The Art of Racing in the Rain : Book Review

Beginning with the cover of the book, The Art of Racing in the Rain, I would like to rate 5/5- as a dog lover, the cover passed the first test of choosing this book from a collection of others. Though a book must not be judged by its cover, I confess that I did in this case and I’m glad that my judgment didn’t fail me.

Speaking of the title combined with the book cover, it sounds like a sad tale of a dog, but the story is much more profound, layered and very emotional in a positive way.

The plot revolves around a simple family who is going through a rough phase in life – it might sound simple. Yet, the significant difference is that the narration is from the viewpoint of a dog member of the family. In a way, that’s very refreshing, as it is a new concept rather than an normal person ranting about his life.

The author, Garth Stein has penned wittily in such a way that it is incredibly humorous, engaging and heart-warming to the extent that many people have passed on the book to their friends and family members, who in turn have circulated the same furthermore – all credits to the excellent storyline that emphasizes on emotions and how to be more humane in waking life. Interestingly, the book has inspired a lot of kids to read books in this era of being glued on their mobiles or computers.

I loved the way how the author has spoken on the unspoken aspects of a dog’s feelings, especially the warmth he has towards the family members, how they too understand what’s really going on, how they try to be an emotional support to the family and especially how innocently they think and act all for the sake of unfiltered, pure love! It won’t be an exaggeration when I say that this book is a treasure to a dog parent like me and my friends who have lost their fur babies recently. Many noted that this book warmed their heart and lightened their pain.

The language employed is straightforward and therefore, it is to follow, with not much need of a dictionary.

The book has a compelling storyline in spite of being set in an ordinary background set up of a family drama. Personally, I loved the book and I particularly cannot put my finger on any aspect or chapter as my most favorite or my least favorite. Really a sweet book with a lot of life meaning and philosophies; I would be a lie if I say I didn’t like anything about this book.

The Good

The overall flow of the book is extremely fast-paced and I finished the book in a day.
The characters are very relatable.
The author has put in a great deal of effort in understanding racing cars — commendable job there!

The Bad

None

Verdict

Speaking of the overall book, I would like to rate The Art of Racing in the Rain, a whopping 5/5 and would recommend for all age groups, but preferably for young adults who can understand the complexity of emotions involved.

Sale

The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein