A book using auto racing as a metaphor for life, narrated by a dog, might not seem too promising. But, I really enjoyed this book, and I hope everyone else did, too. It was a fast read because of its simplicity, but I thought there were some grains of truth that bore thinking about. It seemed a good choice to read during the busy holiday season and then those first dreary days of January.
We know from the beginning that Enzo is old, ill, and at the end of his life. But as this faithful dog looks back over his life, he recalls that it was rich and full. Anyone who knows and loves dogs understands that they are unbelievably loyal and, they always seem to know what you're thinking. Of course, Enzo almost always did understand even the nuances of the lives being lived around him. But, oh, how he longed for opposable thumbs!
Enzo is a great chracter. Somehow, the author managed to capture both his "dogness" and his ability to think and especially feel like a human. Enzo makes the case that the highest form of animal, the animal most like humans, is the dog. As he watched over Denny, then Eve, then Zoe, I believed that to be true. He knew what they needed, and he gave it to them.
I also enjoyed Denny's character. As Enzo was living out his last life as a dog before becoming human, Denny was a wonderful role model for him. Denny went through a long and very dark time, but he didn't give into it. He nearly always took the high road. Although he made mistakes, he never compounded them, which is where the racing metaphors come in, of course.
"That which you manifest is before you." "Your car goes where your eyes go." "You are responsible for where you are and what you are doing there." I can't help but think these are words to live by...or at least to consider. Attitude is all. Denny and Enzo (and apparently all good racers) understand that when we look ahead, we are, in a way, determining what will happen. If we see good things happening, that's more likely to be the case than if we forecast the worst case scenario. Granted, that's a little simplistic. There is always the possibility of the Evil Demon Zebra! However, Enzo eventually concludes that "The zebra is the worst part of us when we are face-t0-face with our worst times. The demon is us."
I don't believe that we always make our own troubles. Some things are truly out of our control. But, like Enzo, I do think that how we react to those troubles -- whether it's taking a turn too fast or an oil-slick on the track -- often determines how things will turn out. There are Evil Twins out there, and we just have to deal with them. I'd like to think that we will all have happy endings, like Denny and Enzo.
Enough philosophy! My favorite chapter was the one in which Enzo gets his ride on the race track. Enzo had a zest for life; he always barked twice. May we all bark twice in our race through the rainy tracks of our lives! - Beckie
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From the very beginning of the book, I was hooked. Despite the opening chapter when Enzo set the stage for his eminent death, I still was so charmed by him that I couldn’t put the book down. My husband loves racing, so, at least at the beginning, I even enjoyed reading about racing. I would ask Bill if he ever heard of such-and-such a race, or such-and-such a driver, and he always had.
ReplyDeleteAfter a while, the racing started to kind of bore me. I would think to myself, “Why is Stein giving all this detail about racing when the book is about a man and his dog?” Suddenly, (and thankfully) I had an epiphany, and it’s really what Bec said. Racing is a metaphor for life.
Here’s how I reached that conclusion: I simply couldn’t understand why Eve wouldn’t go to the doctor when she was obviously so sick. I began thinking it was kind of a flaw in the book. That’s about the time when Stein started writing the detailed information about racing, and specifically began having Enzo say “that which you manifest is before you.” He was so emphatic about that phrase that I really began thinking about it. I decided finally that Eve knew full well how sick she was, but she also knew that once the doctors got a hold of her, what she would manifest would be illness. And frankly, she was right. Once she entered the hospital, her future no longer belonged to her. After this realization, I began paying particular attention to the chapters about racing, knowing that he really was talking about more than racing.
And could there be more evil villains than the Evil Twins? Particularly the father. I got the impression that the mother at least felt a bit of shame about what they were doing. Being a vindictive person myself, I would have liked to seen them get hit a bit more at the end. I guess Denny is a better person than me because he elected to allow them to spend a few more days with Zoe since he knew they were leaving the country.
I absolutely loved the stories about Enzo and what he learned from television. He was so confident that everything he heard on the National Geographic station was true. And apparently most were!
Like Bec, my absolute favorite chapter was the one where Enzo got to race. I could just picture him riding in the car, his ears flying behind him, as they went faster and faster. Arf arf!
And does anyone doubt that Enzo came back as a human?
I would rate this book a 9, and recommend it especially to my friends who are dog lovers. Even though Enzo seemed almost human sometimes, he still couldn’t fight those dog urges like fighting the Demon Zebra (although there were extenuating circumstances).
As for who would star in this book if it became a movie, I don’t know who would play Denny. However, Murray-the-Dog Borman would definitely play Enzo!
I didn't vote for this book when we were picking our selection as I read this book about a year and a half ago. I actually was the one in my previous book club that suggested this book and my entire group loved this novel. So much so, that many of the women had their husbands read it as well. I gave BJ my copy at that time and have never seen it again, nor has he read it! The summer I read this book it was the Starbucks Book Club selection for that summer. I knew I would enjoy a book narrated by a dog.
ReplyDeleteI would rate this book a 9. Although I have no interest in auto racing I did enjoy how the author tied Denny's love and interest of racing into the story. The ending of the story left me feeling satisfied and happy. I love a good ending!
My favorite character was Enzo, but of course. We've never picked least favorite characters, but the Evil Twins were bad!
Once again for casting of the movie I'm going to pick John Cusack, to play Denny. I agree that Murray could play Enzo. It may be his only shot at glory, but once he wins the Acadamy, there would be no need to act again.
And can I just close by saying that this book did make me wonder more about what goes through Juan's little head. I don't typically leave T.V. on for him when I'm at work but I always know when BJ has stopped by because he leaves Sports Center on for him. I have been telling Juan recently how important his job of companion is to me! Boy, if all of our pets wrote a book about us, what stories they would tell.
Sorry this is getting out so late...life!
ReplyDeleteSo my first two thoughts after the first two pages were: 1) seriously...this is too surface and 2) great...the dang dog dies. HA...very quickly, however, I was sucked into the dog's world, and even enjoyed the racing metaphors. I too did not immediately understand that Stein was using racing as a metaphor for life. However, when I consistently saw the line "your car goes where your eyes go"...I got it...and it is so true.
Some of my favorite features of the book were when Enzo was telling his rendition of the story. I wanted to badly to know what happened in that courthouse or what happened when Denny had to leave Enzo at home while Eve was in the hospital. But, I really enjoyed Enzo's perspective of piecing things together that he either heard or made up in his little mind. (Or maybe the Zebra filled his brain with these ideas...one never knows.) I think Stein did a really great job of keeping Enzo in character and keeping the reader attached to the dog.
One of my favorite parts, other than Enzo's racing debut, was when Enzo had to stay with Denny's friends and they washed his little animal...what was it??? I laughed so hard. I swear there are times that Murray looks at me like...'really mom, you had to wash favorite rug?' Hilarious! One of the other elements of this book that I really liked was the strength in Denny's character. He held on true to himself and to his love for his daughter. I am always amazing at the audacity of some people, who think that taking a child away from a loving parent is the right thing to do. Can't we all just get along?
My favorite character was, the star, Enzo...and of course Murray Dogg would play him in the movie. I too look at Murray and think...my goodness, what are you thinking puppy?
Who would play Denny...hhhmmm...Do you all remember the guy who played Denny on Grey's Anatomy? He was the patient with the heart disease that Izzy fell in love with. I suppose it is the name I associate with him, but I really think he looks so loving and cuddly.
I will go with a 9 as well...loved it!
I just re-read everyone’s comments and want to add a few of my own.
ReplyDeleteKris, I hadn’t really thought about why Eve didn’t seek medical care for so long. But, your observation is interesting. Once someone gets that kind of diagnosis, it does take over their life. But, I would have to disagree about the Evil Twins. I thought the mom was worse; the dad was pompous but she was just plain mean!
I agree with Josey’s comment about Enzo’s “voice”/character remaining consistent throughout the book. Enzo never did or said anything that made me think, “Enzo would never say that.” And I had forgotten the part where the friends washed his stuffed animal. That was so funny because Enzo was conflicted. He was really mad, but he had to admit that the animal smelled better.
And, like Jen and Josey said about their animals, I also often wonder about what’s going on in that little brain of Sugar Daddy, especially when I wake up at night and he’s staring at me!
I would give this book a 9. I’m glad I read it and I never would have if not for our book club.
I thought the author did a great job of keeping Enzo in character, although I must admit that I frequently felt that Enzo thought like a person instead of a dog. There is a mystery series (if you can call 2 books a series) that I love (I have recommended the books to Jen and Bec) where the narrator is a dog -- Chet. He and his partner, Bernie (a human) solve mysteries. In the book, Chet's voice is such a great combination of human and dog. He doesn't always understand why they do what they do, but he loves Bernie so much that he will do whatever Bernies says because he trusts him. Sometimes, though, in the middle of working on the mystery, he will find an old dog bisquit under the couch and that throws him off for a bit while he eats it. The books are great (and great mysteries too). I laugh out loud sometimes.
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to argue about who was more evil -- Eve's mother or father. It's hard to imagine such evilness in real life, but I know it happens.
As Beckie mentioned, this was a great read for the holidays. Very fun, yet thought provoking on more than one level.
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