[Spoiler Free] Review of ‘The Art of Racing in the Rain’ by Garth Stein

Genre: Adult Fiction

Rating: ★★★★★

Tropes: Mature Animal Story

This book was so much more heartwarming that I expected it to be. 

The Art of Racing in the Rain is a story told by Enzo, a dog. It tells a beautifully written tale about the love of a dog and the perceptiveness and awareness a dog can have. The dog’s owner, Denny, is a racecar driver from Seattle. Enzo talks about the ups and downs of their lives together, and their story is wild. My favorite part about this book is the writing. This is exactly how I picture a dog thinks. I really enjoyed following Enzo’s point of view throughout the events of the book. I also really loved that the book is local to Seattle, where I am from. The author made lots of references to local spots like hiking trails, main roads, and local mountain passes, which really helped me visualize the story in a way I have never been able to do before. 

If you are looking for an easy and comforting read, I recommend this book. It will take you on an emotional rollercoaster, but you will end with such peace that you won’t regret a single tear shed.

This book does dive into various serious topics – I encourage you to look into the trigger warnings before reading it. I honestly don’t know if I would recommend this book to a dog owner… While I do believe the ending is so beautiful and peaceful, it may bring up some sad thoughts and feelings you may not want to experience. 

Read at your own risk, but I really think that if you do decide to read The Art of Racing in the Rain, you will really like it. 

Whether or not you decide to read this, you can watch the movie on DisneyPlus. I personally think that the book was 10 times better than the movie but it was still good!

Skylar