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leannemay_x's review against another edition
5.0
Such a good book! Really sad but also so amazing 💗💗
mcasey364's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.75
TAoRitR (as we call it in canine-perspective family drama novel BookTok) is essentially the gritty novelization of the "Hang in There, Baby!" poster with the cat holding itself up.
It starts off well enough, opening from the perspective of a weirdly-smart, observant dog named Enzo who describes the world and his family through his doggy senses and conceptualizations.
In the introduction, the aging, hip-dysplasic Enzo ruminates on love, aging, and death as he lies on the kitchen floor waiting for his owner (a race car driver named Denny Swift) to come home. Naturally, I cried on the walk from the bus station listening to it. I was committed to this book, ready for a soulful, teary journey of meaning led by Enzo. I was ready to reconcile with the ongoing exhaustion of raising a puppy and remember the long-gone dogs of my past.
(If you're not aware, talking about death from the perspective of a dog is basically a cheat code to make dog people cry. I still cry at that idiotic Rainbow Bridge poem. This may be true for most pet owners.)
But the wheels of this premise come off pretty quickly. As Enzo the dog suddenly pivots into describing racing, race car drivers, and racing theory at a level of detail few humans even care about, I thought "wow, this dog really understands this all in a way that takes me out of the story. I hope this book won't belabor the point for the sake of the metaphor."
I was wrong to hope. The dog's perspective reads more and more as an unwanted commitment as the novel goes on. In doing so, we free up time for a whistle-stop tour of tragedy and stress in Enzo's owners' lives, which seems to be the true focus of the book. We don't get good times to build bonds with the characters, we just get tragedy and drama porn.
A bad outcome lurks around the corner of every chapter until, after simply surviving a hellish decade as a static character, Denny Swift's dreams all come true in the final pages.
Hooray!
It starts off well enough, opening from the perspective of a weirdly-smart, observant dog named Enzo who describes the world and his family through his doggy senses and conceptualizations.
In the introduction, the aging, hip-dysplasic Enzo ruminates on love, aging, and death as he lies on the kitchen floor waiting for his owner (a race car driver named Denny Swift) to come home. Naturally, I cried on the walk from the bus station listening to it. I was committed to this book, ready for a soulful, teary journey of meaning led by Enzo. I was ready to reconcile with the ongoing exhaustion of raising a puppy and remember the long-gone dogs of my past.
(If you're not aware, talking about death from the perspective of a dog is basically a cheat code to make dog people cry. I still cry at that idiotic Rainbow Bridge poem. This may be true for most pet owners.)
But the wheels of this premise come off pretty quickly. As Enzo the dog suddenly pivots into describing racing, race car drivers, and racing theory at a level of detail few humans even care about, I thought "wow, this dog really understands this all in a way that takes me out of the story. I hope this book won't belabor the point for the sake of the metaphor."
I was wrong to hope. The dog's perspective reads more and more as an unwanted commitment as the novel goes on. In doing so, we free up time for a whistle-stop tour of tragedy and stress in Enzo's owners' lives, which seems to be the true focus of the book. We don't get good times to build bonds with the characters, we just get tragedy and drama porn.
A bad outcome lurks around the corner of every chapter until, after simply surviving a hellish decade as a static character, Denny Swift's dreams all come true in the final pages.
Hooray!
lorbach's review against another edition
5.0
So wonderful and amazing. Enzo's character was full of light and life. If you've ever had a dog that was your best friend, if you haven't had a dog that was your best friend; read this book.
ionas_inventory's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
brager549's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
jesiamydave's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
jroy8126's review against another edition
5.0
Anyone who has ever owned a beloved dog, loved a dog, or lost a beloved dog needs to read this amazing, heart-warming book. Enzo as the narrator is one of the most touching and surprisingly realistic parts of the story. Also, there is something comforting about his beliefs regarding the after-life.
shonawilson97's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this book. It makes you think, makes you smile, and makes you cry. Wasn’t what I expected at all and I loved it, you feel so connected to the story from the start and it’s beautifully written, making a heartbreaking story very readable.