Reviews tagging 'Child death'

Tom Lake by Ann Patchett

12 reviews

emilyexley's review

emotional hopeful reflective fast-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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol

Minor: Child death

prairiek's review against another edition

emotional reflective slow-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism

Moderate: Sexual content

Minor: Cancer, Pandemic/Epidemic, Child death, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Medical content

coffeekitaab's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

I wasn't sure what I was expecting when I started reading this but it felt like a gentle stream that was taking me on a reflective journey; what happens when your kids want to learn about the summer when you, or Lara our protagonist, an aspiring actress at the time dated a famous actor, at a time when he was not yet famous. The intricacies and complications of what used to be simple relationships and the impact people have on our lives and how they can influence on our future. This felt like a warm hug in places and by the end I was in tears, such heartfelt storytelling. My first of Ann Patchett and certainly not the last. I would definitely recommend to everyone. Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for an advanced copy of the book in exchange for an unedited and honest opinion.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Child death, Alcoholism, Drug use, Abortion, Blood, Alcohol, Cancer, Death, and Injury/Injury detail

juliacsmith's review against another edition

reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

I’m still deciding how I feel about this book. But Meryl Streep as audiobook narrator = perfection. Chef’s kiss. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Death, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Pandemic/Epidemic, Abortion, Alcohol, Grief, Medical content, Racism, Sexism, Child death, Cancer, and Vomit

aileron's review against another edition

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Alcoholism, Vomit, Blood, Medical content, Infidelity, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal death and Cancer

Minor: Racism, Abortion, Child death, and Pandemic/Epidemic

fanchera's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Terminal illness, Child death, Death of parent, Infidelity, Alcoholism, Suicide, and Cancer

jaimc's review

emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Mental illness, Pandemic/Epidemic, Injury/Injury detail, and Medical content

Moderate: Sexual content

Minor: Pregnancy, Abortion, and Child death

jennabeck13's review against another edition

emotional reflective 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? No

3.0

Tom Lake by Ann Patchett

⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3/5)

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

About 310 pages 

In the throes of the COVID-19 lockdown, Lara’s daughters are going stir-crazy, which is how she ends up telling them the story of her summer at Tom Lake with the famous actor, Peter Duke. That summer in Tom Lake changed the course of Lara’s life forever, and if things had gone differently her daughters may not be where they are today. This story forces not only Lara, but also her husband and daughters, to re-evaluate their relationships with one another, the cherry farm, and what they want for the future.

As with many of Reese’s book club picks, this book was average to me. I enjoyed the first half of the book and was drawn in by Lara’s storytelling, but the second half fell flat. I think this was due to the change in tone. Additionally, I cared more about Lara’s story of coming up in the acting world than her relationship with Peter Duke which definitely impacted my feelings toward the second half of the book.

Favorite Quote: “There is no explaining this simple truth about life: you will forget much of it. The painful things you were certain you’d never be able to let go? Now you’re not entirely sure when they happened, while the thrilling parts, the heart-stopping joys, splintered and scattered and became something else. Memories are then replaced by different joys and larger sorrows, and unbelievably, those things get knocked aside as well.”

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Content Warnings

Minor: Alcoholism, Blood, Alcohol, Abortion, Addiction, Child death, Death, Medical content, and Vomit

sarahyjackson's review

emotional reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

A perfect book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol

Moderate: Abandonment, Abortion, and Death

Minor: Child death, Drug use, and Animal death

books_withblooms's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood

Minor: Child death, Death, Addiction, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Alcoholism, Suicidal thoughts, Cancer, Abortion, Racism, and Sexual content