Reviews with content warning for Miscarriage - Homecoming

Thank you to Edelweiss, Mariner Books, & HarperCollins for the opportunity to read and review this book before it's publication date! This in no way affected my review, opinions are my own.

✨ 𝗕𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗚 ✨ B̷O̷R̷R̷O̷W̷ B̷Y̷P̷A̷S̷S̷

I always have such trepidation before starting the newest Kate Morton book, because, I mean, how (?!?) could she possibly top her previous novel? HOW? But somehow she always does and Homecoming was no exception.

There is something about Kate Morton's writing that just feels like coming home - it's every perfect thing I've always loved about reading. I love so much about the way she writes but I think my favorite thing is the way she writes about places - in almost every book I've read from her the setting is almost as much of a character as the people and it creates this incredibly immersive feel about her books.

Homecoming was a haunting story about family, love, loyalty, and community. It sank into my bones and I know it's one that I'm going to think about for years to come. There's probably a lot more to say about it, as far as "reviews" go, but by now your interest is either piqued or it's not - I don't know what else I could say other than she is my absolute most favorite author of all time. That's it, folks, that's the tweet.

And now that I'm up to date with everything she's published, here's my rankings:
1. The Secret Keeper (2012)
2. The Clockmaker's Daughter (2018)
3. Homecoming (2023)
4. The Forgotten Garden (2008)
5. The Distant Hours (2010)
6. House at Riverton (2006)
7. The Lake House (2015)

All that being said, please know that coming up with that list is one of the hardest things I've ever had to do in my reading life, and also that while The Forgotten Garden is *technically* #4 on this list, it's also one of the ones I hold closest to my heart because it is the first Kate Morton I read and it was absolutely spellbinding. (Seriously, the differences between books 1-4 on that list are SO CLOSE)

Content Warnings

bedtimesandbooks's review against another edition

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mysterious sad medium-paced

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

4.5

Content Warnings

carajago's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Content Warnings

chaptersofchase's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.5

Thank you, Mariner Books, for the gifted copy of Homecoming by Kate Morton {partner}

Genre: Historical Fiction
Time: 1959 & 2019
Format: 📖
Pub Date: 4.4.2023
Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆.5

"People who grow up in old houses come to understand that buildings have characters. That they have memories and secrets to tell."

Homecoming starts strong - a tragic event, a town trying to decipher what happened, and then we jump forward to a granddaughter trying to figure out her grandmother's past before it's too late. There were numerous moments throughout the book when I felt I had the answers within my grasp but couldn't put everything together.

If you've ever read a Kate Morton book, you know that nestled between the exquisite details of the ordinary moments, there are red herrings, and the fun in her books is trying to figure out what is fact or fiction. I was paying close attention to everything mentioned, determined to figure it out before Morton intended me to. While I did figure out pieces, I didn't see the big reveal.

Homecoming is a challenging read - it took me almost two weeks to get through this dense 560-page book. Around the 200-page mark, the story slowed, and I had to take a break from reading. I struggled with the book's middle section and thought that a big chunk could've been cut from the story (which is why I gave it 4.5), but the last 100 pages made it all worth it. Again, if you're a Morton fan, you might've experienced this with her other books. If you're new to her writing, stick with it, the endings are always worth the wait.

😍 Captivating descriptions
🔍 Red herrings
🗣️ Multiple Perspectives
📖 Lengthy chapters
🤩 The ending is worth the wait

❌ discussions of maternal filicide and suicide, graphic details of miscarriage

I recommend reading Homecoming if you're looking for a beautiful, detailed historical fiction that will elicit numerous emotions.

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