A Review of Finding Gobi by Dion Leonard

                                                                              Review of: 

                                                     

                                                    By Rico

    Finding Gobi is a book based on a true story about an ultramarathon runner named Dion Leonard who meets a dog during a multistage ultramarathon competition. He originally sees the dog as a pest, since it follows him everywhere and distracts him from his goal of finishing the competition among the top handful of runners. On the second day of the competition, something unexpected happens. Shortly after the start of the race, Dion notices the dog is running alongside him. He expects it to slow down after a while, but it keeps up, following him all the way to the finish line! Dion is impressed by the little dog, and decides to take care of it for the rest of the competition. He names the dog Gobi, after the Gobi Desert that the race runs through. For the next couple races, Dion lets Gobi run alongside him. He soon realizes how much he's enjoying her presence. Seeing her push through the hardships they encounter while running the race motivates him, and makes the competition much more enjoyable. Other runners give him compliments for taking good care of Gobi, and he feels great about himself. He's also competing very well, positioned at third place out of the whole competition at this point in the story.

    Then comes the hardest race of the whole event. The course covers over 50 miles of desert, with temperatures well into the 120s. Dion knows that despite how amazing Gobi has held up so far, she simply would not be able to survive out there. He leaves her with the race officials while he runs the race alone. It ends up being incredibly tough, and not having Gobi running with him makes Dion feel lonely and a bit sad. Completing the race requires Dion to summon every last bit of strength in his body. At one point he has to stop and help a runner named Tommy, who is really struggling. This causes him to lose a lot of time, but he knows the danger of Tommy staying out there much longer. He manages to bring Tommy to a nearby checkpoint, where he leaves him in the hands of the race organizers. They check on Dion too, since he's also struggling at this point. After resting a little while, Dion continues. After a few more hours, he can see the finish line up ahead, and Gobi sitting on the ground right next to it. He realizes how much he's missed having her with him, and dashes to the finish line to embrace her. 

    After the competition finishes and Dion arrives home in Edinburgh, he wants to bring Gobi there as well. The problem is, getting her out of China and into Britain is an incredibly complicated process. She needs to get checked by a vet, be held in quarantine for months, travel all across China between clinics and other facilities, and go through many other daunting processes just to make it to Edinburgh. All of this would cost Dion and his wife Lucja nearly nine thousand dollars! It's an awful lot of money, but Dion is determined to bring Gobi back home. Lucja points out how moving their story is, and she's sure that many of the runners from the competition would be willing to chip in. Together, they set up a crowdfunding site to help raise the money, but they're skeptical if they'll get much input. Despite a few more small roadblocks they encounter here and there, things are starting to look up. 

    Then disaster strikes. Dion flew back to China to see Gobi and help get her through all the required tests and processes in order to get her into Britain, but Gobi went missing. Dion is heartbroken. However he is still determined to find her. He manages to find several volunteers who will help him search throughout Urumqi, the city where Gobi was being held before she escaped. The first few days of searching lead to no avail, and the group's morale is sinking. But they keep at it. Along the way, Dion meets some amazing people who help him tremendously. He makes many new friends and shares his story to many people. This part of the story is sad, but is also filled with excitement and touching, happy moments. Will Dion be able to find Gobi and reunite with her? Read the book to find out.

    Finding Gobi is truly an incredible book. It is an uplifting story of determination, perseverance, uniting people and working together, adventure, and of course, an amazing friendship. I thoroughly enjoyed every moment I spent reading this book. It fills the reader with emotions in the best possible way, ranging from excitement to sadness to joy. The tale of these two characters meeting and forming a friendship is extremely unique. The way they persevere through all the challenges they are faced in order to be together shows just how deep a regard they have for each other. I would recommend this book to anybody, but I think it will be particularly enjoyed by readers who enjoy adventure, suspense, and emotional stories. For these reasons, Finding Gobi is the first book to receive The Book Bagel™'s 5-star rating. 

- Rico