Book Review: The Homecoming of Samuel Lake
The Homecoming of Samuel Lake by Jenny Wingfield
Publisher: Random House Trade Paperbacks
Paperback Publication Date: July 10, 2012
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Publisher’s Description:
The story of the Moses clan that gathers, as it always has, on the first Sunday in June, for an annual reunion at a sprawling hundred-acre farm in Arkansas. And every year, Samuel Lake, a vibrant and committed young preacher, brings his beloved wife, Willadee Moses, and their three children back for the festivities. In the midst of it all, Samuel and Willadee’s outspoken eleven-year old daughter Swan, is a bright light. Her high spirits and fearlessness have alternately seduced and bedeviled three generations of the family. But just as the reunion is getting under way, tragedy strikes, jolting the family to their core and setting the stage for a summer of crisis and profound change. As we follow the family through their own difficulties, Swan will make it her mission to protect Blade Ballenger, a traumatized eight-year old neighbor, unaware of the peril facing her and those she loves.
I just love a good Southern novel and The Homecoming of Samuel Lake certainly qualifies as one. It’s set in the 1950s, a simpler time. I really liked how the author created the slow, heavy atmosphere of life in the South. The characters are fabulous – they are standard characters that are in a lot of Southern novels but they have enough depth not to be caricatures. I especially like Calla, tough as nails matriarch and her son Toy, who is the strong, silent type. I had a crush on him by the end of the book. Swan is a fun character too. Even though it’s been quite a while since I last read To Kill a Mockingbird but I can see why she is getting compared to Scout in many reviews.
Another thing I love about a good Southern novel is the idioms that people use and also the unique Southern names. This book was full of both. Some of the names: Toy, Swan, Noble, Blade, Willadee, Early. Somehow having characters with these names just added to the charming yet strong Southern vibe in this novel.
My favorite quote from the book is from Swan:*
“…there’s always a faction – that’s a bunch of people that get together and drink coffee at somebody’s house after church, when the message is too strong and they got their toes stepped on – anyway there’s always a faction that’s trying to get rid of the preacher for one reason or another.”
As someone who’s served in leadership positions at church in the past, I think her definition of faction is both hilarious and spot-on.
This novel isn’t all charm though. Bad things happen to good people and animals. (You may be bothered by a couple of scenes if you are especially sensitive to violence against children or animals.) Nothing is gratuitous though and everything that happens is necessary for the characters to grow. The story is captivating from beginning to end.
I highly recommend The Homecoming of Samuel Lake.
*This quote is taken from the advance reader’s edition. The final copy may differ.
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(I received this book courtesy of the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program.)
