The Story of Edgar Sawtelle

I'm really glad I that I forgot how Hamlet unfolded..

I'm really not glad that it's got the label of ‘modern classic'

I always enjoy a good Shakespearean tragedy and in this book Wroblewski delivers Hamlet for the twenty first century.

While I enjoyed this aspect of the book, I found the beginning especially to be rather long-winded and all the descriptions of dog-training a little unnecessary.

However, being a dog-lover, I enjoyed Almondine's narrative -it was beautifully written and quite unconventional.

This novel is beautiful. I became instantly attached to Edgar's character, as well as to Almondine's. I was sad to be done with such a beautifully-told story so soon (though I tried my hardest to go slow and just savor the lovely prose). On the other hand, the book did make me cry at least 4 times–I don't think I've cried so often (or so hard) over a story since I read [b:Where the Red Fern Grows 10365 Where the Red Fern Grows Wilson Rawls http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1166154337s/10365.jpg 115] in second grade. Like other reviewers, I was also a bit disappointed in the ending, but not so much that it overshadowed the rest. I am definitely eager to see what this author does next.

I kind of put off reading this book for awhile, I am not a dog person and really am not fond of books or movies that feature animals, but I kept hearing how great this one was, so I relented and picked it up! What can I say, I LOVED it, so much in fact I finished it in two days! The writing is just gorgeous, the characters beautifully written, just a really, really great read!

Edgar Sawtelle is a fascinating character. What I loved about this story was the complexity and believability of the family dynamics. The dogs are also such a big part of this dog breeding family. I learned a lot about the business as I was taken for this wonderful ride.

The author took his time building Edgar's world and I appreciated the pace. Though he is mute, Edgar is larger in life through his thoughts and motivations. The family is so true to life, it's heartbreaking to read how each member gets so much wrong even when love is what binds them to one another. The prose is exquisite. Though it's a big book, it's one I wouldn't mind reading again.