One definition of commonwealth is,
“Any group of persons united by some common interest or objective.” This
meaning fits the plot of the novel literally but also paradoxically, can be
viewed tongue-in cheek. Ann Patchett is one of my longtime favorite authors.
Her novel, Bel Canto remains on the
list of top ten all-time favorites. Needless to say, I picked up her latest
novel, Commonwealth with anticipation.
I have to say this one was a slower burn for me but ultimately satisfying. It’s
hard not to be drawn in by her wonderful writing.
The book opens with a man
attending a party he has not been invited to. He simply doesn’t want to go home
to his children and expectant wife. That decision alters the fate of two
families. These two families are uprooted and the life trajectory of all
involved, changed.
As with all of Patchett’s work,
the characters are well-drawn and fascinating. In spite of their missteps and
flaws, you find yourself saddened by their circumstances and choices and
rooting for their ultimate enlightenment. Perhaps the common objective here was
to survive without too much damage. The bigger theme may be the concept that a seemingly
random event can trigger intense, irreversible change of all within its radius.
Worth reading.
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