Book Review: The Art of Racing in the Rain

All avid readers have a few books that leave a lasting impression on them. Wether it be a character that touched their heart or a plot that had their heart racing. It could be a book that changed the way they think about a certain subject or a book that was like nothing else they have ever seen before. Somehow, some way, that author wrote a story that touched the reader in the deepest way possible, in a way that will never be forgiven. The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein is one of those books for me.

Summary

The Art of Racing in the Rain is narrated by a dog nearing the end of his life. The dog, Enzo, has a deep and philosophical insight, free of the judgments humans have clouding their vision. The clarity and pure emotion that Enzo expresses throughout the story as he looks back on his life and the life of his “master” is unmatched. That clarity and emotion come through as we see his master, Denny, struggle through life; hope always lighting the way, but happiness slightly out of reach. Enzo narrates Denny’s story through the unexpected death of his young wife and the resulting custody battle between Denny and his in-laws over his only daughter.

Denny’s up-and-coming racing career completes a full spectrum of emotion. HIs talent brings him rare opportunities, adventurous travels, difficult choices and sure moments of bliss.

Overview

Having read this book over two years ago, I do not have any specific writing critiques for this blog although I remember it to be a smooth, pleasant read. The POV was utilized brilliantly. Stein used the dog’s point of view to introduce humor, clarity and pure emotion. The POV allows a unique distance from the human characters while still expressing the heart-felt nature of the events first-hand. 

Recommendation

The book is sure to touch and dog-lover’s heart. I recommend this book to EVERYONE! 5 stars, without a doubt.

“The Art of Racing in The Rain has everything: love, tragedy, redemption, danger, and–best of all–the canine narrator Enzo. This old soul of a dog has much to teach to us about being human. I loved this book.” — Sara Gruen, Author of Water for Elephants

 

100 word story writing prompt

One of my favorite writing exercises is to write a flash fiction story in exactly 100 words. It requires disciple, carefully chosen details and close attention to sentence structure and word choice. Below is the first 100 word story I ever wrote. Feel free to judge my high school level talent, haha.

I’m challenging you to discipline yourself and write a story that is exactly 100 words long. The only flexibility you have is to include the title in your word count or not. See how much emotion, action, characterization, humor, ect. you can get into 100 words. As always, please share the exercise if you complete it; these are so fun to read!

Losing Brilliant

A young girl walks through a field, yelling out in all directions.  She has lost her best friend and yells out over and over again, “Brilliant!” She thought about that first day at the petstore when she was wagging her tail and staring up at her with those brilliant brown eyes. A tear fell down her cheek as she thought she may never see those eyes again. “Brilliant,” she chokes out as more tears run down her cheeks, “please come back.” She hears a ruffling behind her, jumps around and sees those brilliant eyes staring up at her.