Book Review: The Story of Edgar Sawtelle

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle. I picked it up for several reasons. It was an Oprah book pick. And I had a baby coming due and enjoy reading while nursing. At Christmas I received a Kindle Fire... so I find it simply odd that this is perhaps the last actual book I will purchase (until I have one of my own in print of course!). I enjoyed the book until it's last pages. The story of a boy who cannot speak but can communicate with pigeon sign was fascinating. The love the dog has for the boy is heartfelt. The author's ability to write from multiple perspectives including the dog's was great. Just wish I'd known going in to it that this was a recreation of the Shakespearean Tragedies. Once I finished the book in bafflement (the end is.... weird...) I did some research. Seems to me that this book was in part a bfa project for the author. It is Shakespear-- set in rural Wisconsin. And the main character is unable to speak. The premiss works. The author did well with the story telling, don't get me wrong. Its just that I am left thinking: How did he come up with the change in the scenery, and characters? Did he spin a wheel? Did he try to come up with the most unlikely combination of instances and make them work as a story? Did he just take the favorite moments from all the plays and mush them together to make one story? It works. Which says something of this writer. But... What the? I just wish I'd known it would end a tragedy-- s'all I'm sayin'