Reviews tagging 'Pandemic/Epidemic'

Tom Lake by Ann Patchett

85 reviews

moond4ncer's review against another edition

hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing 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

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal death, Child death, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical trauma, Abortion, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic

pam_'s review against another edition

reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.0

Extremely boring. I didn’t care about any of the characters or the plot. I probably should have DNFed because this was not for me. Meryl Streep narrating the audiobook was this book’s saving grace in my opinion. Without her, there is no way that I would have been able to finish this.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, and Alcohol

Minor: Animal death, Death, Misogyny, and Pandemic/Epidemic

elenival's review against another edition

emotional 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

4.0

11 hours of the Meryl Streep telling me a story? Just wonderful<3

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Abortion, and Pandemic/Epidemic

bella_cavicchi's review against another edition

emotional reflective relaxing 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? No

4.0

I’m not convinced that TOM LAKE is Ann Patchett’s best, or even her second or third best. It feels to me too quickly edited, the structuring of the memory scenes forced, the coincidences too good to be true. But man, did I still enjoy it. Perfectly imperfect, it is the epitome of summertime. I loved too how it captured the stillness that fell upon the world at the height of the pandemic without ever giving it a name.

+1 for showcasing summer stock theatre, what I lovingly call the “wild west” of the theatre industry. My heart! With it always.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Infidelity, Sexual content, Medical content, Grief, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Moderate: Cancer, Terminal illness, and Pregnancy

Minor: Child death and Abortion

thecandiegirl's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

• 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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcohol

Minor: Cancer, Child death, Death, Mental illness, Sexual content, Vomit, Medical content, Abortion, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic

mariposa517's review against another edition

emotional 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Confinement, Cursing, Infidelity, Medical content, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal death, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Toxic friendship, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Minor: Cancer, Death, Drug use, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicide, Violence, Excrement, Vomit, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, and War

ressicajicks's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful reflective 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

Beautifully written and beautifully read by Meryl Streep. The pacing might have been too slow for me had I not listened to the audiobook, but I am so glad I did. Springtime in the year that I am the same age as Emily, the year that I will marry my Joe Nelson, was the perfect time in my life to have experienced this novel on walks around my neighborhood with my neighbors’ flower beds in bloom. I am so so lucky. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Blood, Vomit, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Racism, Terminal illness, Medical content, Pregnancy, and Alcohol

Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Abortion

deltadam's review against another edition

emotional reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Death, Drug use, Alcohol, and Pandemic/Epidemic

rmcassel's review against another edition

emotional funny 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism and Alcohol

Moderate: Sexual content and Pandemic/Epidemic

Minor: Abortion

This book makes me want to move to a cherry farm in Michigan.

cassiealexandra's review against another edition

4.25

I put this on my TBR long enough ago that I did not remember or realize it was set during the pandemic. This could be sensitive for some readers so I’m pointing it out from the start. I had a mixed reaction to this book overall. While I thought the writing was beautiful and it was expertly crafted, there were some parts I struggled with.

The story framing was very interesting to me. I liked that it took a look at Lara’s coming-of-age through the lens of her telling her grown daughters about it. I appreciated the look at nostalgia, suffering (worldwide), legacy, contentment, and the sweet and deep love between husband and wife and family. I was also surprised by the moments of humor in a somewhat serious read.

There were a couple of plot points that seemed to come out of nowhere for me; they seemed nearly unnecessary. The pacing also seemed to slow down at a couple points and I would have preferred it staying steady. I also got confused at a couple of points because of the way the story was framed and reading by audio. I think some of these confusing moments could have been cleared up had I read it in print. And speaking of the audio, I hate to say it, but I had a difficult time with Meryl Streep. I couldn’t keep myself from picturing her instead of picturing our character, Lara, and that was a slight distraction throughout.

Overall, I did enjoy this book and appreciated the writing style and themes, but I think I may have liked the experience more in print.

— NOTES —
Genres: literary fiction
POV: first-person, singular
Content: pandemic, infidelity, death of loved ones (a couple other things that are spoilers)
Romance: mostly vague implied intimacy and a couple minor sexual situations

— MY RATING CONSIDERATIONS —
(all out of 5)
Pace: 4
Enjoyment: 4
Craft: 5
My Gut Feeling: 4
Total Stars: 4.25 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pandemic/Epidemic

Moderate: Death, Infidelity, and Grief

Minor: Suicide and Abortion