Reviews with content warning for Injury/Injury detail - Tom Lake [Large Print]

I wasn't sure what I was expecting when I started reading this but it felt like a gentle stream that was taking me on a reflective journey; what happens when your kids want to learn about the summer when you, or Lara our protagonist, an aspiring actress at the time dated a famous actor, at a time when he was not yet famous. The intricacies and complications of what used to be simple relationships and the impact people have on our lives and how they can influence on our future. This felt like a warm hug in places and by the end I was in tears, such heartfelt storytelling. My first of Ann Patchett and certainly not the last. I would definitely recommend to everyone. Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for an advanced copy of the book in exchange for an unedited and honest opinion.

Content Warnings

deetabz's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional reflective medium-paced

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

3.5

Content Warnings

juliacsmith's review against another edition

Go to review page

reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix

I’m still deciding how I feel about this book. But Meryl Streep as audiobook narrator = perfection. Chef’s kiss.

Content Warnings

aileron's review against another edition

Go to review page

hopeful reflective medium-paced

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

3.5

Content Warnings

jaimc's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

Content Warnings

serendipitysbooks's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional reflective slow-paced

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

4.5

Tom Lake is a beautifully crafted novel, quiet and understated, but filled with warmth and love. It’s 2020 and all Lara’s adult daughters are home in Michigan because of the pandemic and helping on the family cherry orchard. Prompted by their demands she recounts a summer from her twenties, when she was acting in the play Our Town and dating a guy who went on to become a famous actor. I felt that this story beautifully captures the bond between sisters and the relationship between mothers and their adult daughters. I also loved the depictions of the relationship between Lara and her husband Joe. It felt strong and right and true. The structure - Lara tells the story of her past relationship in segments which we hear in between accounts of the family’s current life - worked for me. This isn’t a story filled with high drama and conflict. Rather it’s a story of a woman looking back at a life once lived, at a pivotal summer where her life could have gone in one direction but didn’t, and more fully sharing this part of herself (or at least most of it) with her daughters. Lara, her family, and her story (if not all it’s details) are all quintessentially nice. Nice can sound a bit like damning with faint praise, but that’s not the case here. It simply the most apt description.

Content Warnings

booksemmahasread's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

Content Warnings

rebeccarudisill's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging emotional hopeful reflective slow-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

5.0

I feel like my heart has been absolutely put through the ringer but in the best way. Definitely listen to the audio. Meryl Streep adds so many layers to the story!

Content Warnings

More...