The Art of Racing in the Rain

1. General Impressions

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

• What were your overall impressions of The Art of Racing in the Rain? Discuss what you liked most and least about the book.
• Compare the novel to other books. For example, have you read other novels that examined racecar driving or terminal illness or were narrated by animals?
• Have you seen the 2019 film based on this novel? If so, compare the novel to the movie. Did it translate well to the screen? What differed about the film? If most of your group has not seen the film, consider viewing it together before your discussion.

2. Personal Reflection and Connection

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

• Explore connections between your life and the experiences of the novel’s main characters. Which of their experiences did you most relate to?
• As the novel begins, Enzo’s thoughts reveal that he knows he won’t live much longer and that he hopes to be reborn as a human. This introduces one of the novel’s themes, Death and Rebirth. The end of the story implies that Enzo is reincarnated as a boy, whom Zoe introduces to