Tom Lake Review

Tom Lake by Ann Patchett

Tom Lake had me wanting to Google the characters in the story constantly. I was so convinced they were real people.

I chose this book because my Aunt Sherry recommended I listen to Tom Lake read by Meryl Streep.

Summary: Lara Nelson spends her days (and some nights) telling her daughters the story of the summer she spent at Tom Lake and dating famous actor, Peter Duke - all leading to falling for her husband, Joe Nelson, while the family picks cherries on their farm during the summer of COVID. A bomb drops right near the end leaving my jaw on the floor.

Review: I gave Tom Lake 4.25 stars. There is only one singularly appropriate way to read Tom Lake, and that is by listening to THE Meryl Streep read it to you. Thank me later...

The details and story telling were absolute perfection. When you walk away feeling like the characters of a story are real, you know you have an all-star book on your hands. And that is exactly what Ann Patchett delivered here.

Lara lives on a cherry farm with her husband, Joe. Together they have 3 daughters with vastly different personalities named Emily, Masie, and Nell - after important women in Lara's life. During the summer of COVID the 3 girls all find themselves back home on the family farm helping their parents pick the season's crop. They pass the time with Lara telling the story of her acting career (but mostly the summer she spent at Tom Lake).

The story jumps around in multiple time periods. So depending on where you leave off when you set the book down, you might find yourself slightly confused when you pick it back up for a minute.

Lara's character changed substantially as the story progressed, which was kind of a given considering it was the story of her life essentially. I would have really liked to see more of Joe's character develop. We really just got glimpses and how his puzzle piece fit into the story. Peter Duke's character also felt very one dimensional to me. He played a much larger role in the story and there was no character development which I was on purpose I'm sure.

Quotes:

• There is no explaining this simple truth about life: you will forget much of it.

• Memories are then replaced by different joys and larger sorrows, and unbelievably, those things get knocked aside as well, until one morning you're picking cherries with your three grown daughters and your husband goes by on a Gator and you are positive that this is all you've ever wanted in the world.

This book deserves a permanent place in my top 10 books, hands down. I haven't stopped recommending it to anyone who will listen since I finished it. My complaints about the book were honestly selfish and personal. I just wanted more of the story - proof of good the story-telling is.