#the story of edgar sawtelle

[wellesleybooks]

"For all the eons it may take to read it, this colossus of a book will own you" Kirkus Reviews on Familiaris by David Wroblewski

See the full review here.

So many of us loved The Story of Edgar Sawtelle and are thrilled to be diving back into the world David Wroblewski created.

[the-liliger]

There are several questions we are all used to in life. What superpower would you want? What do you want to be when you grow up? What's your biggest regret? I haven’t lived too long, so I haven’t had many chances to do something so horrible nothing can be compared to how much I regret it. Until recently.

I'm an avid book-reader, enthusiast, collector, and lover. I've read many books, though not nearly enough, and have yet to read a book I did not enjoy. As all books are incredible in their own way, picking a favorite obviously is a challenging process, thus I have a three-way tie for favorite, and am unable to rank books any further than that. My three favorite books include: The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski, Billy Summers by Stephen King, and Everything Everything by Nicola Yoon. The novel Everything Everything was the first of these favorites to gain the unobtainable title of favorite. It's a beautiful and inspiring story, that I've reread one a year for five years. I'd also like to state that I have no problem with lending my books to others and giving book recommendations. I quite enjoy sharing incredible literature with others. But recently, I made the mistake of entrusting my beloved, well-cared for copy of Everything Everything with a stranger. With someone with not a care in the world for books and literature. Someone who I shall never trust again, and will hold a grudge against forever. She, whom I will not name, dog-eared, dozens of the delicate, worshiped pages in my copy of Everything Everything. I will regret to my grave, ever even giving thought to letting her lay eyes on my adored novel.

Although it does not contain the many memories attached to my original copy, my generous elder sister bought me a new, hardcover copy, which shall never be soiled by hands other than my own.

[notthatitreallymatters]

He dragged himself around work as if facing a high wind. Everything took an eternity, became a laborious detail. And Glen hated details. He was built for broad gestures—all a person had to do was look at his hands to know that. A man with hands like Glen's would do certain things, and certain other things would never be in the cards. He'd never be a pianist, for example, or a veterinary surgeon. Not that he wanted those things, it was just that he'd found himself looking at his hands a lot lately, and his hands said they weren't there for detail work.

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle - David Wroblewski

[chairofchaos]

I have been struggling with all the tag things because frankly I don’t have 5 favorite movies (I have one, and it’s the 2005 Pride and Prejudice). SO INSTEAD: may I offer you my five favorite books?

I’m tagging: YOU! If you’re reading this and want to join the fun, feel free! (And you can tag me- I love seeing these!!)

Rules: Vote for which one of my favorite books fits my vibe (and I cannot keep myself to 5 so…)

[pinespittinink]

(this is just an ongoing note for myself to keep as a reading log, feel free to ignore)

📚 books i’ve read since i started reading again (summer 2021)

iron widow (dnf)

for the wolf (dnf)

the wolf and the woodsman

circe

the bear and the nightingale

jade city

the girl in the tower

the winter of the witch

jade war

juniper and thorn 

jade legacy

daughter of the moon goddess (dnf)

babel 

the moonday letters

glitterati

our wives under the sea

a dowry of blood 

this is how you lose the time war

a far wilder magic (dnf)

how to die in space (current)

📚 to read 

not good for maidens

the story of edgar sawtelle

house of leaves

piranesi

invisible cities

the genesis of misery

black leopard red wolf

the last tale of the flower bride

dead silence

helen of troy

the locked tomb series

wolf children

to sleep in a sea of stars

the spear cuts through water

the darkness outside us

what moves the dead 

senlin ascends

[florriescreamlagoon]

And Trudy and Edgar, encapsulated in mourning, somehow forgot to care for one another, let alone her. Or if they knew, their grief and heartache overwhelmed them. Anyway, there was so little they might have done, save to bring out a shirt of his to lie on, perhaps walk with her along the fence line, where fragments of time had snagged and hung. But if they noticed her grief, they hardly knew to do those things. And she without the language to ask.

David Wroblewski, The Story of Edgar Sawtelle

[bookscribblings]

David Wroblewski Strikes Again: Familiaris Secures a Coveted Spot in Oprah's Book Club!

Introduction to David Wroblewski and His Latest Novel Familiaris You’re no stranger to David Wroblewski, the literary genius behind the critically acclaimed novel The Story of Edgar Sawtelle. This masterful storyteller has again woven his magic, captivating readers with his latest offering, Familiaris. Wroblewski’s ability to craft intricate narratives that resonate deeply with audiences has…

[moonlarked]

also forgot to add but the full title is: the story of edgar sawtelle by David Wroblewski!

Thanks!

[jackwinchester273]

Books

I really like books. And stories. I like how everything ends and begins and it’s black and white. And even when there are morally grey characters, they are either the protagonist or the antagonist. It’s pretty black and white. Here are some of my favorite books…

ill give you the sun Dante and Aristotle Discover The Secrets of the Universe

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle

The Boston Girls

solitaire

When the Moon was ours

Red White and Royal Blue

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

Hell Followed With Us

and some “unpublished” works…

All the Young Dudes

Crimson River

[josephconrads]

Dog-Eared Diaries #1

Title: The Story of Edgar Sawtelle

Author: David Wrobleski

Synopsis: Born mute, speaking only in sign, Edgar Sawtelle leads an idyllic life with his parents on their farm in Northern Wisconsin. For years the Sawtelle’s have bred dogs with a remarkable gift for companionship. Shortly after the arrival of Edgar’s uncle Claude, the farm descends into turmoil. Forced to flee into the wilderness beyond the farm, Edgar comes of age in the wild, fighting for survival not just for himself but for the three yearling dogs that have come with him.

Rating: 3/5

Review:

There is no doubt that Wrobleski is a gifted writer but I do doubt whether he is a gifted storyteller. The descriptions are detailed as though rather than writing he is painting, however the descriptions can’t make up for the lack of originality. Without giving away the plot I can only say that the story itself gleams much from an already written piece of fiction, one that’s been around for a number of years. Inspired by, maybe, but the fact is that their is only small pieces of originality. What originality there is, is what makes this a three star review. Don’t let the synopsis fool you, this is a 500+ page novel and the main story doesn’t start until nearly 300+ pages in. Had there not been some set of intrigue I most likely would have DNF’d the novel.

While the story that was created is beautifully interwoven there also happens to be a lot of set up for little to no pay off. Backstory can be helpful in the writing process but that does not mean that what backstory is created must be in the novel. With the focus on the history of the Sawtelle farm and the breeding of the Sawtelle dogs you might think this would eventually tie in to what lies ahead in the book. Rather, it simply becomes information you have although you do not need it. Based on what I’ve seen this is a polarizing book, a very much ‘you love it or you hate it’ novel. I enjoyed it however, I do think it’s not something I would ever re-read and I would have enjoyed it much more if the story itself was more streamlined.

Have you read it? Share your thought by sending an ask!

[shy-and-reserved]

The Many Different Covers Of:

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski

[the-liliger]

Review and Spoiler - #31

Billy Summers by Stephen King

I love pretty much every book I read. And I'll read pretty much anything. But, it takes a lot, for a book to become a favorite. It took no time at all for this book to enter a three-way time for my favorite book ever. (The other two are The Story Of Edgar Sawtelle and Everything Everything, highly recommend both)

Five hundred and twenty-eight pages of Stephen King's signatures: thriller, fiction, suspense, and crime fiction. As the King himself writes, "This spectacular thriller of luck, fate, and love will grip readers with its electrifying narrative, as a complex antihero with one last shot at redemption must avenge the crimes of an extraordinarily evil man."

Electrifying indeed. I felt like an addict detoxing when I didn't have the book in my hands. His story of ex-marine sniper Billy Summers' "Last Job" takes the reader with Billy, David, and Dalton on an emotional roller coaster and life-or-death adventure. Painting the pain and darkness of war, depicting the capacity to love someone, and transporting us across America and back, from small towns to fabulous Las Vegas.

Spoiler: The narrator is not who they seem...

[notthatitreallymatters]

He thought he was going to cry, but instead his mind emptied and he lay staring along the roots and leaves of the forest floor and listened to the far-off sound of the dogs rattling through the underbrush.

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle - David Wroblewski

[pangur-and-grim]

thought this would be fun to catalogue! in no particular order, here are all my favourite books

I’ll list them alphabetically by author:

Susanna Clarke - Jonathon Strange & Mr Norell

Neil Gaiman - Anansi Boys

Laird Hunt - In the House in the Dark of the Woods

Stephen King - On Writing

Ann Leckie - Ancillary Justice, The Raven Tower

Ursula K. Le Guin - The Tombs of Atuan, Tehanu, The Left Hand of Darkness

George. R. R. Martin - Tuf Voyaging

China Mieville - Iron Council

Elizabeth Moon - Remnant Population

Tamsyn Muir - Gideon the Ninth

Jonathon Stroud - The Amulet of Samarkand

Adrian Tchaikovsky - Children of Time

Jeff Vandermeer - Authority, The Strange Bird

David Wroblewski - The Story of Edgar Sawtelle

[diversereadingchallenge]

Prompt 43 Rec List

Here are some recs for prompt 43 of the Diverse Reading Challenge 2022. Full prompt list is here

Prompt 43 -  A book with a physically disabled and/or chronically ill protagonist

So Lucky - Nicola Griffith

I read this book for this prompt in 2020 and my review is here. 

This novel follows a woman, who is diagnosed with MS, the same week her wife leaves her, and shortly after is forced to leave her job. She decides to fight back by finding a new community. This book has such an interesting protagonist, and great prose. I would recommend if you are looking for a character study. 

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle - David Wroblewski

This is a retelling of Hamlet, set in a remote farm focused on breeding dogs. It follows Edgar, whose once peaceful life is broken when his uncle moves in. This is an enjoyable book, with some very clever reinterpretations of Hamlet. I would recommend to Shakespeare fans, or people who like books about dogs.  

The Nothing Within - Andy Giesler

A sci-fi novel, it is set in the post-apocaylpse. It follows Root, who after hearing a voice no one else can hear, flees her home into the wilderness, and must confront a threat to her people, and find out the truth about who she is. This is an interesting sci-fi novel, and weaves journal entries and stories together. I would recommend it to any post-apocalyptic fan. 

Note: I have not personally read the following books, but they are all on my to-read list. 

Fairest - Meredith Talusan

A memoir, of a trans woman with albinism, talking about her journey moving to America and transitioning. 

Something to Talk About - Meryl Wilsner

A romance, an actress and her assistant are photographed together, sparking rumors they are a couple. 

[florriescreamlagoon]

To her, the scent and the memory of him were one. Where it lay strongest, the distant past came to her as if that morning: Taking a dead sparrow from her jaws, before she knew to hide such things. Guiding her to the floor, bending her knee until the arthritis made it stick, his palm hotsided on her ribs to measure her breaths and know where the pain began. And to comfort her. That had been the week before he went away.

He was gone, she knew this, but something of him clung to the baseboards.

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle, David Wroblewski