The Story of Edgar Sawtelle: A Novel

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle

A Novel

by David Wroblewski
(based on 352 customer reviews)

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle: A Novel (Hardcover)
Author: David Wroblewski
Publisher: Ecco


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Most useful review as voted by customers:
266 out of 291 people found the following review helpful.
Review Date: 6/13/08


Its understated elegance shines through

This is an astonishing, mysterious, bewildering and profound novel. And even though the ending is sad and heart-breaking, it is a deeply satisfying novel as well. Not since I read Yann Martel's mesmerizing novel, "Life of Pi", have I found myself so deeply absorbed in a novelist's magical creation as I was while reading "The Story of Edgar Sawtelle".

The novel begins with a needless killing of an injured, limping, stray dog with poison by a medicine man or herbalist. This brutal killing fits into the novel later, as the novel progresses.

The protagonist of the novel is a fourteen years old boy named Edgar Sawtelle, who was born mute. His parents - Gar and Trudy Sawtelle are dog-breeders, who live on a farm in a remote part of northern Wisconsin, not far from the Chequamegon National Forest. They breed and train a unique and special breed of canine developed by Edgar's grand father, John Sawtelle; hence the name of the breed: Sawtelle. The dogs earn good reputation not only for their noble temperament, but also for their intuitive ability to anticipate their masters' command, and then interpret and act on the command independently also. The family's peaceful farm life is disrupted when Claude, Edgar's charming, conniving paternal uncle visits them. Gar offers him a job at the farm and a place to stay. Soon Gar dies suddenly and mysteriously. Edgar suspects that Claude murdered Gar. He tries to prove that Claude did indeed murder Gar, but his plan misfires, and so to save himself from Claude he runs away into the Chequamegon woods, accompanied by three young dogs named Almondine, Baboo and Tinder.

The author's vivid descriptions of nature, his ability to describe the terrors of the wilderness and the horrors of living in a jungle, and his decision to narrate a part of the story from a dog's perspective have added distinct charm to the novel. The magic of his pen is such that even the supernatural and paranormal incidents in the story seem to be natural, logical and believable.

The ending of the novel is bewildering, wrenching, unpredictable and quite shocking. And it is heart-breaking as well.

David Wroblewski is a masterful narrator. His prose is spare but mellifluous; and even though it lacks the grandeur and splendor of Yann Martel's or Joseph O'Neill's prose, its understated elegance shines through: "Late in the morning he found himself navigating along a heavily washboarded dirt road. The limbs of the trees meshed overhead. Left and right, thick underbrush obscured everything farther than twenty yards into the woods. When the road finally topped out at a clearing, he was presented with a view of the Penokee range rolling out to the west, and an unbroken emerald forest stretching to the north - all the way, it seemed, to the granite rim of Lake Superior. At the bottom of the hill stood a little white farmhouse and a gigantic red barn. A milk house was huddled up near the front of the barn. An untopped stone silo stood behind. By the road, a crudely lettered sign read, "For Sale."

This novel is so extra-ordinary and so exquisitely written that I am sure that I shall be reading it again soon.


105 out of 122 people found the following review helpful.
Review Date: 6/10/08


*Here* is a writer...

...and *here* is a novel.

Chock-full of a love of language, a robust narrative style, but moreover, more importantly, here is an actual *story*, something rare on today's literary fiction landscape.

'Edgar Sawtelle' will appeal to those who love a good story, to those who love intriguing characters, and certainly to those who love dogs.

Mr. Wroblewski's accomplishments with this, his début novel, is substantial. Equally so are Stephen King's glowing words, which, I find in reflection, say everything I might lavish on the author, leaving me to simply nod and pass along the book to loved ones, so that they too, might experience the enjoyment I did at reading 'The Story of Edgar Sawtelle'.

Congratulations to the author on this storytelling achievement.

102 out of 114 people found the following review helpful.
Review Date: 6/21/08


Get ready to lose some sleep!

There are at least three ways to introduce this wonderful American novel to you. I could say, in summary, that this novel is like a 20th Century American midwestern Hamlet with dogs. That kind of lead would draw me in, but it might leave you cold. But be assured: you don't have to love dogs or dote on Shakespeare to adore this fine novel.
Or I could say, Here is an extraordinarily well-written novel set in mid-20th Century Wisconsin and built around four beautifully crafted characters: Edgar Sawtelle, the mute but very bright son; Gar Sawtelle, the warm persevering father; Trudy Sawtelle, the disciplined but sweetly loving mother; and Claude Sawtelle, Gar's brother who returns from years in the Navy and on the road to turn the world upside down for the Sawtelles. If you are into relational stories, that lead might grab you.
But I think the best way to prepare you for this book is to tell you that once you reach the incredible scene where Edgar is confronted by the ghost of his dead father, you will not be able to set this book down until you finish it. Since this scene occurs approximately in the middle of the story and the book runs to some 576 pages, be prepared to lose some sleep.
One of the claims of Claude Sawtelle is that you can have anything you want if you are patient. That may or may not be true in your case. But if you are patient with the rich, convincing unfolding of this story, you can certainly have a rewarding reading experience.
P.S.: If you do love dogs, you will love the book even more.

53 out of 65 people found the following review helpful.
Review Date: 6/20/08


Something is Really Weird

I enjoyed the book very much, though I thought it could have used some more editing. My concern here, however, are the reviews. Her are excerpts from three of the above reviews.

"accompanied by three young dogs named Almondine, Baboo and Tinder."

"Edgar flees accompanied by his best friends Almondine and two other dogs."

"he runs away into the Chequamegon woods, accompanied by three young dogs named Almondine, Baboo and Tinder."

Almondine does not run away with Edgar - Essay does, but the fact that three of the nine above reviewers make the same very obvious mistake (if you read the book) seems more suspicious than coincidental.

34 out of 38 people found the following review helpful.
Review Date: 6/10/08


Dramatic and Compelling

This is a wonderful read. The story blends an authentic portrayal of the cultural and geographic landscape of the midwest with completely new and unexpected elements. The access the story gives you to the feelings and perceptions of the dogs is a rare experience. It reminded me of reading The Call of the Wild in my teens. The supernatural elements and danger threaded through the story create a momentum and suspense that pull you through the story fast. It's a pleasure that's over too soon.

8 out of 8 people found the following review helpful.
Review Date: 6/17/08


Deserves every accolade

A truly stunning literary thriller of a novel. Though to call it a thriller marginalizes the content - this is an epic, sprawling novel that reveals the dark side of life, while remaining ultimately above despair. The writing is first-rate.

Definitely one of the books of the year.

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