Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.94 AVERAGE
3.94 AVERAGE
“No matter what happens, I’ll be here, and you can always, always come home.”
Jess, a journalist, struggles to find the next story. Unemployed, at a seemingly dead end, career wise, she happens to receive a phone call summoning her back to Sydney. Her grandmother, Nora, who raised Jess, has fallen and is in serious condition at the hospital.
At Nora’s house, Jess finds a book in her grandmother’s possession that changes everything. The book chronicles the Turner Family Tragedy of 1959. As she begins to read through the pages, Jess makes horrifying connections and becomes determined to find out why her grandmother would risk the attic ladder and why her grandmother uttered fear-filled words at Jess’ arrival. What was her grandmother hiding? Why would she lie to Jess?
Generations of lies and secrets unfold throughout the 500+ pages. While parts in the middle dragged slightly, the last 200 pages moved quickly. Wanted to love more than I did as I love Kate Morton, but still a solid read.
Jess, a journalist, struggles to find the next story. Unemployed, at a seemingly dead end, career wise, she happens to receive a phone call summoning her back to Sydney. Her grandmother, Nora, who raised Jess, has fallen and is in serious condition at the hospital.
At Nora’s house, Jess finds a book in her grandmother’s possession that changes everything. The book chronicles the Turner Family Tragedy of 1959. As she begins to read through the pages, Jess makes horrifying connections and becomes determined to find out why her grandmother would risk the attic ladder and why her grandmother uttered fear-filled words at Jess’ arrival. What was her grandmother hiding? Why would she lie to Jess?
Generations of lies and secrets unfold throughout the 500+ pages. While parts in the middle dragged slightly, the last 200 pages moved quickly. Wanted to love more than I did as I love Kate Morton, but still a solid read.
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Let me begin by saying I adore Kate Morton’s work. She is a masterful storyteller with such lovely prose. I count “The Secret Keeper” as one of my favorite books. Between this one and “The Clockmaker’s Daughter,” Morton’s lost me a bit. “Homecoming” dragged on for so long that eventually I abandoned it…and I never do that, particularly with history fiction, which I love. But absolutely *nothing* was happening, and by the time Morton introduced the novel within the novel, I just couldn’t take it anymore. I’m truly disappointed, as I always wholeheartedly look forward to a new Morton book. But these last two have felt a bit off to me.
I found "Homecoming" by Kate Morton to be a slow-paced novel that lacked excitement and intrigue. While the premise of a woman discovering that her family history is a lie had potential, the execution fell flat for me. The pacing was sluggish, and the plot was predictable, with the big twist being telegraphed far in advance. Even the writing style, which attempted to weave together different perspectives and time periods, failed to hold my interest. While some may appreciate the layered approach, I found it confusing and disjointed.
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
DNF @ 3%. It was a slough to get through the narrative and I just I didn't care--I wasn't drawn in by the world building or the characters.
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:
Yes
If you can manage it, read this book slowly, and without any spoilers. It deserves nothing less.
I’m a longtime fan of Kate Morton, so when I heard that she had a new book coming out I was ecstatic. I’ve seldom read books that are so intricately plotted and well developed. Her books emotionally wreck me every time (in the best possible way), and Homecoming was no exception.
As I wrote this review, I tried several times to summarize the novel. It’s not an impossible task, but it’s one I felt exceedingly incapable of completing. Like the rest of Morton’s books, this one takes place in the past and the present (or close to it–no COVID here, thankfully!). I could tell you what happens in each of the storylines, but you can read the blurb for yourself. Beyond that, seriously, just read this book. Try to go in without any additional knowledge of the plot. It’s so worth it to watch Kate Morton’s incredible work unfold.
Many thanks to Mariner Books and NetGalley for the eARC of this book.
I’m a longtime fan of Kate Morton, so when I heard that she had a new book coming out I was ecstatic. I’ve seldom read books that are so intricately plotted and well developed. Her books emotionally wreck me every time (in the best possible way), and Homecoming was no exception.
As I wrote this review, I tried several times to summarize the novel. It’s not an impossible task, but it’s one I felt exceedingly incapable of completing. Like the rest of Morton’s books, this one takes place in the past and the present (or close to it–no COVID here, thankfully!). I could tell you what happens in each of the storylines, but you can read the blurb for yourself. Beyond that, seriously, just read this book. Try to go in without any additional knowledge of the plot. It’s so worth it to watch Kate Morton’s incredible work unfold.
Many thanks to Mariner Books and NetGalley for the eARC of this book.
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
It came together nicely at the end, but it felt SO LONG. I'm truly confident that at least 100 pages could have been cut from this book and it would've been a lot better.