The Story of Edgar Sawtelle
David Wrobleweski
Ecco, Jun 2008, $25.95
ISBN: 9780061374227
In a remote part of Wisconsin, Gar Sawtelle, his wife Trudy and their young son, mute
Edgar makes a living breeding and training dogs. Edgar has developed a unique special relationship with Almondine, one of the family dogs; the pair communicate in a way that his parents are unable to do with their son.
The family is contented although the work with the canines is hard. When Gar's brother charming brother Claude comes home the family dynamics change but not in a positive manner. Soon after his arrival Gar dies and the silent Edgar is unable to call for help. He is filled with remorse and guilt making his grief even more difficult. However, he soon believes his father was murdered by his uncle who has spent an exorbitant amount of time with his mom. Fearing he may be next, Edgar flees accompanied by his best friends Almondine and two other dogs.
Hamlet is brought into modern day Wisconsin as readers feel the destiny of tragedy will occur from the moment Claude arrives and after that happens, a sense of a second calamity once Edgar concludes his uncle killed his father to eliminate the sole barrier to his mother. Readers will be spellbound by David Wrobleweski’s retelling of the classic as the key cast comes alive especially the mute Edgar who readers get to know by his thoughts and his communication with Almondine (sort of in some ways like the Ghost). This is a fascinating winner, but at 566 pages set aside some time.
Harriet Klausner
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