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    The Mountaintop School for Dogs and Other Second Chances: A Novel
    The Mountaintop School for Dogs and Other Second Chances: A Novel
    The Mountaintop School for Dogs and Other Second Chances: A Novel
    Ebook325 pages5 hours

    The Mountaintop School for Dogs and Other Second Chances: A Novel

    By Ellen Cooney

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    About this ebook

    “Love is a great teacher and we are all a little unadoptable. Readers of Garth Stein and Carolyn Parkhurst will adore this” (Library Journal).
     
    A People Best New Book of the Week
     
    The Sanctuary is a refuge for strays and rescued dogs. Evie has joined a training program there despite knowing almost nothing about animals. Like the greyhound who won’t move, the Rottweiler with attitude problems, or the hound who might be a candidate for search-and-rescue, Evie has a troubled past. But as they all learn, no one should stay prisoner to a life they didn’t choose.
     
    Heartfelt and hilarious in turn, this is a deeply moving novel of the countless ways in which humans and canines help each other find new lives, new selves, and new hope.
     
     
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherOpen Road Integrated Media
    Release dateAug 5, 2014
    ISBN9780544237094
    The Mountaintop School for Dogs and Other Second Chances: A Novel
    Author

    Ellen Cooney

    Ellen Cooney is the author of A Private Hotel for Gentle Ladies and other novels. Her stories have appeared in The New Yorker and many literary journals. She has taught writing at MIT, Harvard, and Boston College, and now lives with her dogs Andy, Skip, and Maxine - who are, each in their way, rescues.

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    Reviews for The Mountaintop School for Dogs and Other Second Chances

    4/5

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    • 5/5
      Absolutely fine...one of the bests books I've read in ages. Full of heart and soul and characters (both 2 and 4 legged) you'll want to get to know.
    • 3/5
      The is a beautiful quiet book about rescue dogs,the people who save them, and how they are not so different.
    • 4/5
      The first dog book in which no dogs die at the end is cause for great celebration! This novel seems so real, albeit with a strong mystical undertone. I had heard of the real life monks of New Skete, who raise and train German Shepherds. Here we meet the fictional ex-nuns of The Sanctuary and their rehab projects - damaged rescued dogs and people. Evie, a young former drug addict, veteran of many "programs", sees an unusual online ad and responds. She finds herself in The Inn, home of The Warden, Mrs. Auberchon, and surrounded by five dogs who becomes her pupils. She also literally finds herself.As much about people as dogs, this is a grand journey, filled with doubt and humor and learning to allow oneself to accept guidance in whatever guise it appears. I hope for a sequel so we can find out what happens to the Sanctuary and the canines we end up drooling over.
    • 5/5
      This is a very quick read. It kept me up at night because I wanted to see how a "dog trainer" with no knowledge of dogs could work with rescued animals. It turns out she as broken as the animals she's introduced and put in charge of. On page 22 you're given a hint of Evie's background when she spills sugar on the tablecloth. After she leaves Mrs. Auberchon goes over to the table and finds it in a line. "The line was perfectly straight, as if formed with a sharp, flat too." Then there's Giant George, a fifteen-year old who has his own background that he doesn't want to talk about. The author reveals different layers to the characters which also keeps you engaged with the plot and you want to know how things are going to work out not just for the people but the dogs that they're rescuing, rehabbing, and hopefully re-homing. Totally enjoyed it.
    • 5/5
      Evie is 24 and a mess. She needs a job, but even more she needs a second chance in a place where she can start over. Scouring the internet she finds something that peaks her interest the ad says “Would you like to become a dog _____?” That missing word pulls her in; she loves words, and reading books, so filling in that blank is like a puzzle. After some thought she figures out the blank is the word trainer, as in dog trainer; the only problem with dog training is that she has never had a pet. The web site is for a place called the Sanctuary, an old ski lodge up at the top of a snowy mountain, where they rescue dogs. Dog rescue was another thing that Evie has no clue about, but that doesn’t stop her from applying. On arrival, her first stop is the Inn at the bottom of the mountain which is run by the formidable Mrs. Auberchon; a stoic woman of few words who basically points her to a room upstairs and then leaves her alone. Without guidance, Evie turns to her books and the internet to learn about breeds of dogs and dog rescue and how to train abused dogs, while she waits for someone to take her to the Sanctuary. Everyday she spends time writing what she’s learning in a journal, and then slowly she starts meeting some wounded canines. Mrs. Auberchon won’t tell her when her real training to become a trainer begins, and her cryptic answers leave Evie wondering what she’s gotten involved in. Besides Mrs. Auberchon and Evie, this compelling novel is made more so because of the dogs, each with their sad stories and compulsive behaviors that will have you praying that they can find a safe loving home. Then there is also George, a teenager who lives at the Sanctuary, and who thinks of himself as Giant George, a extra large and famous Great Dane. This is a 5 star novel that can be enjoyed by older teens and adults. In Evie, the author has created an original and quirky voice that I related too. Funny and heart warming, it’s my new favorite and one that I want to read again.
    • 4/5
      This is a heartfelt tale of a person who is lost, Evie, and some dogs who are lost. Together they grow and find themselves. This book is for dog people who love good stories and happy endings. The stories of the dogs who Evie grows to love as she finds herself will melt your heart. I felt Boomer was sitting next to me as I read the story (as my own Golden Retriever often was) and Tasha was close at hand.The writing style was often awkward and disjointed jumping around from memories to narrative to storytelling. So it is not a real smooth read, but nonetheless, a book to read.
    • 3/5
      I don’t know what to make of The Mountaintop School for Dogs by Ellen Cooney. I read a good review somewhere and since I like dogs, I thought what the heck. I might as well try it. Hmmm!Evie is 24 and has had an unsettling life. She’s just left some kind of “program”. Against everyone’s better judgment, she applies to the Sanctuary to become a dog trainer…and gets accepted…despite leaving half the application questions unanswered. The Sanctuary is on some remote mountain and they rescue dogs. (One might say they rescue people as well.)Her first stop is the inn at the bottom of the mountain run by Mrs. Auberchon, a 60-70 year old who’s been running the inn for years. She vascillates between relishing her solitude on the premise that recruits always leave a mess (there weren’t any recruits prior to Evie arriving) and relishing company.It seems like Evie is not really going to receive much in the way of training. She’ll merely have to experiment to learn how to train dogs.While learning how Evie comes to terms with her life, one also learns of the horrendous cruelty some people perpetrate against dogs: dog fights, choke collars, beatings. Your heart will go out to our four footed friends who typically give unconditional love. Can Evie make them forget about their past. Can they make her forget about her past?Evie and Mrs. Auberchon are memorable characters. Boomer, an old golden retriever, took my heart. But are they enough to carry the book? I’m just not sure.
    • 4/5
      This book is the story of a slightly messed up young woman who is looking to change her life and decides to become a dog trainer. She gets accepted into a very unique school. The story unfolds with her learning about herself and rescue dogs. It is a great story. I enjoyed it and would recommend the book.I received an advanced copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

    Book preview

    The Mountaintop School for Dogs and Other Second Chances - Ellen Cooney

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