The Miracle on Monhegan Island

by Elizabeth Kelly

Maine's rugged, picturesque Monhegan Island is home to weathered lobster fishermen and curious tourists…a genial if sleepy group. But when Spark Monahan—rakish prodigal son—returns unannounced to the dilapidated family home, his arrival launches a summer the likes of which this quiet town has never seen.



During Spark's absence, his young son Hally has been cared for by what remains of the Monahan family: Spark's gentle brother Hugh and their shrewd, fork-tongued father Pastor Ragnar. Pastor Ragnar has led them with an iron will and a unique religious ideology, while Hugh has been busy mending the scars of a tumultuous family history. Spark's reentry into the family is rocky; even as adolescent Hally warms to his father's flair for mischief, he struggles to define himself against this new paternal figure. Testing the limits with one dangerous prank after another, Hally suddenly stuns the entire island when he claims to have had a spiritual vision.



Though Spark remains permanently dubious about the alleged apparition, Pastor Ragnar pounces on the chance to revive his flagging church. Hally is shoved into the spotlight and, in the frenzy that follows, each man in the family fights for independence, understanding, and ultimately forgiveness against the tide of a phenomenon reaching far beyond the slippery slopes of their remote island home. Their unforgettable saga is narrated by the character best suited to sniff out the family's uneasy secrets: Spark’s charismatic, fiercely loyal dog, Ned. Never at a loss for a quip on the stormy affairs of the Monahan family, Ned tells their larger-than-life story with humor and love from his uniquely privileged perspective.



An uproarious tale of an eccentric family of fathers and sons, The Miracle of Monhegan Island is another delightful summer blockbuster from Elizabeth Kelly.

Genres: Fiction, Book Club, Adult Fiction

325 pages, Hardcover

First published May 9, 2016

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the goodreads data base.

Elizabeth Kelly is the best-selling author of the novel Apologize, Apologize! and is an award-winning journalist. She lives in Merrickville, Ontario, with her husband, five dogs, and three cats.

Reviews

[Patricia Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very different and very interesting story. I really enjoyed it but it was different. It's a story of 3 generations of a family (father, sons, grandson) living together in an island off Maine and interesting things happending in their life. The thing that makes the story different is that the story is told from the viewpoint of their dog, Ned, and I loved it and is the main reason I chose to read this book. Ned is actually a kidnapped dog but he belongs with this family and he knows it. It's a very good story about family relationships and accepting others as they are. Definitely recommend,

[Tracey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elizabeth Kelly has done it again! She has created another family that will get into your heart and set up camp and you won't mind. The narrator...oh, the narrator...Ned is my favorite narrator. There were many times that I stopped reading to jot down a line or two of the text so I wouldn't forget it. I love this book so much! Thank you, Elizabeth Kelly!

[Carol · Rating 1 out of 5]

OK, so I guess I am one of those readers where the subject matter did not engage me whatsoever. The "miracle" was a red herring for a topic that just wasn't that interesting. None of the characters could I root for.

The 1 star is for the narrative voice: using the dog was pure genius.

[Natalie · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF. As much as I love animals, I could not get into a book that was told from the perspective of a dog. Had to chuck into the did not finish pile.

[Laura · Rating 1 out of 5]

Could not read this...strange enough that the narrator is a dog, but the writing is not enjoyable at all. Ugh.

[Lori LaPorte · Rating 2 out of 5]

This story could have been good. A dysfunctional
relationship between three generations of men held a lot of opportunity, but the story was choppy. At times it felt like a thought was introduced, but not completed. I think having it narrated by a dog only added to the problem.

[Kelley · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC received courtesy of Goodreads.com First Reads Giveaway

This is the first book I've ever read that's narrated by a dog. The narration was funny, poignant and dead-on when dealing with people and their family issues! There was a lot going on in this book. Almost too much. Hally, left with his grandparents and uncle on Monhegan Island, is stunned when his Dad, Spark, returns. Spark left Hally when he was just a baby, knowing that Hally would be better off with them. Hally's grandfather, Pastor Ragnar, has wanted to be a famous preacher his whole life. When Hally comes back from a visit to the shore saying he's had a vision of Mother Mary, Pastor Ragnar knows he can "make hay" with the claim. I loved the family dynamics between the 4 men of the story: Hally, Spark, Pastor Ragnar and Hugh. I wish some of the "extras" had been left out in favor of an even deeper view of these relationships.

[Candace · Rating 3 out of 5]

I requested this novel because I'm a fool for a book narrated by an animal. In this case, the narrator is Ned, a Shih-Tzu stolen from the back seat of a car by Spark, the black sheep of a questionable family living on a remote island off Maine. After some equally questionable ramblings, Spark is coming home to spend some time with his son and his father, the head of some sort of Christian offshoot church and a mega manipulator and opportunist.

For a while I was like Ned--who should I attach myself to in this brood? Ned makes an unlikely choice and we go from there.

There are some surprising incidents in the story that add complexity to the story of this family trying to decide whether or not they should be together, but overall the story is a little flimsy and unconvincing. I did enjoy it but don't expect anything earth-shattering. My respect for Shih-Tzus has been greatly increased, and in the end, Ned was my favorite character.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love just about any book narrated by a dog. Spark is returning to Monhegan Island to visit his Dad and son. He's a roamer and has decided it's time to settle down and get to know Hally. On his way to the island, he steals Ned from the back of a car and brings him as a gift for Hally. Ned tells the story adding a lot of his dog philosophy about three generations of males, bonding, surviving and saving each other from harm. This story has a religious zealot stalking Hally who has "visions", painful memories of suicides and Mental illness . Well written, I enjoyed the growth between Spark and his son and Spark and his father.

[Laura Valentine]

Authors can't have it both ways: narrators are either in the story or they're omniscient. Not both. And even if it's a dog (with better-than-human hearing) there's no way that a puppy has that much experience with humans or knows their backstory. Just couldn't finish because of that, despite interesting premise and human characters.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you like dogs or good books, this is the book for you! It's narrated by a dog that is not only very astute in humanity but also adds hysterical comments about various breeds of dogs. The characters are flawed but colorful and the story keeps moving along at a nice pace. Great read!

[Carol · Rating 2 out of 5]

Other than the book being narrated by Ned, the dog, I did not like much about this book. I’m not really sure what the point was. I kept wanting to like the book, but I couldn’t warm up to the characters and some of the vocabulary was ridiculously obscure.

[Lydia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book...but it just didn't work out for me.

[Amy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ugh. The worst book I have read in a long time, and I've read some duds. Can't believe anybody recommends this garbage.

[Marge · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a very disappointing book.

[B Ware · Rating 1 out of 5]

I just couldn't get interested in this story. The nog narrator might have been a change of pace, but the storyline didn't interest me.

[Christine Comito · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well, it's narrated by the dog... I was skeptical from the start. Story didn't really draw me in.

[Asia · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was one of those books where I found it difficult to understand the conclusion and what exactly happened with Hally. I did like the Monahan brothers - Spark and Hugh.

[Diane Ferbrache · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a review copy over a year ago and unfortunately it found its way to the bottom of my stack of "to read" books. I don't know why I waited so long to read this.

A story of an estranged father/son/brother who returns to his home and tries to build a relationship with his father, brother and son whom he abandoned when his son was an infant. As the story unfolds, the reader learns the circumstances of his leaving, and the family members try to come to terms of what happened all those years ago. The "miracle" involves the younger boy who claims to have seen the Virgin Mary and that she spoke to him.

This is a family story, a story about religion and its impact/influence on people, and a story about fame and secrets. There's a lot going on here and the author handles the storyline and characters very well. There were a few moments that took me out of the story, however, including the improbable name of the family's cult-like religion (Cludo). Silly complaint, I guess, since the name was derived from a Latin word, but every time the name was used, I was a bit put off.

MOST ANNOYING, though, was the fact that the story was narrated by the family Shih Tzu -- that's right, by the dog. I liked the dog, but I didn't see the point. Although there were some insightful comments about human/dog behaviors that added to the humor in the book, it was just unnecessary. Including the dog, but telling the story through a more typical omniscient narrator would have served the story much better.

I enjoyed the book and will recommend it to my friends and family, but I just can't give it 4-5 stars.

[Sara F. · Rating 1 out of 5]

I put this book on my to-read shelf a few years ago after reading a review in the Sunday newspaper. The review was quite intriguing. In retrospect, however, that review must have been written by the author's agent, spouse, mother or some other close person, because the book did NOT live up to that review at all. I recently got around to reading it, and I'm very sad for the hours spent reading it that I will never get back. There's a dysfunctional family with a narcissistic father who's a religious phony, one son who's the "good son," and one son who's the prodigal son returning home after several years. There's a grandson (son of the prodigal son and whose mother died) being raised by the crazy grandpa and uncle. The prodigal son steals a pure-bred Shih-tzu from a car on his way back to Maine where his family lives. The story is narrated by the dog - who, BTW, has a better vocabulary than pretty much any human I know. If you think this is a mess, you'd be right. Seriously, don't waste your time on this book. There are too many other books that are far more worthy of your time.

[Libbydale · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked up this book from the library because of its compelling cover and title. (Full disclosure: I live in midcoast Maine, near the coast that Monhegan is offshore from.) Ned, the narrator, was the best and most humourous part of the book. His witty observations were often laugh out loud funny. my favorite line was "I would rather...listen to a Lab describe in drooling detail the best meal he ever had...." At times I would confuse Ned for Halley especially in conversations. As a omniscient narrator he didn't always work so great. I had to reread chapter one because I thought it was detailing a kidnapping, which was a very clever opening chapter. I disagree with the cover reviews that say its a funny book. The seriousness of the themes and family dysfunction were written in a flippant way. The grandfather is a shameless manipulator and closet abuser. Becausr he is a self proclaimed pastor, religion is taking a hit ad well. I really wanted Pastor Ragnor/ the grandfather to go to jail and have DHS step in to make his father work regularly and give Halley a better home. Instead this seems to be about three men who don't get along who are the only people in a confused young teen boy's life and he just keeps pulling the wool over their eyes until he is rescued by his dead mother's rich parents, which solves everything. The manipulative grandfather uses his grandson for earthly gains. No one seems to really work. The uncle is a too quiet painter who just tries to keep the peace, and Spark doesn't ever really try to understand anyone, although he and his son come to a better understanding by the end. No one really grows up well in this book, and the major family dysfunction is disturbing and seems to be a device to tell a quirky story instead of exploring a compelling way to heal and deal with all the abuse, mental illness, and dysfunction. It ends too neatly-
everyone goes their separate ways and only has occasional time together. So to solve problems, money must come and people must go their separate ways-- that's just not a satisfying ending. At least the stalker is caught. Lastly, I wonder if the author has ever been to Maine. It doesn't have the flavor of Maine. It just seems like the setting is near the ocean.
Its unfortunate because Monhegan, from what I hear, has a really great culture and community as many Maine coast communities do.

[Nina Duncan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A family of a pastor father, prodigal son, his second son, and a grandson are affected by unresolved issues that threaten to divide them. In the midst of this emotional upheaval, the grandson, Hally, encounters a spiritual vision. Was it real or a image from his unstable mind? It becomes a catalyst for change in the dynamics of the family. There is certainly mention of the island and its rugged beauty. The artistic history is referenced by the second son, Hugh, who is a somewhat successful painter. Still, this story could have taken place on another island or in a town or city. Not sure why Monhegan Island was chosen for this story since this island offers many intriguing story options for an author, but they were not included here.

[Barbara Robinson · Rating 1 out of 5]

It began with a cavalier dog-napping by a man who seemed like a teenager, but it turned out the characters of every generation were lacking in substance throughout—at least as revealed through the dog’s narration. I tried but just couldn’t get interested in the story. The mystery wasn’t really a mystery. The one star is for the author’s descriptive ability—but the dog used no filter, so everything from the woods to a room to a voice to what someone was wearing, all were given equal emphasis which added to the boredom.

[Kim Murdock · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable read but nothing special

I’ve been spending time on the real Monhegan since 1961. I was pleasantly surprised at discovering this book. Not too many major factual errors, but it really didn’t feel like Monhegan except on a superficial level of checking off the basics. It’s pretty well written. The characters are not deeply drawn, however. The plot is TV series quality. I’m not sure why the author used the religious angle. I’d give the book a C.

[Liz · Rating 2 out of 5]

It’s hard to find much to like about the novel, besides the fact it’s narrated by Ned, a funny and observant Shih Zhu. Otherwise, most of the characters are a boring bunch, aside from Ned and Pastor Ragnor.

The book was mostly a slow moving, and it wasn’t until nearly three-fourths that it began to hold my interest. The ending, however, was simply unsatisfying, especially considering how much I’d trudged through the book, optimistically expecting something more.

[Pam Flynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Miracle on Monhegan Island by Elizabeth Kelly was interesting and brought a new meaning to the prodigal son theory. Returning isn't always easy & circumstances that occur after the return are filled with twists and turns that give the reader a page turning adventure filled with fun, adventure, & smiles.

[Donna Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pleasurable Read!

Certainly not your usual story! Everybody in the family had problems but watching the growth and change for each character provided for an interesting story. Inserted in throughout was believable disaster after disaster. A delightful read that will stay with you told from the perspective of a dog - and it works!

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

An unusual cast of characters in the Maine Island novel.
Spark returns home after many years. Hugh and his father, Pastor Ragnar, have raised Sparks son, Halley, after his father left. (And his mother died).
Hally saw and appartition of Mary twice. Pastor Ragnor took this as an opportunity to revive his flailing church. Not a good idea!

And the story is narrated by a Shih Tzu.

[Kendra Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. It wasn't what I expected at all. The story and character development were excellent, but I'm still not sure which event was the 'miracle'. Maybe it should have been titled, "The Miracles on Monhegan Island."

[Korey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I just wrote a review of this and Goodreads ate it. GRRRR......

I read this in one sitting this morning. It intrigued me throughout and held my attention but it also had significant problems. Kelly made the...interesting...decision to narrate this from the perspective of a dog named Ned (though narrated in the first person by Ned, there are times where he has a third person narrator's omniscience). This means we get more descriptions of how people and places smell than we would from a human narrator, and we get periodic musings about the nature of various dog breeds and canine wisdom passed down from Ned's father to Ned. This gimmick was a mixed bag for me. There were times when I appreciated the cleverness of using this offbeat observer to comment on such an unusual family. I enjoyed how well written a lot of the descriptive language was, and many of Ned's asides were charming. However, the book also suffered from a lack of perspective into the hearts and minds of some of its most important human characters.

The plot of this is not complex. Hally, grandson of the eccentric Pastor Ragnar, has a religious vision. The pastor seeks to exploit this vision to grow his congregation. Hally attracts the attention of the media and gains followers, both fawning and deranged. The drama surrounding Hally's supposed access to divine is supplemented by the nuttiness of Hally's family. A lot of the family drama is bloodless however because the key characters of Spark and Hugh, Pastor Ragnar's two sons, are total ciphers. To call them bland would be an understatement. By the time the book is over I've learned nothing about these men. I don't why Spark, Hally's father, was attracted to Hally's doomed and deeply disturbed mother. I don't know how he thinks and feels about his parents, his son, his brother, or the world around him. Hugh's sole character trait is that he paints.

Spark and Hugh are barely one dimensional characters. Kelly does better with Pastor Ragnar and Hally but they're still not as well developed as they need to be. These characters speak some smartly written dialogue to each other, but they are not as nuanced as they should be.

So in short this was well written stylistically, it had an entertaining plot and a narrative gimmick (narrated by a dog!) of mixed effectiveness, and key characters were badly underwritten.