Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new edition of Lil Red’s Book Club! In a spoiler free setting, as always, we will be discussing the newest novel by Rachel Joyce called The Homemade God. Like my last book club review, this was a far cry from my normal thrillers but an absolutely delightful read. I already knew I was in for a treat before even reading the first page because Rachel Joyce authored one of my all time favorite books, The Unlikely Pilgrimage Of Harold Fry. Of course, nothing will beat the best of the best but I very much enjoyed The Homemade God! Before we begin, I will be placing a trigger warning for addiction, self harm, miscarriage, and the death of a parent. Now, let’s get to it:

Netta, Susan, Goose (Gustav), and Iris are quite possibly the closest siblings you will ever meet. They talk on the phone constantly, see each other as often as humanly possible, and know each other better than they know themselves. This close knit group is held together by the glue of the family, their father who is a world famous artist named Vic. Perhaps, they are held together in spite of him. As their mother died when the children were young, Vic was the only parent they knew but he was an absent one.

In their youth, Vic would be gone for days on end. He could be on a bender. He could be locked away in his studio drunk and working on a painting. This left the care of the siblings up to the eldest child, Netta, and in each of their own ways they were parenting their own parent too. As adults, this sentiment remains the same because Vic is still an alcoholic and when they speak, it is usually about him. Regardless of their sad upbringing, each child fully believes that the world revolves around their dad and his world revolves around them and his art. Until it doesn’t.

At a family lunch, Vic declares that he is in love, getting married, and will be creating a new masterpiece. The children are dumbstruck as they didn’t even know their father was dating. But it gets worse. His bride to be, Bella-Mae, is only twenty-seven years old and they have only been together for six weeks. Their pleas to reconsider are meaningless to seventy-six year old Vic because his mind has already been made up. He and Bella-Mae will be married at their beautiful villa on Lake Orta in Italy and when his kids meet her, they will be crazy about her too.

The only problem is, the children don’t meet her. Every plan for luncheons or tea are foiled to last minute cancellations and their minds begin to swim. Is she a grifter who is eager for Vic’s substantial fortune? Is she forcing him into something he doesn’t truly want? For all they know and which they really do consider, she could be a porn star. The siblings decide that the best thing to do is to drop contact with their father. The fling will fizz out, he will realize he was being ridiculous, and will eventually return to them when he has dealt with the embarrassment. Vic does contact his kids again. With an invitation to Lake Orta to celebrate the wedding that has already transpired.

Of course, the siblings have no intention of traveling to their home away from home until their hands are forced. Vic has died and it is up to them to arrange for his body to be transported back to England and finally meet Bella-Mae. They do have their inheritances to sort out, after all. Heartbroken and exhausted, the kids arrive at Lake Orta and can’t help but to be suspicious. Their father died of unusual circumstances and Bella-Mae’s eccentric cousin has made himself at home in the villa. Who is this mysterious woman who is now their father’s widow? And is she the one to blame for his death? Read The Homemade God to find out!

The Homemade God was a wonderful study on the inner workings of a dysfunctional family. The toils, the tender moments, downfalls, and reunions that can change the trajectory of the lives of all effected. Rachel Joyce did an incredible job of creating the characters of the children of the eccentric but deeply troubled father. While some were larger than life than others, it was easy to see yourself in at least one of them. Are you strong willed and brazen like Netta? Maybe you are more of a follower like Susan. Could you be approval seeking like Goose? Or perhaps you are like Iris, a delicate flower who has yet to fully bloom. Their individual relationships with their dad molded them into the caricatures they are today and his death allows them to discover themselves for the very first time.

There were plenty of sad parts to go around in The Homemade God but there was so much good too. The way the light hits the lake surrounding the villa, the stories the children share that still makes them laugh, and the confirmation that life will continue to go on in any way you choose. The Homemade God is also a friendly reminder to never judge a book by its cover with an ending that I considered to be perfect. An ending that invites new beginnings and a celebration of life, art, and love.

Overall, I am going to rate The Homemade God with a seven out of ten stars. I don’t think it was one of Rachel Joyce’s strongest novels and I have read almost all of hers. It is, however, well worth the read especially if you are a fan of her work!

What are you currently reading? What is one of your favorite books? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah