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freedo8quigly's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Moderate: Alcoholism
Minor: Abortion
ila_mae's review against another edition
- 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
Moderate: Alcoholism, Sexual content, and Blood
Minor: Self harm
caronchapman's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Minor: Alcoholism and Abortion
hellokaley's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Alcoholism, Toxic relationship, and Alcohol
Moderate: Child death
Minor: Abortion
shae_reads's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Alcoholism, Toxic relationship, Blood, Vomit, and Alcohol
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Cursing, Infidelity, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Excrement, Medical content, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Cancer, Chronic illness, Death, and Abortion
mgdsmile's review against another edition
4.5
The story is told through Lara's flashbacks to her growing up and young adult years. Over several days, she recounts to her children how she got into acting as a girl and eventually how she ended up cast at a summer production of Our Town, located at a theater company called Tom Lake in upstate Michigan. Most importantly, her daughters interrogate her about her relationship with Peter Duke, her co-star at Tom Lake, who has since become famous. In her late fifties now, Lara editorializes on her early life, both to her daughters and the reader.
The author reveals important details with intention along the way, as the daughter and the readers pick up clues as to how the story ends. Lara's voice is full of nostalgia, thankfulness, and simplicity as she narrates the closure she found over the years in her romance with Duke. We also observe Lara encountering her changing relationship with each of her maturing daughters, and Lara also reflects on parenting with wisdom and hindsight.
I was nervous that a novel grounded in spring 2020 would evoke elements of stress in me. Instead, Tom Lake captured the slowness and earnestness I want to remember of those days. Patchett has spun a simple yet captivating tale that had my attention for the duration of the book, and after, putting Michigan cherry farms on my travel list.
Many thanks to the Nashville Public Library's Lucky Day Collection for access to this popular novel.
Moderate: Alcoholism, Death, and Sexual content
Minor: Abortion and Pandemic/Epidemic
bomikim1354's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
- Incredible character development and world building.. Lara’s self talk in between telling her stories to her daughters is so relatable and makes me wonder about my own life and how I would want to retell it in the future.
- Duke’s character was a bit triggering— narcissistic actor who is actually a good actor and a terribly broken person so you can’t hate him even if you wanted to.
Her breakup with Pallace was also very realistic and matter of fact - Joe reminded me of the husband in Past Lives.
When we find out his name isn’t Nelson but Joe I gasped. Is Emily Duke’s daughter??? Dun dun dun - Had me dreaming of moving back to the Midwest and going swimming in Lake Michigan. Summer U Pick. I also want to watch Our Town.
Minor: Alcoholism and Mental illness
cari_joy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Moderate: Alcoholism and Alcohol
Minor: Sexual content, Abortion, and Pandemic/Epidemic
productioneer's review against another edition
- 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
Moderate: Alcoholism, Pregnancy, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Animal death, Death, Infidelity, Misogyny, and Abortion
rayreyes's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Graphic: Alcohol
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Racism, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Child death, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Vomit, and Abortion