The Art of Racing in the Rain : Garth Stein

                                                Image Credit : Fantastic Fiction

There are, I feel, three kinds of books. Great books. Popular Books. And those rare ones that truly great and popular. The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein falls into the popular books category.

Now I love dogs. Sometimes, I love dogs even better than human beings. At least, I find that I can get along better with a dog than a human being. There is just something intuitive about being with a dog that doesn't have the same echo in the intellectual sphere of human relationships. Yet, Enzo is a dog who would like nothing better than to be a human being in his next life. Good for him, but I wonder if I would like the same. The Art of Racing in the Rain is a book that seems destined to be made into a movie. It's fictional, of course, so we have Enzo relating to us the story of his life as he himself nears the end of his doggie days. Garth Stein does not lend Enzo the voice of a dog (I don't know what that may be having never really heard a dog talk), but gives Enzo a wise, philosophical human voice that discourses on Einstein, makes pithy observations on the follies of human beings ("learn to listen," he says at one point), and generally is the sort of dog you would have wanted to marry.

And so Enzo tells us about racing car driver Denny, his wife Eve and daughter Zoe. Their happy family life is abruptly turned upside down when Eve is diagnosed with brain cancer. From then on, the family learns to cope with life much the way you might need to cope with the racing track, with patience, anticipation, skill, determination and love. "You manifest what is front of you," is one of Enzo's favorite sayings in the novel. Right, so we have a pop-psych talking dog too. I am sorry I offend loyal followers of this book, but I found the writing downright amateurish. Sure, there is a pretty good story. But all great stories do not a great writer make.

There were times when I felt the writer didn't know what he wanted to convey and how. He chose Enzo as the medium, but the dog is more human than humans. Only a few odd bits and pieces convey Enzo's personality. Like, ok, we know he loves to run (how many dogs don't?), likes to play ball, adores his master Denny, and desperately wants to speak to convey his feelings for the people he loves. Speak? You must be kidding me, Mr Garth Stein. Speech must be the most soul-destroying process that mankind ever discovered. Dogs are known to be therapists because they don't speak. Their intuition is what makes us feel closer to them. Their incredible ability to sense feeling and give love is one of their assets. And Enzo wants to speak instead of reveling in what good dogs do : which is to provide the sort of comfort that humans rarely can! He can shout himself hoarse, he will be like the rest of us : lost beings wandering around talking a lot, but listening to none and understanding no one.

Now that I got that out of my system, I will admit that the book is readable. If you find yourself looking for a light read (very light read, like 2 or 3 pounds light), then it may work. And hush, I did cry at two points in the novel, so it's a book that may move you to tears, (but I cry for everything, so that may not count for much), even though at other times you may be moved to despair at the writing. But, it's not brilliance. I liked it. But I didn't love it. I can read it once. And I can forget it forever. The ending is trite and predictable, and had me fall over in disbelief that such an ending passed the editors and publishers. But well. There are popular books, eh? Put a dog, make him talk, and you got a winner. Check out the trailer for the book here:



Verdict : Amateurish at times. Readable at other times. 


Rating : 2/5