AR Book Review

Dogs are a man’s best friend. That is something that has been stated over and over for years. People who have dogs love them. They love taking their dogs for walks, taking them to the park, and even talking to them. What would people think if they found out that their dogs could actually listen and comprehend everything that they were saying and that their dogs might be a whole lot smarter than they though? What, also, might people think if they found out that dogs are so intellectual that they could actually narrate a whole book to human readers. The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein is exactly that. It is a book narrated by a dog named Enzo who believes that once he dies as a dog, he will come back to earth as a human.

One great thing about this novel that some may not like is that the whole thing is narrated by a dog. One could argue that this is a bad thing because dogs do not understand a lot of things. The narrator was very limited in the places he could go and also could be a little biased towards his owner, naturally. An example of this is when Enzo is not allowed in the courtroom with Denny so he tells us what happens through the storytelling of Denny. Some of the information could have been altered since it is known that when telling a story one tries to make it as entertaining as possible. However, one may also argue that although the dog narrator can be a little unfactual, it is very interesting to get a new perspective on the world through the eyes of a K-9.

Another thing that is great about this book is the recurring comparisons of life and racing in the rain. There are full chapters of metaphors and paragraphs of comparisons. Some examples are "The race is long. It is better to drive within oneself and finish the race behind the other than it is to drive too hard and crash." and “Your car goes where your eyes go. Simply another way of saying that which you manifest is before you. I know it's true; racing doesn't lie.” (Stein 231). These chapters filled with the comparisons are vital to the book’s story and creates a great theme for every plot in the novel. At times these metaphors can be a little redundant sometimes but they are crucial to the plot.

Finally, there is the recurring theme of Enzo trying to be ready enough to be turned into a human in his next life. He faces a bunch of challenges that make him feel like he may actually not be ready for his next life as a human. He doubts himself along the way and goes through plenty of ups and downs but finally, according to the novel, he was ready. He says “Here’s why I will be a good person. Because I listen. I cannot talk, so I listen very well. I never deflect the course of the conversation with a comment of my own. People, if you pay attention to them, change the direction of one another’s conversations constantly. It’s like having a passenger in your car who suddenly grabs the steering wheel and turns you down a side street…Learn to listen! I beg of you. Pretend you are a dog like me and listen to other people rather than steal their stories” (Stein 121). This quote shows that Enzo was finally ready to be a human and although he doubts himself a little bit when his owners wife dies, in the end he is more ready than ever.

In conclusion I think this was a really good novel that I will recommend to anyone. It is an easy

read that will have you on an emotional roller coaster the whole time. The Art of Racing in the rain 

is a story of tragedy and triumph. Learning to race in the rain could be the most important lesson you 

can learn all your life.