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Book Review of The Story of Edgar Sawtelle

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle
reviewed This is not just a dog story on + 29 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3


Edgar Sawtelle is born mute, but as the only son of a rural Wisconsin family, his canine companion is a dog, Almondine. But to interpret this as a boy - dog canine relationship story misses the point. This is a modern adaptation of Hamlet, where the King Hamlet dies under mysterious circumstances. Edgar's mother, Trude (Gertrude) has a relationship with Edgar's uncle (Claude). Edgar must decide whether to accept Claude as his step-father and unravel the mystery of his father's death. I loved the simple elegance of the story telling and the pacing that moves the novel to its tragic conclusion.

As a dog lover, what I liked about the book was the way he described the consciousness and personality of each unique member of the pack. I think this sets it apart from other dog stories.