Tom Lake
By Ann Patchett
Harper Collins Publishers, 2023. 309 pages. Romance
During the spring of 2020, Lara's three daughters return to the family's Northern Michigan orchard. The girls beg Lara to tell them the story of Peter Duke, a famous actor who shared a stage and a romance with Lara many years prior when both were part of a theater company called Tom Lake. As Lara tells her daughters the story of the past, the girls examine their own lives and their relationship with their mother. Lara sheds light on her life before being a mother while her daughters are forced to reconsider everything they thought they knew. As the family spends time together, they meditate on the differences between youthful love and married love and the lives of parents before they become parents. In both the past and present, Lara shows her daughters how to be hopeful and happy even when it seems like the world is falling apart.
Patchett is so good at creating characters with such authenticity that you can't help but connect with their journeys on a personal level. Her portrayal of family dynamics—both past and present—adds a rich layer to the narrative, making the story not just engaging but relatable.
Also, if you choose to listen to the audiobook, Meryl Streep’s narration is a great performance! Her voice and delivery breathe life into Patchett’s beautifully written prose, making the story even more captivating.
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