“That which we manifest is before us.”
Enzo is a dog who knows he is more than just a dog. He understands the people around not and not just their words, but their motivations, dreams, fears and desires. He is sure when he dies, he will come back as a human and he already has plans for what type of human he will be. His owner, Denny, is a race car driver and Enzo learns about racing by watching tapes with Denny. In The Art of Racing in the Rain, Enzo is there as Denny falls in love, gets married and has a daughter. Life is hard, but wonderful, for Denny until Eve gets sick, very sick.
I saw a preview for the movie based on The Art of Racing in the Rain and added to the book to my to-read list. A neighbor had read it and was offering to let people borrow the book, so I took her up on the offer. I often read books based on movies and never get around to watching the movie, but really enjoy reading the books.
When Denny’s wife gets sick, her parents step in and want to “help” Denny out with Eve and their daughter. However, Enzo can see that their motives are not pure and Denny faces a huge battle when his wife passes away. Enzo does his best to help in the ways he can, but without words (and an opposable thumb), he is frustratingly limited in what he can do. In the end, though, he makes a huge difference in Denny’s fate.
I enjoyed the storyline of The Art of Racing in the Rain. It’s completely told from the dog’s perspective. It reminded me of W. Bruce Cameron’s books (A Dog’s Purpose, A Dog’s Journey and Emory’s Gift). I was hoping my older children could read this book, but there are descriptions of adult romance that are best left for adults to read. I would love to see how this is brought to life on film and if my children could see the movie.
Do you enjoy books with animals in the plot? If so, share your favorite on the blog!