I just finished reading The Story Of Edgar Sawtelle. It’s a book I resisted for quite awhile, at least partly because Bookdwarf was so enthusiastic about it, and I just didn’t want to admit that she’s always right about these sorts of things.
Another factor that scared me off was that the book contains dogs. That immediately makes me think it’s one of those dog books – you know, of interest only to dog fanciers. It’s not. I’m pretty sure that people who like anything with dogs in it will like this book. After all, it contains dogs. But it’s not the sort of thing that appeals only to them. It will also appeal to novel-lovers. It’s a tale of family and secrets and betrayal, a northern Wisconsin sort of Hamlet mixed with Lear, a story of almosts, of near-breakthroughs in communication and understanding and perfection.
“The Story Of Edgar Sawtelle” uses the relationships – sometimes beautifully tender and joyful – between people and dogs to reflect more clearly the relationship between humans. Just as even imperfect communication between humans and dogs requires years of training and practice, the mute Edgar is stymied by his own imperfect understanding of the world and by other people’s inability to grasp what he’s saying. And of course, more generally, everyone fails to communicate or hides what should most be unearthed and shared.
No, there’s no happy ending there. Nice dogs, though.
Secretly Ironic 
Anyone want to discuss the ending of this incredible story? Where did the dogs go? Are they are on their way to you know who’s house? Are they off to a lead a wild existance with the mystical wolf? OR, is where they are headed meaningless in that they are simply making a “choice” like all of their masters did in the final chapters? I’ve spent the last two nights up late reading this book and pondering this question will have me up for at least one more!
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All my dogs marched before me in the pages of this book. Over my life I have had wonderful dogs. This morning I finished the book and immediately got up and took Willie and Hannah for a walk in the redwoods. They became Sawtelle Dogs to me. I had tears as we walked, watching them dart and race through the shadows. I like to think that Essay and Forte took the dogs and chose wisely and left them at worthy homes and they were taken in as strays and loved by their new families. I think that is the what Edgar wanted her to do and she knew what he wanted and that Edgar knew the day he first saw Forte that he was part of it all. Henry and Tinder and Baboo will make it if the others don’t, but it’s sad that Henry will never know the true story……..but do many of us ever do? I am glad that Almondine and Edgar had their last moment together. I would love a sequel, but I also like just wondering.
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Yes, but what about the sequel?…..Essay is obviously going to have a litter from Forte, and what will be their fate?
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I just finished reading this wonderful book too and I don’t believe there will be any new litters.
I’m inclined to believe Forte is a ghost and that Essay has led all the dogs to a much more significant “crossing.”
Now, it’s time to sit down and give my dear old dog a deep massage.
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Am I the only person in the world who didn’t like this book at all? It had a few pleasant chapters, mostly when Edgar was on the run & staying with what’s his name. But for the vast majority of the time I just didn’t care–about Edgar, or any of the other characters including the dogs. The nicest thing I can say about it is perhaps it was a “Guy Book” and I just don’t get it.
N.
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I rate this one of my top 5 favorites of all time. Thought provoking and profound. I loved the insights into the raising and training of dogs, as well as the relationship between master and dog. I think David Wroblewski will have a tough time achieving the same level of success in his next piece, but I know I will be watching and waiting for it.
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I finished this book a couple of days ago with sobs and great fury! Sorry, but it was the most unsatisfying book I have ever read. I am a dog person (all my life) and I kept telling my 16 year old son how he would love this book and have to read it after I was done. But not now! HE DIES?!!!! First the beautiful Almondine dies (alright, maybe Edgar’s running away has to have some consequence)and then Edgar? While his mother watches? Please!!! What kind of a depressed human being thought this up. Make us fall in love with the boy and the dogs and his bravery and his adventure and then kill him? No, this is not Hamlet, this is Edgar. And this is a shame.
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Liz: One of the most important lessons of having animals in a child’s life is that they die, and it’s an early lesson in accepting mortality.
Also, if you recall, everyone in Hamlet dies at the end. It’s not a tragedy if there’s a happy ending…
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I cried through the last 100 pages,and had nightmares about my dog Sophie the night I finished it. I agree that the ending was horrible and hard to read. I was infuriated when Almondine died. But would the book have been as moving, as powerful, with a happy ending? If I’d have written it, Almondine, Edgar, and his mom would have lived happily ever after. Maybe that’s why I’ll never be a great writer.
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The ending had nothing to do with the story!!
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I felt that way about the end, too. I was so upset, and yet the whole time I was reading it, I kept saying to myself, “it’s based on Hamlet. Edgar has to die. Almondine is Ophelia. She has to die. Claude has to die and Mom has to die (symbolically?). I knew it would happen, but still I was terribly sad.
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I think that Forte should have gone into the fire in the barn and pulled Edgar out. I really thought it would end that way !
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One of the best books I’ve read lately, a total five-starrer, but I’m afraid I too was bummed by the ending. I didn’t see it coming at all, not being an English major aware of the Hamlet connection. Still, I can’t get Edgar out of my mind, and every time I look at my little mutt dog I want to curl my body around him and cuddle (I also think of how undisciplined he is, now that I see what training really means). I have been arguing with the book’s ending (who do you argue with…the author or the muse?) ever since I raced to the finish last night at midnight. I definitely need a sequel. Trudy’s story. And after all her troubles, it better have a happy ending.
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I just finished this book and am unsure about how I feel. I absolutely hate it that it ends so tragically, but what beautiful writing! The story is good; the characters are amazing. I’ll be very careful about recommending it to others. I can’t remember when I’ve been so emotionally involved in a book.
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I agree the ending had nothing to do with the book. It was captivating and lyrical and then switched into a stupid bloodbath. Just like a hollywood movie. Don’t forget the ridiculous ether business plus burning barn plus lethal poison plus Trudy being pinned, etc. Too absurd. Trudy gets her just reward for falling for Claude; she was presented as a bright woman – the author really let us down concerning her character. The book was on the way to being what everyone says about it, but he blew it in the end.
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Back to the original topic… While I love Gee’s idea about Forte being a ghost, I think that the ending of the book presented a choice to the Sawtelle dogs: either to live in the wild like Forte, or to live alongside humans. Each of the dogs let its opinion be known to Essay, the leader, and stood waiting for Essay’s decision. We never know what she chooses, but the choice itself is not significant. What matters is Essay’s capacity to choose. This is the culmination of John Sawtelle’s dream of creating the “next dog,” and this is what sets the Sawtelle dogs apart. What a terrific book!
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ok – so i had to review the sparknotes on hamlet – when i got to the end and found my dear edgar dead, i simply could not believe it – the dogs heading off in to the next, whatever that may be, reminded me of Jonah in Lois Lowry’s The Giver, though of course the dogs were leaving an idyllic world –
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I’m in agreement with what Pixie has said. But the last chapters didn’t ruin the book for me because I enjoyed the rest so much. I’m also enjoying pondering alternate endings…
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i just finished this book and had absolutely loved it throughout… but am very disappointed about the ending. in fact, i hated the ending!! i related to liz, who was re thinking whether to recommend the book to her 16 yr old. i am also not recommending it my two kids now. it was so frustrating. it was so so sad that edgar rejected almondine to start with. and what happened to almondine? was that scene at the end just in edgar’s imagination? i guess, but i just wanted to believe that almondine was really there. but i guess it was real in edgar’s mind anyway.
the ending really changed my opinion of the book. there was no reason it had to end so darkly. i’m so mad at the author right now.
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I think that Essay and the dogs that choose to go with her are going to go feral and live off the land like Forte. In fact, I think that’s why Forte (the current one, not the one Claude had as a young person), is in the book. He knows how to live that way and will help them. I think that’s why Edgar lured him along as he returned to the farm. I think he sensed some of the Sawtelle dogs would need his skills.
I don’t really understand the people who said they wouldn’t have their 16 year old and other children read the book. Weren’t some of the books you loved most as a child very sad (Little Women is the example that springs to mind.)
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Loved this book, however, what was the significance of Edgar’s father signing to Edgar the letters HAA? How did any of the story concerning the ambassador have to do with the story or with helping Edgar solve his father’s death?
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I loved this story.Oh yes; I could see the shadow of Hamlet throughout the book.To answer Barbara’s question about what happened to Almondine=she was hit by the “car”(tho’ she didn’t have a name for it) that was coming down the road.Also,I have a feeling that somehow Edgar is going to survive that fire–in the sequel, if there is one. I’m not ready for another Hamlet.I’m waiting for a miracle–and they happen everyday!
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A ridiculous book, I forced myself to read all of it and do not understand the hype and the interest it has received. It needed a good editor, but it also needed a point. None of the characters change or grow or develop or learn, the ghost stuff is ridiculous, the imagined other world after death is ridiculous, the “thoughts” of the dogs are ridiculous. Yes animals have an inner life of some kind, more than most humans have ever credited them, but not the clear-eyed philosophy expressed in the English language as written by the author. And Hamlet? please, Shakespeare the author is not. For Beth, he might have survived the fire, but not the poison, no sequel, please. and what are “cuneiform clouds”? I’ve never seen anything in any sky remotely matching that description. Overwrought, soon forgot, couldn’t bring myself to care what happened to any of the characters, human or canine, largely because the author didn’t give me any reason to care. A simple story that might have made a decent short story or novella, but “Moby Dick” it’s not, no need for all the references and quotations to dog breeding, etc. Nothing learned from any of it, and the “Sawtelle dog” as a breed is ridiculous in itself. Take a dog that has some charm from any breed of dog and add it to the line you’ve bred and you get mutts. Perhaps loveable, loyal, and intelligent, but mutts. No particular size or form or coloring is going to remain consistent. A thoroughly stupid and ridiculous book.
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Loved, loved loved this book! Just finished it last night, and cried the entire rest of the evening, but oh! how wonderful. I am so glad I did not read these posts before I had finished or it would have spoiled the entire ending for me. I,too, was disappointed in the ending, however the entire book was magical.Last night I dreamt of my beloved (passed) Brandy and she was Almondine. Oh, to spend a few hours with the author, discussing, questioning, celebrating this work of art.
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I just finished reading The Story of Edgar Sawtelle. I downloaded this book to my Sony eBook so now it is easy to go over some parts of the book to help me make sense of it all.Some words in this book I did not recognize so looked them up in my pocket dictionary. No luck there. I do not own a dog but I really enjoyed the way the author portrayed the personalities of them especially Almondine thoughts. I am dissappointed in the ending too and am confused. What is it that the author is not telling us that makes Edgar realize that Claude killed his father? I have so many questions that I am re-reading this book in parts hoping to satisfy those questions.
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I thoroughly agree with all the nay-sayers. If the author had written the last quarter of the book as skillfully as the first three-quarters, he’d have had a novel worth raving about. And I didn’t cotton to the ghosts, whether dead humans or dead canines. Yes, there was some admirable prose but the melodramatic pages that led to the ridiculous ending left me cold and regretful that I had urged my daughter to buy the book. August 17th marks my 87th birthday. I thought I’d be celebrating a wonderful conclusion to a wonderful novel. Thank heavens the other book I’ve been reading, Nice Work by David Lodge is totally satisfying and (I am confident) will not slap me in the face with a weirdly dark ending.
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My comment is awaiting moderation??? Why must my opinion be any more moderate than those who said they were angry at the author or concluded “A thoroughly stupid and ridiculous book”? Yes, I loved this book and the writing style until that style metamorphosed into darkness and chaos. I have copied and pasted my opinion into my book file, to show to my daughter after she has read the novel. She will be left with a similarly negative view.
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The ending was painful with so much loss and sadness, and I’m trying to reconcile the reasons why the author finished this way. Maybe Edgar was like a Sawtelle dog. He couldn’t speak, but communicated in sign and expressions which only those who tried, would understand, and he lived a short life. Did Claude poison Edgar’s father? What was the “poison in the juice”? Why was Trudy, the only woman, left to suffer the loss of all? I’m still disturbed and moved.
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Stupid book, overwrought, overreaching. By the end, I was just skimming it.
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I couldn’t get through it and recently stopped reading it right after Gar dies. It is strangely without context. I guess that’s part of the device of having a deaf main character. But I grew up in the 70s and nothing seemed to echo that era for me. Glad I didn’t finish it as I hate sad endings especially where dogs and children are concerned.
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I’m not finished with the book yet, but have read the comments here and skimmed the end! How disappointing. When I read a book I want to feel satisfied in the end and I will definitely not feel that when when I finally finish this one. It was beautifully written, and I lived and breathed the characters while I read it. But I”m not looking forward to the ending. My own life has had aspects of Hamlet and Lear in it, and I don’t need to be reminded of life’s sorrows when I read.
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What good did it do Edgar to truly KNOW about the Sawtelle dogs? That knowledge died with him. Authors make choices and I think the choice to end Edgar’s life was not what most readers liked. All those years of keeping the line going and training the dogs – wasted!
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I just finished the book and I have to agree that it was a total disappointment at the end. And I am not dissapointed that it didnt have a “happy” ending, some books shouldnt. What was dissipointing was that the entire story was just wasted. Trudy never found out that Claude killed Gar, Edgar never got to confront Claude about his father’s death. The list goes on. There was just this whole big set up for 500 pages and then…. fizzle.
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I loved this book. I am a dog-lover, but I don’t think it’s a necessary trait to enjoy the book. It was beautifully written, amazing imagery and intertwined relationships that had me thinking throughout the day (when the book was put away). I have somewhat mixed feelings about the ending– I am ok with Edgar dying, mostly because I was distraught that Almondine and he never got to reunite… However, a few days after crying about that (yes, I’m a sap), it dawned on me that since Edgar was having run-ins with ghosts, that of course Almondine would find him again. And just for that at the end was a huge relief for me. It didn’t matter that he didn’t “officially” confront Claude with info about the father’s homicide. Claude clearly knew that Edgar knew about it. That’s what was so good about the book– I saw no reason for the author to spell it out– just look at the extreme action Claude went thru to get rid of Edgar. There was plenty of “silent” confrontation between them. I would LOVE to discuss this book with anyone; it weighed heavy on my mind throughout the reading… there is so much in this rich and satisfying story.
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I almost stopped following this thread because it seemed that so many readers just didn’t “get it.” Then, Nat came along.
This book is a work of art. Like Stephen King, I plan to read it again.
Characters died, but did they really?
The ending left me stunned, but left my spiritual side quivering.
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I loved the book and am shocked at the ending. It defied predictability, for me at least, since I didn’t identify it as a modern Hamlet. I wonder about some of the symbols: the black image when Edgar leaves his body after the death of his father; the black vine-like image his mother sees; the name “Sawtelle” — talk about ironic (secretly or not). Did Trudy die?
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I disagree that this had a bad ending. It had a dramatic ending – I give you that. One of the reasons I love to read is to give me new perspectives on life. This book did that. It made me think about life. It is continuing to make me think about the story days after I finished it. Rare for me to think so long on a story. There are many lessons in the book that a happier ending would have made me forget. A slap across the face ending leaves me stunned and shocked, but not angry at this author. I have to face bad things in life. This book helps me to do that. You can learn about the struggles and decisions and see beauty in what superficially looks like a mess. Great, great story. It has me up at night. What a puzzle!
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I just finished the novel and wanted to read what others had to say. Most of the comments are about the ending. I guess it was fitting. The whole novel felt incomplete to me, too many unanswered questions and too little character development. What had Claude been in prison for? I assume that’s where he came from. I thought more about East of Eden when I was reading; it’s been too many years since I read Hamlet.
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I just finished the book last night and I was so unhappy with the ending. I loved the book throughout till the end.
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Edgar did not die. Remember when Claude said he saw “Gar” standing in the door. He said all the time how Edgar reminded him of his brother. I like to think this is the happy ending. Edgar is still ALIVE!!!!!!!
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I loved this book until the last 100 pages. I wanted a fairy tale ending and didn’t get it. Having both children and dogs, my pain was with Edgar and my anger was with Trudy. She didn’t go and look for him? Glen was able to keep her from going to the barn? Trudy had lost a baby before Edgar and sank into depression. The story presented about how her relationship with Claude evolved made little sense to me. I just wanted someone to hold and love Edgar. I am sad that he died not knowing he was loved. The gift he gave Henry was sweet. It wasn’t Timber or Baboo, but that he wasn’t ordinary after all. I agree with others wondering if they should recommend the book. I find it curious that after many months of climbing the best seller list, this book just drops out of site, with little word of mouth promotion.
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Not really. The author was interviewed again just last week on the Today Show by Meredith Vieira. People are still talking about it.
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Mary Ellen’s comment from Aug. 10th addresses one of my biggest questions, something I was looking for an answer to throughout the rest of the novel — what was the significance of Edgar’s father signing to Edgar the letters HAA? What was he actually trying to say, what was he telling Edgar to look for? Also, this may be incredibly daft, or maybe it’s just a Hamlet allusion that I can’t recall, but what was the significance or Edgar cleaning out Henry’s shed and Edgar talking to the ghost (besides telling us that Edgar can communicate w/ ghosts)? Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Btw, I thoroughly enjoyed the book (except for the unnecessary detail of him running through the woods pre-Henry — didn’t see the need for it), but these lingering questions are really nagging at me.
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I’m glad I’m not the only who was mashed by this bizarre ending. I never got used to John Irving killing off characters he so deftly got me to fall in love with, but logic wasn’t so far off as it is here.
There’s no way this ending simply does justice to the magnificence that preceded it.
I knew something was up when Glen, for whatever reason besides the demented Claude’s prodding, decided he needed to subdue Edgar in such a forceful manner.
Me thinks Edgar would have willingly answered Glen’s questions about his dad if he simply sat down with the boy and asked him.
I also was frustrated with the torrents of imagery at the end. I had to read and re-read to pick out what was real and what was illusion.
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Didn’t the poison bottle have the word Hague on it?
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Totally agree with Les, Aug 4. The ending deletes the human factor and leaves the idea of rational choice, the “next” dog generation, as the evolved Sawtelle dog where it can choose to be a mutt, ie the Forte character and live on the fringe of the forest, OR become part of the human race. I guess it congers up the notion of who is more evolved? The Henry character that lives in the forest and feels “ordinary” or the civilized houses below with the glow of light that emits from the houses. Which way is progress for Essay and her fellow survivors? Toward Forte, who I also believe is a “vision” or toward the lights? I guess the answer depends on whether or not you see the glass as half empty or half full, or whether “civilization” is the better choice or not. I’m not convinced that the dogs choose the “lights”.
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I just finished this book. I couldn’t put it down for 3 days. When I finally did there were too many unanswered questions. I had all the questions in my mind and kept looking at the few pages I had left to read and was hoping HOPING they’d be answered.
I didn’t like the way it ended, it left a void.
But everything that led up to the end was amazing. Had it ended differently it would have been the book of the year.
I sometimes think authors run out of steam and just end it and wait for a paycheck.
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As I read the comments of others, I was relieved that my sense of loss were shared by so many others. I am simply a reader, not a literary critic, but I respect the desire of an author to write a great work of literature. I was unaware of the Hamlet theme and I wanted, and expected, Edgar to survive. I’m 57 years old and have read many hundreds of novels and yet at the end I had to remind myself myself that this is ONLY a story and that Edgar never actually lived so he couldn’t die. The problem is that charcters do live for me and David Wroblewski made me believe every word. I loved the book and, though disappointed, I am not angry with the ending.
For Mary Ellen, I thought that the “Haa” was a reference to Hachiko, the Japanese Akita, and that the father was telling his son that when you find something or someone worthy of your love (his mother, Almondine, …), you should give it loyally and unconditionally.
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