is ready.

Comments: I really loved the character Enzo. He is intelligent, thoughtful, and very human-like, however much a dog he is. It touched me how understanding Enzo was with the humans in his life. He understood the feelings of Denny's wife when  no one else did, and he did his best to protect his family, Denny especially. When Denny is forced to fight for custody of his young daughter, Enzo supports him and will not let Denny give up, even after years go by. I loved Enzo's dedication to his beloved master, Denny.

There were several characters in the story that I really disliked, though I believe that was the intent. For example, Denny's parents-in-law were absolutely horrible and treated both him and Enzo like filth. And the girl that tried to trick her way in Denny's heart was also despicable, but I felt a little sorry for her, because she really just wanted love. She was confused and hurt, but she also still rather deserved it. Anyway, from the dog's perspective, I noticed how terrible humans can be. It's curious how Enzo personally witnessed all these bad sides of humans, the cruelty and the unfairness, and yet he still believes that one must go through many reincarnations before they are ready to become a human. It's the final level, he thinks. And Enzo believes that he's ready to be human. I can't help but think that Enzo is too kind, too loyal and selfless to be a human in his next life. But it's his dream.

Rating: I rate this book a seven out of ten. A good story, but a little slow.

1 comment:

  1. This is a fantastic book!!! I believe it is a test of patience for the main characters!!! Some lessons we all can take advantage of in our lives. I would recommend this book to all and don't forget to read it to your dog!!

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