Natalie DeAngelo lost everything the day her two young sons were killed in a school shooting. Desperate to find relief from her unspeakable loss, she volunteers as a veterinarian on an elephant sanctuary in Thailand, but soon realizes she may be in over her head. Battling the memories that torment her day and night, Natalie must find a way to heal an angry, injured elephant named Sophie. Through … Through love, acceptance, and gentle care, Natalie and Sophie heal together, finding new ways to enjoy life again.
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This was a great story which embodied every emotion. The story mainly follows Natalie, an equine Veterinarian who has a huge need for a change in her life, after first having her husband walk out on her and her two boys, Steven and Danny and then later losing her two boys to a shooting at their middle school. Natalie cannot get over her loss and her Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is getting worse by the moment, not helped by the barrage of question from the media after the shooting.
When Natalie hears of an opportunity to volunteer at an elephant sanctuary in Thailand, owned by Andrew Gordon she jumps at the chance. Downsizing her practice and leaving it in good hands and packing up her house she signs up for a year at the sanctuary. She hopes working with the elephants will help her heal as well.
Once at the sanctuary, she works mainly with an elephant named Sophie, who is injured but has behavioral problems as well, she sees that this elephant has PTSD like she has and feels a bond. She has her work cut out for her as she seems to be the only one who thinks Sophie is worth saving.
There are so many wonderful characters in this book, and all with interesting tales to tell, but the main ones are Andrew the head of the sanctuary and already existing veterinarian, Peter Hatcher, who does not like Natalie from the start, Mali, Andrews Thai love. Each of these characters have interesting backgrounds and we will find out a lot about them in the story.
This was a fascinating story of what it takes to work with these wonderful animals, how both the humans and animals interact with each other, and the building of trust for each other.
There are many wonderful stories going on in this book, not necessarily to do with the elephants, and we also find some answers to some of the subjects brought up in the story. I do not want to give too much away as this is the story each reader needs to feel for themselves.
I could not stop reading this book, and want to thank both NetGalley and Amberjack Publishing for the opportunity.
Wow. This book! I read this in one sitting, instantly sucked into the story. After Natalie loses both of her sons in a school shooting, she volunteers a year at an elephant sanctuary in Thailand. She meets a lot of obstacles and challenges in rehabilitating Sophie, an elephant that is known for her violent manner. The author has done some amazing research into elephants and elephant behavior and it shows in this amazing story. Thank you so much, Dawn Reno Langley, for reaching out to me about your book! I want everyone to read it and love it as much as I did!
This is how Dawn Reno Langley describes the word lovely in her novel The Mourning Parade….”Lovely is always a good word.” “Plus, it holds the word ‘love’ inside it, without the ties of commitment like perhaps, the word ‘special’. “It’s a good word-lovely is-to describe a relationship that’s temporary yet treasured.” That’s what this story is!! Absolutely lovely from beginning to end! A book to be treasured! I could not put it down!!
I bought this book because I love elephants. I have loved them since I was a child, I’ve collected them with my mother. She once told me elephants bring good luck. I’ve always believed that. If you love elephants you must read this book!! It’s a story that will fill your heart and soul with every emotion you could possibly imagine!
Sophie is an old, giant female, ailing, frightened ellie who suffers from PTSD. She doesn’t like men. Her mahouts have been using an ‘ankus’ to try to control her, but she has terrible memories from losing her family and the pain in her leg makes her act out in anger.
Single mom Natalie DeAngelo wants desperately to escape the pain, loss, grief and debilitating PTSD she is suffering from after losing her two sons in a tragic school shooting. She escapes to an elephant sanctuary in Thailand to assist philanthropist Andrew Graham with his beloved “ellies”, where she knows in her heart her boys would approve. He is a kind, caring and compassionate ally. There she meets Mali, a Thai woman who eventually becomes Natalie’s most trusted (human) friend. Natalie is also confronted with a man, Dr. Peter Hatcher, who is determined to undermine everything she is trying to do at the sanctuary, and causes her PTSD to skyrocket at times. He is a longtime veterinarian of the sanctuary and thinks he knows what’s best. He has a longtime grudge against Natalie and is determined to see her fail.
The development of the relationship between Sophie and Natalie throughout this story was so powerful and emotional, at times I pictured myself in the sanctuary with them. Their journey together from pain to healing was something so wonderful and touching it made my heart full!! In actuality, each character had a special quality about them, even the animals. There were a few unexpected twists and turns in the story that had me turning the pages nonstop!! The ending was perfect! I absolutely loved this book and would highly recommend it!!
Wow!
This book knocked it out of the park for me! I absolutely fell in love with Natalie from the moment she stepped into the book and onto the page.
Emotions ran high throughout this story entire story. I found myself with tears in my eyes many times throughout; when both sad and happy events took place.
The emotional journey that Natalie takes when traveling to the elephants, which they refer to as “ellies”, is one that will have you wanting more and not wanting to put the book down. I was always wondering “what could possibly happen next”…..
I absolutely loved this book! This was my first book by Dawn Reno Langley and will certainly not be my last.
The Mourning Parade
By Dawn Reno Langley
350 pages
Description
Natalie DeAngelo lost everything the day her two young sons were killed in a school shooting. Desperate to find relief from her unspeakable loss, she volunteers as a veterinarian on an elephant sanctuary in Thailand, but soon realizes she may be in over her head. Battling the memories that torment her day and night, Natalie must find a way to heal an angry, injured elephant named Sophie. Through love, acceptance, and gentle care, Natalie and Sophie heal together, finding new ways to enjoy life again.
My Review
The Mourning Parade is a captivating, intriguing, and a very emotional novel. I could not put the book down; turning the pages as fast as i could. I started this book early in the morning and finished it that evening. Her writing was so vivid, that I felt what the characters were feeling and it Seemed like I was in Thailand with the elephants ! There are so many wonderful characters in this book and they were well developed.
Hoping to dull the pain of losing her two sons in a school shooting, divorced veterinarian Natalie DeAngelo volunteers for a one-year stint at an elephant sanctuary in Thailand. She does not tell anyone of the awful tragedy in her past. Taking care of the endangered animals is her way of escaping her pain. But she soon realizes she may be in over her head when she faces three major challenges: her debilitating PTSD is creating night terrors; Peter Hatcher, the sanctuary’s in-house vet, has a longtime grudge against her and wants desperately for her to fail; and Sophie, a female elephant with a raging leg infection and PTSD caused by human abuse, who will be put down if Natalie’s rehabilitation efforts fail.
This story has such an realistic plot that it is easy to forget your not there. I dont want to give away too much of the book but to make sure i gave you just enough to pull you in. If you have not read this beautiful heartfelt story you should.
This story made me wince, weep, whisper, and wish for more.
This book brings together the brokenness of people and the brokenness of elephants. It is educational but also touching. Our book club read it and loved it.
I binged this book and wish I could read it again for the first time.
Equestrian veterinarian Natalie DiAngelo needed to get away. There is nothing left for her since her boys were taken from her. Home is nothing but a constant reminder of what and who is no longer there. Suffering from PTSD and haunted by the memories of her boys, Natalie volunteers at an elephant sanctuary in Thailand. Her maman might be right in saying she is running away, but it is as if it’s all she can do. It’s been a year. She has to leave.
But soon after arriving to the sanctuary, Natalie begins to second guess her decisions. The lead veterinarian is an asshole to the nth degree and doesn’t bother to hide his disdain for her. The memories and nightmares just have a new place to call home. And then- there’s Sophie. This is the character I became attached to the most. An elephant, or “ellie”, suffering from severe PTSD because of horrid working conditions, Sophie is headed for euthanasia. Dr. Dick and the handlers all agree she is far too dangerous to fix, but Natalie knows she can help Sophie if they would just let her try. She needs this. After much debate, she is given a small window of time to make a difference. Natalie accepts this challenge head on.
With beautiful descriptions of Thailand and the inner workings of an elephant sanctuary in the mountains, Natalie and Sophie together learn how to heal, how to trust, and how to love. The Mourning Parade is absolutely one of my top books I’ve read this year and I intend on recommending it to everyone I can. It broke my heart in the most beautiful way and I loved every page. Kudos to Dawn Reno Langley. Well done.
I loved this book that is about a mother’s love, heartbreak, inspiration, devotion and triumphs!