Tom Lake

Lara and her three daughters are working on the family farm and talking about life.  It’s cherry season and they have just a few weeks to harvest all the fruit and get it to market.  While they work, the girls are asking Lara to talk about life when she was their age – a young actress in love with a man who would become a famous actor.  Hesitant to share it all with the girls, she discusses one fateful summer in Tom Lake, Michigan, and what brought her there.  What Lara shares with them is an origin story – the origin of their family, and of the career of the leading man that changed everything for her.

Ann Patchett’s Tom Lake is a beautiful tale of finding happiness and love, even when things don’t turn out the way you expected.  Utilizing the dynamic between Lara and her daughters, Patchett shows that all parents had a life before kids and it might be one that surprises the younger generation!  This is a book about finding what really matters in life – not fame, or recognition, but satisfaction and support.  This is also a book about looking beyond the exterior of those around you to see people for who they truly are.  Similar to her previous work The Dutch House, Patchett delivers a deep narrative of family ties and a knowledge that these strong bonds can withstand anything.

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I give Tom Lake 4 out of 5 stars.  This book hit all the categories for me across the board, with the exception of wanting to share it with everyone I met.  I really liked this book…. but can’t say I loved it.  It’s hard to put a finger on why, but it may have to do with the sisterly dynamic, or the fact that the parents didn’t come across as strong characters.  I appreciated the surprises along the way, like the timing of the book, the movie star’s life, and the surprise visitor in the end.  I really enjoyed the story, but I just wasn’t looking to spend more time with these characters when the novel was over though.

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If you have enjoyed Patchett’s other works like The Dutch House or Commonwealth, you will love this book, too!  With discussions of substance abuse and sex, this novel would be best directed to more mature audiences over 13.  I would also recommend this novel for readers interested in becoming actors – this shows the glamorous and the not-so-shiny sides of the industry well!

Tom Lake was the The Girlfriend Book Club November selection.  This marks the final month I’ll be actively participating in the book club as I shift my focus to the 2024 Read With Lindsey Reading Challenge.  I’m glad to end my streak with this book though!  I have been a huge fan of Patchett’s since I read The Dutch House last year and really enjoy following her on social media.  Also…how does she land such great narrators for her books?  Tom Hanks read The Dutch House and Meryl Streep reads Tom Lake!  If you’re looking for a great audiobook – this one sure fits that bill!

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What I’m Reading

• Current print book: The Heiress, Rachel Hawkins
• Current audio book: The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne
• Book I’m most looking forward to: The Woman in Me, Britney Spears