Journal Entry 1 by k00kaburra from San Jose, California USA on Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Rec'd via Paperbackswap.com.

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Book Description

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.  

Journal Entry 2 by k00kaburra from San Jose, California USA on Friday, February 19, 2010

Rented audiobook from AllEars audio bookstore in Saratoga, CA.

Started listening today. 

Journal Entry 3 by k00kaburra from San Jose, California USA on Thursday, March 11, 2010

Just started disk 16 of 18, in case anyone wondered.
(No one did.)

I didn't grow up with any pets as a kid, so the descriptions of Edgar's extreme attachment to his dogs is weird to me. Yeah, he grew up with them, but yeesh. They're just animals... 

Journal Entry 4 by k00kaburra from San Jose, California USA on Sunday, March 14, 2010

I'm almost done with this book. Technically, I've got a little bit left to listen to, but Edgar's dying so I know it's almost over.

So...wow.
SO much to say about this book.
CAUTION: MAY HAVE SPOILERS AFTER THIS POINT.

1. Dogs
As mentioned before, never had a dog growing up so I don't understand the whole "man's best friend" thing. That said, I thought Edgar's soulmate connection with Almondine was really, really creepy. I mean, I guess Sawtelle dogs had been bred for generations so that they were 'thinking' dogs, but they still aren't people.
I did really like the chapters in which Edgar was surviving on his own, with his three dogs accompanying him. It was fun and light compared to much of the book, plus Edgar was actually doing something besides pouting sullenly in the corner.
Also, so much was made of the connection/relationship between man and his dogs, but at the end the dogs abandon the people who have loved and raised them. What the hell kind of message is that?

2. Hamlet
This was an unusual way to update the story of Hamlet to an American setting in a rural part of the north. Changing out a king for a dog breeder and a kingdom for a kennel, and basically using the dogs in place of soldiers and courtiers...I never would have thought to do so. That was a creative stroke on Wroblewski's part.
The 'updated' names were well done, although it took me a few minute so figure out GAR and EdGAR. (In the original play, both King and son are named Hamlet.) Gertrude = Trudy. Claudius = Claude. Polonius = Papineau. Ophelia =...Almondine? It falls apart after a while, I guess.
I'm disappointed that there was no 'Alas, poor Yorrick' scene, but perhaps I just missed it. Also, I'm curious who Henry is meant to correspond with in the play, if he is.

3. Is Claude evil?
Hard to say. Is he a bad man? Yes. What motivates him? Did he buy that poison to kill Gar, or was it just his 'fail-safe' with no specific recipient? Was Claude in love with Trudy, or in love with the idea of 'besting' Gar? Why did he want the kennel, anyway? What did he do over in Vietnam?

4. Writing
The writing was quite good and evocative, but I never found myself full of wonder at the beauty of nature or anything like that. I just would wince, again and again, at descriptions of the dogs, or Edgar's fight (so to speak) with Glen and later Claude, the characters' pain, etc. But I generally didn't like the characters or care about them. I didn't care if Claude got the kennel or Edgar's mother was sad that he was gone or that Edgar missed Almondine. Why was that? Why didn't I get 'into' the story?
I don't know why, and it bugs me a bit.
POOR GLEN though. He totally got screwed over in this book. What the heck did he ever do to deserve blindness and worse? Yeesh.

5. Edgar
What a friggen' whiner. I don't care that he's 14, a teenager, and therefore prone to stupid angst and moodiness. I still didn't like him, because as I read all I could think was What the hell is this kid's problem?? I mean, OK, he had a lot of problems. Couldn't talk. Father died. Uncle may have killed father. Witnessed the death of someone he considered a family friend. But he's so paranoid and skittish...Edgar's like a tinfoil-hat-wearing crazy person.
Also...it almost never talks about his life away from the kennel. The kid went to school every day. Was he teased mercilessly for his lack of a voice? What was it like, living in a world where everyone else talks?

6. Humor...or lack thereof
The story's a downer from page one. I mean, there's a couple of funny bits when Edgar's on the run, but for the most part it's a sad story that dragged a lot. The whole 'burning down the barn' in the final pages, and the sudden mind-shifting between Trudy, Claude and Edgar - a device used infrequently in the rest of the book but exclusively in the section 'Poison' - got really annoying.

7. Almondine
Why is Ophelia a dog? Creepy creepy creepy.
Also, the chapter that went inside her head, and told events from her point of view, was weak. It didn't engage me. I felt nothing when she died.

8. The Jungle Book
Oh, wait, I get it. Edgar's like Mowgli, and he lives with the animals in the animal world and not in the people world, because in the people world your father gets murdered and your uncle shags your mother. I see what you're getting at, book. I see why you keep bringing up Rudyard Kipling's famous novel.
But I don't care, and frankly I don't feel that it contributes to the discussion.

9. Plot Threads
This book had threads unraveling all over the place. Again and again, Wroblewski would bring something up, make it seem like it was a major part of the story...and never touch it again. He'd raise question after question, but never give any answers. DROVE. ME. NUTS.

10. The End
It sucked. It lacks the elegance and punch of Shakespeare's ending. It's utterly depressing, and the lack of artistry really drags the book down. It seems like the author was running out of steam and interest, so he just wrapped things up bombastically and called it a wrap.

Yet, for all that, I kept on reading and a book that inspired this much discussion for me can't be that bad. It's a good book, I'll grant that. It just isn't a "Great!" or "WOW!" book, and by setting itself up for inevitable comparisons to masterpieces like Hamlet, it was virtually guaranteed to be disappointing in the end. 

Journal Entry 5 by k00kaburra from San Jose, California USA on Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Journal Entry 6 by k00kaburra at Snail Mail, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Sunday, March 21, 2010

Released 2 yrs ago (3/21/2010 UTC) at Snail Mail, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases

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sent to JerrilynnL to start the book ring!! 

Journal Entry 7 by JerrilynnL from Denver, Colorado USA on Thursday, March 25, 2010

So I did PM you back. :-) Arrived safely in Denver. Thanks for sharing! 

Journal Entry 8 by JerrilynnL from Denver, Colorado USA on Friday, May 07, 2010

So sorry for the delay -- took me a little longer to get to it.

Wow. A good but difficult book. I have dabercro's address and will get it sent in the next couple of days.

**MAY BE SPOILERS BELOW THIS**

I did have dogs growing up and still do now. So I completely understand the connection between Edgar and the dogs (although none of mine have been that smart but then again did not go through the extreme training the Sawtelle dogs did). The ending of this book was very tragic and I kept waiting for it to turn out better but I think what tugged my heart the most was Almondine's loss of Edgar and then she lost her will to live. :-( I hated that the most. I think Tinder and Baboo were the luckiest of the dogs. I wonder what becomes of the rest of the herd. They were so connected to Edgar that once he was gone, then what happens to them? I also wondered if Forte (the 2nd) was real or imagined?

I thought the writing good but a little long at times (but this may be my impatience to get on the the next event). 

Journal Entry 9 by JerrilynnL at Postal Mail, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Saturday, May 08, 2010

Released 2 yrs ago (5/8/2010 UTC) at Postal Mail, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases

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out in today's mail. :-) 

Journal Entry 10 by dabercro from Clinton, Utah USA on Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Arrived in the mail yesterday. Wow, it is a big book. I am able to start reading it immediately and should be able to finish it within the one month time frame. 

Journal Entry 11 by dabercro from Clinton, Utah USA on Tuesday, May 18, 2010

A very long book that did drag in spots. Wroblewski's writing is very descriptive but sometimes I think he went overboard and that is what made parts drag for me. I, too, have had dogs most of my life so I can relate to the relationship between Edgar and his dogs, especially Almondine. Dogs are so much smarter than most people give them credit for and they do have a sixth sense. They are able to sense our emotions. I didn't really care for the ending. Left too many unanswered questions for me. 

Journal Entry 12 by tostle at Salt Lake City, Utah USA on Wednesday, June 16, 2010

I received this book! Thanks for sharing! 

Journal Entry 13 by tostle at Salt Lake City, Utah USA on Saturday, October 23, 2010

Argh! Sorry I have had this book for such a long time...I am sending it off as soon as I have an address! 

Journal Entry 14 by tostle at Spirit Lake, Idaho USA on Sunday, October 24, 2010

Released 1 yr ago (10/24/2010 UTC) at Spirit Lake, Idaho USA

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This book is finally back on its journey! Happy travels! Thanks for sharing this great book! 

Journal Entry 15 by ciloma at Spirit Lake, Idaho USA on Friday, November 05, 2010

This one came in the mail today. Hope to get it started right away. Thanx a bunch! 

Journal Entry 16 by ciloma at Spirit Lake, Idaho USA on Tuesday, November 23, 2010

I loved the story. The ending stunk. The writing was great and easy to follow. The book is big but didn't feel that way reading it. Thanx for sharing this one K00kaburra. 

Journal Entry 17 by collectorkerri at Springfield, Illinois USA on Wednesday, December 08, 2010

Received in yesterday's mail. Will read ASAP! 

Journal Entry 18 by collectorkerri at Springfield, Illinois USA on Wednesday, January 05, 2011

I'm not sure what to say about this book. I thought it was a good update of the Hamlet story, but like others, I didn't particularly care for the ending. I wish I had a dog like Almondine, though.

It is on its way now to nat4lee. From one Springfieldian to another, enjoy! 

Journal Entry 19 by nat4lee at Springfield, Virginia USA on Thursday, January 20, 2011

This book has arrived safely through the storms. I'll be sitting down with this one next week. Thanks! 

Journal Entry 20 by nat4lee at Springfield, Virginia USA on Monday, February 07, 2011

I found this book to be an excellent and thought-provoking read. It was well worth my time, and will come well recommended in the future.

I'll be in contact with the next reader in line soon. 

Journal Entry 21 by nat4lee at Springfield, Virginia USA on Saturday, March 19, 2011

I have now been in contact with both Scoobs-buddy and WingedMan, and both have read the book. 

Journal Entry 22 by nat4lee at Springfield, Virginia USA on Wednesday, January 04, 2012

Released 4 mos ago (1/4/2012 UTC) at Springfield, Virginia USA

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Book on its way home. 

Journal Entry 23 by k00kaburra at San Jose, California USA on Tuesday, January 10, 2012

And the book has come home :) Thank you, everyone, for participating in the bookring! I've enjoyed all of your comments!