The Story of Edgar Sawtelle

by: David Wroblewski

Published by: Ecco

Reviewed by Michele Heather Pollock

Edgar Sawtelle was born without a voice, but that doesn’t stop him from communicating with people, animals and ghosts through a combination of signs, the written word, and body language. His communication is especially keen with the Sawtelle dogs, a breed his grandfather created, prized for their unusual temperament and intelligence, and which his family has bred and raised for generations.

When Edgar’s Uncle Claude returns to the family farm, a string of tragedies strike. Edgar, just a boy, is forced to flee into the woods, full of grief and anger, with only three of the yearling Sawtelle dogs for company. There he finds a way to survive and comes of age in the wild of the Wisconsin woods.

This is David Wroblewski’s debut novel, but you’ll think he’s been at it for a long, long time when you read this book. He’s a master storyteller, spinning a web that you can’t help but fall into, and do so willingly. He draws a breathtaking picture of a sweeping Midwestern landscape, and renders his characters with such heart and care that the only thing you’ll find yourself regretting is that the book is over when you turn the last page.

The best fiction takes us out of our own world and into one that feels different, but just as real. This has been accomplished so well in The Story of Edgar Sawtelle that even the magical realism of the ghost scenes is utterly believable, and chapters written from the perspective of dogs feel exactly right. There is nothing to jerk you out of the created world of the novel, nothing to keep you from turning page after beautiful page.

With The Story of Edgar Sawtelle, David Wroblewski draws you deeper and deeper into a gorgeous world. Then, with wisdom and a mastery of the mysteries contained in the best fiction, he utterly shatters your heart.

I give this book five enthusiastic stars!!!

Armchair Interviews agrees.