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

Ugh!!!! I have enjoyed this book for many hours. I even got a couple of snow days to just sit and travel with Edgar, the story's main character. While Wroblewski is truly one of the most gifted writers I've ever read, I can't endorse this book because of the HOPELESS ending. This evil antagonist is virtually just left in the end without any closure!!!!! I don't like that. He caused so much grief and then to not answer for any of it, is just unacceptable. Wroblewski, what were you thinking??? With all due respect, everything about this book was great except the ending. I must add that is was the absolute WORST ending to a book I have ever read. I will never trust you again. You can write as many sequels as you want, but I want give you my hours and nights and afternoons, never again.

In the beginning, I enjoyed this book immensely. I loved how the relationships in the novel were portrayed, not only between Edgar and the dogs but also between his parents, between his dad and uncle, between Dr. Papineau and his family, etc. I was two thirds of the way through this book and I found myself reading non-stop because I wanted to know so badly how it ended. I emailed a friend of mine and told her I was almost done reading this great book and when I was that she most definitely would want to get it from me and read it too. Then came the end. I just sat there thinking what happened? To say I was disappointed would be an understatement. Was the author aspiring for an ending no one would possibly guess? Was he just tired and ready to wrap it up? I ask myself these questions but then think to myself, it surely would have taken less energy and thought to create a happier and more appropriate ending than something so dark and simply poorly thought out. Am I sorry I read the book? Yes! I do feel it was a waste of my time to be so disappointed in the outcome of the story. When I read a good book, I get so involved in the journey and the characters that they stay with me for a long while. This book will only remain with me long enough to create in my own mind my summation of how I feel the story should have ended. Then, I will forget about it and move on. That's a shame.

There was so much buzz about The Story of Edgar Sawtelle I had to read it and I am glad I did! The language and imagery in the novel was beautiful but I felt , in places, the story lost it's momentum. I knew it would have a sad ending as it has been compared to Hamlet (and what is sadder than that story?) I really could only recommend this book to the most serious readers

I enjoyed the depth of the relationship between Edgar and his beloved dogs. It was very well written and insightful - it made me think. Like many others have said though, the end was a huge disappointment that left me feeling unsatisfied and angry! It seemed like the author forgot to write the last few chapters of the book. I actually made up a different ending in my head just to stop my mind reeling with so many questions.

As I write this I have just finished the book not twenty minutes ago. I suffered through the last 250 pages and I am so glad that it is done. I expected that the ending would be disappointing as it would match the rest of the book. The author just rattles on in an attempt to create a scene but it comes across as trying way to hard to weave words instead of building characters. There is nothing bringing the story together...just several random meaningless mini-tales. I would say that the only moment that I felt something at all was when Edgar discovers his father dead. On the other hand, the entire waterspout storm scene was easily the worst segment of the book being truly painful to read. To sum up, I felt no attachment to the characters and did not see anything special about being a Sawtelle Dog. I am certainly shocked to see these glowing reviews and find it hard to believe that those people read the same book as I did.

I felt the book turned into a let's admire the author's use of language, the turn of one more lyrical phrase (how does he do it) and the use of all those embedded stories along the way: a transition tale, a bucolic tale, a dog lover's dream story; a boy who has no voice, a dog who gives him voice. It was a wonderful idea but the story was over the top and an insult to a reader who was lured into the dynamics of the story; the foreboding, the danger, the parallels to tragic figures, the transcendence. The dogs were developed in their character; Edgar was well developed; however, the rest of the family was not explored and it left the reader burned. Because Gar, Claude and Trudy and the other characters lacked an internal development, the wild gratuitous ending which was coming and coming for 100s of pages lost all significance and was experienced as an insult to our attachments to Edgar, the dogs and our energies in reading the book to begin with.

I was expecting too much from this book because of the hype. The first part was enticing and I found myself trying to decide if this was going to be a shocking mystery, or some deep story. It was neither. There were too many plot lines, too many unedited spins to nowhere and it all just led to a big clunk for me.

I have to concur with Judy. The 1st half of the book showed great promise, but I found the ending to be rather abrupt and truly lacking. Far too many questions were left unanswered and the book had a dismal ending. Like everyone, my time is precious; so to invest one's time in reading a noveI there comes an anticipation of being satisfied and well pleased with the ending. I finished this book feeling cheated and even a little bit angry; angry that my investment of time had resulted in such a dreadful ending. A real disappointment to say the least. It's doubtful I will ever read any other works by this author. Sorry David.