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zenwombat's review against another edition
sad
tense
slow-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
2.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape and Death of parent
meguniqueuser's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
1.5
What in the world did I just read??
3/4th of this book were boring, philosophical meanderings, or were not impacted by the dog narrator.
The second quarter of this book was interesting and made good use of Enzo as a dog narrator. He had thoughts about how him being a dogged impacted his life. And his view actually impacted the story and was interesting.
Other than that, I think the book would be more cohesive with a third person narrator. For most of the book the dog narrator had no impact at all and it was almost forgotten except for jarring mentions of it. At some points the author ignores it completely and still has Enzo describe what happened in places he was not present by having him say that he’s just summarizing other people’s accounts.
The ending is very Dues Ex Machina with Denny’s parents appearing out of the blue to offer money and a driver offering him a job. Furthermore, Denny just happens to randomly bump into an accuser and emotionally guilts them into telling the truth.
A lot of the book is spent philosophizing, some of which is interesting or impactful to the story. Most is just meandering and veering toward nonsensical.
The main lesson that was inadvertently emphasized was that sometimes parents are evil. Full stop. Eve’s parents are diabolical, selfish, and unnecessarily mean.
3/4th of this book were boring, philosophical meanderings, or were not impacted by the dog narrator.
The second quarter of this book was interesting and made good use of Enzo as a dog narrator. He had thoughts about how him being a dogged impacted his life. And his view actually impacted the story and was interesting.
Other than that, I think the book would be more cohesive with a third person narrator. For most of the book the dog narrator had no impact at all and it was almost forgotten except for jarring mentions of it. At some points the author ignores it completely and still has Enzo describe what happened in places he was not present by having him say that he’s just summarizing other people’s accounts.
The ending is very Dues Ex Machina with Denny’s parents appearing out of the blue to offer money and a driver offering him a job. Furthermore, Denny just happens to randomly bump into an accuser and emotionally guilts them into telling the truth.
A lot of the book is spent philosophizing, some of which is interesting or impactful to the story. Most is just meandering and veering toward nonsensical.
The main lesson that was inadvertently emphasized was that sometimes parents are evil. Full stop. Eve’s parents are diabolical, selfish, and unnecessarily mean.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape and Grief
Moderate: Sexual content and Toxic relationship
leweylibrary's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
The book being told from the pov of a dog was interesting, although sometimes it was just really awkward and too forced. It was also obviously much more about the humans and their DRAMATIC ass story than it was dog, and that's a bummer really.
There was also one part concerning sexual assault that I just could not handle, and the victim blaming after the fact really made my skin crawl.
There was also one part concerning sexual assault that I just could not handle, and the victim blaming after the fact really made my skin crawl.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Terminal illness, Grief, Toxic relationship, Violence, Animal death, Death of parent, Cancer, Death, Sexual assault, and Rape
Moderate: Confinement and Police brutality
pippamillerxoxo_'s review against another edition
hopeful
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Cancer, Death of parent, Rape, and Grief
jo__reads's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
5.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual assault and Rape
lphreads's review against another edition
4.5
Y’all I typed out a review for this then goodreads lost it I am SO UPSET.
Here is the rewritten version:
I don’t think I’ve ever read another book that had me crying in both the first and last chapters. I will forever associate this one with that random night in October when, on a whim, I decided to read the first chapter. I haven’t been that devastated so quickly by another book, ever. But I think that’s the best compliment I could give a book - highlighting its ability to make me feel.
Personally, I really really enjoyed reading from a Enzo (the dog)‘s perspective. I understand, at times, while some reviewers saw it as a downfall of the book, but I don’t think the story would have hit as hard as it did when you are seeing it through Enzo’s eyes. At its core, The Art of Racing in the Rain is a story about a man and his dog, and the bond they have over the years. I don’t think Denny’s story would have been nearly as compelling if we weren’t viewing it through Enzo’s eyes, and the book is better for that.
The book itself flows very well, with simple language and short chapters, it should be an easy read if you have the time and attention span! The characters are overall likable, with Denny being easily the most fleshed out characters. There’s a lot left to the imagination when it comes to the side characters, though I really enjoyed the descriptions of some of the side characters offered by Enzo.
The biggest downfall of the book, and one of the reasons it isn’t quite a 5-star read, is the way that it falls into the category of “you can just tell a man wrote that.” When I say that, I’m mainly referring to the way that Stein describes women a couple of times in the book. I think, in part, this can be chalked up to the year (2008 - or earlier) the book was written, but it is still enough to make a gal cringe at times.
Otherwise, the only other real critique I had was the fact that the biggest conflicts of the book seem to be resolved quite quickly and neatly right at the end. Normally, this would be something that bothers me a bit more, but it’s not something I would really have recommended be changed in this instance because the main focus of the book is on Denny and Enzo’s relationship, not the courtroom drama that ensues.
Overall, it’s a solid 4-star read. It you’re a dog person (or anyone with a pet), I think The Art of Racing in the Rain will be relatable, heartwarming, and heartbreaking all at once. I would recommend giving it a try.
Here is the rewritten version:
I don’t think I’ve ever read another book that had me crying in both the first and last chapters. I will forever associate this one with that random night in October when, on a whim, I decided to read the first chapter. I haven’t been that devastated so quickly by another book, ever. But I think that’s the best compliment I could give a book - highlighting its ability to make me feel.
Personally, I really really enjoyed reading from a Enzo (the dog)‘s perspective. I understand, at times, while some reviewers saw it as a downfall of the book, but I don’t think the story would have hit as hard as it did when you are seeing it through Enzo’s eyes. At its core, The Art of Racing in the Rain is a story about a man and his dog, and the bond they have over the years. I don’t think Denny’s story would have been nearly as compelling if we weren’t viewing it through Enzo’s eyes, and the book is better for that.
The book itself flows very well, with simple language and short chapters, it should be an easy read if you have the time and attention span! The characters are overall likable, with Denny being easily the most fleshed out characters. There’s a lot left to the imagination when it comes to the side characters, though I really enjoyed the descriptions of some of the side characters offered by Enzo.
The biggest downfall of the book, and one of the reasons it isn’t quite a 5-star read, is the way that it falls into the category of “you can just tell a man wrote that.” When I say that, I’m mainly referring to the way that Stein describes women a couple of times in the book. I think, in part, this can be chalked up to the year (2008 - or earlier) the book was written, but it is still enough to make a gal cringe at times.
Otherwise, the only other real critique I had was the fact that the biggest conflicts of the book seem to be resolved quite quickly and neatly right at the end. Normally, this would be something that bothers me a bit more, but it’s not something I would really have recommended be changed in this instance because the main focus of the book is on Denny and Enzo’s relationship, not the courtroom drama that ensues.
Overall, it’s a solid 4-star read. It you’re a dog person (or anyone with a pet), I think The Art of Racing in the Rain will be relatable, heartwarming, and heartbreaking all at once. I would recommend giving it a try.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Terminal illness, Rape, Death of parent, Animal death, and Cancer
Minor: Pedophilia
maggiegage's review against another edition
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Overall I liked the book but I got tired of reading about racecars. Every time the racecar chapters came up I got SO bored and almost fell asleep. I’d imagine this book would be great for someone who races but I probably wouldn’t suggest it to someone who doesn’t love racing.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape and Sexual assault
astalavista's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer and Rape
queer_bookwyrm's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
4 ⭐ CW: cursing, rape mention, sexual content, assisted suicide mention, cancer, death, grief, death of a pet
"That which you manifest is before you."
The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein is a Contemporary stand alone novel told from the perspective of a dog named Enzo. This started out as a nice light read with plenty of humor until the grief hits you like a dump truck. I felt all the things while reading this book.
We follow the life of Enzo the dog as he navigates life with his human, Denny, a race car driver. Enzo is not just a dog, he has the soul of human, and is convinced that someday he'll be reincarnated as a man. Enzo is actually a pretty hilarious character. He has this whole thing against monkeys, because he thinks they are undeserving of opposable thumbs, and thinks dogs deserve thumbs more lol. Enzo's observations give a lot insight into the inner workings of humans and their relationship with dogs.
This book started out as a light, humorous read, but quickly turned emotional and grief ridden. Enzo watches as one of his humans developed cancer, and he can't speak to be able to warn anyone. Enzo feels trapped in his own mind, only able to communicate with inadequate gestures. We see through his eyes the struggle Denny goes through trying to navigate having a family and a racing career. We see Enzo's helplessness as Denny battles for custody of his daughter from her grandparents.
This story was about the love of a dog and the importance of a dog in a family's life. Though a dog's life is short, they have a big impact. Because Denny is a racecar driver, Enzo also loves racing, so there are a lot of racing and car extended metaphors throughout the book. I definitely recommend this book if you're looking for a short, reflective read from the perspective of a dog. I laughed, I cried, I was angry and incredulous. Enzo was the goodest boy. And now I have to go hug my dog.
"That which you manifest is before you."
The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein is a Contemporary stand alone novel told from the perspective of a dog named Enzo. This started out as a nice light read with plenty of humor until the grief hits you like a dump truck. I felt all the things while reading this book.
We follow the life of Enzo the dog as he navigates life with his human, Denny, a race car driver. Enzo is not just a dog, he has the soul of human, and is convinced that someday he'll be reincarnated as a man. Enzo is actually a pretty hilarious character. He has this whole thing against monkeys, because he thinks they are undeserving of opposable thumbs, and thinks dogs deserve thumbs more lol. Enzo's observations give a lot insight into the inner workings of humans and their relationship with dogs.
This book started out as a light, humorous read, but quickly turned emotional and grief ridden. Enzo watches as one of his humans developed cancer, and he can't speak to be able to warn anyone. Enzo feels trapped in his own mind, only able to communicate with inadequate gestures. We see through his eyes the struggle Denny goes through trying to navigate having a family and a racing career. We see Enzo's helplessness as Denny battles for custody of his daughter from her grandparents.
This story was about the love of a dog and the importance of a dog in a family's life. Though a dog's life is short, they have a big impact. Because Denny is a racecar driver, Enzo also loves racing, so there are a lot of racing and car extended metaphors throughout the book. I definitely recommend this book if you're looking for a short, reflective read from the perspective of a dog. I laughed, I cried, I was angry and incredulous. Enzo was the goodest boy. And now I have to go hug my dog.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer
Moderate: Death of parent, Animal death, Cursing, and Death
Minor: Suicide and Rape
annbanane's review against another edition
emotional
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? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer, Rape, and Terminal illness
Minor: Excrement, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Grief, Medical content, and Pregnancy