The Art of Racing in the Rain

The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I thought that the “dog as narrator” gimmick would end up bugging me after a while, but it actually did end up working well (even though it was strained for a big portion of the pivotal trial which did not allow dogs to be present of course). The thing that knocks it down a touch for me is the overwhelming sadness that pervaded the story and never let up. You are set up from the outset for the big sadness, but man, the sad moments just kept coming throughout the whole thing.
On the positive side, I now know that in Mongolia, they believe that dogs are reincarnated into men when their souls are ready, so that’s uplifting anyway.
This book is the “All Fairfax Reads” selection for this summer, so if you’re a neighbor, go get it!