The Art of Racing in the Rain - Book Review

In the book "Art of Racing in the Rain" the main character and narrator, Enzo, has an uplifting and positive persona that helps the people around him go though the problems they face. After the move Enzo and Denny had to make to the much smaller and less fun apartment he said that "I wedged myself just so...I could see the Space Needle" (Stein 261). As Enzo has shown he turned his bad time and at one of the lowest points of Denny's life and ordeal instead of being bitter about the move he grins and doesn't complain about how much life sucks right now. Enzo's positive vibes also help Eve on her first night back home from the hospital. In Eve's darkest time, much like Denny's, there is a change that the whole family doesn't want to face. "'I don't need (the nurse)...Only (Enzo) can protect me'" (Stein 140). But he helps Eve out by becoming a protector. He is one thing that makes the house more than just a house but a home that feels the same as she left it. Zoe also sought out Enzo after her father left for Europe to race cars as she thought, though he was in the same house as before, leaving her feeling all alone and in need of something from when everything was grand and she had a healthy mother and father and dog. When Zoe asked the Twins if she could see her dog and play with her, Enzo jumped on the opportunity to help out the family. "Zoe asked her grandparents if she could see (Enzo)...'Tell her of course she can see Enzo' Denny said" (Stein 236). All of these quotes show how uplifting Enzo is for the family.

The novel's central message is that whatever adversity you face you can overcome it and never ever give up. After Denny hit rock bottom and he lost all hope he decided to reach a settlement with his in-laws that would relinquish full custody of Zoe to them. Enzo told him to push through it. "I lifted my hind leg and urinated on the papers. Gestures are all that I have...(Denny) said, 'I'm with Enzo, I piss on their settlement, too" (Stein 280). Enzo knew that Denny did no wrong and all he could do is lose in this situation. After the court case had been dropped and Denny was able to accept the job at Ferrari Denny saw how much higher the high is when you fight the adversity that comes your way. "'Sometimes I believe,' He said...'sometimes I really do believe.'" (Stein 323). As you can now see when you fight though the deepest adversity when you do come out you are on top.

The voice of Enzo as the narrator is the most effective medium way to achieve the message of never giving up in the face of adversity because it is one not often told from the perspective of a dog. In the book whenever something happy it is easier to show it with a human who can talk and you can relate to. A dog shows that you should be happy about the good things like how Denny was able to wow people for