Reviews

Tom Lake by Ann Patchett

Only show reviews with written explanations

alissajsage's review

Go to review page

dark emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective sad medium-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

4.75

pomoevareads's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious relaxing 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? It's complicated

4.0

What better time to reminisce about your mother having dated a movie star back in the day then during a season of cherry picking in an orchard during a pandemic when the whole family is sequestering themselves from the public.

My ninth book by this author, I can always count on Patchett to write with such careful prose and to create beautiful characters. Tom Lake is told from the perspective of Lara as she tells her three daughters about her summer playing Emily in the summer stock presentation of Our Town by Thornton Wilder. Drawing out the story to begin with her first performance as Emily, a character who marries a neighbourhood boy in the play, and then through her foray into Hollywood and moving to New Hampshire to play Emily at the Tom Lake theatre and her summer in love there and then from there to how she ended up living at the orchard, Lara’s innermost thoughts and feelings are open to the reader.

This is a quiet novel with slow pacing and may not endear itself to those who wish some drama. This is a book for lovers of literary fiction.

I am most glad that I took the short time to read Wilder’s play before embarking on this book as it enriched the experience greatly.

I am giving this book a solid four stars. My only reason for it not being five stars is because I felt like a choice that Duke makes after seeing a place once didn’t make complete sense to me. As well, Lara’s choice of life partner seemed a matter of convenience rather than deep love. I am hoping I have given just enough away for those who have read the book to understand what I mean by that but no more.

Will I continue to work on completing the reading of all of Ann Patchett’s books? Certainly!

Content Warnings