Reviews - Homecoming | The StoryGraph

3.11k reviews for:

i was enjoying the slow pace and lush descriptions of this book, but it did drag somewhat in the middle with all of the narrative framing devices and i was curious to see how the mystery aspect would turn out. there were a lot of twists at the end when the pacing sped up rapidly, which was a bit jarring, but overall i liked this book.

tapestryofwords's review against another edition

5.0

4.5 stars. I DNFed Kate Morton's previous book, The Clockmaker's Daughter , as despite multiple attempts, I just couldn't get into it. I was happy to see that Homecoming is a return to form for Morton. While it had a slow start, by the midway point I had become quite invested in the story and was wanting to just know already what happened that day! Unlike some of her other novels, this one does not have a convenient romance shoehorned into the present-day storyline; indeed, neither timeline centers around a romance. Instead, the story showcases multiple POVs from various characters in this small town in South Australia on the day that a mother and her children were found dead. Morton, as always, does well to ground her story in the setting, and Jess is a likeable enough character in the contemporary storyline (if a bit obtuse at times...

Spoiler

I mean, if you know your grandmother fell going up to the attic, then wouldn't the attic be the first place you would check for clues???

). I guessed one of the twists partway through, but I think it was cleverly written, and there was another reveal I didn't predict. I am left with a number of unanswered questions (

Spoiler

Like why did Nora claim that Polly tried to smother Jess with a cushion? Why did she drive Jess and Polly apart?

), although I think that this is the kind of book that you could read through again once you know the ending and see some things differently.

If you like dual timeline stories, multiple POVs, a slow uncovering of mysteries, and themes of loneliness, betrayal, desperation, longing, deception, independence, and family, then try picking this one up.

lexrd's review against another edition

5.0

This book was an easy 5 star review. I savored every page and didn’t want it to end! I was fully immersed in the story, felt connected to all the characters, and thought it was so beautifully written. It reminded me a bit of Where the Crawdads Sing but in my opinion this was even better for so many reasons!

amy_saunders098's review against another edition

3.0

mysterious sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: N/A

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

priyajeanie's review against another edition

4.5

mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

bethanyrf's review against another edition

4.25

dark emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

I came across this book on one of the Goodreads challenges for 2025 and am so glad I gave it a chance! A beautifully written historical fiction meets family drama and mystery covering a cross generational story. The audio narration was gripping and I was eager to get every detail as this story unfolded. There were plenty of twists that all came together perfectly in the end.

What I loved:

Past/present storyline

Mystery and investigative style of storytelling

Heavy character development with multi POV narration

My only minor con was there were a few instances that felt a bit too drawn out. This book is also equal parts character and plot driven and isn’t a book you should breeze through quickly and risk missing important details.

tangersoto's review against another edition

4.0

Me costó MESES terminar este libro. Digamos que tiene un cierre entretenido, pero se pierde entre demasiado detalle, demasiada descripción, le doy 4 por no darle 3.5