The Art of Racing in the Rain Parental Review

Credits

Readability Age Range

12 and up

Publisher

Harper, an banner of HarperCollins Publishers

Awards

Unknown

Year Published

2008

Book Review

The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein has been reviewed by Focus on the Family unit's marriage and parenting magazine.

Plot Summary

From the start page, readers learn Enzo is an old, ailing dog. Having watched a tv program on dogs in Mongolia, Enzo is convinced he will come back in his side by side life equally a man. This excites him, and he's set to go. He just has to convince his master to permit him.

Enzo narrates his life story, beginning with his puppyhood and adoption by Denny, an up-and-coming racecar driver. Enzo loves and admires his chief, who talks to him about everything as if he's human. They watch Denny's racing tapes together, and then Enzo knows a good deal about the sport. The dog also watches a lot of Television, which helps him develop his philosophies on life.

Enzo is annoyed when Denny meets Eve and she moves in with them. Eve and Denny marry and have a daughter, Zoë, and Enzo warms up to family unit life. Denny's career success means he is often out of town. Eve begins having pains, which she ignores as long every bit she can. She finally agrees to let Denny take her to the doctor, and she learns she has terminal brain cancer.

Eve'south wealthy parents, Maxwell and Trish, urge Denny to movement their bilious daughter into their house. They have more time and resources to care for her. They also desire Zoë to stay with them. Denny is unhappy with the arrangement, but Eve agrees it is best for now. Denny continues his job equally a high-end car mechanic, follows racing opportunities and visits his wife and girl ofttimes. During this time, he dutifully takes Zoë to a family reunion with some of Eve's relatives. A 15-year-onetime cousin named Annika becomes obsessed with Denny and wheedles a ride home from the reunion with him. Denny, Annika, Zoë and Enzo are caught in a snowstorm that puts them home 10 hours later. Annika stays at Denny'due south place for the dark, and tries to seduce the expressionless-tired man when she comes out of the shower. Denny refuses her advances.

Months later, the cancer kills Eve. Even before her body has been removed from their business firm, Maxwell and Trish tell Denny they want total custody of Zoë. They believe they can provide for her much more effectively than he tin can. Denny has piddling money to fight Eve's parents, but he hires a lawyer. He eventually sells his house to pay for legal fees. He struggles to cover unexpected expenses, like a vet pecker when Enzo is hit by a car. Law arrest Denny at his workplace, and he learns Annika has come up forward with allegations of rape.

Although many people in the racing earth are interested in Denny's talents, the statutory rape trial means he'southward not allowed to leave the country. For a while, he's non fifty-fifty permitted to visit Zoë. The trial drags on for several years. Denny is broke and downhearted, simply Enzo supports him and helps him persevere. Luca Pantoni, manager of the Italian Ferrari headquarters, visits Denny and offers him a dream chore in Italia. Denny says life circumstances make it impossible for him to accept right now, equally much as he'd love to say yes. Luca urges Denny to call him when his situation changes.

Denny has a chance meeting with Annika and her friend at a coffee shop. He kindly explains his predicament and pleads with her to take back her false testimony. Former later, she recants. Maxwell and Trish realize they have lost their advantage, and they drop their custody suit. Denny is finally free to take Zoë and get to Italy.

Enzo finishes his narrative as Denny makes preparations for the move. Enzo finally convinces Denny to let him die, and Denny holds Enzo as the dog runs joyfully into the vast fields of the universe.

An epilogue some years in the time to come shows Denny every bit a racing champion in Italia. Zoë brings 2 fans to see him, a male parent and son. The Italian father boasts about his young son'south innate racing knowledge and skill. The son says how much he admires Denny and quotes one of the phrases Denny always used to say to his canis familiaris. The boy says his name is Enzo, leaving readers to suspect the dog got his wish to become reincarnated as a human.

Christian Behavior

Other Conventionalities Systems

Enzo gets his ideas nearly theology and the afterlife from Goggle box shows. He's convinced that some dogs are reincarnated to become men, and this is what he hopes volition happen to him. He thinks a dog's soul is released into the world until information technology is set to be reborn. He believes in karma, likes the idea of assisted suicide and accepts all of Denny'southward mantras that essentially claim a man can shape his own destiny with enough effort. He's also convinced that dogs, not monkeys, are the closest evolutionary relatives to men. He looks at death as a demon and tries to relieve Eve from information technology. He somewhen becomes convinced the demon is inside each soul.

Authority Roles

Denny adores Enzo and views him equally part of the family unit. Denny pushes through tragedy and despair, making a witting choice non to drown his sorrows in booze. He keeps fighting for his parental rights and trying to prove his innocence despite the financial strain involved. Subsequently Eve warms upwards to Enzo, she talks to and relies on him similar Denny does.

Profanity & Violence

The Lord's proper name is used in vain several times. The f-give-and-take, southward—, p-cker, crap, a–, b–tard and b–ch also appear a number of times.

When Enzo is a puppy, a vet cuts off his thumbs (dewclaws) without using anesthetic. It is painful, and the canis familiaris bleeds a lot. Angry after Eve's death, Enzo attacks, crushes and eats a squirrel.

Sexual Content

Enzo witnesses and describes several sexual encounters (including pre-marital sex) between Denny and Eve. He talks about them being naked, rolling around and mounting each other. Eve and Denny joke most using a turkey baster to inseminate her with Denny'southward pre-extracted sperm considering he is gone and so often.

Enzo sees and describes Annika getting naked and attempting to seduce Denny. He makes it clear to readers that Denny does not answer to her advances. Annika later on accuses Denny of rape, and he spends years in court trying to prove his innocence.

Enzo mentions dogs mounting one another and talks about a movie where a daughter and a bear are copulating. Some scenes are described with words like breasts, assurance and erection. Denny'southward friend Mike lives with his male person life partner.

Word Topics

Additional Comments

A movie version of this book, starring Kevin Costner, is scheduled for release in the fall of 2019.

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Volume reviews comprehend the content, themes and worldviews of fiction books, not their literary merit, and equip parents to decide whether a book is appropriate for their children. The inclusion of a book's review does not constitute an endorsement by Focus on the Family.

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