Vaid’s Verdict: Heartfelt and surprisingly thought provoking, The Art of Racing in the Rain has everything you need for a feel good story – hardships to overcome, strong characters, and best of all, a lovable narrator named Enzo…who just happens to be a dog.

In his third novel, Garth Stein abandons convention and embraces fiction in all its imaginative glory. Sure, you can write fiction with fantastical characters that live in imaginary worlds – but why go that far when you can turn an average story into a revelation simply by changing one perspective? Enzo, a shepherd-poodle mix (who’s convinced he’s actually half terrier) is an intelligent, humble narrator with an obsession for opposable thumbs and car races. Stein uses this unique perspective to show his readers something we rarely see…human beings. To see ourselves in another light, from alien eyes, is refreshing…and personally, it helped that Enzo hates crows as much as I do.

This is one of those novels that make you go ‘huh.’ That sound of unexpected pleasure. It’s not a heavy read that tries to give you ‘aha’ moments about life, love, relationships and all that other rot. It’s just a good old fashioned story that makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside (and not just because the narrator is warm and fuzzy).

Enzo begins his story from his death bed – the story of his master Denny, a race car driver with talent and heart who’s just waiting for a lucky break. Denny is the reluctant hero, the strong silent type who leads his life as though it were all on the track. Not fast and loud and ‘cool’ but with the strength, control and determination to finish the race. There’s a lot in here about racing legends, memorable races and even some racing movies that give you a real appreciation for the sport. In the past, I’ve looked at car racing, like NASCAR, and thought ‘oh wow, how brilliant, driving about in circles for hours,’ but after reading The Art of Racing in the Rain, I’ll actually be marvelling at the driver’s skill.

The novel is set in rainy Seattle (which was another little treat since I live here) and lends to the mood of the story…there are days when it’s sunny, but even better than predictably happy shiny days are the cool misty days that only the North West can provide. Days when the soft drizzle on leaves and the gentle pitter patter on fresh soil make everything okay…even the slow, painful death of man’s best friend.

The Art of Racing in the Rain can be predictable at times and at first, the voice of Enzo is completely unrealistic. It’s not how you would expect a dog to sound (yes, I realize that we have no clue what dogs actually sound like and most of us expect them to think along the lines of “Sausage! Sausages! Sausage! Oohh crotch!”). But after you get past the first few chapters and Stein settles into the flow of his storytelling, it’s a moving, memorable read that gives you a lot more than you’d expect from a dog telling a story.

About the Author:

“Garth Stein has written two other novels. How Evan Broke His Head and Other Secrets (winner of a 2006 Pacific Northwest Booksellers Award) and Raven Stole the Moon. He has worked as a documentary filmmaker, director and producer on several films including The Lunch Date which won an Academy Award for Live Action Short, and When Your Head’s Not a Head, It’s a Nut, which aired on PBS and was awarded a gold medal by the International Epilepsy Foundation. He is an adjunct artist at Tacoma School for the Arts and lives in Seattle.” Taken from the author’s bio in The Art of Racing in the Rain.

On bookshelves mid-May 2008.