Tom Lake is Ann Patchett's newest novel. Patchett is one of all time incredible writers. Her books are always heart felt and having incite into the human condition.
Tom Lake is again a novel about family, love and relationships. She calmly takes three grown daughters brings them home during the covid pandemic and sets them up with their parents alone in the house for multiple weeks. The family owns a fruit farm and it is cherry picking season.
As they spend their days again bringing in the harvest alone because their helpers cannot come to work, the mother tells the story of her youth. Bringing back the days when she wanted to become an actress and played the part of Emily in Our Town. She tells the story of her playing the part at a summer stock theatre called Tom Lake. She acted opposite and fell in love with the actor Peter Duke, who later becomes famous. The girls have grown up watching Peter Duke movies. As their mother spins her tale the girls are forced to reconsider the picture they have always had of their parents.
This is a story of family dynamics. Mother, daughter relationships. Young love and long lasting love. Realizing what is really important and what it means to be happy. Written with a quiet subtle message that packs a big punch.
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