Saturday, September 6, 2008

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski


This was easily the best book I read this summer. It reminded me a bit of Steinbeck with his vivid settings and unique characters. We meet Edgar, the main character, when he is just starting high school. He lives on an isolated farm near a small midwestern town. He was born unable to speak, though there is no apparent physical reason. His parents breed and raise dogs and the dogs are central to this tale. Edgar, who is beginning to take on some of the dog training responsibilities, shows a keen ability to communicate with the dogs. Without giving away any major plot points, what appears to be an idyllic story line, turns dark and never looks back. Even at the point I recognized where the author was taking me, I couldn't stop turning the pages. I'm not sure I liked the ending, but I very much enjoyed the ride. I give it 5 out of 5 stars. (submitted by J.S - librarian)

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is one of the best books of the summer - a great "classic" tale told through an unusual character. And if you love dogs - you'll really love this book!

MLH said...

I really enjoyed this book even though the parallels to a certain famous work of literature became obvious to me quite early. Rather than this being a "spoiler" for me, the similarities added another layer of interest and enjoyment as I read the rest of the novel.