The Art of Racing in the Rain

Title: The Art of Racing in the Rain
Author: Garth Stein
Genre: Fiction, Philosophy, Romance
Published: 2008
Rating: ★★★★★

When my aunt first recommended reading this book, I wasn't too enthusiastic about it. Firstly, because I have a somewhat weird dislike for reading about dogs - especially if they happen to get hurt in the story. And secondly, I wasn't too sure what a dog had to do with racing in the rain, and the thought of trying to connect the two concepts did not appeal to me.

However, I am always one to appreciate reading "out-the-box" concepts; curiosity about the title got the better of me and I ended up reading the first page, resulting in me not being able to put the book down. 

This also resulted in me finding one of the best books I have ever read. 

The entire book is written from the perspective of a dog, Enzo, who is obsessed with becoming human and having thumbs. He believes that, if he is a good dog, when he dies he will be born again as a human. While his owner's life goes through it's highs and very-lows, Enzo is there through it all. Danny, is a Race Car driver, and this inspires Enzo to learn more about the career. Once he falls in love with  racing, he begins to make connections and clever analogies between life and the art of racing in the rain. 

The story tends to be humorous at some points, brain-picking and philosophical at others, and sometimes downright heart-wrenching. This outlandish mash makes for an enjoyable read and I would recommend it to pretty much anyone. 

I gave this story 5 stars not only because of its well-thought out plot and witty, humorous and clever main character, but also because it was refreshing to read something different and the exact opposite of cliched. It was very well written. I did not pick up on any spelling or grammatical errors which is a huge bowl of fabulous.

I found it to be a truly beautiful story with many clever concepts that made me consider my own life and the real world. Plus, if Enzo was a real human and I had to meet him, I'd probably marry him.