Review by Ambrosia of The Life of Mr. B and Ambrosia
Acclaimed to be the next great American novel, David Wroblewski ties the reader in with this intricate plot.
Edgar, born mute, lives on a farm in Wisconsin. Mutual adoration is shared among him and his parents. His parents seek to teach him the family business of training the well-respected Sawtelle breed. The plot takes a special twist when Edgar's uncle joins the family on the farm. Dogs are brought to life, woven into the plot until the reader begins to see them as human.
The writing is exceptional. Rather than drab characters or easy plots, the reader must critically analyze all the charcters and the events to predict the outcome. Each character is given realistic features that grips the reader and helps the reader feel their joys, heart break, and pain.
Is this the next great American novel? I don't think so, but feel free to argue.
The book is loosely based on Shakespeare's Hamlet. If you have read Hamlet, you will find a certain amount of deja vu while reading. Keeping with Shakespeare's plot, David Wroblewski does not throw any plot surprises. I think a great American novel should be purely original. Of course, this is up to debate.
If you enjoy good literature that keeps the cobwebs off the brain, this is the book for you.
Great review!
ReplyDeleteI loved this book and begged my daughter-in-law and my oldest daughter to read it, too, so I could share the story. They both liked it, too.
I read that the author is working on another book now. Have you heard anything about it?