Book Review: The Story of Edgar Sawtelle

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski was our Book Club book for March.


I didn't finish it in time for the meeting but I did finish it last night. This was a long book, 562 pages to be exact. It was really good though, kind of slow but a good slow and very well written. It's about a boy (Edgar, obviously) who was born a mute. He can hear but can't speak. He lives on a farm in northern Wisconsin with his mother and father and they raise dogs. Not just any dog, these really awesome dogs that people across the country seek out because of how well trained they are and the amazing bonds they have with humans. One chapter is all about his dog, Almondine and how when Edgar was born she knew that her life was meant to watch over the boy. It was so well written, I mean how do you write from the point of view of a dog?! Wroblewski did it and did it so well. Reading it I was thinking "clearly this is how dogs think, it makes so much sense!"
Then Edgar's father dies. This isn't really a spoiler, it even says it on the book jacket and that's where a lot more of the story comes into focus. He believes his uncle killed his father and obsesses over proving it. Something else happens (this would be a spolier) and Edgar runs away. He runs north with 3 dogs in tow and hides for 2 months. Robbing food from lake houses and eventually ends up staying with a nice guy he meets when one of the dogs gets injured. After a while Edgar is so homesick for his mother and Almondine that he back tracks through the woods and fields back home.
I don't want to give away the ending but it was good! I definitely recommend this book. Like I said, it is a bit slow. It's slow though because, how fast paced is life on a farm anyway?! Plus there's a lot of description of the landscape and what not. I really liked it and gave it 4 stars!
Now onto April's book which is My Pick!!