The Art of Racing in the Rain
by Garth Stein
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Book Reviews of The Art of Racing in the Rain
Book Review: Pleasant enough, not so memorable
Summary: 3 Stars
Well, Art of Racing is a sweet enough book, and I'd have to say the description of "Jonathan Livingston Seagull" as a dog frankly nails it. I appreciated the idiosyncratic first-person-dog narrator, starting out strong revealing the saga as much through scent observation as otherwise. Enzo is sweetly and dearly rendered throughout his life.
It was entertaining to venture into the world of auto racing, unknown terrain to me, and I feel as though more details to immerse me in the subculture would have been enjoyable.
What makes the read less than memorable is the limited character development. Denny is essentially a perfect human being. Call my cynical, but I appreciate a little more of the human condition. Alright for Enzo to think him divine, but the reader should be given more a sense of a whole man. As golden as Denny is, the "Evil Twins" (a/k/a the in-laws) are despicable beyond belief without better exposition on why they would be so callous. The explanations given by the author feel trumped up to me. Without being a spoiler regarding the ending, I'll simply say that the answers to all of Denny's financial problems ... gosh durn, how heartwarming. Would make a great Disney flick.
No, no, it's not so horrible, I did read the whole darned thing cover to cover. Thanks to the fabulous Drake Hotel in Toronto that provides a new hardcover novel (sure beats mints on the pillow), I didn't spend a dime, and enjoyed the pleasure of a mindless read. But did not feel compelled to take it home with me.
Book Review: An incredible story from the dog's point of view.
Summary: 5 Stars
The Art of Racing in the Rain A friend of mine recommended this book to me a couple of weeks ago so i came online and read the information, and immediately ordered a copy for myself and another friend. Since starting the book, I have recommended it to everyone I know. I have read a lot of the reviews posted here, and I honestly don't know how anyone could not like this book. Seeing things from Enzo's perspective adds to the humor and the pain. I love getting this from him, and hearing it from his perspective because it makes it all more credible. Yeah this stuff happens to people all the time, and people could write a book about it and it might get read, but to have it from the dog makes it different, more powerful, maybe more painful, more innocent. I look at my dogs just a little differently now. I have always known they are smart and they think, and they have feelings -- this book validates those feelings. I love being able to lose myself in a book, in the characters and in their lives -- makes some of my problems seem a little less significant and more bearable. I love reading a book whose characters stay with me long after I have finished the book. THAT is a good book and a special gift that the author has. I hope there will be many more books from Mr. Stein. I bought another copy for another friend yesterday, and am pretty sure I will have to continue buying to insure that all of my friends have this book on their nightstand.Book Review: Wrenching and inspiring
Summary: 5 Stars
I picked The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein simply because, being a dog lover and seeing the dog on the cover, I couldn't resist. It was one of those moments, as a reader, you'll remember for a while. What a wonderful book.
Enzo, the narrator, is a dog and Enzo wants nothing more than to be a man. Here is the only aspect of the book I might doubt. Anyone who is aware of "man's" human nature knows that dogs, as a creature, are much nobler. To become a man might not be an upward move. Nuff said there.
Enzo is part of a happy family, Denny, the racer; Denny's wife Eve, and his daughter Zoe. Life is good. But then Eve develops cancer and decides to remove herself to her parents home along with Zoe. In the end, the parents of Eve decide to challenge Denny for custody to Zoe and do so in a manner that isn't befitting grandparents.
This book will tear at you in so many ways and on so many levels. Without giving too much away let me just say that I haven't felt compelled to tear up so often by a book in a long time. Reading The Art of Racing in the Rain is like sitting through Old Yeller as a young boy and not crying. But don't let me scare you off. The Art of Racing is a book you've got to read, especially if you love dogs (or animals in general). With a wonderful storyline and characters you become attached to this book is cathartic.
Garth Stein is to be congratulated on writing a book that is sure to become a classic.
Book Review: No Art Here
Summary: 1 Stars
I wanted very much to like this book. I very much did not.
True, I had an expectation that the story would be told with a great deal of doggie emotion in that we dog lovers feel very strongly about our dogs and believe our dogs feel equally strongly about us. But even if I notch down that expectation, this book read to me like a newspaper article that simply states events in chronological order - without emotion. Yes, the book is told from the dog's point of view - but there was nothing in the telling of the story that made that voice apparent other than the dog's statement that it was so. I had no sense of the dog's personality or impressions related to the events in the book. And in that the dog was a main character, I had an expectation that his character would be developed as any other main character of any other book. If you are going to give the dog the ability to speak and understand humans, the dog needs to react on an emotional level like a human in my opinion. You know from page one or two the dog will be reincarnated and even when that occurs, his owner recognizes that fact only because of the (reincarnated dog as a boy) boy's name and the fact the boy likes racing rather than because of any personality traits or behaviors. Very flat. Again, the book seemed a list of occurrences. I had no sense of the emotions of any event in the book. Nothing. Zero. Nada. Would not buy the book.
Book Review: Fantastic
Summary: 5 Stars
I have never felt compelled to write a review of a novel before now. I finished this book in a marathon of page turning bliss and sadness. I am a dog lover and am fond of racing , but above all else I am a human. The spirit to fight and live is shared in this novel and attaches itself to every tear fallen and every race won. I will warn those who are sentimental this may be one to many heart felt tales compiled in one book. If you insist on picking this up you will be led by the tail on a voyage of unforgettable size. This book allows us to see how we are tied together and depend so heavily on another soul. Thank you Mr. Stein for this wonderful tale. I do not know other how else to put this; my dog has seen me through some of the most unimaginable times and to this day stands beside me and reminds me of humility every day. She is a wonderful vessel placed her to help my family and I struggle and share in some of the most explosive times of both good and bad. You captured this so well and as her health fails I found the text very reflective. This book is a masterpiece and I believe deep within the text we can all learn about what is really important in our lives from the pages. It is as perfect as any novel I have read. You sir have delivered one very powerful and enduring piece of work. I recommend this one with gushing remarks just make sure your kleenex box is full.