What readers think of The Story of Edgar Sawtelle, plus links to write your own review.

This book had so much buzz and I spent the greater part of a year trying to get it at 2 libraries. Well, after finally sitting down the book, I spent 2 days of enjoyable reading. Then came the last chapter and I was MOST disappointed and even confused. Why would the author leave his story without closure? Are the readers to make up their own conclusion? I was angry and told a host of friends that are dog lovers not to read it. I will not look for this author again. I am happy to see other negative reviews; that helps a bit!

This story was, I think one of the best,THE best books I have ever read,I am 12 years old and the chapter about Almondine moved me to tears.(And the last chapter.) Sad ending but sort of bitter sweet.This book was very touching and I loved the connection between Edgar, Almondine, and the kennel dogs! I also love how you included everyone's point of view too. Henry was a good person to add into the story as well.JOB WELL DONE!!! Keep writing!!! OH...and please write a sequel!!!

The book captivated me. The minute I closed the book, I turned it over and reread it. So much more clarity,understanding and appreciation emerged the second time around. I have never had a book affect me as this one did.The author had incredible insight into all the characters' including the dogs points of view!!

This book was the best book I read this year, hands down. I was taken hostage in its pages and hated to be torn from them.

I thought that this was one of the best books I have ever read. Wroblewski's insight into the minds of dogs took my breath away. Right down to the fact that their feet "smell like popcorn" was right on target. I'm 66 and have raised, trained and rescued dogs all my adult life and simply marveled at his apparent relationship with dogs.

I'm also a retired school teacher and have worked with special needs kids. The coming of age of Edgar was heart warming, sad, funny and so believable. What a wonderful guy and so good with the dogs. His training techniques were brilliant and the care he showed toward the adult dogs and the puppies could be an example for any of us who love and live with dogs.

As for the ending...that's life guys. We can't always have all the answers all the time. Sure it was sad, however, it was believable. Just like real life, we sometimes have to fill in the blanks. It's upsetting in real life as well, but, that's the way it is.

I would strongly recommend this book. Being a retired reading specialist, however, I would tend to recommend it to adult readers regardless of age.
In order to be able to deal with the "unusual" ending and to have it not ruin this beautiful book one needs to understand that not all stories are going to have a predictable ending or one that we necessarily like. In the case of "Edgar Sawtelle" you simply need to put together everything that happened in the book and to Edgar to be able to come up with your own ending. I enjoyed the challenge after getting over the temporary disappointment.

I was reading this book and felt that this was one of the best books I had ever read. Until I got to the end. Then, I hated it! My sister bought me this book for Christmas knowing how much I love my dogs.I have turned off my TV recently and wanted to escape the state of affairs in this country. After, I had finished the book I was horrified. It was very upsetting. I don't know if anyone else feels the same way. The ending was depressing. What happened to Forte? Even if I "missed the point" I wouldn't recommend this book without a warning about it's ending.

Reader reviews posted by this company comprise the 3rd batch I have read concerning this book; reviews from Barnes and Noble and Amazon are similar, though some more positive. I love this book, really loved it, and was disenchanted by people's hangups with the ending. I long to have the author respond to queries about the ending.
My point of view, at the age of 77, having been a reader and lover of dogs forever, is that the book is a glimpse of life. The setting, characterizations of family, townsfolk especially the doctor folks who befriended Edgar and the noble dogs was that of life, a depiction of life. Most of the time, life ends; it just ends ~ few of us have resolved issues with everyone who has had a part in our lives. Oh, God, how I wish I could have, with some, but it doesn't happen; people die, often unexpectedly, most often so. I had days and weeks of warning when my father was ill, but was young and didn't want to distress him with searching questions. My mom died totally alone, in a place she didn't want to be on the word of an insensitive doctor. Would I have had it different? Of course, but it wasn't to be. The precious boy in this story searched and suffered as most of us do; he did have a "Hamlet" kind of existence, with devoted parents and a bazaar and evil uncle, but the latter's character and plans are predicted in the "prologue" to the book. I have read the love/hate response by reader/reviewers. I'm on the side of the praise and pleas for more from David Wroblewski.

As with some of the other reviews here, I just finished this beautifully crafted, wonderful narrative and at the end felt like all the air had been sucked out of the room in the last pages. I was completely entranced by the story and journey of Edgar. It reminded me and engaged me the same way as John Irving's "A Prayer For Owen Meany". But here I am at the end so very very disappointed with the author and the ending. I get the "Hamlet" construct but this story, these characters, including those fully imagined dogs, deserved a far better resolution.