Reviews with content warning for Alcohol - Tom Lake

Reviews tagging 'Alcohol'

Tom Lake by Ann Patchett

68 reviews

sholtie's review against another edition

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emotional reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Can't wait to tell my kids about the toxic situationship I had when I was 19

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cnnr876's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted reflective fast-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

4.5

having never read any ann patchett before this, i now understand why readers are so taken with her work. this took me totally by surprise. it's quiet and comforting, soaked in nostalgia and memory. i found the characters deep and multifaceted, their motivations relatable, and their personalities engaging. patchett's way of knitting together a family story was very impressive, and i particularly liked how she played with time to bring the reader deeper into the story. i'll definitely be reading more of her work in the future.

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elissec's review against another edition

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emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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cassiebartelme's review against another edition

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emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

I initially thought I wasn’t going to like this novel- I had a slow start getting into it- but I did like it very much. The writing is excellent and Ann Patchett does a masterful job of telling a story of a family on a cherry farm in Michigan during the pandemic and the story of one summerstock theater season. Writing out the plot like that makes it seem like it shouldn’t work- that it will be odd or clunky or forced but it is not at all. Put it on your list.

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tashtasher's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful lighthearted 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? No

4.0

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sjexley's review against another edition

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emotional funny inspiring lighthearted reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

A cherry farm in Michigan, three grown daughters stuck at home during early Covid, and the story they have never heard of their mother dating one of the most famous actors of their time. The writing in this was so beautiful and compelling, just so, so good. Meryl Streep reads the audio, and I think it might be even better to listen to it!

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laheath's review against another edition

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emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This was a beautiful story of love, that among family members and between a married couple, but also the love experienced before marriage and how it shapes people for the future. The female lead is telling her 3 daughters about her brief relationship with a famous actor prior to becoming involved with their future father. Some secrets she chooses to keep to herself, but those that she reveals, show her daughters a different side of her than they had previously known, as well as why she made certain life choices.

Meryl Streep's narration in the audiobook is perfect!

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caitgiam's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful sad 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

5.0

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fkshg8465's review against another edition

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emotional slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

Reading this book was like reading something by Sally Rooney - really need to stop trying to like these writers and save me the time and boredom. I need more action, and very little happened. On tope of that, I really didn't like even a single character. Recipe for a one star review for me.

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snipinfool's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

It was 2020 and the world as we knew it had stopped. Lara, Joe, and their three daughters were on their farm working to harvest the cherries in their orchard. To pass the time, the girls wanted to know the full story of how Lara ended up dating someone who later became a huge movie star. Growing up, they had heard bits and pieces of the story but never heard it from beginning to end. As Lara moved through the story, more about their lives as a family on the farm unfold.

I really enjoyed reading this story. I loved how Ann Patchett wove the story together by linking the play, Our Town, with the impact playing the lead character, Emily, had on Lara throughout her life. Playing Emily in Tom Lake's summer stock performances was where she met Peter Duke, who would become a very well-known actor years later. That summer, Lara learned that she needed to pivot and take a direction that was unexpected from what she had planned. I felt much like Lara's daughters did in that I was excited to learn more of the story. The dialog between characters was natural and well written. The characters, themselves, were easy to visualize, and I could picture so many parts of the story in my mind. Overall, this was a wonderful novel about family and how big moments in life could lead to unexpected changes that end up bringing us to where we find our greatest happiness.

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