The Story of Edgar Sawtelle
Ratings22
Average rating3.4
15
Ratings22
Average rating3.4
Born mute, speaking only in sign, Edgar Sawtelle leads an idyllic life with his parents on their farm in remote northern Wisconsin. For generations, the Sawtelles have raised and trained a fictional breed of dog whose thoughtful companionship is epitomized by Almondine, Edgar's lifelong friend and ally. But with the unexpected return of Claude, Edgar's paternal uncle, turmoil consumes the Sawtelles' once peaceful home. When Edgar's father dies suddenly, Claude insinuates himself into the life of the farm--and into Edgar's mother's affections.
Grief-stricken and bewildered, Edgar tries to prove Claude played a role in his father's death, but his plan backfires--spectacularly. Forced to flee into the vast wilderness lying beyond the farm, Edgar comes of age in the wild, fighting for his survival and that of the three yearling dogs who follow him. But his need to face his father's murderer and his devotion to the Sawtelle dogs turn Edgar ever homeward.
David Wroblewski is a master storyteller, and his breathtaking scenes--the elemental north woods, the sweep of seasons, an iconic American barn, a fateful vision rendered in the falling rain--create a riveting family saga, a brilliant exploration of the limits of language, and a compulsively readable modern classic.
Reviews with the most likes.
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!
