I loved the cover of this book, but sadly I didn't love the story. I found Penny way too chaotic for me and just couldn't connect with her. While the story is well told, it was darker than I was expecting. Unfortunately it was not my kind of book in the end, but it is still one I would recommend.

I can remember reading Elizabeth Mckenzie’s The Portable Veblen when it came out, and thinking “What on earth am I reading? This is marvellous!!”. I felt exactly the same way when I read The Dog of the North.
Penny’s life is a mess - she will be the first to admit it. Her marriage is over, she has walked out on her job and her house, and now has nowhere to live. However, she finds herself rushing to her grandmother’s rescue when it looks as though Adult Protective Services are going to get involved in her life unless her house is cleaned. Along the way, she meets her grandmother’s accountant whose living conditions also leave a lot to be desired, her biological father makes an appearance, her grandfather needs her help because of his frankly awful second wife, and we get to see Penny’s sister in Australia as Penny and her grandfather make a last ditch attempt to find her mother and stepfather. They had gone missing in the outback five years before, and Penny is finding it difficult to accept that they’re really dead.

This is a really funny book, but boy is it dark. Whilst I was laughing at the predicaments that Penny found herself in, I realised that she seemed to be helping everyone else, and none of these people seemed to be helping or caring for her. She is a quiet voice amidst the shouting and misadventures of her family (her grandmother is really VERY entertaining!), and she just needs someone to take her side and give her a hug (if she’ll let them!).

It’s an uplifting story all in all, and well worth reading.

The Dog of the North by Elizabeth McKenzie is a heartwarming and exquisitely crafted tale that follows a woman on a remarkable road trip. Through the twists and turns of life not going as planned, the novel delves into the essence of survival in the aftermath. The characters are skillfully developed, lending them a sense of realism that resonates with readers. McKenzie's writing is poetic and evocative, painting vivid landscapes with her words. Overall, "The Dog of the North" is a captivating and touching read that leaves a lasting impression, uplifting and inspiring those who embark on this literary journey.

This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and I would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if it were in a bookshop. Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

Awesome read.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me read an advance copy of this book in exchange for my review.

Loved this book, if you like Dawn O'Porter and Graeme Simsion then this quirky heroine is for you. The perfect mix of funny and heartwarming, rag tag bunch of characters and not an obvious ending!

Although not for me as it is rather bleak and dark humour for my taste, I can imagine this would really entertain others.

This is a story about a very dysfunctional family. It is based in the USA with a detour to Australia. Both locations were described well and I assume accurately.

There was humour in the book which saved the plot which in many ways seemed too far fetched. The manipulative Grandmother, incompetent accountant, grieving Grandfather and an over the top step-Grandmother who was in her way as manipulative as the Grandmother.

The book ended abruptly. Not much was solved, another book could easily be written with regard to all the questions that were left. This was unsatisfactory.

A funny feel good story that’s perfect to read for summer.
The characters are well described and humorous at times and the antics with Dog of the North is hilarious at times.
The novel sets a steady pace and has moments of sadness and nostalgia mixed in too.
An easy read.

An interesting read with lots of Dysfunctional & colourful characters ,some larger than life with many complex inter family plots. #NetGalley, #GoodReads,#FB, #Amazon.co.uk, #Instagram, #<img src="https://www.netgalley.com/badge/aa60c7e77cc330186f26ea1f647542df8af8326a" width="80" height="80" alt="Professional Reader" title="Professional Reader"/>, #<img src="https://www.netgalley.com/badge/ef856e6ce35e6d2d729539aa1808a5fb4326a415" width="80" height="80" alt="Reviews Published" title="Reviews Published"/>, #<img src="https://www.netgalley.com/badge/8a5b541512e66ae64954bdaab137035a5b2a89d2" width="80" height="80" alt="200 Book Reviews" title="200 Book Reviews"/>.

This was a confusing story with perhaps 3 too many strands to follow, which didn't really go anywhere or get resolved. I am not sure what I felt about this, but the central love story was quite sweet,.

Chaos reigns supreme in this book. We have missing parents, a deranged grandparent, a strange supporter and a van that becomes a home. This is just a small fraction of all the things that happen in this book.
The advantage here is that the readers are plunged into the book and every other situation at the same rate as quickly as Penny is, and only in retrospect does the entire picture get more clarity.
Penny is separated by miles from her half-sister living in Australia. Penny could not longer stomach being in that country after her parents vanished mysteriously and, despite her grandfather's fervent efforts, are yet to be heard from.
I will not go into each individual jam that Penny finds herself in, but she is a diligent family member. She does her best with the chances she is given and refuses to think too hard about the repercussions before moving on to the next thing on the agenda! This does not bode well for both her mental and physical safety.
The adventure is constant, and there is no completely satisfactory and wrapped-up ending. It is realistic in that way.
I liked the writing, and I did not find myself disinterested in the events, even with the randomness of everything I encountered. I liked the characters we were introduced to. I think people who have a more diverse range of reading interests will appreciate this book better than I did.
I received an ARC thanks to Netgalley and the publishers, but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

"The Dog of the North" by Elizabeth McKenzie is a heartwarming and beautifully written story about a woman on a helluva road trip. The novel explores when life doesn't go to plan, and survival afterward. The characters are well-developed and realistic, and the writing is poetic and evocative. Overall, "The Dog of the North" is a captivating and touching read that will leave you feeling uplifted and inspired.

Tried this because it was on the women’s prize longlist. As expected, it just wasn’t the type of book I enjoy. I’m sure plenty of others will though

Oh gosh I really enjoyed this book. It was engaging and loving and just felt like a warm hug. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of the book in exchange for a review.

Penny leaves her job and her husband to check up on family in California. Her ageing grandparents, now divorced, are both having problems . Penny finds herself caught up in family crises, travelling to Australia then back to Texas via California with the undercurrent of a grandmother descending into dementia, the disappearance of her own parents and being stalked by her biological father hanging over her.
An interesting read , I liked the way the characters developed and was intrigued and sometimes repulsed and felt pity for Penny's situation.
Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

This book defies description, but loosely it revolves around Penny, who has just quit her job and left her husband, and sets off to sort out some family problems, particularly those surrounding her fiercely independent, maverick grandmother who is hiding some dark secrets of her own. At a later point, she travels to Australia with her grandfather to try and find closure about the mysterious disappearance of her mother and stepfather in the outback five years ago. Along the way she endures various health crises (her own and those of others), is stalked by the biological father who has caused her much childhood trauma, makes some new friends and develops a romantic attachment. This does not do justice to the plot, but that would be an impossible task. Fresh and funny, sometimes moving, totally surreal yet somehow also absorbing, this book will not appeal to everybody but is a delightful breath of fresh air for anyone who likes to push genre boundaries and to read something really different from the mass of novels out there. I did think it ended rather abruptly with a lot of loose ties- is it possible that McKenzie plans to revisit her lovable cast of oddballs? That would be something to look forward to.

The Dog of the North is a wild ride from start to finish. It was fun and funny, a nice adventure with some more deeper emotive parts so connect you to the characters, however it works so well together and creates an excellent story full of quirky characters. You really can't get bored as there's so many crazy things happening, I recommend for a more light-hearted read.

The Dog of the North was a real treat! It was perfectly paced, funny throughout and had heart. The perfect respite for anyone looking for something light hearted

The road trip of all road trips . Penny sets off in her trusty van to escape a series of disastrous events . A madcap ride

A book about changes, choices, meeting new people, and leaving the past behind.
There's a lot of dark humour, excellent storyteller, and Penny, a character I wanted to hug.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine