Comments on: The Story Of Edgar Sawtelle http://www.secretlyironic.com/?p=1872 Neither secret, nor ironic, nor an empire Tue, 24 Aug 2010 23:39:48 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: jennifer http://www.secretlyironic.com/?p=1872&cpage=10#comment-91873 jennifer Mon, 23 Aug 2010 00:24:11 +0000 http://www.secretlyironic.com/?p=1872#comment-91873 I just finished it. I knew it was going to have a bad ending so I was expecting the worst. I was actually relieved at the end. At least he was with Almondine and his father. I read the very beginning again and noticed that the first chapter was called Forte's children. What did that mean and what was the significance of Forte? I also wondered what Gar was trying to say to Edgar when he came back as a ghost. What was he trying to spell. I am sad to be finished with the book. I just finished it. I knew it was going to have a bad ending so I was expecting the worst. I was actually relieved at the end. At least he was with Almondine and his father.
I read the very beginning again and noticed that the first chapter was called Forte’s children. What did that mean and what was the significance of Forte?
I also wondered what Gar was trying to say to Edgar when he came back as a ghost. What was he trying to spell. I am sad to be finished with the book.

]]> By: Tyler http://www.secretlyironic.com/?p=1872&cpage=10#comment-90737 Tyler Wed, 11 Aug 2010 02:55:27 +0000 http://www.secretlyironic.com/?p=1872#comment-90737 Back to the original topic… I think that the ending of the book presented a choice to the Sawtelle dogs: either to live in the wild like Forte, or to live alongside humans. Each of the dogs let its opinion be known to Essay, the leader, and stood waiting for Essay’s decision. We never know what she chooses, but the choice itself is not significant. What matters is Essay’s capacity to choose. This is the culmination of John Sawtelle’s dream of creating the “next dog,” and this is what sets the Sawtelle dogs apart. Very nice read! Back to the original topic… I think that the ending of the book presented a choice to the Sawtelle dogs: either to live in the wild like Forte, or to live alongside humans. Each of the dogs let its opinion be known to Essay, the leader, and stood waiting for Essay’s decision. We never know what she chooses, but the choice itself is not significant. What matters is Essay’s capacity to choose. This is the culmination of John Sawtelle’s dream of creating the “next dog,” and this is what sets the Sawtelle dogs apart. Very nice read!

]]> By: Diane in California http://www.secretlyironic.com/?p=1872&cpage=10#comment-89515 Diane in California Mon, 26 Jul 2010 10:06:02 +0000 http://www.secretlyironic.com/?p=1872#comment-89515 I just re-read this book because I loved it so much the first time. I have a strong feeling that this is the beginning of a trilogy (or maybe the 2nd part of a trilogy... yet to come will be the prequel, with Stulz' farm and the grandfather.) I pondered the ending a great deal this time and I realized that, although everyone is near death, the fire doesn't really consume anyone except, perhaps, Claude. Nothing is really final, if you re-read it. Edgar says "I love you" to Almondine as both of them lie on the floor beneath the mow where Edgar had opened up the ceiling to let out the smoke... the floor is where the air remains. This could have been a near-death experience. The poison was from an old, diluted bottle, furthermore, we don't even know if it went in. With so many loose ends and Glen wandering around hollering, at the end no emergency vehicles had come to the scene. I can see the next story to start with emergency vehicles arriving, putting out the fire, oxygen masks all around and Edgar and Trudie surviving. Then Edgar must find his dogs by re-tracing the steps of his previous journey to Henry's house. By then Essay will have run with Forte and gone back to collect Baboo and Tinder from Henry and to get refreshed in the loving care of Henry. That may be where Edgar finds them. Through it all, the dogs and Edgar must prevail. I really think this is what David Wroblewski is going to do. If he doesn't continue the story of the Sawtelle dogs, THEN I will be disappointed in him, too. I just re-read this book because I loved it so much the first time. I have a strong feeling that this is the beginning of a trilogy (or maybe the 2nd part of a trilogy… yet to come will be the prequel, with Stulz’ farm and the grandfather.) I pondered the ending a great deal this time and I realized that, although everyone is near death, the fire doesn’t really consume anyone except, perhaps, Claude. Nothing is really final, if you re-read it. Edgar says “I love you” to Almondine as both of them lie on the floor beneath the mow where Edgar had opened up the ceiling to let out the smoke… the floor is where the air remains. This could have been a near-death experience. The poison was from an old, diluted bottle, furthermore, we don’t even know if it went in. With so many loose ends and Glen wandering around hollering, at the end no emergency vehicles had come to the scene. I can see the next story to start with emergency vehicles arriving, putting out the fire, oxygen masks all around and Edgar and Trudie surviving. Then Edgar must find his dogs by re-tracing the steps of his previous journey to Henry’s house. By then Essay will have run with Forte and gone back to collect Baboo and Tinder from Henry and to get refreshed in the loving care of Henry. That may be where Edgar finds them. Through it all, the dogs and Edgar must prevail. I really think this is what David Wroblewski is going to do. If he doesn’t continue the story of the Sawtelle dogs, THEN I will be disappointed in him, too.

]]> By: Liz http://www.secretlyironic.com/?p=1872&cpage=10#comment-89459 Liz Sun, 25 Jul 2010 05:42:56 +0000 http://www.secretlyironic.com/?p=1872#comment-89459 Just finished this book last night and wanted to throw it against the wall when I did! What a terrible ending! If the author was trying to write a modern twist on Hamlet obviously there was no other way to end it... but why do that?? Up until the last chapters the story was lovely (I couldn't put it down) and deserved a creative ending even if sad, but that at least tied up all the loose ends and satisfied the reader. The ending was ridiculous and totally ruined the story. There was no lesson to learn from it... other than Edgar should have listened to Ida and stayed away for good! As a side note... I watched "Hatchi" with Richard Gere last night (Hatchi was mentioned in the book). It was a sad movie also but moving. Worth watching if you love dogs! Just finished this book last night and wanted to throw it against the wall when I did! What a terrible ending! If the author was trying to write a modern twist on Hamlet obviously there was no other way to end it… but why do that?? Up until the last chapters the story was lovely (I couldn’t put it down) and deserved a creative ending even if sad, but that at least tied up all the loose ends and satisfied the reader. The ending was ridiculous and totally ruined the story. There was no lesson to learn from it… other than Edgar should have listened to Ida and stayed away for good!

As a side note… I watched “Hatchi” with Richard Gere last night (Hatchi was mentioned in the book). It was a sad movie also but moving. Worth watching if you love dogs!

]]> By: 2012 http://www.secretlyironic.com/?p=1872&cpage=10#comment-86375 2012 Fri, 14 May 2010 06:11:44 +0000 http://www.secretlyironic.com/?p=1872#comment-86375 I enjoyed the book at first I was dissapointed by the ending but then I realized that Edgar living with the death of Gar then knowing he killed the doc and Claude killed Gar would be too much for him to bear. I mean He's only a fourteen year old kid. I believe Trudy survived as she should have. If she had been there for Edgar, Edgar's and the Doc's death could have been avoided. Instead she decided to start seeing Claude and block her own child out.When you think about it the truth came out to everyone who it needed to come out to. Trudy knows what Claude did and who he is. Most people arent satisfied with an ending like that. Heres my comparison if youve seen the movie the lovely bones you know that the family figured out who did it but they didnt get to see him go to court instead an ice cicle hit him and he fell off a cliff. Even though neither one of them went through the legal system all of their victims were set free because their families were finally able to know the truth and thats all that matters. I enjoyed the book at first I was dissapointed by the ending but then I realized that Edgar living with the death of Gar then knowing he killed the doc and Claude killed Gar would be too much for him to bear. I mean He’s only a fourteen year old kid. I believe Trudy survived as she should have. If she had been there for Edgar, Edgar’s and the Doc’s death could have been avoided. Instead she decided to start seeing Claude and block her own child out.When you think about it the truth came out to everyone who it needed to come out to. Trudy knows what Claude did and who he is. Most people arent satisfied with an ending like that. Heres my comparison if youve seen the movie the lovely bones you know that the family figured out who did it but they didnt get to see him go to court instead an ice cicle hit him and he fell off a cliff. Even though neither one of them went through the legal system all of their victims were set free because their families were finally able to know the truth and thats all that matters.

]]> By: Wee Rab http://www.secretlyironic.com/?p=1872&cpage=10#comment-85800 Wee Rab Thu, 29 Apr 2010 05:16:19 +0000 http://www.secretlyironic.com/?p=1872#comment-85800 Half way through this book I suspected the author's plot lines were getting a little too complicated for character motivation control. I agree that his foreshadowing is heavy handed and only have enjoyed the dog-human relationship development. Training is hard work but tremendously rewarding. Glad I checked this website though, as I believe the lost loose ends and curious character about faces, along with the negative spiral disagrees with my philosophy of life...any English grad will tell you some element of redemption is vital for even a realistically blunt ending. The ending isn't just blunt, it's sounds like a vicariously cruel but ill-managed attempt at tragedy and I agree with the comments that it turns into a nightmare, of which I wish no part. I choose not to finish this book therefore, but loved the cover as it reflects the iconic images the author started with. Too bad he opted for a clumsy and weirdly out of control finale. Half way through this book I suspected the author’s plot lines were getting a little too complicated for character motivation control. I agree that his foreshadowing is heavy handed and only have enjoyed the dog-human relationship development. Training is hard work but tremendously rewarding. Glad I checked this website though, as I believe the lost loose ends and curious character about faces, along with the negative spiral disagrees with my philosophy of life…any English grad will tell you some element of redemption is vital for even a realistically blunt ending. The ending isn’t just blunt, it’s sounds like a vicariously cruel but ill-managed attempt at tragedy and I agree with the comments that it turns into a nightmare, of which I wish no part. I choose not to finish this book therefore, but loved the cover as it reflects the iconic images the author started with. Too bad he opted for a clumsy and weirdly out of control finale.

]]> By: Lynn http://www.secretlyironic.com/?p=1872&cpage=10#comment-85384 Lynn Sat, 17 Apr 2010 04:30:39 +0000 http://www.secretlyironic.com/?p=1872#comment-85384 I finished the book last night and was left with many unanswered quesations. Why did Edgar decide to go back home to the farm? How did Almondine die? I have never read Hamlet so I was surprised by the tragic ending in this book. Like many, I found it hard to believe Trudy could not get away from Glen and help Edgar. I felt like Trudy and Edgar deserved a proper reunion, which the author never allowed them to have. And, Edgar should have been allowed to get back the life Claude stold from him when he poisened Gar. If this were a coming of age story as the author described, Edgar should not have come home, with all his new insights and understanding, to die. I did bot like the ending, but still would recommend the book. I finished the book last night and was left with many unanswered quesations. Why did Edgar decide to go back home to the farm? How did Almondine die?

I have never read Hamlet so I was surprised by the tragic ending in this book. Like many, I found it hard to believe Trudy could not get away from Glen and help Edgar. I felt like Trudy and Edgar deserved a proper reunion, which the author never allowed them to have. And, Edgar should have been allowed to get back the life Claude stold from him when he poisened Gar. If this were a coming of age story as the author described, Edgar should not have come home, with all his new insights and understanding, to die.

I did bot like the ending, but still would recommend the book.

]]> By: Julie http://www.secretlyironic.com/?p=1872&cpage=10#comment-84748 Julie Fri, 02 Apr 2010 12:42:48 +0000 http://www.secretlyironic.com/?p=1872#comment-84748 Just finished 5 minutes ago and had to google what other people thought. The last book I read by Jodi Picoult had the same kind of ending where I wanted to throw the book against the wall. This one not as bad as that I guess but geez, can't we ever have a feel good ending anymore. There are so many unanswered questions on motivation, what happened, why, and it's just a big, big bummer. Nothing to feel good about at the end...at....all. Was excited when I heard about the movie but now that I've finished the book, not so much. Just finished 5 minutes ago and had to google what other people thought. The last book I read by Jodi Picoult had the same kind of ending where I wanted to throw the book against the wall. This one not as bad as that I guess but geez, can’t we ever have a feel good ending anymore. There are so many unanswered questions on motivation, what happened, why, and it’s just a big, big bummer. Nothing to feel good about at the end…at….all. Was excited when I heard about the movie but now that I’ve finished the book, not so much.

]]> By: Sue http://www.secretlyironic.com/?p=1872&cpage=10#comment-84410 Sue Thu, 25 Mar 2010 23:57:34 +0000 http://www.secretlyironic.com/?p=1872#comment-84410 Oprah and Tom Hanks have already bought the rights to make "The Story Of Edgar Sawtelle" into a movie Universal has signed on as well. Oprah and Tom Hanks have already bought the rights to make “The Story Of Edgar
Sawtelle” into a movie Universal has signed on as well.

]]> By: Renee http://www.secretlyironic.com/?p=1872&cpage=10#comment-83856 Renee Tue, 16 Mar 2010 17:07:53 +0000 http://www.secretlyironic.com/?p=1872#comment-83856 I was so enjoying this beautifully written 600 page story until I came to the ending. I even went back to re-read the last ten pages to see if I had MISSED something. I was so hoping for a happy ending, and I was disappointed that the author chose to have Edgar die in the fire and not fulfill his young life with what meant most to him. I felt as though the author had run out of challenging scenarios and was hurrying to finish everyone off, quickly. So much more could have happened without such a shocking ending. However beautifully written, I'm not sure that I would recommend this book because of the ending. Wish it wasn't so. I was so enjoying this beautifully written 600 page story until I came to the ending. I even went back to re-read the last ten pages to see if I had MISSED something. I was so hoping for a happy ending, and I was disappointed that the author chose to have Edgar die in the fire and not fulfill his young life with what meant most to him. I felt as though the author had run out of challenging scenarios and was hurrying to finish everyone off, quickly. So much more could have happened without such a shocking ending. However beautifully written, I’m not sure that I would recommend this book because of the ending. Wish it wasn’t so.

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