When
I saw that one of the main characters in this novel is a Giant Pacific Octopus,
I thought, “Nope.” But I read the first
chapter and I could not stop.
The
voice of Marcellus, that Giant Pacific Octopus, is at the heart of this
book. He is, quite frankly, one of the
best POV characters I’ve ever read. Marcellus is wise, kind, humorous,
enlightened, and, of course, remarkably bright. His interaction with and effect
upon the other characters in the novel is priceless.
THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
BBC RADIO 2 BOOK CLUB PICK
'Full of heart and humour . . . I loved it.' Ruth Hogan
'Will stay with you for a long time.' Anstey Harris
'I defy you to put it down once you've started' Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney
After Tova Sullivan's husband died, she began working the night cleaner shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium. Ever since her eighteen-year-old son, Erik, mysteriously vanished on a boat over thirty years ago keeping busy has helped her cope. One night she meets Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium who…
I
have been a Barbara O’Neal fan through her Barbara Samuel and Ruth Wind
years. Barbara can turn a phrase like no
one else. She creates exquisite pictures
with words, which you see through her character’s eyes. Her female characters speak to me. They are me.
I
both savor her books and speed through them because I can’t stop reading. This book, in particular, drew me with the beautifully drawn relationship between on-again, off-again lifelong friends, as well as the one between a grandmother
and granddaughter.
I
have to admit I love books about actors/actresses (also writers, rock stars, and
road trips).
From the USA Today bestselling author of When We Believed in Mermaids comes an emotional novel about two women facing the betrayals, heartbreaks, and refuge of true friendship.
Phoebe and Suze used to be closer than sisters. Growing up in a quiet and wildly beautiful coastal town in Oregon, they shared everything. Until the secrets they couldn't share threatened their bond and complicated their lives.
Now, decades later, Suze, a famous actress desperate for safe haven following a brutal attack, is back in town. Phoebe, a successful illustrator and fabric designer, has discovered keeping a secret means she can't let…
I
enjoyed the setting of the cherry farm and the summer stock theater group, both
of which I knew little about. I was
intrigued by the relationship between the mother and her daughters, as well as
the book partially being set during the pandemic. I have not read many (any?).
I thought the way the author allowed small tidbits of the book’s mysteries to play out was brilliantly executed. I didn’t see several of them coming.
I
have only read one other Ann Patchett novel, Bel Canto, and I enjoyed it so I’m
not sure why I waited this long to pick up another.
THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER * THE NO. 1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER *
A REESE WITHERSPOON AND BBC RADIO 2 BOOK CLUB PICK
'A new Ann Patchett novel is always cause for celebration ... and Tom Lake is one of her best' i
'This comforting summer read has it all ... Young love, sibling rivalry and deep mother-daughter relationships' REESE WITHERSPOON
'Filled with the moments I live for in a story' BONNIE GARMUS, author of Lessons in Chemistry
'One of the most beloved authors of her generation' SUNDAY TIMES
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This is a story about Peter Duke who went on…
1967, They called it the Summer of Love... For small-town Wisconsin siblings Billy and Jay Johnson, it’s a summer of
change, confusion, and self-discovery.
Billy enlists in the army and is sent to Vietnam. His letters and sketches tell
the story of the crack-shot soldier he has become. He draws strength from the
friends he makes there. Billy begins to wonder if he is there for the mission
or the men or if, maybe, his mission has become these men.
Jay expects to enjoy the summer with her three lifelong friends, but they have
grown up and grown apart leaving Jay adrift and alone. Then she meets Paul,
whose anti-war views make her question lifelong beliefs
versus the turning cultural tide.
