Mara, a physically gifted art teacher, lives in the old employee quarters behind the McRae House in exchange for helping Earl McRae fix his fences. Earl, an old rancher set in his ways, is intent upon spending his last days putting his affairs in order and waltzing the hours by with his beloved wife, Edith. Eager to live adventurously at every age, Edith continues to entice Earl with fresh roses in her hair and sneak into the night with Mara on Lady Godiva Runs. Edith and Earl's grandson, Daniel leaves his eccentric roommates and comes to visit the ranch, armed with his camera that keeps him safely distant behind a lens, having little idea where it is he's really going.With compassion and wit, Kaya McLaren leads us into a world of astonishing possibility through the distinctive perspectives of four memorable characters. Church of the Dog (the McRae's name for Mara's artistically remolded house) is an exceptional novel of love, friendship, healing and hope. Set in a small town in northeastern Oregon, this book zestfully captures the exquisite complexity of simple lives. It may be considered a tribute to the human spirit and a reminder of how, without always knowing it, we all act as Angels for each other.
