Tom Lake by Ann Patchett
Everyone loves Ann Patchett – so when her most recent book was published a few weeks ago it was no surprise that it has sold well – very well. It went to the top my to-read pile.
Tom Lake takes us back to a summer when Laura “Lara” was an actress at a summer theatre, she was 24 years old. By happenstance she auditioned for, and was selected for, the role of Emily in Thornton Wilder’s play Our Town. This led to an acting career, and several years in Hollywood.
When the actress playing Emily was suddenly unable to perform, Lara is called. Knowing the lines Lara is the perfect Emily and steps into the world of summer theatre. It is no time at all before Peter Duke, who plays another lead role in Our Town, becomes her lover.
A summer love affair – love or simply lust? Peter Duke went on to become a famous actor. Lara married and had children – 3 daughters, Emily, Maisie, and Nell.
Fast forward and Lara is now 57 years old, and Covid is upon us. Lara and her family own, and live on, a cherry orchard. All of the daughters are at home – Emily working with her father, Maisie doing her final year of veterinary studies online while practicing her skills on the neighbours pets and farm animals, and poor Nell trapped here, unable to work as an actress, as she so desires.
Lara has been convinced to tell her daughters about her summer so long ago, especially about Peter Duke and their relationship. At this point, I thought “wait a minute – really??”
As Lara tells her daughters more and more, the reader also learns all about that memorable summer – in fact, we learn more than the daughters do, as we are privy to Lara’s memories that are never voiced aloud. Thank goodness!
I’ve read all of Ann Patchett’s books over my adult life, and I will say that this novel does not have the impact of Bel Canto, for which she won The Women’s Prize for Fiction (formerly the Orange Prize) and the PEN/Faulkner Award in 2002. But Tom Lake does have the same perfectly paced writing, the gradual roll out of the story, a few perfectly placed surprises, and made a good read for a day on the dock as this summer comes to an end.