Second Chance by Elizabeth Wrenn
Tuesday, 04 Sep 2007 17:54
Second Chance is Elizabeth Wrenn’s first novel, though she's been a freelance writer for over 25 years
Published by Avon, out 3rd September, paperback, 320 pages, £6.99.
In a nutshell…
Cuddly. Feel-good. Puppy-dog love. Midlife crisis.
What's it all about?
Deena Munger is a stay-at-home mum who has found her housework mundane, her family relationships strained and her life boring. To lift her out of this rut, she decides to train a seeing-eye puppy to be a guide dog for the blind. Much to her surprise, Heloise, the dog, not only changes her life, but also the lives of those around her. Heloise pushes Deena to her limits, and makes her see things in a different light.
Who's it by?
This is Elizabeth Wrenn’s first novel, though she's been a freelance writer for over 25 years. Living in Colorado with her husband, daughter and dog, she also adopted and raised a guide dog puppy as part of her research for the book.
As an example…
“Heloise! No!” I stepped over the gate, directly into a still-warm puddle. “Oh, crap!” I said, not entirely inaccurately. I pulled my wet slipper off, gimped across the kitchen and pulled Heloise off the cabinet. I realised, obviously too late, that I should have taken her outside after her little escapade with Hairy [the cat]. I remembered all three of my kids, when they were little, needing to pee immediately after arriving at carnivals, zoos or amusement parks, their little bladders overwhelmed by excitement. Hairy was Heloise’s personal entertainment venue. In the front yard, I told her to do her business. “Don’t have to anymore,” her big brown eyes said. She began chewing a stick.
Likelihood of becoming a Hollywood blockbuster
It’s cute, but not really big-screen material.
What the others say
"This first novel by Elizabeth Wrenn marks an auspicious beginning. It is a gentle, feel-good novel, but it is not lightweight." – Curledup.com
So is it any good?
Second Chance isn’t a bad read. While not exactly light, it’s hardly deep, soul-searching stuff. There are a few depressing moments, such as when Deena feels worthless and invisible for choosing to be a housewife, but for the most part it’s a dedicated description of raising a puppy.
It comes as no surprise that Elizabeth Wrenn brought up a seeing-eye dog as research for the novel, since her accounts of Deena’s own experiences with Heloise are incredibly life-like.
In fact, you can draw a few similarities between Deena and the author – they both live in a small town in Colorado, they’re both dog-lovers, and look to be around the same age – which can leave you wondering how much this story is, at least partly, autobiographical.
At some points, the story drags or moves too quickly – in certain sections the book takes too long to get to the next point, while in others, the rapid succession of events left the plot almost slightly unbelievable.
Saying that, the book will appeal to baby boomers, mothers and dog lovers alike. If nothing else, Heloise the puppy’s adorable nature will win over most cynics.
6.5/10
Shanshan Dong
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