Edgar Sawtelle is born mute in rural Wisconsin, into a family that breeds a special line of dogs, the Sawtelle dogs, chosen for their intelligence and character. Edgar communicates with his parents and the dogs through sign language and bonds with a dog named Almondine. When his father dies suddenly and his uncle Claude returns to the farm, Edgar suspects that something is wrong and sees his father's ghost. Fleeing into the northern woods with three young dogs, he must survive and plan his return. David Wroblewski loosely builds the plot on Hamlet, but it stands as a detailed novel about training, family, and silence.
It suits readers who love dogs and wilderness and who enjoy long, patient literary fiction.
Inward-looking; a moderate read.
Best for readers like The Story Seeker. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 2008
- Language
- EN
